Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America
Average customer rating:

Tapas:

Great source for tapas recipes for your next tapas party

A wonderful book

ESPERABA MAS DEL LIBRO, IT'S OK BUT...

los fogones de jose andres

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America
Jose Andres , and Richard Wolffe
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Appetizers | Meals | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spanish | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table

The New Spanish Table

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing

Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites That Delight Before the Meal Begins

ASIN: 1400053595
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Amazon.com

In Tapas, a collection of 100-plus recipes for Spain's savory small dishes, chef José Andrés writes of journeying during his military service to Cádiz, in southern Spain, where he was "able to see the wonders of frying first hand." The passion that would lead an on-leave soldier to investigate a cooking technique infuses the book, which is something new under the sun. In chapters based on characteristic ingredients, such as fish, rice, and eggs, readers are introduced to authentic yet reproducible tapas of great and flavorful immediacy; these simple dishes, which include the likes of Tomato Toast with Spanish Ham, Pan-Fried Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp, Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Cabrales Cheese, and Spring Leeks with Mushrooms, are instantly inviting. They'll also fit into a wide range of menu slots, as hors d'oeuvres, brunch and supper fare, or as side dishes. In well-written notes, Andrés provides context and something more--a sense of a living culinary tradition, which he loves, deftly presented to best advantage. Writing, for example, of the poor quality of most stuffed olives, a favorite tapa, he exhorts readers to make their own. "Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way--that's the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level," he says. Amen, and an invitation to cook--and understand--wonderful food. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

The first major Spanish cookbook in two decades, from José Andrés, recently named America’s Chef of the Year by Bon Appétit.

Tapas are Spain's gift to the world of great cooking: a fresh and fun way to eat with friends and family—and easy to make at home. Using simple Mediterranean ingredients, a tapas feast is a perfect combination of little dishes packed with big flavors. Tapas by José Andrés is the first major book in a generation to celebrate this world-renowned way of eating, from a man who is the best possible authority: an award-winning Spanish chef in America, with seven highly acclaimed restaurants to his name. Recently named Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year, José is a new star in American cooking, as well as the nation's leading expert on Spanish cuisine. Having worked as a chef in the United States for two decades, he's also a thoroughly American cook who draws on American ingredients for his inspiration, and is a master at translating his native Spanish cooking for this country's kitchens. His simple and delicious recipes include:

• Fish such as American Red Snapper Baked in Salt; Monkfish with Romesco Sauce; and Basque-Style Stuffed Maryland Blue Crabs

• Chicken including Catalan-Style Chicken Stew; Chicken Sautéed with Garlic; and Chicken with Lobster

• Pork such as Chorizo Stewed in Hard Cider; Figs with Spanish Ham; and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples

• Rice dishes including Lobster Paella; Black Rice with Squid and Shrimp; and Traditional Rice with Clams

All these recipes are full of tremendous flavor and creativity, as well as in-depth ingredient notes and a rich atmosphere that will transport you to the lush countryside, hip cafés, and sun-drenched coasts of Spain—and back again to dinner at home.

This is a breakthrough cookbook from an extraordinary chef.

Customer Reviews:

Tapas:.......2007-09-16

When we traveled in Spain we discovered many different Tappas that everyone liked! I felt that these recipes required ingredients that we cannot buy in Indiana. Big cities on each coast might have squid and octapus ready to go but we do not. Not very many recipes appealed to us. Thank you. C.S.

Great source for tapas recipes for your next tapas party.......2007-07-04

José Andrés is a wonderful chef and teacher in this book devoted to the tapas of Spain. His recipes range from simple to fairly complicated but the flavors are amazing. His recipes are easy to understand and follow. The hardest part may be in finding some ingredients in local markets, but there are many recipes with items commonly found in your local grocery store. The book is nicely illustrated with pictures that make one hungry and ready to cook.

A wonderful book.......2007-04-16

I've always liked tapas, but I never knew much about their history and preparation until I came across this book. I have to admit that I've never read a book about food cover-to-cover, but this one was written so beautifully that I was just captivated.

ESPERABA MAS DEL LIBRO, IT'S OK BUT..........2007-03-18

I REALLY WANTED TO RECEIVE A MORE TRADITIONAL CONTENT ABOUT TAPAS, THERE'S A GOOD CONTENT BUT POOR ABOUT TRADITIONAL TAPAS FROM SPAIN, IT'S MORE LIKE A "FUSION CUISINE". THE PICTURES AND MATERIAL OF THE BOOK IS A VERY GOOD QUALITY.

los fogones de jose andres.......2007-02-05

A beautiful, passionate cookbook. My parents (who are my culinary and literary superiors) visit his one restaurant frequently when in DC and have met him a handful of times. The last such time they brought back a signed copy for me and I absolutely love it. The recipes are fantastic, but I will not pretend that they are simple. I love the fried eggs with potatoes and chorizo. I definitely need to get to his restaurant!

