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Peppers of the Americas: The Remarkable Capsicums That Forever Changed Flavor [A Cookbook] Hardcover – August 1, 2017

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 249 ratings

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Winner of the 2018 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Award for "Reference & Technical"

A beautiful culinary and ethnobotanical survey of the punch-packing ingredient central to today's multi-cultural palate, with more than 40 pan-Latin recipes from a three-time James Beard Award-winning author and chef-restaurateur.

From piquillos and shishitos to padrons and poblanos, the popularity of culinary peppers (and pepper-based condiments, such as Sriracha and the Korean condiment gochujang) continue to grow as more consumers try new varieties and discover the known health benefits of Capsicum, the genus to which all peppers belong. This stunning visual reference to peppers now seen on menus, in markets, and beyond, showcases nearly 200 varieties (with physical description, tasting notes, uses for cooks, and beautiful botanical portraits for each). Following the cook's gallery of varieties, more than 40 on-trend Latin recipes for spice blends, salsas, sauces, salads, vegetables, soups, and main dishes highlight the big flavors and taste-enhancing capabilities of peppers.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Maricel is such an inspiring chef, and is so dedicated to understanding as much about the ingredients she uses as possible. This book is an amazing achievement and a resource that I will be using for years.”
—José Andrés, chef/owner, minibar by José Andrés and ThinkFoodGroup
 
“Maricel Presilla’s
Peppers of the Americas is a deeply researched, eye-opening, beautiful guide to one of the world’s most intriguing foods.”
—Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking
 

“Maricel Presilla—the planet’s foremost authority on the cuisines of Latin America—has written the most definitive guide to peppers ever created. It is an essential book for every cook who cares about flavor.”
—James Oseland, author of Cradle of Flavor and Top Chef Masters judge
 
“In this thorough work, Maricel Presilla brings her fine scholarship to an ingredient that virtually all Americans use, deftly traveling a great distance and wresting clarity from complexity. A truly impressive book.”
—Deborah Madison, author of Vegetable Literacy and In My Kitchen

“Presilla is both “botanical sleuth” and chef, presenting a scholarly and stunning visual guide to peppers in this definitive guide.”

PW Starred Review

"Our test kitchen's go-to chile pepper resource!"

—Martha Stewart Living

"Like Betty Fussell’s The Story of Corn, Presilla’s work is essential to our understanding of an ingredient that’s native to the Americas. It’s also absorbing and just plain fun: a hot summertime read for pepper people everywhere."
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
“There’s an astounding amount of information here—historical, botanical, and even linguistic. It almost accidentally functions as a crash course in food archaeology, and contains an explainer on the hot hot heat of capsacin, the compound that makes food spicy. And somehow Presilla manages to present the vast majority of this potentially very dry subject matter almost conversationally, as though she is walking you through her backyard pepper pots, glass of wine in hand, telling you anecdotes about each. … The whole package is enough to make me reconsider single subject cookbooks. While I still think some can veer flabby, afterthoughts of publishers’ trying to plug up gaps in their catalog,
Peppers of the Americas is different. Scholarly, even. And anything that manages to be well-researched and charming will always have a spot on my bookshelves—especially when it’s a book as spicy as this one.”
—Paula Forbes, Food52

"You don’t expect a botanical ethnography on peppers to send shivers up your spine, but Peppers of the Americas does just that. With academic rigor, Presilla examines the Capsicum genus’ pre-Hispanic origins, delving headlong into the epic collision between the Old and New World that sent peppers across the globe."
—NBCNews.com

"For the chile lover, the pepper obsessive and the cook who wants to learn everything there is to know about a single subject, this is the book."
—NPR's Here & Now Best Cookbooks of 2017 

