Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook by Marilyn Tausend (1996) Hardcover

The drama of Mexico's tumultuous history - the rise and fall of the Omec and Maya civilizations, the magnificent Aztec world that greeted Cortes, The arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the turbulent revolutionary years - is vividly reflected in the cuisine of this vast country. Mexican food is history itself, a culinary marriage of native Indian food such as corn, beans, squash, chocolate and chilies with the Spanish contribution of wheat, rice and meats. The merger resulted in one of the world's most intriguing and least understood cuisines. Mexico the Most Beautiful Cookbook captures the fascinating culinary heritage of Mexico in one stunning volume. The recipes, prepared by Acapulco-based Suzanna Palazuelos, represent a vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes, from all of the states of Mexico. Many of them are unusual regional dishes that have been passed along by word of mouth, such as garlic chicken from Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi's own version of enchiladas. The traditional favorites are here - chiles en nogada, tamales, pozole, tortilla soup - along with some contemporary surprises such a tequila mousse, cilantro soup and lobster crepes with pine nut sauce. Other well-known Mexican cooks have also contributed their own special recipes to the book.