TACOS: Recipes and Provocations
I have to admit, when I first laid eyes on Tacos: Recipes and Provocations
Forgive her rush to judgement, but she’s been burned by cookbooks that are…
- positively gorgeous
- positively polished
- positively elegant
- positively existing in their own little world
You know the cookbooks I’m talking about – IF you could actually FIND the ingredients listed, you’d have to take out a loan to make an entire meal.
When I laid eyes and hands on the beautiful Tacos: Recipes and Provocations, the inner voice was convinced we were holding another lovely disappointment.
W.R.O.N.G.
As you know, I collect more cookbooks than some female celebrities collect boyfriends. The last time I counted, my beloved collection was well over 200 (and this inventory took place over 5 years ago). I am quite familiar with cookbooks, so what I’m about to say can be taken as “Cookbook Gospel.” I cannot remember ever seeing a cookbook filled with so many doable, yet comparatively inexpensive to execute, recipes.
When I got halfway through the cookbook and found myself astounded by this fact, it hit me – it really shouldn’t be that big a surprise. After all, traditional Mexican cooking is all about using fresh ingredients. That’s why, for the most part, eating at an authentic Mexican restaurant is inexpensive compared to other restaurants.
The restaurants and Tacos: Recipes and Provocations prove that flavor isn’t expensive… it just tastes like it is.
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About the Authors
Alex Stupak earned recognition as one of the world’s most innovative pastry chefs while leading teams at progressive cuisine icons Clio, Alinea, and wd-50. But innovation only counts, he figured, if you push yourself out of your comfort zone, and so he left that world to cook Mexican food, a cuisine that captured his head and his heart. His restaurant Empellón Cocina earned him a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant in the country, and Food & Wine magazine named him a Best New Chef in 2013.
Jordana Rothman is a veteran of Time Out New York, where she held the reins as the magazine’s Food & Drink editor for six years. She’s a respected member of the national food writing community and a frequent contributor to print and digital publications such as Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, New York Magazine, Cherry Bombe, MadFeed, Grub Street and Conde Nast Traveler.
Granted, some of the recipes (the ones calling for more expensive meat) could “prove costlier” than others. But, on the whole, the recipes are decidedly budget friendly.
As someone who has to eat gluten free, one of my favorite chapters of the book was the “Tortillas” section. The reader is shown, in beautiful detail, how to make their own corn tortillas (and flour tortillas as well).
Top 10 Things I Love About TACOS:
- The book is stunning. I’m sorry to be a shallow foodie, but I love a great looking cookbook. This is one of those you wouldn’t dare hide away in a cabinet.
- The pictures are plentiful, educational, and gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. I love for big colorful pictures to accompany recipes in a cookbook and this is a beautiful example of why.
- The recipes are recipes you’ll make again and again.
- TACOS is as much a “guide” to Mexian cuisine and culture as it is a collection of recipes and it is fascinating. Before the recipes begin is a type of Mexican Cuisine tutorial with all the information you’ll ever need on ingredients (“The Mexican Pantry“) and a guide to peppers that’s so descriptive you can almost smell them.
- Pages 35 and 36, alone, open up a whole world of possibilities. The recipe for Corn Tortillas involves two ingredients – and one of those is water! As with anything, the flavor of “store bought” food cannot in any way compare with freshly made food. As much as I love store bought corn tortillas, my mouth is watering at the prospect of making my own. Now that I finally have clear cut, beautifully described instructions, I’ll be able to do just that.
- Salsas! Again, as mentioned in number 5, store bought cannot hold a candle to homemade. The gorgeous chapter on Salsas stretches from 59 to 103 and it’s worth the price of admission all by itself. Salsa recipes include Salsa Mexicana, Salsa Roja, Salsa Verde, Salsa Habanera, Roasted Salsa Verde, Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa, Mole Verde…
- The recipes are either, naturally, gluten free or can be easily “made” gluten free with simple substitutions.
- TACOS is ideal for both sides of the culinary fence – meat eaters and vegetarians. Yes, there are a lot of recipes that include meat, but there are enough recipes that do not that make the cookbook more than justifiable. You could make a case for the chapters on Tortillas and Salsa being even more valuable to a vegetarian than a meat eater. Also, recipes such as Shishito Pepper Tacos, Pico De Gallo Tacos, Chile Relleno Tacos, and Black Bean Hummus Tacos would prove to be lifelong favorites of vegetarians AND meat lovers.
- In the words of Disney’s Aladdin.. TACOS opens up a “Whole New World.” One of the soapboxes I climb up on the most (as a foodie) is this: Don’t box in your taste buds! While I think it’s essential for every single person to “taste the world,” it may even be more essential for children. One of the reasons young people have such limited and often unhealthy diets is that they were served the same meals over and over. How many times do you hear a mother lament, “It’s all he’ll eat…” or “She won’t touch anything green…” Serve your family a wide variety of food from all over the world. You could put any cuisine in front of my daughters and they wouldn’t bat an eye. Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Italian… they could identify it, relate to it, and (especially if it’s Mexican or Italian) have it eaten before you give the go ahead. Don’t limit your taste buds or box in your culinary options. I’ll just go ahead and…. cough, cough… climb off the soap box now.
- Two words: Chocolate Tacos (pages 220-221).
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- Did I mention Chocolate Tacos?
- Chile Relleno Tacos with Salsa Ranchera
- Pico De Gallo Tacos
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos (!!!)
- Fish Tempura Tacos
- Carnitas Tacos
- Chicken Tortillas
- Chorizo Tortillas
- Slab Bacon Tacos
- Tacos Al Pastor
- Pineapple Tacos
- Deviled Egg Tacos
- Adobo (“Masa may be the bedrock of Mexican cuisine, but adobo is what makes it sing.” – Page 223)
- Cooked White Beans
- Crema Mexicana (so good on refried beans you’ll lose your mind)
- Cheeseburger Tacos
- ETC!
I 110 percent recommend Tacos: Recipes and Provocations – you’re going to love every inch of this cookbook. It would also make a perfect gift idea for the foodies in your life.
Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.
