Product Description
At the El Farol restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a collection of delectable ingredients-smoked paprika, saffron, spicy chipotle chiles and piquillo peppers, capers and caperberries, and a variety of Spanish cheeses-gather for a celebration of Spanish flavor. Best known for their creative tapas menu, El Farol revolutionized dining in Santa Fe and New Mexico with such tapas as Pollo Curry, a simple cold chicken salad that is too good to ever remove from the menu; and Gambas al Ajillo, sautéed garlic shrimp with lime and madiera. Executive Chef James Campbell Caruso presents award-winning traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine in a colorful medley of recipes from his menu, including soups and stews, hot and cold tapas, 14 main courses, desserts, and an exclusive section on wine. Featuring over 120 recipes, El Farol: Traditional and Contemporary Spanish Tapas and Cuisine blends the rich and diverse cultural traditions of New Mexico with bold and interesting flavors. This unique collection presents Mediterranean and Spanish cooking influenced by a variety of lively Latin American dishes.

The tapas menu is "ever-changing, bold, and energetic," according to the Dallas Morning News. The New York Times calls El Farol's food "bold and eclectic." The chef's Lobster-Chorizo Canneloni was voted "Best Appetizer" in the 2000 Taste of Santa Fe.

James Campbell Caruso lives in Santa Fe, where he is the Executive Chef at El Farol, a chef and instructor at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and the author of many articles on cooking and restaurant culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Cream of the Crop
I've not had the pleasure of eating at El Farol but I have made several of the recipes in this fabulous book. Recipes are well written, concise and easy to follow with great results every time. This goes above and beyond The Joy of Cooking type recipes, although that is a staple in my kitchen. This is written more for those of us wishing to venture out into the territory of gourmet legends among our friends and family. I have impressed them with the recipe for pork tenderloin with plum sauce to the flavored ailoli's. I have several cookbooks by restaurant chefs, most of which sit on the shelf to be taken down and admired only. This one has the tiny tears and splatters of a well used cookbook. I love it!

Beautiful
This is a very beautiful book.It is very well presented.Recipes are fantastic.What more can I say?

I'm Hungry Again Just Thinking About This Book...
After a trip to Spain in September, I had a serious urge to create a tapas dinner for some friends and family, and needed some inspiration and guidance.A simple Amazon search led me to this book, and the reviews were all so positive that I had to buy it.They weren't wrong.

From the very first recipes (which, interestingly, are the mise-en-place recipes that are so often found in the back of books) to the "big guns" in the entree section, the recipes are simple (a hallmark of Spanish cuisine), easy-to-follow, and easy to alter based on the seasons or your local ingredients.It's a rare cookbook in that it's written so that beginners can cook every recipe, and yet advanced cooks don't feel insulted or talked down to.

As with most Spanish food that I've encountered, the simplest recipes often yield the most delicious flavors, and that's the case here.Few recipes contain more than 10 ingredients, with most averaging around 5-7 (and that's including salt and pepper), but they're combined in ways that you may not have thought of, like the Gambas al Alcaparra - shrimp with honey and capers.

The #1 hits?The Puerco con Manzanas y Cabrales (pork loin with apples and blue cheese), Albondigas (lamb meatballs), Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp in lime juice)... I'm hungry again.

And for an extra-special twist, the desserts aren't just cast-offs, half-assedly strewn together by a chef who knows nothing about pastries.They're delicious, creative, and replicatable.

Even if you can't cook, buy the book just for the pictures - frameworthy, each and every one.

Tapas nights at home!
Inspired by a recent vacation in Andalucia, near Jerez, I wanted to prepare a tapas meal for a friend's birthday.This cookbook was excellent - I was able to pick out several recipes for small dishes that were all easy to prepare and delicious.

The Grilled Artichokes in Saffron Butter were a huge hit, and the remaining butter sauce was very popular on bread.The Ginger Fig Puree was wonderful with grilled pork ribs. Also popular was the Chicken with Harissa, and the fish I prepared using the grilled sardine recipe.Unable to find a "flavorful small fish" at my local supermarket, I chose a mundane cod filet, which I cut into small pieces to be eaten in a tapas style, and prepared according to the recipe.This has now become my standard recipe for any type of white fish, as it is simple and delicious.

