My Mexico: A Culinary Odyssey with More Than 300 Recipes (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "IT IS BEGINNING OF MAY, AND THE HOTTEST MONTH OF ALL, AS I SIT DOWN TO WRITE THIS BOOK IN MY ECOLOGICAL HOUSE IN SAN..." (more)
Key Phrases: unhulled raw pumpkin seeds, ungreased comal, tablespoons pork lard, Mexico City, The Art of Mexican Cooking, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Every country should have a Diana Kennedy, someone steeped in its culture and cooking who cruises around recording all the local recipes and sharing them with the world. My Mexico is Kennedy's rambling record of forays in pursuit of dishes that might be of interest. Based on the recipes she found, such as Posole de Camarone, a brothy shrimp and dried-corn stew, sweet Green Mango Roll, and tiny new potatoes cooked Shepherd style, Kennedy's travels have been quite fruitful.

Anyone may enjoy the wealth of recipes in this book, but only connoisseurs of Mexican cooking familiar with the varied and regional nature of its food are likely to appreciate the unusual nature of Kennedy's finds. Concentrating on what is unique, the author refers readers to her previous five works on Mexico for fundamental techniques or other background. Even the method for making masa in My Mexico is an uncommon one, presented to Kennedy by the woman who waters her plants.

This literate work is rich in almost novelistic descriptions. Long passages describe her graphic observations. She shares her love of the country where she has lived since 1957 with equal measures of loving passion and curmudgeonly criticism.

Charts and photos help show the variety of chiles and other foods that help give Mexican cooking its constant, often subtle variety. When recipes call for pulque, a mildly fermented juice from the agave plant, sour tunas, a kind of cactus fruit, or other ingredients you can't get, move on to her more accessible dishes or, as Kennedy did, let this book be a journey of discoveries. --Dana Jacobi

From Publishers Weekly

In a deeply knowledgeable celebration of the diverse regional cuisines of Mexico, acclaimed gastronome Kennedy (The Cuisines of Mexico, etc.) presents a tour de force, with the emphasis on authenticity. She incorporates family heirloom recipes (e.g., Sra. Redondo's Steamed Tacos Filled with Vermicelli; the Andrea Family's Stuffed Ancho Chiles) with traditional signature dishes of various locales, as well as adaptations of restaurant favorites and classics collected over her 40-year sojourn south of the border. Kennedy divides chapters by geographical region and takes readers on a meandering culinary journey, replete with detailed accounts of local topography, seasons, sights, sounds and scents. Departing from the didactic tone and careful organization of her previous works, Kennedy dispenses with in-depth discussions on ingredients, equipment and technique, referring readers instead to her The Art of Mexican Cooking. While there are condiments like Salsa Verde, Guacamole of Jerez and Jalape?o Chile Relish that even inexperienced cooks can easily render, the recipes, most of which are laborious and involve hard-to-find ingredients, speak largely to well-traveled culinary aficionados or Mexican expats eager to replicate foods of their homeland (e.g., creamy, cheesy Zucchini Michoacan Style; pastry turnovers like Gorditas from Hidalgo; Oaxacan Squash Vine Soup). This book is as much a work of cultural anthropology as it is a recipe reference. Color photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 550 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (October 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609602470
• ISBN-13: 978-0609602478
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.8 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #378,339 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting for Advanced Mexican Cooks, August 4, 1999

By A Customer

If you're already aware that Mexican food is as close to divine as food gets, you'll enjoy this book, but most likely be a little frustrated by the lack of specific ingredients available stateside. Ms Kennedy rambles a bit, but it's all enjoyable. If you're a novice, I'd suggest her Cuisines of Mexico.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Cookbook, July 15, 2001

By	Stephanie Manley (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have been very pleased with my edition of My Mexico. The book is filled with so many recipes. The recipes span a wide range of Mexican cooking. She writes with great detail regarding the background of the recipes as well as giving very detailed instructions. This isn't the book filled with Tex Mex recipes that we are so often used to, but, authentic Mexican cooking. Of books produced in the recent years that cover this topic, I have enjoyed this book the most.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Check it out at the library first or buy one of her other cookbooks, March 29, 2001

By	Travel Enthusiast (International) - See all my reviews

Go to the library first and compare this with Mrs. Kennedy's other cookbooks before spending your hard-earned $. Diana has written much better books including The Art of Mexican Cooking and The Cuisines of Mexico, both of which have some photographs, mostly black and white. This cookbook has good assortment of recipes accompanied by rambling text. There are no photographs of the finished recipes to guide the novice cook with little experience in preparing Mexican cuisine. Colorful, festive presentation is an essential part of authentic Mexican Cuisine, which are best seen in color photographs. I recommend buying "Savoring Mexico" by Marilyn Tausend or "The Mexican Gourmet" by Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal. Both make beautiful gifts and also recommends where you can find the more unusual ingredients used in the recipies. (I own all 5 books mentioned here.)