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain

Average customer rating:

Wow
A good book, but . . .
Another Excellent Book by Casas!
Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain
Perfect cook book if you love casual entertaining.

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain
Penelope Casas
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Appetizers | Meals | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain
La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
The Foods and Wines of Spain
The New Spanish Table
Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America

ASIN: 0307265528
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Tapas are more than savory appetizers. "They represent a style of eating and way of life," says Penelope Casas, whose Tapas: the Little Dishes of Spain presents more than 300 recipes for the mouth-watering morsels. "So very Spanish, yet adaptable to America," she says, "they cross the line into what we think of as first course or main course dishes."

In chapters such as Tapas in Sauce; Marinades, Patés, Salads, and Other Cold Tapas; and Tapas with Bread or Pastry, Casas provides a definitive selection of the traditional Spanish bar food--dishes to pass out at a gathering, to serve on a buffet, or to make a party of. Readers wishing an introduction to this versatile food, and the culinary culture in which it thrives, will want this bestselling book.

The recipe array is vast. Sauce or ragout-like tapas include Shrimp and Mushrooms in Almond Sauce, Scallops with Cured Ham and Saffron, and Veal Meatballs in Spicy Chorizo Sauce. Endives Filled with Salmon and Shrimp Melon and Apple Salad are two examples of the many tantalizing cold tapas. Prawns Grilled with Garlic Mayonnaise, Lamb Brochettes, and the Three-Layer Omelet, a mixed-egg and vegetable tortilla, are hot-from-the-stove, show-stopping tapas. Including eight pages of color photos, a glossary of ingredients, menus, and a list of recommended Spanish tapas bars, the book is a complete tapas tour. Cooks at all skill levels will find dozens of these tasty little morsels to make and enjoy. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Penelope Casas, who introduced the classic little dishes of Spain to American cooks more than twenty years ago, now gives us a splendid updated edition of that seminal book—with fifty exciting new recipes and eight full pages of new color photographs showing tapas in all their glory.

Here are all the appetizer dishes that have long been a tradition in Spanish cuisine—mélanges of seafood in aromatic sauces; little ragouts of meat, sausages, beans; colorful salads and marinades; the omelets called tortillas that enclose a variety of tasty tidbits; banderillas, zesty combinations on skewers; and empanadas, savory delights encased in pastry. The new recipes Casas includes reflect the influence of the innovative cooking in Spain today—dishes seasoned with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar; ingredients wrapped in flaky phyllo pastry; accents of goat cheese and arugula; foie gras in elegant presentations.

With Spanish cooking at the forefront of today’s cuisine, this “exceptional book by the leading American authority on the foods of Spain” (as Craig Claiborne dubbed it in 1985) is a must for every adventurous cook in America today.

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2007-02-03

This book is great, it has all the recipes I was looking for, except one, Baked Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce. I had tapas party at my house and all of the food was gone. I made 7 dishes, there were 4 of us and polished everything of. Plus three pitchers of Sangria. We are skinny too and normally do not eat like that, it just the food was so good.

A good book, but . . ........2007-01-10

This is a very good cookbook, with many recipes ranging from very easy to more complicated. If you are entertaining and want to add a bit of style to your appetizers, get this book. I only wish it would have had more pictures. There are only a few photos in the middle, and the vast majority of dishes have no accompanying picture. I like to see ahead of time what the dish should look like. But, don't let that stop you. This is a very good cookbook and is a standard reference in my kitchen.

Another Excellent Book by Casas!.......2006-10-23

Along with Foods and Wines of Spain, this book is one of a handful I keep as my culinary bibles! If you have ever had a fantasy of a perfect cocktail party -- of those cinematically perfect affairs with people in their Sunday best and fancy drinks. But instead of the usual dip and chips, you have dozens of little dishes making the rounds and people moaning in ecstasy every time they put morsel to mouth. Well, this is the book you need to make all those sensually satisfying tapas. Trust me.

Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain.......2006-08-03

This cook book is well done, has interesting recipes with good little anecdotes. I have already tried some of the recipes and they were well received at a recent party at our home. The stuffed mushrooms and other recipes are really good and received many compliments.