I love reading this cookbook for inspiration.I started a jar of El Farol Preserved Lemons, and can't wait to start using them when they haveaged.I have yet to try the dessert recipes, which are very tempting.Having executed several recipes successfully, I feel very confident that even the first time I try another, I will be able to serve it to my guests to rave reviews.

James Campbell Caruso has shared with us some wonderful ideas and recipes on how to add great flavor to food in a straight-forward fashion that a home cook will have no problem understanding or recreating.

Excellent Purchase
My passion is to research, collect and create new dishes all the time. I'm always looking for something different. And this book brings a high level of intense flavors to the table. If you love spices you'll love this.I've never been to the restaurant but after having this book..I'm ready want to go to the restaurant! Excellent soup stock made with fennel and cloves, roasted chicken with clove, Sweet Pea soup with smoked paprika oil, spicy Harissa sauce, pickled lemons and Rosemary flat bread. The Rosemary flan is exquisite! Book is on nice glossy paper. Recipes are laid out well and will motivate you to try the recipes. Numerous pictures in book but not on all recipes.Instructions on how long you can keep sauces are very helpful. I got this book because there were alot of raving reviews on this book. And today I add one more 5 stars to this book's buckle. I salute you El Farol! ... Read more

Product Description
This book goes through the various Spanish speaking Americas, describes a little of what their home life around the kitchen is like and presents common recipes from each area. The book contains hundreds of recipes (over 650!!) and is exhaustively cross indexed (by type of food, recipe name, etc.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

try this book if you are looking for success
In January I discovered Missy Laws is the same person as Charlotte Laws. She is a politician in my area in Southern California and has written fascinating articles. I read her column each month and have heard her speak. So I bought this book used. It was a fast read and filled with interesting often outlandish stories. It seems good for anyone looking to be successful. It basically tells how to use the back door to get a job or become an actor or sell your writing or become a top executive in a corporation. It is about schmoozing with the right people and getting on the A list and being heard by the influential types. It sure seems Charlotte Laws has done it all.Good book.

Loved It!
This is such an entertaining book. I really enjoyed the tales about the famous. Additionally, the humor is balanced with goodadvice on how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. I hope the author will write a sequel someday. I will buy it.

A Book That Actually Works!
Meet the Stars is full of insightful tidbits aboutmingling with those in the entertainment industry.Curious to discover whether the techniques suggested by author, Ms. Laws, actually work, I sought a date with myfavorite actress.I must admit I was a bit skeptical as this book'spublication date is quite ancient and I assumed the information would beout of date.But lo and behold, I met the actress of my dreams -- althoughcould not persuade her to go out with me.

Ms. Laws does not discount theimport of perseverance so I continue to pursue this goal.It has now been18 months, and I must say that I have established quite a good friendshipwith my actress friend although have not yet had a date.(I am omittingher name out of respect for her privacy)But I do not give up hope.Inthe meantime, I've had the opportunity to meet many famous people byadhering to Ms. Laws' techniques and many other attractive women.I'm veryimpressed with her book and believe it could be of benefit to others. ... Read more

Product Description
Paella, Tapas, Zarzuela, Cocido, and some of the world's most interesting preparations for seafood, meat and vegetables. Also complete information about Spain's regional specialities and culinary history, how to buy the best at the market and how to prepare it in the kitchen. A complete Spanish-English glossary with more than 500 culinary terms; a handy conversion guide; an easy to read index to recipes and ingredients. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The best recipes from Spain
This is without a doubt the best cookbook I've found to represent true recipes from Spain!I'am from Spain and this cookbook took me back to when my Grandmother was cooking!It has all the traditional recipes and simple tapa recipes for entertaining.This book is a must have for anyone serious about true Spanish cooking!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Penelope Casas, the foremost American authority on Spanish food and the author of the bestselling Tapas, presents more than 175 robustly flavored yet amazingly simple recipes representing the best of Spanish home cooking—the cooking handed down through generations of Spanish “mamás.”

Long overshadowed by France and Italy, Spain has finally taken its rightful place as one of Europe’s great culinary meccas. Consider the reborn cities of Madrid, Barcelona, and Bilbao;the new respect afforded Spanish wines; the popularity of tapas bars in the U.S.; and Spain’s widely influential Michelin three-star chefs, Ferran Adrià and Juan Mari Arzak.Despite the world-wide acclaim for these chefs, arguably the greatest Spanish food is found not in the nation’s restaurants, but in private homes off-limits to tourists, where women still cook the recipes their mothers and grandmothers cooked before them.Now, Penelope Casas takes us into those homes to uncover the secrets of this simple, easily reproduced, and altogether marvelous cuisine.

