Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have eaten at El Charro in Tucson, and the food is fantastic. I spent some time looking at this book and plan to buy it. I was concerned that the book wouldn't clearly indicate how the food got to be some darn good. In other words, the recipes wouldn't have anything out of the ordinary--the secret was in the kitchen staff's know-how. Thankfully, these recipes have some obvious differences from typical Mexican cookbook recipes. For example, El Charro uses tons of garlic--they blend it with water to make a puree that finds its way into most of their recipes. I'm certain this "garlic dosing" contributes to their greatness. Another item that caught my eye is the use of condensed milk in their refried beans--I've never seen that before. Having eaten them I can say it works! Last point: make sure you try the barbacoa recipe. El Charro's barbacoa enchiladas were so delicious I nearly fell off my chair in the dining room. They use pickling spice in the recipe--another gem. The food is great....and the book is different enough to warrant adding this to the shelf next to Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy.
Click Here to see more reviews about: El Charro Café Cookbook: Flavors of Tucson from America's Oldest Family-Operated Mexican Restaurant
A Roadfood' Cookbook
The colorful history of El Charro Cafe and the 150 recipes for vibrant,exciting Mexican food make this book as unique and entertaining as the80-year-old restaurant itself. It is rumored that in the 1940s, founder MonicaFlin would sit on the El Charro patio, sipping martinis from teacups and playingcards with John Wayne, who was in Tucson to film westerns. Today the restaurantis run by Carlotta Flores and her husband, Ray. The El Charro Cafe, America'soldest family-operated Mexican restaurant, is located in a house built in the1890s by Monica's father (who was also Carlotta's great-grandfather). Therestaurant's signature dish is Carne Seca Beef, a Tucson passion. The beef iscured high above the restaurant's patio where strips of thin-sliced tenderloinhang in an open metal cage.
Old favorites and creative new Mexican dishes that are enjoyable to cook andto serve fill the book.
The greatest restaurants in America are its wonderful independent regionalrestaurants. And there are no greater experts on America's regional restaurantsthan Michael and Jane Stern. "Coast to coast," said the New YorkTimes, "they know where to find the freshest lobster rolls, thefluffiest pancakes, the crispiest catfish." Rutledge Hill Press is launchinga new series of Roadfood' Cookbooks, each with recipes, pictures, and the historyof one of America's greatest regional restaurants.
0 comments:
Post a Comment