The Best of Quintana
Quintana's best is very good indeed. The author of The Taste of Mexico assembles 60 of her favorite recipes: some, like Chiles en Nogada and Mole Poblano, are traditional dishes from various Mexican states; others, such as Tournedos con Morillas a la Crema y Chile Verde, are Quintana creations. Although few are prodigiously difficult to cook, preparation for many is laborious: Caldo Gallego a la Mexicana, a meat-and-vegetable stew, has 29 ingredients. Quintana presumes a certain level of ability: readers who don't now how to roast, sweat, seed and de-vein a chile must look elsewhere for instructions. She also assumes a ready access to Mexican foodstuffs and cooking equipment like a comal, a clay skillet used for cooking tortillas, which readers are expected to make, since no substitutes are suggested. Caveats aside, there is much in this collection, with its 60 handsome color photos, to tempt those who love authentic Mexican cuisine.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.