Perfect cook book if you love casual entertaining........2006-01-19

I bought this book when first published and really need to buy a new one as mine is so dog-eared and stained from overuse. When I was single I often entertained friends and family and they were always impressed with these dishes. Tapas are the perfect party food. Many of the recipes can be prepared a day or two ahead and then reheated when guests arrive. I have prepared almost 70% of the recipes in this book and have yet to find a bad one. One of my favorites, gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) is a sure pleaser. There are many recipes that call for Spanish paprika. Be sure to buy the "smoked" sweet paprika if you want authentic flavor.

Average customer rating:

Best in its class
Innovative and exceptional
Should be a "Coffee Table" book
Amazing!
Spanish Cooking Influence Spreading

The New Spanish Table
Anya von Bremzen
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America
Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain
The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking
La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent

ASIN: 0761135553

Book Description

Amazing things are happening at the new Spanish table. The sweet-hot pequillos of Navarra turn up in a classic potato tortilla (the beloved omelet found in every tapas bar). Purple-veined Cabrales butter melts across a thick grilled T-bone. Honey is drizzled over eggplant "fries." Chocolate meets olive oil, strawberries meet fennel, vanilla meets salmon. Mysteriously delicious savory ice creams—balsamic vinegar, thyme, saffron—garnish soups and seafoods.

Casual, quietly inventive, steeped in regional traditions but unmistakably modern, Spain is the new France and Italy, an ipicenter of contemporary Mediterranean cooking with a wealth of alluring flavors and preparations.

Written by Anya von Bremzen—an award-winning food writer who first fell in love with Spain in the early 1980s, introduced the Catalan genius and three-star chef Ferran Adrià to American readers in 1997, and today spends close to half her year in the country— The New Spanish Table delivers all the pleasures of this exhilarating cuisine.

It's a rustic table: Baked Fish with Romesco Potatoes. It's elegant: Rack of Lamb with Pistacchio Pesto. It's exquisitely simple: Smoky Fried Almonds with sea salt, an addictive marriage of four ingredients. It's for entertaining—dozens of tapas, paellas and cazuelas (named after the Spanish terra-cotta casseroles)—and, with its glorious comfort foods like fried eggs with crackling, crispy whites, and luscious unusual Rice Pudding Ice Cream, perfect for cozying up, alone.

Most of all, The New Spanish Table is an irresistible, festive celebration of flavors from a culture absolutely passionate about food, wine, and the pleasures of an excellent meal.

Customer Reviews:

Best in its class.......2007-05-11

This is the best cookbook on Spanish cuisine that I have ever owned. Anya von Bremzen is not only an excellent cook, she is also a fine writer.

Innovative and exceptional.......2007-04-13

I actually collect Spanish cookbooks, always looking for the innovative twists on old classics. I found The New Spanish Table to fulfill this category to the letter. The tidbits and introductions to each and every recipe give hints to actually being with the author as she savored the dish for the first time.
There are old classics like Paella Valenciana which (in my humble opinion) is almost a sacred dish not meant to be "fusioned" with. Ms. von Bremzen gives the best tips to making this famed dish and the secrets and reasons to why it tastes so great in Valencia. I have actually come close to recreating it, only after I followed her advice in this book.
On the flip side, there is a recipe for beet and cherry gazpacho which hails on genius. If you like to try new innovative twists on an old favorite, this is a must try!
There are many, many more recipes to numerous to mention here, and they won't dissapoint!
A true classic cookbook to enhance any serious collection!

Should be a "Coffee Table" book.......2007-04-11

This book is amazing. Not only are there many delicious recipes in this book, but the pictures are beautiful. There are many insights into regional customs in Spain. It points out the difference between authentic Spanish tradition versus tourist's interpretation.

Amazing!.......2007-02-05

I bought this book on a whim because I was interested in Spanish cuisine. I didn't know anything about it but figured with over 300 recipes I could find something I liked. Every recipe I have made has been fantastic. I found the dishes very easy to make even if they involved a lot of steps. Instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The smoked almonds I had actually made before with a different recipe and had so so results. The recipe in this book was much more clear. We bought an ice cream maker to make the best ice cream ever(honey cinnamon!). My parents also have the book and after eating the ice cream they bought an ice cream maker! I like that it combines traditional and modern cuisine. A must for the serious cook.

Spanish Cooking Influence Spreading.......2006-08-10

There are many prominent US chefs who traveled to Spain, loved their cuisine and brought them back to incorporate in their menus and restaurants. For example, Bobby Flay's endorsement of this book on the back cover sold me. Flay is serious Spanish influenced superchef, who uses their cheeses and wines, etc. Then there is the tapas craze from Spain.

