Publisher's Weekly Review
Spain's bestselling cookbook for more than 30 years, this unpretentious and exhaustive collection is a welcome addition to the growing number of books on Spanish cuisine. With a prologue from Michelin-star Spanish chef Ferran Adria, this mother-daughter team offers a wealth of recipes that reveal the diversity and breadth of Spain's long culinary tradition. Clear and precise instructions-many no more than a few sentences long and none more than a lengthy paragraph-allow for quick, low-fuss preparation. Chapters cover everything from fried dishes, stews and sauces to pulses (dried beans), fish and seafood, and game. Dishes range from the simple-Asparagus Eclairs and Chunky Gazpacho to the slightly more time-consuming Marinated Swiss Chard and Leg of Veal with Pineapple. A particularly robust chapter on vegetables makes this cookbook an excellent choice for those looking to eat more healthfully or seasonally. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Spanish cuisine, this hearty collection is sure to be a favorite of both the home and the serious cook. Mariscal's beautiful illustrations fill the book. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
Simone Ortega, who was born in France but emigrated to Barcelona before World War II, wrote the first edition of her ambitious cookbook more than 30 years ago, and it has been Spain's best-selling cookbook. Ines, her daughter, has helped revise and update the book, and it now appears in its first English version (Anglicized, not Americanized). Something like the Joy of Cooking for the Spanish home cook, it includes recipes for both traditional regional fare and dishes inspired by a variety of other cuisines. There are no recipe headnotes, but there are sidebars on techniques and lots of information on ingredients. Whimsical color drawings adorn almost every page, and there are color photographs as well. An essential purchase. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
