2 comments about Maverick Sea Fare: A Caribbean Cook Book.

1. I bought Maverick Sea Fare in 1980 while sailing in the British Virgin Islands. Not only does it have great recipes, but great illustrations and commentary. Just looking through the book always takes me back to the Islands. Among favorite recipes are the Maverick French Toast and Stuffed Christophenes. We often use the current edition, smaller and softcover, for gifts for our sailing friends.



2. Charter boat routines and meals fit for "early mornings anchored out in the islands," give way to Maverick favorites as they blossom more generally into salads, breads and desserts. Soon the focus shifts to tropical ingredients such as coconut and fruits, vegetables and chutney, conch and fish the way it is caught off the boat. Born in a "space the size of an ordinary broom closet," the many recipes are easy and well-honed as well as exotic and delightful enough to serve paying guests.

   But this book, published in 1977 and reprinted, is more. The hand-lettered text and many drawings were all done by the author herself. It is, Dee says, a record of the "very good years" she spent as the chef, and wife, on a small charter windjammar, the Maverick, sailing the Caribbean. Indeed, it is a work of art with the calligraphy all intertwined with wonderful drawings. A classic little book offering valuable insight into food and life in the islands.

   John Hoagland B-V-I.Com Bookstore Online Guide to the British Virgin Islands

4 comments about A Taste of Cuba.

1. 4/5/2005
   
   A Taste of Cuba
   By: Beatriz Llamas
   
   A review by Marty Martindale
   
   Just as our feet are itching to journey freely to the tastes and rhythms of colorful Cuba, our eyes can, at least, feast on the bright, lively illustrations by Ximena Maier in Llamas' A Taste of Cuba cookbook. This is also a chance to bone up on our menu familiarity once we again get to visit. In the beginning of the book, Llamas explains some of the details of the Cuban Table. Next she identifies frequently used ingredients.
   
   Here's just a few of the dishes she tempts us with:
   
   * A couple of interesting and very simple soups: Avocado Soup made with chicken broth, mustard and lime juice. Her Green Plantain Soup similarly calls for beef broth, lime juice and cloves.
   
   * Jose's Ceviche uses king mackerel, onion, lime juice, olive oil and parsley.
   
   * Fish in Escabeche is olive oil, onion, garlic white wine, wine vinegar, spices and fresh tuna.
   
   * Glazed Sweet Potatoes is a combination of lime juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and dry Cuban cooking wine.
   
   * Her Apple-Flavored Banana Ice Cream is a simple recipe calling for apple bananas, lime juice, 7-year-old rum, milk, sugar, light whipping cream and egg whites.
   
   * Black Boy in His Shirt is a rich cake made from cooking chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, roasted peanuts and confectioners' sugar.
   
   A Taste of Cuba is a pretty little Cuban book, only 139 pages, but filled with the little country's unique appetizers, soups, main dishes, side dishes and sesserts. Generally, it is a good idea to own a lime tree, if you live in Cuba ...
   
   © Marty Martindale, 2005, Largo FL
   mm@FoodSiteoftheDay.com



2. Beatriz Llamas was born in Spain, ran cooking classes and a catering business while still a student, then worked at the Alambique Cookery School in Madrid before moving to Cuba, where she developed a keen interest in the local cuisine and culture. In A Taste Of Cuba, Llamas showcases an impressive culinary mix of cultures and ingredients associated with Cuba's complex history and natural resources originating with the Cuban Indians (cassava, taro root, corn, sweet potatoes, black beans), the Spanish colonizers (coffer, sugar, roasted meats and peppers), and African slaves (okra, plantain). All of these diverse heritages of foods fused into a vibrant new culinary culture. Illustrated with drawings and color photography, the recipes range from Taro Root Fritters; Avocado and Shrimp Salad; and Susana's Rice with Green Plantain; to Celie's Chicken and Corn Pie; Squash Pudding; and Soursop Champola Ice Cream. A Taste Of Cuba is an ideal addition to any personal or community library multicultural cookbook collection.



3. Great recipes. Easy to follow. Genuine Cuban cuisine specific dishes -autentico- Will bring much "sabor" and "salsa" to your plate and cooking! You will never get bored in the kitchen with this book while bringing the goodness of the enchanted isle to your dinner plate. Enjoy!