All of these and more is incorporated into this almost 500 page volume documenting this Spanish new cuisine which is sweeping the world, and now this culmination of von Bremzen's time in Spain for over twenty years and this marvelous collection of some 300 recipes collected from all over Spain.

There is quite a variety of offerings here, the usual gamut from appetizers to desserts and everything in between done here by regional organization. Some of the ingredients such as cheeses and wines are particular to Spain and might be hard for some to acquire if not Internet users. Some of techniques are somewhat difficult, but the huge variety here allows spectrum of easy to more difficult and time consuming techniques. Sources are provided along with fine Spanish Pantry section help.

Wonderful text with societal and geographical commentary along with fine color photos and chef resumes provided. The section on Tapas history and development is best so far, and such great reading!

Impressed with these offerings: Eggplant Stacks with Tomato Jam; White Wine-Pear Sangria; Roasted Squash Soup with Saffron Ice Cream; Basque Leek, Potato and Cod Chowder; Tortilla with Chorizo, Potatoes and Allioli; Moorish Chicken and Nut Pie; Gypsy Pork Stew (unbelievable with pork and fava beans and artichocken and saffron wine and stock broth);

La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain

Average customer rating:

A sound investment even if you have a Spanish mother
La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
I love this book!!
Excellent, Inexpensive Intro to Spanish Cooking.

La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain
Penelope Casas
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain
The New Spanish Table
The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking
Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain
Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain

ASIN: 0767912225
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Book 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.

Customer Reviews:

A sound investment even if you have a Spanish mother.......2006-09-29

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.......2006-08-03

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!!.......2005-07-28

Truely inspiring. I have given away 2 copies to dear friends. Fun and beautiful.

Excellent, Inexpensive Intro to Spanish Cooking........2005-05-10

`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.

Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales

Average customer rating:

GOOD BOOK
Best that's out there on the subject...I love this book!
Greatly disappointed
Good, but the definitive guide is yet to be written
Yes, you *can* become a tamalista!

Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales
Alice Guadalupe Tapp
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Mexican | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown3 | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Tamales
A Gringo's Guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking (Cookbooks and Restaurant Guides)
The Great Salsa Book
From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients
Salsas That Cook : Using Classic Salsas To Enliven Our Favorite Dishes

ASIN: 1580084281

Book Description

Tamales 101

A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales by Alice Guadalupe Tapp

Corn-husked bundles of fresh masa plump with wonderful combinations of sauces, meats, and vegetables—tamales are a simple and delicious staple of Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Alice Guadalupe Tapp has perfected the art of tamale making, and in TAMALES 101 imparts her knowledge and passion for this comforting treat. TAMALES 101 will show beginners how to make masa dough as well as fold and steam tamales to perfection. Then, once you've mastered the basics, you'll be whipping up batches of Chicken Tomatillo, Chorizo Potato, Vegetable Curry, and Greek tamales in no time. With recipes for nearly 100 traditional, vegetarian, vegan, and specialty tamales and sauces, TAMALES 101 will send you on a culinary adventure that's sure to delight and impress your guests.

Customer Reviews:

GOOD BOOK.......2007-01-18

Saw book at Indio Tamale Festival and got it at Amazon cheaper

Best that's out there on the subject...I love this book!.......2005-01-05

I love this book. The author brings enormous experience from her own highly beloved tamalaria in S. Calif. and makes it possible to create excellent tamales on your own. Not as easy a subject as it might seem. I found her presentation thoughtful, with clear, thorough explanations and instructions that are well-presented. Her detailed description of the different types of masa and masa prep., of tamale wrappers and wrapping techniques, of ratio of filling to masa, of the tradition versus popular taste in saucing tamales, of all matters related to general preparation, cooking, storing etc. are all excellent, especially considering that it is a rather small book. Unlike another tamale book out now by a famous chef, these recipes are down to earth and wonderful, and span a wide range of tamales...including adaptations for vegetarians, special occasion tamales and much more. Great sauce recipes. Different versions of many recipes (such as mole sauces, chicken tamales, and much more). The author has a nice personable style, sharing customs and her own family lore along with her valuable insights from running a tamaleria in a trendy So. Cal beach town...and that is a really daunting challenge: to appeal to everything from a large solid Mexicano population to surfers to L.A.'s celeb-types etc. etc.

