5 comments about Steven Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking: 200 Sizzling Recipes from Mexico, Cuba, Caribbean, Brazil, and Beyond.

1. This book is packed with a wide variety of recipes each tastier than the last. They're not all that difficult to pull off either. The book really captures that spiced flavor that I love, and now i dont have to go out to a restaurant to get it. If you're looking for a great recipe book, this will do, but if you want something with pizazz, then this is the choice for you.



2. Dissappointing for content; had especially wanted receipe for Feijoada and was referenced, but not provided in cookbook.



3. Of my ever-growing cookbook collection, this, along with Jay Solomon's Great Bowls of Fire, probably gets the most use. The recipes are clearly presented and easy to follow, and many of them (marked in the book with "Pronto!") can be prepared in under 30 minutes. We've made recipes from almost all the chapters, from Halibut Veracruz (wonderful), to "Plantain Spiders" (delicious and fun appetizer), with only a few missteps. (I found the black bean salsa to be a bit bland). The turkey picadillo on baked plantain "surfboards" was innovative and a real treat.
   Recipes and photos can be viewed at:
   http://weheartfood.blogspot.com/search/label/healthylatincooking



4. Although my mom was one of the better cooks I knew, I grew up in a household where dinner was not dinner if there was no meat. I knew first hand of many others cooks who fried foods in lard, or cooked with heavy creams, whole milks, white rice and sugar (brown rice and sugar were unheard of). I loved Latin American cooking and if I ate in my adulthood as I did as a child, I would probably have died of a heart attack by age 40. Stephen Raichlen presents healthy alternatives to traditional ingredients and takes the time to explain why he's made those substitutions. This is a great book if you savor Latin American cooking and want to enjoy it for years to come.



5. Excellent book, I have made several of the recepies and have not found any that I do not like......

4 comments about Caribbean Cooking.

1. When I received this book as a gift, I couldn't wait to read through it and start cooking. The author, John DeMers, does an excellent job of explaining the basics of Caribbean cooking including a list (with explanation) of herbs & spices, seafood, meat & poultry, fruit & vegetables most commonly found throughout the Islands. The recipes are clear, concise and can be followed by novice cooks and professional chefs alike. Definately a good buy!



2. It is a must have book. It is filled with many delightful entrees that you will enjoy.



3. The other day I went through my cookbooks, to see if I could weed some out, because I have too many to mention. It's hard getting rid of a cookbook, especially one with a few recipes in it that you've come to love. But I've scanned the recipes I need to keep forever into my MacBook. However, there were an even dozen I couldn't part with. These are books I turn to time and time again, even though I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet chef.
   
   CARIBBEAN COOKING is one of the books I kept as it's chucky jammed full of wonderful recipes. I really like the "Roast Veal with Black Sauce" on page 12, though I must confess, I could never eat veal, so I sub a regular roast and the result is delicious, really.
   
   Everybody's heard of jerk chicken, but how many of you out there have ever had jerk pork. Get this book, try the jerk pork recipe, you'll be amazed. But for me the piece de resistance in this book is the "Snapper Santiago". It is simply to die for. This is one cookbook that will bring mouthwatering joy to many a meal.
   
   Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne



4. This book has some wonderful recipes. I was looking for a book that would give me a different recipe for Rice and Peas, but discovered other interesting recipes. I'm glad I bought the book.

5 comments about Sweet Hands: Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago (Hippocrene Cookbook Library).

1. This cookbook is great. I ordered two as Christmas gifts and now I'm back to order two more. From the pictures, to the stories and of course the recipes. Kudos!!



2. If you've ever eaten "doubles" on the street in Trinidad and wondered how to reproduce that delightful flavor at home, this is the book to use. The recipes are true native specialties, described so anyone can enjoy them.



3. I am of Trinidadian and Venezuelan descent and know plenty of scrumptious foods native to Trinidad but was not familiar with how to make them. Since I've moved out and started college, I missed my grandmothers cooking so I decided to buy this book. It has amazing recipes! Unfortunately, I am unable to find a Venezuelan cookbook but at least Sweet Hands will keep me preoccupied until I do!!! =-p



4. It's okay. I tried her recepies on basics like breads and it was bland. I think she's mixing Trini with some other culture's recepie and it's just not working too well. The way she describes ponche crema is not the simple, delicious way a Trini makes it-- We don't add cream of coconut!
   I should have put the money towards the Naparima Girls book. Never heard one complaint about that book from any die-hard Trini.



5. I like how the author is very versatile with her cooking. Her cooking recipes are very easy to follow. I would recommend the book to a friend who wants a taste of Trini culinary.

5 comments about Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban: 100 Great Recipes for Cuban Entertaining (Three Guys from Miami).

