Fresh Mexico

April 20, 2009
Positing that many Americans associate Mexican cuisine with shiny globs of orange cheese, Valladolid sets out to offer a broader, more diverse and healthier vision of south-of-the-border cooking. The Tijuana-born, Ritz-Escoffier–educated Valladolid is a young mother as well as a culinary television personality. As such, she values “weeknight” recipes that can be produced with a minimum of fuss and a few good flavors. Though Valladolid’s mission is to educate readers of the world beyond Old El Paso taco kits, she distinguishes herself from authenticity-focused Mexican cookbook authors such as Diana Kennedy, allowing for looser, creative interpretations that befit contemporary eaters: osso bucco with lime zest and chilis; mascarpone-stuffed squash blossoms with raspberry vinaigrette; and the decadent Mexican cake, pastel de tres leches, made with Italian meringue as a substitute for the traditional raw egg whites. Using ingredients that are readily found in the U.S., her creations are reliable and at times wonderfully simple, like a bright slaw of jicama, arbol chilis and uncooked beets with toasted sesame oil, or baked cod with anchovies, lime and a few kalamata olives and capers thrown in for good measure. Home cooks will appreciate Valladolid’s enthusiastic yet straightforward approach.

June 15, 2009
Valladolid, a former recipe tester/editor at "Bon Apptit", was a contestant on Martha Stewart's "The Apprentice", which led to her own TV show, "Relatos con Sabor", for the Discovery Channel. Here, she offers contemporary recipes inspired by the dishes she grew up with in Tijuana, Mexico, and her experiences in the food world since then. A good companion to Lourdes Castro's more traditional "Simply Mexican".

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2009
Viewers of Spanish-language cable television already recognize Valladolid from her cooking series. Now she aims for a new audience with a collection of Mexican recipes that can be produced outside Latin America. Although she offers a few tacos and enchiladas, she really illustrates the depth and variety of Mexican cuisine and its adaptability to a wide range of foods. Instead of the ubiquitous fried stuffed jalapeo peppers, French-trained Valladolid bakes her roasted peppers in puff pastry. Chorizo and cheese fill chayote squash halves for a sort of Mexican take on twice-baked potatoes. She roasts cabbage under a veil of browned cheese. Osso buco takes on a new guise braised in a simple mole based on peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and lime. Salads take advantage of Mexicos great variety of fruits. For dessert, Valladolid manages a layered cake combining flan with chocolate cake. Another unique sweet produces a brittle from pine nuts and pomegranate juice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)