For La Cocina de Mamá, Penelope Casas has collected recipes from great chefs and traditional home cooks in every region of Spain, all of whom have shared with her the dishes they grew up loving and still cook for themselves today. There are recipes for tapas, like Clams in Garlic Sauce; elegant soups and hearty one-pot meals like Stewed Potatoes with Pork Ribs; many wonderful seafood dishes like Fish Steaks with Peas in Saffron Sauce; meat and poultry dishes, such as Pork Tenderloin in Orange Sauce, Rack of Lamb Stuffed with Mushrooms and Scallions, and Lemon Chicken with Ginger and Pine Nuts; paella and other rice dishes—and even a few pasta dishes; unusual vegetable preparations, including Sautéed Spinach with Quince and Toasted Sesame Seeds; and desserts like Basque Apple Custard Tart. Whether of Roman, Moorish, or peasant origin, all of the dishes appeal to today’s tastes and exemplify the virtues of the Mediterranean diet—lots of olive oil, lean meats and fish, and vegetables. Sidebars throughout discuss ingredients, areas of Spain unfamiliar to most Americans, travel vignettes, and more.At last, Americans can discover the unique and irresistible flavors of authentic Spanish home cooking in La Cocina de Mamá. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Totally unexciting.
Having been to Spain and enjoyed Spanish cooking, I was very disappointed with this book.The presentation was frankly boring and the recipes generally uninspiring. The narrative giving the background to the recipes was the most interesting part of the book, but was not the reason for buying it.
I am always sceptical of recipes that rely on a single common ingredient for their uniqueness.In this case Penelope Casas appears to want us to believe that using Kosher salt will make a difference and make pretty ordinary recipes somehow Spanish.I cannot believe that many if any of the characters in the book kept Kosher salt (whatever that is) in their kitchens or that Penelope Casas or anyone else would be able to tell the difference between the dishes in the book cooked with Kosher, sea or ordinary table salt.
There must be better Spanish cookery books about!
Mike Smith

A sound investment even if you have a Spanish mother
This attractive book contains a tempting collection of recipes for robustly flavored, down-to-earth family dishes that are generally simple to prepare. The author's discussions of Spanish cooking methods, ingredients, and wines are very helpful and informative. I have only one caveat: the text is printed on different colors of paper and may be a little difficult for some people to read; however, the recipes themselves should appeal to those who appreciate homey, heartwarming fare.

Another book that offers great Mediterranean home cooking is "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," by Sonia Uvezian, which features a wealth of uncomplicated recipes that highlight healthful ingredients and vibrant flavors.

La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
Mouthwatering and delicious----I haven't found a bad recipe yet and they are all well described and explained. The book is well worth the money and the food prepared from the recipes is extremely and well explained.

I love this book!!
Truely inspiring.I have given away 2 copies to dear friends.Fun and beautiful.

Excellent, Inexpensive Intro to Spanish Cooking.
`La Cocina de Mama' is Penelope Casas' fifth book on Spanish cuisine, becoming very much to Spain what Marcella Hazan and Lydia Bastianich are to Italy, in their presentations of their respective national cuisines to American readers and eaters. We do not get the high theory of Spanish cuisine as we do from Hazan with her very Italian techniques that border in sophistication on great French culinary thinking.
Unlike Hazan and Bastianich, Casas is not a native of her subject country and she does not live there full time, so we get no books about the cooking of `My Spain', as we do from Bastianich' first book on the cuisine of Istria and northern Italy. However, this book, unlike all her previous volumes, comes close to being a presentation of Spanish `home cooking'.

Her four previous books can be easily divided into two pair. The first pair is the smaller volumes on the two great Spanish contributions to world cuisine, `Tapas' and `Paella'. The second pair cover the entire range of Spanish cooking, with the first, `The Food and Wine of Spain' being a very systematic, classic approach. The second, `Delicioso', is less formal, but does follow a very useful structure based on the culinary regions of Spain, to which Casas gives some very inventive and illuminating names such as `The Region of Sauces' for Galicia and `The Region of the Casseroles' for Catalunya and the Baleares Islands.