1. If you love cooking (and eating) delicious food, beautiful photography and insightful (and fun!) recipe notes -- you have to add this fabulous cookbook to your collection. I loved the first cookbook from the Three Guys and their second offering does not disappoint! I'm a New Englander stuck in "Mud Season" and just reading this book brought me to the sunny skies, friendly faces and delectable, unforgettable foods of Florida. Can't wait to try more of the recipes!



2. Lots of color-drenched photos of the food, the ingredients, the authors and the place enliven this party approach to Cuban cooking. The authors begin with deserts - Mango Upside Down Cake, Pumpkin Flan - before moving on to drinks (Pina Colada).
   
   Each recipe includes banter in the margins from the three authors. Occasionally there's a nugget of useful advice, but mostly these can be skipped. While there are some rich and elegant dishes (Shrimp in Cilantro Cream Sauce, Cuban Style Lobster), the guys tend to feature mostly casual traditional (Spanish Bean Soup, Rice with Seafood, Roast Pork, Fried Shredded Chicken) cooking.
   
   The basics are here - Black Beans and Rice, Mashed Plantains, Empanadas, Tamales - and there's a chapter on grilling which includes seafood and meat kebabs. Those who've wondered what to do with guava jelly will find plenty of opportunities here from Baby Back Ribs with Guava Sauce to Guava Cake.
   
   The recipes are straightforward and mostly simple so that even those with no experience of Cuban food can go tropical without fear



3. Every recipe that I have made from this book has been excellent. The garlic chicken is our favorite! The anecdotes by the "3 Guys" are cute and informative. I highly recommend this book.



4. Excellent Book. I bought one for a friend and she loved it so I had to buy my own after. Love my book. Very well made, beautiful recipes, beautiful pictures, just lovely.



5. I bought this as a gift for my daughter and she loved it. It's a very versatile book.

5 comments about Puerto Rican Cuisine in America: Nuyorican and Bodega Recipes.

1. We decided we needed some Puerto Rican cookbooks in the house, and Puerto Rican Cuisine is one of them. It really looks like all our abuelitas worked on this great cookbook with Rivera. Quite a few recipes brought tears to my eyes since I haven't eaten them in over six years since my great-grandmother died. We look forward to recreating many of her dishes with the assistance of this book. If you want a simple, authentic Puerto Rican cookbook, this is for your culinary library.



2. I was expecting to find more recipes of Puerto rican dishes. However, it does the job in providing you with basic recipes that you can do on a daily basis. I was expecting one for some fancy dish.



3. I purchased this book and the recipes sound great but there was no illustration to show you what the dish should look like (very dissappointing). I also found that a lot of the ingredients could only be purchased at "Bodegas" or spanish neighborhoods.



4. I love this cookbook! It has so many recipes in it. I've tried a number of them and I loved them all. this book is so great. My mom never really taught me how to cook or my grandmom, and what they did show me, I never remembered, I have to use recipes and with this book at my side, I can make everything. My rice is fabulous. My kids love my cooking and they tell me all the time that I should be a chef! :) thanks Mr. Rivera.



5. I am African American and I purchased this wonderful cookbook several years ago. The cover on my book was different than what's shown here, but all I can say is WOW!!! What a pleasure, there were always certain Puerto Rican recipes that I loved and whenever I would ask how to make it I would get "I don't know, I just make it, I don't use a recipe." I always loved the flavor in the beans and never knew how to accomplish the taste, now I know it's sofrito, I now make my own. The description on how to make pasteles is a big positive too. I have a Greek friend and she makes pasteles around the holidays and gives them as gifts. One Puerto Rican guy couldn't believe that a Greek girl made the pasteles. But thanks to Oswald Rivera's fine cookbook it's possible. I especially enjoy his humor and the stories, I feel he's right there in the kitchen with me. I feel contrary to what the other reviewer said about pictures I didn't miss them at all I just wanted these basic recipes for my friends and family to enjoy. BRAVO! Mr. Rivera, you've put a smile on my face.

5 comments about Jerk from Jamaica: Barbecue Caribbean Style.

1. I received "Jerk from Jamaica" in the mail on Saturday, and my husband and I couldn't resist planning a feast for the next day. Already I'm singing the praises of this book, and I just can't get enough of the leftovers.
   
   Helen Willinsky grew up in Jamaica, studied cooking in Europe, and ran a resort in Jamaica; she includes family recipes, traditional recipes, and recipes that blend older Jamaican elements with newer ingredients and traditions. She strikes a beautiful balance, one so many authors fail to achieve, between introducing us to traditional methods and ingredients and yet making it possible for us to enjoy Jamaican flavors in our own kitchens even if we don't have access to a barbecue grill or all of the traditional Jamaican flavorings.
   