4. Both my parents were born and raised in Cuba and I am a first generation American. I remember growing up, my friends would come over my house and look in the pot of black beans cooking on the stove and say "ewwww...that looks gross!!!" Who would have known that when I grew up, black beans would be "trendy". :o) Anyway, I've always said that my mother is the best cook in the entire world and it's always been a challenge to get her to pass down her recipes, because she never measures anything.
   
   Luckily, I stumbled across this book last week, purchased it and immediately went to my mother's house to get her "expert" opinion...are these recipes authentic? It was great to see the smile on my mom's face as she looked through the book. Not only did she give the thumbs up on the recipes, she loved the artwork. She said she usually uses more bell peppers than recommended in the book, because she thinks it gives more flavor and she said that sometimes she takes steps in a different order, but for the most part these recipes are just right! I can't tell you how happy this book has made me...knowing that I will be able to prepare the dishes I grew up with...it's really awesome!
   
   I made the glazed sweet potatoes today to go with our Thanksgiving dinner and they were extremely delicious. Thanks to the author for the wonderful recipes and the artist for the beautiful artwork. I can't wait to make everything in this book!

No comments about Callaloo, Calypso & Carnival: The Cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago.

1 comments about Dorinda's Taste of the Caribbean: African-Influenced Recipes from the Islands.

1. I will be using this book to prepare the food I was accustom to when I lived in the Delaware. My daughter is very pleased we received this book in a timely manner.

5 comments about Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica.

1. I have tried at least 10 of the receipes in this book and find it very hard to move on to others. The ones that I have tried are always repeated in some cases many times over. The Dry Jerk seasoning is a staple which I have prepared and given as gifts in fancy found jars (page 16). "Wid It" is a special treat that is a must. My all time favorite "Jerked Spareribs", that I place in a platter, cut ribs into small chunks, mix well with white rice, yellow raisens, cashews, and pineapple rings cut into chunks, smooth,put a flat layer of yellow corn on top, place pineapple rings on top of corn, spill all of the juice from the can all over the top and add a few maraschino cherries for color!! It's the BEST!!



2. My husband and I have tried numerous recipies from this cookbook and each one has turned out 100% successful!! Helen has captured the true taste and flavor of the Caribbean with each and every recipe in this cookbook! This is our favorite cookbook!! We highly recommend her recipe for Dry Jerk Seasoning on Page 16!!!!! If you try her Jamaican Cole Slaw on Pg. 115, we would suggest adding pineapple. The sweet flavor makes it perfect!!! If you are going to buy ANY Caribbean or Jamaican cookbook, this is the BEST one by far!!!!!!



3. I dare you to find a bad recipe in this book. Every single recipe is a winner. The Jamaican cole slaw is so good everyone who eats it asks me for the recipe. The same for the jerk chicken. I love this book.



4. Jerk Barbecue is very easy to follow. I am American and I married to a Jamaican. I wanted to start cooking meals my mate grew up eating. This recipe book is perfect. The dishes always turn out great!



5. i first had jerk ribs at a jamaican restaurant in long beach, CA. ever since then, i have been searching for a jerk recipe that tastes as good as the ribs i had there. i tried several recipes i found online, and none of them were even close. finally, i got this book, and made the jerk marinade recipe. bingo. this is it. that's the taste i remember! lots of the other recipes look great too. i'm looking forward to trying more of them.

No comments about Taste of the Caribbean.

5 comments about It's About Thyme.

1. I have to tell you that this cookbook was so refreshing. She gives step by step detail and the fact that she is not a cook is very appealing because it gives me hope that I can make her recipes. I have tried the crab salad in papaya, so easy and really tasty. My daughter made the chocolate cake and she was so happy that it actually came out, she is only 16.



2. My fiancé and I love to experiment with new foods, and new tastes. We have so far tried the Oxtail, Coconut Chicken, and the Curry chicken recipes, and all I have to say is... Wow, are these recipes easy to follow, and the wonderful combination of spices are just perfect. If you are looking to make your taste buds dance, this is the perfect cook book to get.
   



3. Yes Beef Patties is where it's at, and trust me for me to actually make them, and they came out tasting better then the frozen patties, anyone can do it. I love beef patties, and the best thing is these ones are the best patties I've ever eaten... I still can't believe I made them myself. Can't wait to try the rest of the recipes!