About the Author

MARICEL PRESILLA is the chef-owner of two pan-Latin restaurants (Cucharama and Zafra) and a cooking atelier (Ultramarinos), president/founder of Gran Cacao Company (a cacao importer), a frequent contributor to Saveur, and a former medieval Spanish history professor (Rutgers). She has been profiled in the New York Times andWashington Post, and led the White House's Latin culture showcase in 2010. She was named the James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2012; her opus,Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America, won the James Beard Book of the Year in 2013; and she was inducted into the Beard Foundation's Hall of Fame in 2015.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lorena Jones Books (August 1, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399578927
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399578922
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.28 x 1.1 x 10.26 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 249 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
249 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book provides extensive information about peppers of the Americas. They describe it as an essential reference with a good layout and pictures. Readers appreciate the well-written text and descriptive words. The book covers the history of peppers, their flavor profiles, and how to use them.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

25 customers mention "Information value"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides a comprehensive overview of peppers from the Americas. It covers topics like types, history, and evolution. Readers appreciate the factual and detailed information about peppers. Overall, it's a useful reference for pepper enthusiasts.

"...The book delves into the history of peppers, beginning in prehistoric Bolivia and continuing through their travels throughout the world, and into..." Read more

"This is a really nice book, interesting and well-written text and beautiful pictures, lots of pepper history, culinary uses, and some recipes...." Read more

"A great reference for pepper enthusiasts with interesting evolution/ historical information and a great index of cultivars with images, flavor..." Read more

"...It is comprehensive; Ms Presilla is clearly an expert. It is a great reference, a great history, and well written enough to be entertaining reading...." Read more

22 customers mention "Readability"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and interesting. They appreciate the good layout and pictures. The book serves as a solid reference with interesting reading and recipes.

"...It is beautiful enough to be considered a cocktail table book. It is not dull, nor is it dry: It is bursting with color and luscious and mouth-..." Read more

"This is a really nice book, interesting and well-written text and beautiful pictures, lots of pepper history, culinary uses, and some recipes...." Read more

"...What a treat. If you are looking for a reference book about chilies I doubt you can find something more comprehensive...." Read more

"...Who loves peppers. And who has written a big, lovely, book about peppers. She starts with the early cultivation starting in South America...." Read more

15 customers mention "Picture quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pictures and layout. They find it visually appealing, with a good balance of images and text. The index of cultivars with images is also praised. Overall, readers find the book engaging and colorful.

"...You will find an excellent photo for each fresh and dried pepper, along with its history, description of the plant, its heat and flavor, and how..." Read more

"This is a really nice book, interesting and well-written text and beautiful pictures, lots of pepper history, culinary uses, and some recipes...." Read more

"...Stunning photography In the entire book. The last third of the book give some recipe ideas but not exact recipes...." Read more

"...interesting evolution/ historical information and a great index of cultivars with images, flavor profile and origins... problem is, it’s January at..." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style. They find the text well-written with descriptive words and beautiful pictures.

"...find them listed—with recipes, with interesting information and descriptive words, with pictures...." Read more

"This is a really nice book, interesting and well-written text and beautiful pictures, lots of pepper history, culinary uses, and some recipes...." Read more

"...It is a great reference, a great history, and well written enough to be entertaining reading...." Read more

"...Presilla covers all these topics in this well illustrated and well written book. A welcome addition to any library devoted to food." Read more

5 customers mention "Flavor profile"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's flavor profiles. They find it informative and entertaining, with images of pepper cultivars, their heat levels, and origins. It is a must-have for pepper enthusiasts.

"...pepper, along with its history, description of the plant, its heat and flavor, and how best to use it...." Read more

"...historical information and a great index of cultivars with images, flavor profile and origins... problem is, it’s January at time of this writing,..." Read more

"...She also discusses the various names of these fantastic foods, so while I have been calling them chiles since I live in Colorado, but chile has so..." Read more

"...written so much for botanists or scientists, but for the pure pleasure of enjoying peppers...." Read more

