Flavors of Belize
Hello everyone!You may remember a post we wrote last year about visiting the beautiful country of Belize to work on a cookbook. I'm proud to announce that the book is now here and it's every bit of beautiful I hoped it would be. Not that I'm biased, mind you. It's just great to be involved in such a delicious endeavor.There's so many wonderful recipes to dive into within the book's pages, and if you've never experienced Belizean food then you're in for a treat. It's a fantastic blend of distinct cultures, sometimes moving in one direction before coming back to another. It's Mayan, it's Carribeean, It's Asian, it's Creole, and it's all delicious. In fact, several recipes from the book have become standards at our house.Matt Bites-Matt Armendariz--Matt Bites BlogRecipe chapters include Starters, Soups, Seafood; Pork, Chicken, and Meat; Salads and Vegetables; Breads, Grains, and Legumes; Finishing Touches; and Desserts. Each chapter begins with a look back into the history of Belize and an explanation of the different cultures that create a foundation of Belizean heritage. Each alternating page in the cookbook is a full page photograph which makes this cookbook a real joy to read. Photographs are from renowned food photographer Matt Armendariz. The recipes themselves are quite varied in experience level. I found a number of recipes that could easily be prepared by someone without a lot of experience in the kitchen (like the Habanero Salsa). Also included are recipes that are more challenging including the Lobster Robert and the Tamales.This cookbook has a wonderful selection of recipes you can enjoy at every meal of the day. You may need to head to a larger grocery store or ethnic market for some of the ingredients needed in Flavors of Belize. I know that my grocery store doesn t carry things like chaya leaves, red racado, or cow foot. Many of the recipes can be prepared without ethnic ingredients and I m looking forward to trying the Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa and the Maya Chocolate Cake. If you re interested in Belize recipes, you definitely need to purchase Flavors of Belize The Cookbook.Confessions of an Overworked Mom-Ellen Christian--Confessions of an Overworked Mom BlogFor all its variety, Belizean food often gets short shrift, overshad- owed by that of its neighbor to the north, Mexico. But last year saw the publication of the first proper Belizean cookbook, Flavors of Belize, compiled by Belize City designer and publisher Tanya McNab and packed with a mix of traditional and contemporary Belizean recipes, as well as insight into the history and development of the native cuisine.The inspiration came from McNab's childhood. Her grandfather, who owned the first supermarket in Belize City, ran an annual Christmas contest that asked customers to send in their favorite recipes which they did, in vast numbers. Aiming to recapture that collaborative spirit, McNab spent a year gathering as many recipes as she could from locals, chefs and even her own grandmother. That last one, though, proved a challenge. The hardest part, McNab says, was pinning her down and getting her to tell us what goes in there.United Airlines' Hemispheres Magazine-Joe Keohane--United Airlines Hemisphere Magazine