This is really a great recipe collection, well-presented for the experienced and novice tamale-maker (which I was...), and it is a really pretty publication - rich in colors and beautiful photos. I love this book...I have a very large cookbook collection that I use pretty extensively, and this little book has really endeared itself to me. I think it is a great value.

Greatly disappointed.......2004-10-04

I am an experienced cook and baker, and followed the recipe for Masa Harina Masa. I bought the correct dry corn flour from an hispanic market, and made some excellent chicken stock. The ingredients list called for 12 cups of the corn flour and 7 cups of stock, mixed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. and when I placed these ingredients in the mixer and turned it on, it was too much for the mixer to hold. I emptied out the contents of the bowl into another bowl, mixed the contents with my hands to distribute the stock and corn flour evenly, and returned half of the ingredients to the mixer bowl and began to mix. The mixture never reached the "firm pudding" stage as described in the recipe. I had to add more than an additional 4 cups of stock to get to this stage. I don't think the author carefully measured the ingredients when she recorded the recipes. Since this is a recipe that many people will make (the masa is the main part of a tamale) she should have been more careful. However, when I made the Red Pork Chile Tamales the sauce was delicous and my family liked the flavor and texture of the tamales.

Good, but the definitive guide is yet to be written.......2004-03-12

This is a nice little book with lots of traditional recipes and the author is enthusiastic but her fat of choice is margarine, a fact I have trouble digesting, if you know what I mean.

Yes, you *can* become a tamalista!.......2003-12-21

A couple of weeks before Christmas, I found myself facing a luncheon for 15 foodie friends for which I'd promised fresh tamales--and my promised helper, the only person I knew who had made them before, came down with the flu! I was on my own.

Fortunately, I had Tamales 101 in hand. Got a few tips from a guy at the local Tamale Festival, but mostly I just devoured this book, took a deep breath, and started. My masa floated, the corn husks peeled off my tamales easily, and they were firm and delicious! I spent over three days cooking and ended up with a cornucopia of Red Chile Pork, Chorizo-Potato, Jalapeno and Cheese, and two kinds of dessert tamales, plus all the salsa and other trimmings. (I'd made enough to take to three other events, it turned out.) And I *enjoyed* myself doing it.

Making tamales is both harder and easier than you might think. What's hard is the amount of time and effort, but what's easy is the routine you get into after making a few. The day of the luncheon, I taught an early guest how to fill and fold them (using the very easy foldover method illustrated in the book), and she taught everyone else who wanted to try a few. As they say, a good time was had by all.

My tips and observations for those who want to give this a try:

Get *very* organized in advance: ingredients list, timetable, list of accompaniments, etc. A large steamer is a must (I used an oriental two-level steel one, but a Mexican one that looks like a canning kettle works well, too, and both are fairly inexpensive). An electric mixer is also a must. I used a hand mixer, but a stand mixer would have been easier. You *must* maintain several inches of boiling water in the pan (I just about burned mine out at one point), and it is possible to burn both hands at once if you use potholders instead of oven mitts to pick up the upper pan to check the water level.

From the festival tamale maker, I learned that it's important to use all the lard called for (part can be butter or margarine) and also all the salt called for. I read somewhere else that much of the lard is absorbed by the husks, and I hope this is true. From the book, I learned to use fresh masa (easily available here in the southwest) rather than dry, and to whip the lard for at least 5 minutes and then the worked-in masa and broth for another 10 to 15 minutes, and also to use an ice cream scoop to measure the right amount of masa onto the husks/leaves.

I won't be waiting until next Christmas to make more tamales, now that I know how easy and good they are. Just thinking of all the varieties in Tamales 101 that I haven't tried yet has me drooling. Give it a try!

Spanish Food and Cooking
Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Cookbook

Spanish Food and Cooking
Pepita Aris
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spanish | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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My Kitchen in Spain: 225 Authentic Regional Recipes

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Cooking from the Heart of Spain: Food of La Mancha

ASIN: 0754813010

Book Description

Over 150 step-by-step recipes that allow you to relive a magical Spanish holiday or simply bring some Spanish sunshine into your kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Cookbook.......2005-09-08

With its rich history and traditions, cooking techniques and world-famous dishes, Spanish cuisine is simply delicious. You will get an extraordinary look at it in this book from Pepita Aris, an authority who's written a half-dozen volumes on the subject. A must-have for home cooks and armchair travelers, it takes you on a sweeping tour of the regions with informative text and lush, color photographs. Once you've had a taste of what each region is all about, you'll be ready to try any of the 150 mouthwatering recipes. From bar-style tapas to everyday meals and festival dishes to celebrate every occasion, this is a "taste of Spain" you'll savor for years to come.

Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain

Average customer rating:

Authentic Spanish Recipes!!!
Broad, Informative Survey of Paella. Buy it if you like Rice
Ms. Casas' oven technique yields poor paella!
This is not an authentic colection of recipes
Ole`

Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain
Penelope Casas
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Rice & Grains | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain
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Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain

ASIN: 0805056238

Book Description

From the best-selling author of Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain and The Foods and Wines of Spain.Unless they have traveled to spain, most Americans have never tasted a really good paella. What passes for paella at restaurants and even in cookbooks here is a pale imitation of the real thing, the vibrant Spanish rice dish that marries the robust flavors of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and pepper with short-grain rice, broth, and meat, fish, or vegetables. Penelope Casas is here to restore the glorious paella to its rightful place as a grain-based meal that will gratify the senses as well as be the centerpiece for easy, elegant entertaining.Casas presents sixty different fascinating paellas, some traditional, some her own creation, showing how easily some of the preparation can be done ahead of time with supermarket ingredients. She includes a superior collection of tapas, the Spanish meal starters, two dozen simple desserts, and a handful of broths and sauces. Her passion for paella, her clear directions, and her creative pairings of fresh ingredients make this unusual cookbook a winner.

Customer Reviews:

Authentic Spanish Recipes!!!.......2006-04-17

I am originally from Spain, and when I came to the US with my family and mom's recipes, it was really hard to convert all the measurements from the metric to the american system. So, when I found this book, I bought it....it is GREAT!! All the paella recipes that I have tried make me feel at home again. The recipes are easy to follow and really clear. My next buy will be her book about tapas. Since I am from the north of Spain, I will let you know what I thin about those recipes, but I am expecting a great book as well.

Broad, Informative Survey of Paella. Buy it if you like Rice.......2005-04-29

`Delicioso!' and `Paella!' are leading Spanish cuisine writer Penelope Casas' latest books, following her similar pair, `Tapas' and `The Food and Wine of Spain'. In many ways, the later books are more similar to one another than they are to the earlier books. Both concentrate on regional cuisines. While the paella is certainly made throughout Spain, the dish originated in Valencia with many other rice dishes, described in `Delicioso!' as the `Region of the Rices'.

The first thing which strikes me about the dish, paella, is that unlike its close Mediterranean neighbor, bouillabaisse, and in spite of some Valencian purists orthodoxy, paella can be just about anything under the sun which will fit into a paella pan and contain rice, olive oil, and garlic. In fact, even the requirement that the dish contain rice is stretched to the braking point when some recipes even replace rice with pasta. Thus, paella has much more in common with pizza than it does with bouillabaisse.

As Ms. Casas writes recipes as a culinary archeologist by visiting lots of Spanish restaurants and homes to sample their dishes, I am not surprised at her claim that even after finishing this 220 page book on a single dish, she feels she has just touched the surface of the paella varieties. Well, not exactly, as I find enough similarity between recipes to sense that there is really not a lot of variation in the basic technique, just in the additions to the rice, oil, saffron, and garlic.

The book divides paellas into four great families. The first and best known are the seafood paellas which join the rice of Valencia with the seafood of the Mediterranean. These dishes are just about every combination you can imagine of scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, crab, squid, monkfish, salmon, and cod with mushrooms, pepper, egg, peas, and other vegetables. I suspect that the most important ingredient in all these dishes is the fish stock. Ms. Casas includes a chapter on stocks and other pantry recipes. Like most other journalistic culinary writers, and unlike most writers who are professional chefs such as Jasper White and James Peterson, her stock recipes are pretty simple. This is probably a good thing unless you are cooking for a serious gourmet. For restaurant cooking, her stock recipes are much too extravagant, as they make no use of material that has no value for any other purpose such as fish heads and bones. The other side of the coin is that for the amateur, their only weakness is cost, which means that someone is much more likely to try their hand at making them, since they are really very easy. And, they will almost certainly be an improvement over supermarket stocks, especially for fish stocks. I happily use newer chicken stocks from the supermarket, but avoid fish stocks and clam juice. The trick is to find a fishmonger who will save fish heads for you. See Jasper White's '50 Chowders' for a super fish stock.