4. I love this book because it's very different from any other cookbook I've bought. I have made many recipes and all turned out great! My favorite would be the jerk,festivals,codfish balls and broiled salmon, so far. Oh, made the chocolate cheescake and I have to say, the best ever! One thing author makes a mistake she says to add melted chocolate but no melted chocolate in the ingredients but that' okay, I figured it out myself and when I tasted it I was in heaven..



5. this is one of the best cookbooks I own. The seafood section is tops! She has opened my eyes to Jamaican food and I'm planning a trip next year to visit the island. Anyone can cook her food, this gets 5 thumbs up from me.

5 comments about Tropic Cooking: The New Cuisine from Florida and the Islands of the Caribbean.

1. I have a libary of cookbooks and "Tropic Cooking" is the one I constantly use.



2. Love this cookbook. Recipes are from the Caribbean, as well as a number of Florida's best restaurants. I use this book all the time and have for years. It's fun!



3. My wife loves the fact that I like to cook. Our kitchen shelves are filled with cookbooks and most have a few recipes that I like. Tropic Cooking is one that I consistently use and everyone, including my kids, loves the results.
   
   The Florida Avocado Dip is wonderful, I usually leave off the olives though.
   
   Pork Chops Negril is a sweet treat that just takes a few minutes to create. It's perfect for an evening when you're strapped for time.
   
   Potatoes Bonaventure is always a hit at pot lucks, I think it's the pastrami that catches peoples attention as well as tickles their tastbuds.
   
   If you can get fresh ripe tomatoes that don't taste like cardboard then one of these two recipes are wonderful.
   
   Broiled Tomatoes with Mushroom Bits.
   
   Fried Tomatoes.
   
   I wish I was more of a dessert person because some of these sound wonderful. Cicely's Baked Bananas was an experiment once for a dessert party and it was very well received. I took home an empty plate which is always a good sign.
   
   I highly recommend Tropic Cooking!



4. Having lived in the Caribbean, I am hard to please when it comes to our dishes...they have to taste "just right" and be authentic. This cookbook definitely has many recipies that are very familiar to me. True island cooking at its best! You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Gwaan an enjoy it!



5. Caribbean foods and their recipes are versatile and different. I have tried many Caribbean recipes but this book had some more surprises for me. I like this book because it has some very nice recipes, has some interesting inforomation about the recipes and background to them and they are pretty simple to make. Recipes I have tried are" chicken in lime sauce (9.6/10); butternut squash in lime (9.4/10); fried tomatoes (9.4/10); banana grumby (9.4/10)Singapore scallops (9.6/10); curry tuna creole (9.4/10). I have many more to try (there are 350 recipes). You'll be glad you will have tried some of the recipes of your choice.

2 comments about Bahama Mama's Cooking.

1. 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.
   
   BAHAMA MAMA'S was one of the one's I kept because over the last couple years I've found myself going to it time and again. I make "Mama's Best Gingerbread" all the time. Like most of the recipes in this book, it's easy and impossible to screw up and it tastes delicious. For a quick and good gumbo I've done the "Crawfish Gumbo" on page 59 and like it a lot. True, I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet, but I don't always have the time to spend in the kitchen I'd like, so sometimes it's nice to have a recipe book on hand that you can count on for tasty and authentic meals.
   
   I've served the "Stuffed Tomatoes" here so often that I know the recipe by heart and I've found they go very well with the "Whiskey Chicken on page 105, which is just about my hubby's favorite meal. This is a terrific cookbook and I think you'll find if you use it for any length of time, you too will be cooking like a Bahama Mama.



2. Some of these recipes will make you a glutton. They were so good. I won't tell you which ones though. Get the book and try some for yourself.

2 comments about Salud y sazón.

1. An excellent cook book with lots of color pictures. The food is interesting and full of great flavors. The author shows a great appreciation for people who love food, love to cook but are required to eat a low fat diet. People not on low fat diets will never know it's low fat and healthy if you don't tell them.



2. This book is not only about healthier recipes but it tells you so much about health issues that the Hispanic community should be aware of. In a scale of 1-10, i'll give it a 10.