Lorena Garcia's New Latin Classics

August 15, 2011

Following the opening of two successful Latin-Asian fusion restaurants, lawyer turned chef Garcia takes her rich international culinary background and channels it into her latest venture: a debut cookbook.

For the author, a home-cooked meal is an expression of love. With this as her compass, Garcia offers a collection of her favorite Latin dishes spiced with a modern twist. Her experience working as an apprentice chef around the world is evident in her selections. She begins with "The Indispensable Despensa," a guideline of ingredients readers are advised to have in their pantry, and her philosophy is practical and refreshing: "One major goal of mine was to not give people a huge grocery list and pantry full of ingredients that wouldn't be used again." Thoughtfully organized, the cookbook features more than 100 recipes broken into categories: recipes to prepare in 30 minutes; home-style favorites; restaurant-style meals at home; cooking outside; and "dishes to celebrate." No true cookbook would be complete, of course, without desserts, and Garcia's pack a punch, playing with contrasting flavors and temperatures. Her final chapter concentrates on basic Latin dishes everyone should know how to prepare, such as salsitas, herb tortillas and black beans.

Modern Latin recipes ranging from stylish dishes to classic comfort foods in an easy-to-follow format.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)