   You'll need access to some sort of barbecue grill or the equivalent in order to get the most out of this cookbook, it's true, but it's certainly worth buying even if you don't have that. Oven directions are included for many recipes, and there are even adaptations to the slow cooker and other such modern conveniences. A few sources for ingredients are provided, as well as substitutions using more commonly-found items.
   
   The quality of the recipes is right up there with the Sugar Mill cookbook, but this book focuses primarily on a simpler, narrower type of cooking. It's easy to whip up these recipes with little advance notice, but they'll satisfy your tastebuds for days on end. If you're looking for something new to do with your grill, this will certainly qualify!



2. When we went to Jamaica in '05 for the first time, we broke out of the all-inclusive, rented a driver and took a day trip long the north coast. We had our first meat patties and stopped at the driver's favorite jerk stand and had our first real jerk chicken washed down with Red Stripe.
   
   When we cook out of this book, every recipe takes us back. We brought Helen's first book back with us from Jamaica and we never cooked anything from it that we didn't enjoy. What I get from this book is the sense of Jerk. I grow my own Scotch Bonnets and now prefer them over the many Habanero varieties I've grown. I look for the biggest Jamaican pimento berries I can find (usually at a Mexican grocery).
   
   If you've ever had jerk and wondered if you can do it too--buy this book. You can! Follow her recipes and it will be jerk, Mon.



3. I made the spice rub like the recipe in the book and have mainly cooked some of the chicken. It tastes very munch like that I buy down the street at a place that makes jerk dishes. The "cook" is from Jamaica and he says thats the way they make it down there. The tastes are quite a departure from any other foods I have eaten. The book is very well laid out with many pretty pictures. Tom...



4. Ms. Willinsky has put together a very down to earth, readable and do-able cook book. I've tried three of the meats and one of the salads, and intend to do more. None of the jerk is too hot as written -- add your own peppers as you wish -- so nothing to be afraid cf "jerk" you may have had elsewhere. The flavors are very subtle.



5. We have been working our way through this cookbook. Every recipe we have tried has been wonderful. Spicy, bright, flavorful. We love it. Recipes are easy to follow, results wonderful

5 comments about At Blanchard's Table: A Trip to the Beach Cookbook.

1. This is one of the best cookbooks we own (and we own a lot). Everything we have tried has turned out great and taste wonderful. Well worth owning



2. I also own a lot of cookbooks. I love to read them. I checked this book out from the library, and it is the only one I have ever checked out for free that I wanted to pay for, not matter how much it cost. Wonderful tips on products, unpretentious - almost apologetic in tone because she didn't graduate from culinary school (neither did I! Perfect!), beautiful photography, many, many recipes I want to try. Sandwiches fillings that become dips that become sauces, terrific adaptation and suggestions. I am so glad to have this cookbook/story. It is an irresistable love story of food and hospitality. Makes me want to go to their restaurant in Anguilla - wherever that is..... At least I can eat and serve the food! Try it at your library and see. Delightful.



3. The restaurant is beautiful and the cookbook is awesome. I've made several of the recipes and all were fabulous!



4. I met the Blanchards at a book singing where they were demonstrating some of the recipes; that was a few years back and I have not tired of awesome ideas found in this book. I have given this book to several family and friends and they rave about it as well!



5. These recipes are OUTSTANDING! They are so simple and use simple, fresh, flavorful ingredients that most people already have on hand. Some examples of recipes include:
   Baguette Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Mascarpone, and Basil
   Blanchards Corn Chowder
   Spicy Coconut and Sweet Potato Soup
   Chicken and Green Bean Salad with Kalamata Olive Dressing
   Potato Salad with Lime and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
   Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, Feta, and Chili-Lime Vinaigrette
   Sweet-and-Sour Swordfish with Onions, Raisins, and Tomatoes
   Calypso Chicken with Lime
   Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Rosemary
   Penne with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, and Olives
   Island Rice with Cumin and Coconut
   Light-as-a-Cloud Lemon Mousse
   Coconut Cheesecake
   Homemade Coconut Ice Cream
   
   Believe me when I say that neither you nor your dinner guests will be sorry that you ordered this cookbook!! I promise! It is my absolute FAVORITE cookbook and my go-to when I don't know what to make. Order now...you won't be sorry!!

5 comments about Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban.

1. Another great book I gave as a present and ended up buying a copy for me. Great recepies, great pictures, put together very well. Just love it. Great book for my cook book library!