`La Cocina de Mama' is more anecdotal than the previous four books, picking up lots of recipes from home and restaurant cooks which have great interest in themselves, but which may not have been as representative of typical cooking in Spain.

I was especially pleased to see a Foreword from the very important Spanish chef, Ferran Adria as it would have been especially curious to see a book on Spanish restaurant cooking without a not to Adria, who has been touted from here to Timbuktu as the world's greatest working chef. And yet, there are no Adria recipes in this book. One has to believe that some time soon we should see a book in English on Adria's cuisine, but we get no hints of his famous foams on these pages. Instead, true to the nature of this book, we get a recipe for a Paella done by Adria's mother. Like bouillabaisse and so many other classic dishes, I always give a little wince when I hear paella described as a `simple, peasant' dish. I confess that relatively speaking, Ferran Adria's mother's dish of rabbit, green beans, tomato, and rice is pretty easy, but it is definitely more complicated than your typical 30-minute meal. Even so, Casas takes a little liberty with the procedure for the benefit of inexperienced American cooks and finishes off the dish in an oven rather than doing everything on the burner. Casas does repeat her caution from `Paella' to bake about 10 minutes longer in an electric oven than in a gas oven.

It seems to be the season for recanting old beliefs, so just as Mario Batali recently confessed that Italians do indeed eat their fair share of pastry, Casas has discovered that pasta is a more important ingredient in Spanish cooking than a simple noodle in Catalunya (northeastern Spain, with ties to old Spanish possessions around Naples) soups. The newly discovered flagbearer of pasta in Spain is a thick soup / thin stew from the grandmother of Andalusian chef Bartolome Rodrigo Lucena. Even more unusual than the pasta dish itself is the fact that the recipe gives a recipe for fresh pasta to be used instead of the dried pasta of southern Italy. The bland fresh pasta almost plays the same role as central European dumplings by offering a bland contrast to the strongly tasting salt cod, artichoke hearts, two types of paprika tomatoes, and green peppers.

With each of Casas' books, I am again and again amazed at the predominant role of sweet red peppers in the cuisine of Spain. They seem to be in practically every dish in every region. In spite of this overwhelming presence, Casas has yet to explain the seeming connection between the paprika's of Spain and the paprika's of Hungary, halfway across Europe. The Moorish connection doesn't work because sweet peppers came from the New World a few years after the Moors were expelled from Spain. The only other connection may be the royal house of Hapsburgs that ruled both Spain and Austria-Hungary.

The book has the obligatory map of Spain (if you don't realize how important this is, try reading a book on regional dishes without a map) in the front and a very simple organization of chapters on Tapas, Salads, Vegetables, Soups, Rice and Pasta, Fish and Shellfish, Poultry and Game, Meats, and Desserts.

One new `vector' I discovered in Spanish cooking is the important role of canned tuna in the salads. While France has its classic salad Nicoise, Spain gives us three major salad recipes with canned tuna. Aside from the omnipresent paprika or fresh red peppers, there is a lot of hard-boiled egg, cooked beans, and canned white asparagus.

The desserts have their fair share of chocolate, especially hot chocolate, the favorite form of the Aztecs from whom the Spanish acquired the brown gold. There are also spicy doughnuts that are made in almost exactly the same way as you would find in New Orleans or in Amish Pennsylvania. As you may expect, custards are also a big thing, plus lots and lots of almond, meringue, and lemon. One thing I miss in all of Casas books is bread. If Ms. Casas is listening, I should mention that in none of her books is there any mention of the special tool used to flip tortilla Espanola, of which I read in Ruth Reichl's new memoir, `Garlic and Sapphires'.

Excellent, low priced introduction to great Spanish cooking and stories about Spanish food.
... Read more

Product Description
Learn to Celebrate with the Queen of Latin Cooking

Celebrating with friends and family is one of the greatest joys, but entertaining can be downright terrifying. With this new recipe collection, Daisy Martinez gives you everything you need to make your life easy and your celebrations unforgettable. Daisy offers up timeless and mouthwatering recipes like Ruby Grapefruit Ceviche, Spaghetti with Chipotle-Pork Meatballs, Creamy Chicken-Lime Soup, and Flourless Chocolate-Chile Cake that will prepare you for everything from a cozy festive fall dinner to an elegant New Year’s Eve celebration. Brilliant color, bold flavors, and an innovative mix of traditional and modern cuisines are the hallmarks of Daisy’s cooking. Can’t-fail dishes—like Coconut and Winter Squash Soup—that Daisy learned to cook alongside her mother and grandmother in Puerto Rico mingle with recipes she’s used to entertain her family and friends through the years.

