The Book of Latin American Cooking (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This award-winning cookbook by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz includes 500 recipes from the exotic culinary traditions of the Latin American World, covering the coasts, mountainous areas, and fertile plains between Mexico and Chile. Ortiz selects appetizers, soups, main courses, salads, and desserts from each region and explores the wild array of spices and styles that make these recipes unique.

Using delicious examples, she describes how the Spanish, Portuguese, African, and Middle Eastern influences have combined with the indiginous cooking of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Her recipes range from familiar favorites such as Guacamole and Feijao Preto (black beans), to more unusual recipes: Sopa de Topinambur (Jerusalem Artichoke Soup -- Chile), Matambre (Stuffed Rolled Flank Steak -- Argentina), Pichones con Salsa de Camarones (Squab in Shrimp Sauce -- Peru), Salada de Palmito (Hearts of Palm Salad -- Brazil), Quimbolitos (Steamed Puddings -- Equador), as well as a wide variety of sauces and breads.

This book is the prototype for all books on Latin American cooking and remains the definitive text on the subject.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Ecco (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880013826
• ISBN-13: 978-0880013826
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of unique, authentic, well-written DELICIOUS recipes, July 3, 1996

By A Customer

I have tried dozens of the recipes in this book, from appetizers and salads, to entrees and desserts and each recipe has been a highly pleasing adventure. The dishes are very authentic, and bring out flavors and combinations that are very new to the American palate. I have many cookbooks, and this is by far the one I've enjoyed the most. I plan to prepare every recipe in this book and I look forward to trying Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz' other books. Muy bien!! -Bob

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great variety of South American Recipes, July 10, 2004

By A Customer

I spent my childhood in Colombia and greatly miss some of the "Criollo" cooking of the region. This is one of the few Latin American cookbooks that includes many recipes from South America, along with the more common Central and North American (Mexican) recipes. She has an extensive introduction describing the cooking of different regions and a chapter on ingredients. There are many recipes in different categories, but I believe in a book this size it was impossible to do justice to the cooking of some of the countries represented. Think of it more as an introduction to the cuisine of those countries. I found that there were only two Bolivian recipes listed, and there were very few Argentinian, Paraguayan, Peruvian or Venezuelan recipes. The book does include the Argentinian dishes with which I am most familiar. I wish she would visit the region again and write another book! I have found this book useful in recreating some of the recipes from my Childhood. Some of the recipes I looked up seemed complex and had ingredients that I could not locate, but most of the recipes seem easy to prepare, and adapted to ingredients that can be found in the US. The Colombian recipes included are representative of the two regions that she states she visited, the Coastal Region, and the area surrounding the Capital, Santafe de Bogota (However, my Aunts would be mortified to hear of an "Ajiaco Bogotano" made without Guascas and with just any kind of potato instead of with "papas criollas"). There are not a lot of recipes from the Colombian interior and Mountain regions where I spent most of my childhood, or from the region bordering Venezuela. This is understandable in a cookbook that covers so many diverse cuisines. I will be purchasing some more specialized cookbooks on Colombian cooking. One that I like and I would recommend, is "Cocina Colombiana, Paso a Paso". It is currently out of print, but if Colombian Cooking interests you, you may be able to find a used copy. I am also looking for books on Argentinian and Peruvian Cooking. Any suggestions? Since I own this book in a paperback version that is just starting to fall apart, I will be purchasing it in hardback.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Cookbook to add to your library..., August 10, 2001

By A Customer

Lots of wonderful authentic latin recipies. They have all been very intersting and delightful so far. Some of the dishes can be a little complicated to prepare though.