A Taste of Puerto Rico: Traditional and New Dishes from the Puerto Rican Community

Rating:
Summary: Not A True PR Cookbook
Review: I bought this book only because the bookstore was out of the Nuyorican cookbook. I was hoping it would have the same recipes my mom uses, but alas it doesn't! Ortiz tries to make traditional puerto rican cooking into french gourmet cooking! She gets too fancy when there is no need to be! It almost makes you think she is ashamed of how the food is really cooked! And why does she have to add currants and golden raisins to everything! That is not how the traditional recipes are made! Her recipes are squarely based on the stupid cooking school she went to! Americans are not asking for the easier version they are asking for the REAL version. I accumulated better recipes than hers for FREE on the internet! The only way there is any use to her book is if you already know how to make some of the dishes and just incorporate your recipe with hers just to have something on paper! Believe me I had to change things around when I phoned family about her recipes! What a waste of money!

Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Review: I own almost every PR cookbook available on the market, including those written in Spanish and not translated. Yet, this is the one I turn to again and again.
Ortiz takes the mystery out of this wonderful cuisine and by providing for alternate ingredients, she makes it available to those of us who do not live in areas with a large PR community. Her Quick Bean Stew recipe is superb, as are many of her other recipes. The only PR cookbook you'll ever need. I would caution only that if you don't use fresh ground pepper, divide the amount of pepper called for by one half.

Rating:
Summary: Cocina Criolla - Gloria Valldejuli
Review: It's the best Puerto Rican cook book you can add to your collection. All the recipes in the book are traditional Puerto Rican plates..Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Cocina Criolla - Gloria Valldejuli
Review: It's the best Puerto Rican cook book you can add to your collection. All the recipes in the book are traditional Puerto Rican plates..Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: GOOD RECIPES!
Review: THIS BOOK CONTAINS SOME GOOD RECIPES BUT SOME OF THE RECIPES ARE A LITTLE FANCY, FROM MY KNOWLEDGE OF PUERTO RICAN COOKING. OVERALL IT IS A GOOD BOOK AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I ENJOYED MAKING SOME OF THE DISHES IN THIS BOOK. MRS ORTIZ DID ADD SOME ADDITIONAL SPICES BUT OVERALL IT IS A GOOD COOKBOOK. I RECOMMEND THE PINA COLADA CAKE.......ENJOY!

Rating:
Summary: An introduction to the basics
Review: This cookbook is a good introduction to Puerto Rican cuisine for those not familiar with it. Yvonne does a good job of describing our basic ingredients, sauces, vegetables (viandas), and her recipes are made simpler and easier to prepare than the "real thing." Unfortunately, it is not a true representation of authentic typical Puerto Rican recipes because she changes some recipes and adds things like raisins to too many other recipes. I would caution those considering buying this book to read the recipes carefully and remember that Yvonne's recipes are often only close to being authentic. I have tried several recipes in her book with mixed results. The biggest failure of sorts, was the recipe for Sancocho. Yvonne's recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of pepper, and it was way too much, masking the flavors of the stew. Again, I would recommend this book, but with some reservations.