This an amazing book
5 out of 5 stars
This an amazing book
An accomplished author and chef, Presilla shares her experience with growing Chilies in her garden. What a treat. If you are looking for a reference book about chilies I doubt you can find something more comprehensive. I particularly like the dried chilies section since you can find them Year around.Stunning photography In the entire book.The last third of the book give some recipe ideas but not exact recipes. One of the more innovative ideas is the pepper Leaf Chimichurri.Overall a great book.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2017
    I got excited when I saw that Maricel Pressila had written a new book, as I was familiar with some of her previous works: Her “Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America” from 2012 is awesome and almost overwhelming in its magnitude. After reading it, I knew that Pressila was an author whose works I would always devour. Her books are some of the most detailed, involved, comprehensive and descriptive works you could possibly come across. Her books are meaty and jam-packed with invaluable and trustworthy information. Her writing is solid and thoughtful and personable. When I saw the topic of this new effort is peppers, I was thrilled, and I pre-ordered a copy knowing it was a book I needed in my personal library. In all my nuanced, provocative and improvised cooking--hot and spicy or savory fruity--I am, truly am, a pepper person. The topic of this book is very important to me, and I am very aware of it and peppers' influence on me and my style of cooking--has been that way for many, many decades and will be until the day I stop eating.

    I have to shout it to you: I have not been disappointed in Peppers of the Americas!

    Before I delved into the book, I first went looking for mention of my favorite—and somewhat obscure—pepper. It’s not a hot one, and from my Caribbean background, I know it as aji dulce. And of course--as I trusted it would be--it was right there listed in the index with three references and two recipes! And one of those two recipes is a variation on one I make when I am missing the Islands and willing to dip into my dwindling bag of aji dulce from the freezer. I thought: If this book has aji dulce in it, it is very comprehensive. I very seldom find it mentioned in Latin cookbooks. Presilla's descriptive words on dulce aji are right on. And there are pictures, too.

    I mention my personal favorite pepper and how I found it in this book for one reason: You have your personal favorite(s), too. And you will go looking for it/them in this book. And I’m pretty positive you will find them listed—with recipes, with interesting information and descriptive words, with pictures.

    And, like me, after being assured that your favorites were not forgotten, you will read through the book and learn about all the others. It is a comprehensive book. It is a beautiful book. If you love your peppers—hot or sweet—chili head or pepper lover, cook or gardener, or a combo of all—you will be happy with this book.

    It is a reference book and it is a cookbook. I know I will refer to it over and over again. It is beautiful enough to be considered a cocktail table book. It is not dull, nor is it dry: It is bursting with color and luscious and mouth-watering descriptions.

    The book delves into the history of peppers, beginning in prehistoric Bolivia and continuing through their travels throughout the world, and into research in the present. You will learn pepper anatomy, and learn about their heat. There are pictures of the fruit, the flower, and the seeds. You will learn something about how to identify the different members of the capsicum family.

    Photography and drawings are beautiful and varied. Pictures are clear and large enough to see details.

    You will find an excellent photo for each fresh and dried pepper, along with its history, description of the plant, its heat and flavor, and how best to use it.

    There is a chapter with helpful hints for growing peppers, and one for “cooking with peppers”. Very helpful to me are the instructions for drying peppers and grinding into powders and roasting them, making pepper vinegars, fermenting hot peppers, and making other pepper condiments. (I especially liked the pepper-spiced pineapple vinegar, with vinegar made from fermenting strips of pineapple skin.)

    It may not seem like 40 recipes is a lot, but considering that Presilla provides a wealth of information regarding techniques I mention in the previous paragraph, potential is there for way more than forty recipes. As I read, creative thoughts were pounding and swirling around in my head! And when I counted, there were more than 50, with some recipes within recipes.

    There is a decent bibliography and a thorough index. There is an invaluable page of resources, too.
    30 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2022
    This is a really nice book, interesting and well-written text and beautiful pictures, lots of pepper history, culinary uses, and some recipes. I bought this for my son and was planning to read it first then send it off, but I liked it so much I bought him one and kept mine! There are a LOT of peppers described in here, and though it obviously won’t have all the new cross-varieties coming on the market these days, it does have a surprising number of newer ones. Now I’m on a mission to try new peppers, both in the garden and the kitchen!
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2022
    An accomplished author and chef, Presilla shares her experience with growing Chilies in her garden. What a treat. If you are looking for a reference book about chilies I doubt you can find something more comprehensive. I particularly like the dried chilies section since you can find them Year around.
    Stunning photography In the entire book.