The second great paella family replaces fish with meat, poultry, and game. The most common ingredients are chicken, pork, sausage, rabbit, duck, quail, and lamb. A remarkably large number of these recipes call for marinated meats, which, according to `Delicioso!' seems to be a common technique throughout Spain. The book brings up an odd fact about Spanish history and it's love of pork. When the Moors were expelled from Spain, the Jews where shown the door at the same time as the Jews and the Moors shared a prohibition against eating pork. A result of this passion for pork is the great Spanish hams, Serrano and jamon. Unfortunately, the more flavorful of the two, the jamon, is not available in the United States. Fortunately, it is very similar to procuitto de Parma, so there is a very acceptable substitute for these Spanish recipes. One surprise in this chapter is that the classic Valencia Paella recipe is made from chicken and rabbit rather than from seafood.

The third great paella family is those dishes that combine protein from land and sea and air. While there are dozens of recipes in the first two chapters, this chapter has but three.

The fourth land of paella is for the vegetarians, where flesh protein is replaced primarily by cheese, nuts, and beans, with anchovies thrown in for some fishy flavor. What surprises me is that there are no seaweed paellas in this chapter, as seaweed does appear as an ingredient in seafood paellas.

It is no surprise whatsoever that Casas makes a strong case for using a short grained Spanish rice for paellas. It is easy to understand this, as one step in paella making is very similar to the Italian risotto technique, and, fortunately, risotto rice such as arborio or carnaroli will stand in very nicely for Spanish rice.

One puzzling statement Casas repeats in virtually every recipe is the claim that paellas cook a lot differently in gas and electric ovens. The difference is so great that for the latter heating source, she adds five to ten degrees to oven temperature and five to ten minutes to cooking times. While I am certain Ms. Casas knows what she is talking about, I have to suspect she may be speaking of experiences with Spanish ovens and not the modern American Maytag. But, I will consider us warned and suggest you develop a good sense of doneness and use your eyes and nose rather than your timer to evaluate your paellas.

While the book ends with a very nice chapter on Spanish desserts, I would not make that a consideration in whether or not one should buy this book. If you are a vegetarian, serious rice head, or in love with Spanish cuisine, get this book. Also, I would strongly recommend this to any general foodie / cookbook collector over any works by any other writer on Spanish cooking.

Ms. Casas' oven technique yields poor paella!.......2005-02-17

Although there are many varieties of paella with regional ingredients there is one indispensable ingredient; short grain Spanish rice. The best part of paella is without any question the "socarrat" which is the toasty caramelized layer of rice which sticks to the bottom of the paella pan when the dish is properly prepared on top of the stove or better yet, the grill. One can not make proper paella in an oven, convection or otherwise. The rice will be a soupy mess or dried out but never yield the desireable crunchy "socarrat".

"Paella Paella" is a far superior book although a great recipe for learning the technique of paella preparation can be found at the Fine Cooking magazine website. After you make that once then you may use whatever ingredients you wish to combine to make fantastic paella. Be creative.

Is it worth the trouble to find the proper pan, Spanish rice, saffron and olive oil? Absolutely! "Socarrat" Rules!

This is not an authentic colection of recipes.......2004-08-24

As a professional my self I do not advice to buy this book, the reason is simple: People who are involved in mixed paellas (meats & seafood) do not understand the true soul of this dish. Ask anyone in Valencia what he thinks about mixing shrimp with meats, Its a herecy! I recomend you buy the book "100 Paellas & 1 Fidehuá, this is the closest you will be to the real thing but is in Spanish only. THE MIXED PAELLA WAS CREATED DURING THE TURIST BOOM OF THE MID XX CENTURY IN SPAIN AND IS A PRODUCT FOR IGNORANT TURISTS, no Paella made by a Valencian or any old school coock will have both seafood and meats. GUILLERMO OLAIZ III

Ole`.......2003-08-20

What a sumptous, mouth-watering book!! I have been on an endless search for the perfect Paella for years. Several places have come close but none were as good as some made from the recipes in this book. Half the fun of eating Paella is in the making of it....what ingredients to use, how to cook them, mixing all the various components, selecting the proper wine (a white sangria is perfection itself).

The accompanying information is almost as good as the recipes themselves. And the best feature of these recipes is that none is out of the range of the better-than-average cook. No tedious or long steps, no stuffing of chicken legs or boning of tiny quail - just grilling, cutting, and cooking. I prefer a Grilled Paella - or at least grilling the individual components. One must remember at all times though - Paella is, above all else, a RICE dish. That is the essence of a good Paella, the semi-crunchy red, saffron enfused grain.

To those who had trouble with the temperature or cooking time I would suggest adjusting their time/temp for their own applicances. I have both a convection oven and microwave and know that most times are reduced by a third.

