Customer Reviews

Spanish Cooking

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I'm a little embarassed. Anyone who's been paying attention will note that I said the rather odd "Let's Eat Spanish at Home" was the cheapest of the three budget Spanish cookbooks I've chosen for comparison. As it turns out, that book is the most expensive of the group. At an unbelievably low [price], my favorite, "Step-by-Step Spanish Cooking," is also the cheapest. That reminds me of the delicious food found at modest bars, ferias and even gas stations in southern Spain when I lived there from 1971-'74. Also recalling that indelible experience is this paperback's inclusion of many dishes that modern eaters might term "comfort food": White Fish Soup, Flaming Eggs (also known as Huevos a la Flamenco, and omitted from the other contending cookbooks), Rice Valencia Style, Mixed Roasted Vegetables with Garlic Mayonnaise (also known as Alioli), Asparagus and Artichoke Salad, Spanish Style Pot Roast, Fish with Spicy Vinegar Sauce... how I do go on. That's how good this book is, capturing, in a modest 64 pages, the essence of Spanish cooking styles and spices (and including some dishes, like Broiled Baby Octopus and Tomato and Bell Pepper Stew) that tend to be omitted from smallish guides). Filled with appealing color photography, the book's attractive and nice to touch. It sports a measurement guide, "Basic Spanish Pantry" information, index, and the types of hints that come from a caring editor: serving suggestions, cooking tips and notes, etc. This is one instance in which the Germans (this is part of the Konemann series) beat the Brits (publishers of "Let's Eat Spanish at Home") - this book definitely wins my little Spanish cookbook competition. Ole!

I love this cook book because it has great pictures from start to finish of the item you are cooking. It is easy to follow. The paella recipe is great. I also like the carrots, raisins, and salami dish. The book is a pamphlet type of book so it doesn't take much space. You can take it to the grocery store when you are shopping, just don't forget it. That's how I lost mine.