    The last third of the book give some recipe ideas but not exact recipes. One of the more innovative ideas is the pepper Leaf Chimichurri.

    Overall a great book.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars This an amazing book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2022
    An accomplished author and chef, Presilla shares her experience with growing Chilies in her garden. What a treat. If you are looking for a reference book about chilies I doubt you can find something more comprehensive. I particularly like the dried chilies section since you can find them Year around.
    Stunning photography In the entire book.

    The last third of the book give some recipe ideas but not exact recipes. One of the more innovative ideas is the pepper Leaf Chimichurri.

    Overall a great book.
    Images in this review
    Customer image Customer image Customer image
    Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2021
    A great reference for pepper enthusiasts with interesting evolution/ historical information and a great index of cultivars with images, flavor profile and origins... problem is, it’s January at time of this writing, there’s 20 inches of snow on the ground and I’ve already placed orders for over 20 plants that she details here...

    If you enjoy growing and eating peppers, this is the bool for you
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018
    I loved everything about this book. It is comprehensive; Ms Presilla is clearly an expert. It is a great reference, a great history, and well written enough to be entertaining reading. Histories and background always help me connect the dots as I learn to understand the properties of peppers and how they may be combined. Highly recommended for any pepper fan. She also discusses the various names of these fantastic foods, so while I have been calling them chiles since I live in Colorado, but chile has so many variants and is used in a relatively narrow geographic and ethnic area/group.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2017
    The author is a chef who grows peppers. Who cooks with peppers. Who loves peppers. And who has written a big, lovely, book about peppers.

    She starts with the early cultivation starting in South America. Then comes some botanical information about peppers. Next, Columbus arrives, and peppers spread around the world and become integral parts of many cuisines.

    Following this background comes an encyclopedic section, covering first fresh peppers and then dried peppers. While a great reference, you'll have to be really hard core to simply read it through.

    She then discusses growing peppers, although her experiences are based on the limited growing season in New Jersey. As a Southern Californian I can grow peppers as perennials, and have had plants last for years, sometimes even fruiting in the winter.

    She also covers buying fresh peppers, drying fresh peppers, and buying dried peppers.

    And, of course, cooking with peppers. Both general advice and also recipes, including sauces, condiments, and full up dishes.

    Oh, did I mention the book is full of wonderful color pictures? Mostly of peppers, of course!

    The author's love of peppers infuses the book. If you love peppers you'll want this book.

    I received a copy for review from the publisher, but ordered a copy of the final version for my library.
    34 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2023
    complete

Top reviews from other countries

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  • seawitch
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 2, 2024
    Definitely buy
  • Sean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book, great read, and very informative. A must have
    Reviewed in Canada on February 3, 2021
    Fantastic book. Great read!
  • M. T. P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A enciclopédia
    Reviewed in Brazil on April 4, 2019
    O melhor livro que encontrei sobre pimentas (Capsicum). Um excelente livro de referência para quem se interessa sobre o assunto, tecnico e acessível.
  • Claudio
    5.0 out of 5 stars Il gusto piccante della vita
    Reviewed in Italy on August 23, 2017
    Fondamentale per gli appassionati, ineccepibile la parte introduttiva con stupende tavole a colori e impressionante galleria delle varietà amerinde; da circa metà libro parte un ricettario, anch'esso notevole e condotto con mano esperta (l'autrice, Maricel Presilla, è una chef proprietaria di un paio di ristoranti nel New Jersey, una autorità nel settore del cacao, e già autrice di Gran Cocina Latina, sorta di Talismano della Felicità latinoamericano).
    Libro solido, ben rilegato, bello; edito sotto i migliori auspici e commenti positivi di personalità della cucina internazionale (fondamentale l'apprezzamento di Harold McGee per la parte scientifica), e una delle novità più interessanti del 2017 nel settore enogastronomico.
    Da non mancare.
  • Susanna
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2017
    Very well researched information.