2. From what I have gathered, it sounds like a fun book, although from the reviews, I'm not certain if it completely adheres to the traditional recipes. Being born & raised in Cuba-one thing is for certain, corn, meats, seafood, sugar & fruits here in the US have a totally different flavor-
   
   I appreciate all the helpful reviews, but people---For the love of GOD,,,
   Please stop referring to us as Latin or Spanish,,we're just CUBAN!
   Your bunching us up together in one group--and believe me,,there are worlds of difference-
   Example-Unlike central & south Americans, we only have 3 races in CUBA, black (strictly descendants of slaves) - whites (strictly descendants of Europeans-mostly Spaniards) and Mulatos (mix of the two)- That's it..We have no natives or native cultures, cause for the most part, the Spaniards exterminated them.
   
   
   Finally not to mention the fact that we do not SPEAK LATIN!!
   
   
   Thank you...



3. The recipes are fantastic and authentic. I grew up in Cuba and now live in the frozen tundra so it brings back warm memories!



4. Wow, what an amazing fun cook book. The recipes are easy to follow and the side comments are a joy to read and chuckle with. I have many cook books but this is now my very favorite! Buy it, cook with it but most of all get the insight of what Miami Cubans humor truly is!



5. I wanted a Cuban cookbook that gathered all my favorite recipes in one place. This one fits the bill. The recipes are outstanding, easy to execute and authentic. I was impressed by the fact that they even have a short discussion on aji cachucha. Living in the west, I often find restaurants offering "Cuban" black beans, picadillo etc. After the first taste of jalapeno peppers, I realise the chef has no clue what Cuban cuisine is all about. Thanks again!

5 comments about Puerto Rican Cookery.

1. One of the best authentic Puerto Rican cookbooks out there! It has all the "delicioso" typical island food and explains everything in easy detail. There are translations all throughout the book making it very user friendly. With this book, anyone can definitely cook to impress!



2. I knew that I was finally in my future mother-in-law's good graces when she gave me a copy of this book as a present shortly before my wedding to her son. I had been struggling along with her spanish version of the book, and she knew I was trying to cook in a way that she approved of, so when I got this book I knew that I had finally won the heart of a puerto rican matriarch, and we know how hard that can sometimes be! I have since gone on to master many of the recipes, and my husband says that my cooking rivals that of his mother and grandmother!



3. When my abuela passed in December 2006 we were immediately overwhelmed with distributing her things. I came across an old copy of Cocina Criolla, but gave it to her sister-in-law because, unfortunately my mother nor I were taught Spanish. Coming across the English version has been wonderful. Abuela and I were planning to cook together this year, which I plan to do solo. It brings back fond memories of her and her food. I am happy to carry on that tradition.



4. This book is amazing if you want an authentic Puerto rican taste to satisfy your soul.



5. First let me start by saying that I am ethnic myself and cook many different types of foods. This book was okay, I have purchased better books with more interesting and flavorful recipes.

5 comments about Memories of a Cuban Kitchen: More Than 200 Classic Recipes.

1. This cookbook comes the closest to the real recipes that I have tasted, except they love to use oregano and lots of green pepper which should be ignored. Red peppers should be substituted and cumin is the favorite spice of the cubans. Once the recipes are doctored the food is outstanding. My favorites are vaca frita, oxtails, black beans (remember, do not use the oregano or the green pepper), the garbanzo bean dish with chorizo. Also remember that the type of chorizo you use will influence the dish and their are several different kinds. The Colombian type is excellent or I would stick to Goya's brand. The Colorado Bean Soup is awesome, especially if you puree it - though it is labor intensive. Remember that many of these recipes can be cooked in a pressure cooker, which is how many real cuban households make these meat dishes quickly and they come out the most tender. It would have been great if they included that method in this book but you can guesstamate the times. This works particularly well with the oxtails. You must remember also that each cuban family makes the dishes their way, so that is why you have to adjust the ingredients.



2. My husband is from Miami and when i was pregnant he took me to Miami and got me addicted to cuban food. We both really missed the food and this book brings back so many good memories. It really satisfies your taste buds.



3. After sitting in the bookstore, going over about 10-20 so called Cuban recipe cookbooks, this is the ONE in my kitchen. Both my parents are from Cuba, I was born there as well, so naturally my siblings and I grew up on traditional Cuban recipes. This book is the closest to Mom's cooking I have ever found, and with some help from Mom, these recipes are just like being home. Easy to follow, simple, traditional recipes. Once you get the hang of "sofrito", which is base for most of our dishes, you won't be disappointed. LOVE this cookbook, and its wonderful, savory Cuban dishes!



4. This book has great recipes and they are very well written. The instructions are very easy to follow. Very much the same ingredients my Cuban Mother has used all my life.



5. For those of you who love to collect great cookbooks, this is an awesome Cuban cookbook. All the recipes invoke memories of Mama and Abuela cooking in the kitchen. They are authentic recipes and the stories are worth reading. Many of them will bring sweet memories to Cuban refugees who have adopted the U.S.A as our new home. This is a must-have book in the kitchen!