The Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful introduction to the world of New Mexico's cuisine!
Review: This is a super introduction to the habit-forming, varied cuisine of New Mexico! The recipes are tested in the Cooking School, so you can be sure that they are workable. Since I have attended three classes at the school, it is with confidence that I recommend this book. The recipe for New Mexican Green Chile and Cabbage Soup with Sausage alone is worth the price! There is a good list of sources for Southwestern ingredients in the back. My only criticism is that I find the layout of the index to be confusing.

Rating:
Summary: festive and colorful
Review: This useful book combines contemporary cuisine with its emphasis on color, freshness and health (lime marinated grilled salmon, quesadillas with goat cheese and roasted peppers, jicama salad with watercress, radish and chiles) with hearty traditional foods (enchiladas suizas with tomatillo and cilantro salsa, green chile and cabbage soup with sausage, chiles rellenos, black bean soup).

Curtis, owner of the school, scatters cooking tips throughout the book, paired with appropriate recipes - describing the character and history of blue corn with blue corn pancakes, giving the traditional version of carne adovada, a pork stew, along with the school version, using a comal (griddle) for making tortillas. Illustrated with Santa Fe scenes, gardens, ingredients and dishes, this is a festive book chock full of detail.