Patricia Wells for Latino food?

September 27, 2007 1:04 PM

Latin American cookbook recommendations?

After picking up last month's special issue of Gourmet, I have become really interested in authentic Latino food.

Please recommend some good cookbooks or other resources to help me explore the flavors of Latin America!

posted by AceRock to food & drink (9 answers total)

For Mexican, it's hard to beat Diana Kennedy. I particularly recommend The Art of Mexican Cooking.
posted by trip and a half at 1:11 PM on September 27, 2007

Memories of a Cuban Kitchen
Clarita's Cocina
posted by jquinby at 1:19 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

gah. Borked the second link. Try Clarita's Cocina.
posted by jquinby at 1:24 PM on September 27, 2007

Seconding Memories of a Cuban Kitchen!

It's brought me several favorites after being recommended by the Cuban grandmother of a boyfriend. Delicious! The arroz con pollo recipe is excellent, in particular.
posted by whatzit at 2:20 PM on September 27, 2007

I really liked Steven Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking. The recipes were light and very flavorful.
posted by reenum at 4:28 PM on September 27, 2007

I really like Rick Bayliss. All of his books are excellent reads, but I love Mexican Everyday. I guess it's not entirely authentic, but it draws on authentic techniques and flavors and the recipies are easy and great - I think it's my most used cookbook.
posted by kittyloop at 6:08 PM on September 27, 2007

Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz's book is a classic and a must for your shelf. Of the Bayless books (I think I own most of them) the one that's thoroughly dog-eared is his first, which has just been re-released in a 20th anniversary edition.

I had a serious bone to pick with that issue of Gourmet.
posted by donovan at 6:22 PM on September 27, 2007

If you're up for the Julia Child treatment (aka involved, complicated, expensive, and sloooow but astoundingly instructive and delicious), I recommend Norman Van Aken's New World Kitchen. Results are splendid, and with a little innovation and some savvy corner-cutting, you can make many of the dishes in in an hour or so.
posted by mr. remy at 10:41 PM on September 27, 2007

Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified
posted by sushiwiththejury at 11:37 PM on October 8, 2007