With the preparation schedules and time-saving tips included in each menu, Daisy makes it easy to relax and enjoy creating memories with those you love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Feliz Navidad!
One of the women that I've admired most in my life is my favorite aunt.I've always adored her for her blue-black hair that shone iridescent in the sun, her sense of humor and her ability to throw remarkable, sometimes huge parties almost effortlessly.She is the only woman I've ever known who could and often did spend the entire afternoon before a bash in the pool.Daisy's Holiday Cooking makes it clear that Daisy Martinez is another hostess that may come very close to that class and she makes no bones about sharing her secrets with us.

I first came across Daisy while flipping channels on the TV, putting on a family dinner for her husband and children, a dinner thatfeatured a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chile.Make no mistake - I love Latin food, I adore flourless chocolate cake and I am definitely a bit of a chile-head.Daisy's cake appears on page 36 of Daisy's Holiday Cooking: Delicious Latin Recipes for Effortless Entertaining and the one recipe is worth the price of the book alone, though I admit that I make this with ground hot New Mexico chile, not cayenne.

InDaisy's Holiday Cooking: Delicious Latin Recipes for Effortless Entertaining Daisy gives us menus & recipes for ten different occasions, ranging from a Soup & Sandwich Tree Trimming Party to elegant dinners.Most of her recipes are easy to do and few require hard-to-locate specialty ingredients.More than a few recipes are suitable for use year round.

The most valuable featureof the book, though, are Daisy's work plans.For each party, she gives a detailed outline breaking down the food preparation over several days and the book is chock-full of do-ahead tips for easy entertaining.Highly recommended, this is a must-have book for your own holiday library.Very reasonably priced, consider this top of your gift-giving list for those who love to cook & entertain. ... Read more

Product Description
Tapas are the legendary bar snacks from Spain -- a mouthful of magic, prepared with patience and passion. Tapas, by Julz Beresford, includes many authentic examples for you to make at home. Try Classics such as Patatas Bravas (potatoes in tomato salsa) or the legendary Tortilla Espanola (Spanish omelet), Champinones Rellenos (mushrooms stuffed with meat), or Gazpacho Soup -- simple but refreshing. Try Meat and Poultry-based snacks such as Albondigas (meat balls with tomatoes) and Chorizo al Vino (chorizo in red wine) -- or Fish and Seafood examples such as Almejas a la Marinera (clams in white wine, tomato, and saffron sauce) or Mejillones Rellenos (fried mussels with ham). Vegetables in tapas are heaven for vegetarians. They include Pimientos Picantes (marinated bell peppers) and delicious Delicias de Queso (cheese balls). Tapas make perfect party food, washed down with a chilled fino sherry, a glass of beer, or wine. They're great as snacks to serve with cocktails, or for a light lun ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Too Simple
I also bought "Tapas" by Julz Bedford at the same time. Both have several good items that are simple to prepare. The problem was that they had exactly the same items in the same order in each book. Just different covers. Who copied who?

easy tapas cookbook
Thr cookbook, although quite small, has a fairly representative selection of tapas and is a good starting point for cooks interested in Spanish appetizers and having a desire to begin cooking them.

Great tapas
If you like tapas and are looking for easy, varied recipes, try this book.Your tummy will thank you.

Great recipes for entertaining.
This book is great.The recipes are easy to follow and they don't require too many ingredients.

I made several dishes from this book for a recent "Girls night out" and by the end of the night everyone was asking for the title of the book to purchase it.I'm a novice at cooking, sothese dishes really made me look good.
... Read more

Product Description
El gluten es el aglutinante de muchos cereales y se encuentra no solo en los productos hechos a base de cereales, sino tambien en alimentos preparados, condimentos y farmacos. De repente se reduce la variedad de alimentos y se impone estudiar la lista de ingredientes de todo lo que se come. Pero no te preocupes: las recetas, sugerencias y control de alimentos que se exponen en este libro te seran de gran ayuda para pasar a una vida sin gluten. Veras lo facil que es preparar los panes, panecillos y pasteles mas sabrosos. ... Read more