Tapas: Authentic appetizers and finger food from the bars and restaurants of Spain
Average customer rating:
Tapas: Authentic appetizers and finger food from the bars and restaurants of Spain
Pepita Aris
Manufacturer: Southwater
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spanish | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1844761576

Book Description

Written by one of the world's leading experts in Spainish cuisine, an introductory section explains the role of these versatile little dishes in Spanish culinary culture.

The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Contemporary Spanish Wine (New (Mitchell Beazley))

Average customer rating:

The best current book on Spanish Wine and its regions
Excellent Introduction to Spanish Wine
Fabulous Photography!

The New Spain: A Complete Guide to Contemporary Spanish Wine (New (Mitchell Beazley))
John Radford
Manufacturer: Mitchell Beazley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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The Wines of the Northern Rhône

ASIN: 1840009284

Book Description

This brand-new, second edition of The New Spain is the only up-to-date, illustrated reference to Spanish wines. John Radford takes the reader on a region-by-region tour of Spain’s rapidly changing vineyards and wineries. All aspects of Spanish wines are covered in depth, from soil types and vineyard classification to the most innovative bodegas and newest styles of red, white, and sparkling wines. There are comprehensive producer profiles for each wine region, as well as tips on the best wines available and an easy-to-use glossary of Spanish wine terms. More than 150 color photographs and detailed maps showing the location of all wine regions complete this indispensable book.

Customer Reviews:

The best current book on Spanish Wine and its regions.......2007-10-10

Very good photos, commentary, wine routes suggested (tho I did not take one)significant properties listed, very good maps. They don't come any better, tho Spain is changing so fast I hope an update will come out.

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Wine.......2006-01-31

I import Spanish wine for a living and I like this book as very informative, interesting and up-to-date guide. It works for both the newcomer and the experienced wine drinker looking for a jump-start on Spanish wines particularly emerging regions. I will be giving this as a gift to my customers.

Fabulous Photography!.......1999-07-30

John Radford's book is worth acquiring for the pictures alone! I was amazed at how the photos reminded me of my own wanderings around the Spanish countryside. They truly capture the deep colors of the vineyards and surrounding land that makes this book invaluable for the armchair traveller. Grape varieties and regions are dealt with in detail. If you want to have a great book on wine, and see amazing pictures of seldom seen Spain, this is THE book!!

Average customer rating:

Like having a personal Spanish chef, historian, and friend in your kitchen
PERFECTO!
Best culinary book
Excellent Primer
An orgy of pictures and information

Culinaria Spain (Culinaria Series)
Marion Trutter
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

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ASIN: 3829019653

Customer Reviews:

Like having a personal Spanish chef, historian, and friend in your kitchen.......2006-08-08

I had a roommate from Madrid once who was an amazing cook (decided to be a doctor instead of a chef though sadly!), and owning this book is like having him right there on my bookshelf to read anytime I want.

He would cook every Thursday for a small dinner party he started in our neighborhood, and while he was cooking he would tell everyone the history and culture behind the dish. This book does the exact same thing (but with pictures haha).

How do I know that this book is the real thing? They got the story and recipe behind paella right! Even many Spaniards don't know the real story behind this dish!

This book makes you care about the food you make from it.

PERFECTO!.......2006-03-17

Love this book! As I have stated in all of my Culinaria series reviews, awesome pictures. I love how these books aren't hokey cookbooks. They're beautifully laid out by region. You get to experience the culture of Spain in this book, not just the food. One thing that deeply satisfied me was that there is a nice section on the Basque region. This region is truly a separate nation in itself. I visited Spain several years ago and their food was wonderful. If you're looking to explore Spanish cuisine, get this book!

Best culinary book.......2004-11-18

The book explains the origin of the different dishes and ingredients including their local names. It makes cooking a marvelous experience. Excellent cook book plus a magnificent coffee table book. We love it.

Excellent Primer.......2002-07-01

A perfect book for one either wanting to learn more about Spain or its cooking. The recipes are often simple, always marvelous and take into account the true spirit of the country. If you want to understand Spain and Spanish cooking in all its glory then here it is- there is no better.

An orgy of pictures and information.......2002-03-02

This book is a bargain. From recipes to historical anecdotes this book is a blessing. Everything you wanted to know and see about Spain's gastronomical heritage. The pictures are beautiful and large. The perfect coffee and kitchen table book. It makes any other country jealous. There's ham, wine, brandy, cigars, fruit, seafood, etc. This is a great book to give anyone interested in Spain. As a fellow proud Spaniard I certainly enjoyed it and it is one of the best reference visual books in my collection.

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