Rating: 
Summary: Exquisite, fabulous...a true aphrodisiac!
Review: Adding a culinary aspect of Frida's life was an incredible idea! Lupe Marin does an excellent job in sharing the secrets of popular Mexican food and how they influenced the art and persona of Frida Kahlo. This book definitely opens the senses to sensual recipies you could share with friends and significant others!
Rating: 
Summary: Artfull - Evocative - Nostalgic
Review: Artfull, evocative, and nostalgic are three adjectives that can give a sense of what the reader will find in this book. Renowned photographer Ignacio Urquiza, and Marie-Pierre Cole teamed again to bring us "Las Fiestas de Frida y Diego". In it, through the superb photography of Ignacio Urquiza, you will be carried to the spaces that were central in the life of the artists. Soon after you start going through the pages of the book, you forget about the carefully explained recipies, and shift your attention to the profuse anecdotes collected by Marie-Pierre, directly from Diego's daughter, Guadalupe Rivera, and the sublime photography of Urquiza.
Rating:
Summary: A Fiesta Of Food, Art And Frida!
Review: Beautiful illustrations highlight this delightful treasure house of Mexican recipes and fascinating anecdotes of Frida Kahlo. Guadalupe Rivera, Frida's stepdaughter, has gathered here favorite recipes for more than 100 authentic Mexican dishes, that Frida Kalho served to family and friends over the course of her life. This wonderful collection also contains family photographs and some wonderful reproductions of her paintings. Ignacio Urguiza transports the reader, through his glorious photographs, to many of Frida's favorite places, including her blue house in Coyoacan. Urguiza's photos of exotic dishes and settings are visually stunning.The book is divided into twelve chapters, one for each month of the year, each section a fiesta for the palate and for the eyes. There is a description for every festival and family event celebrated here, along with photographs, illustrations and fond memories, all woven together to provide a fabric of Mexican life and Frida's life. Events celebrated here include Frida's wedding to Diego Rivera, a Mexican national holiday, dinner after the opening of one of Frida's exhibits, Frida's birthday and the Feast of the Holy Cross. From an unusual recipe for black Oaxacan mole, an exquisite sauce of chilies, nuts, spices, tomatoes, garlic, onion and Mexican chocolate, to fresh corn tamales, squash blossom budin, lamb with drunken sauce and delicious meatballs in chipotle sauce, this is a book that will stimulate your senses. All the recipes are easy to follow and the results are marvelous. I bought this book as a birthday present for a friend and wound up buying another for myself. Reading "Frida's Fiestas" is a cultural experience in itself. What better way to celebrate the life of Frida Kalho and the wonders of Mexican cuisine!
JANA
Rating:
Summary: Intimate Memories, Labor-intensive Recipes
Review: Do get this book if you are a big Frida Kahlo fan. Her step-daughter's memories are somewhat interesting; it's a good read that sits with dignity on either a bedroom night stand or the coffee table or the cookbook shelf. Don't get this book if you want to start to learn Mexican cooking. It's not a beginner's cookbook! Do get this book if you have kitchen help and/or if you have some experience with Mexican ingredients (and access to them) and Mexican recipes/dishes. In Asia I have succeeded in making the smothered pork sandwiches (associated with a baptism Frida attended) and some of the other simpler recipes. If you like the format of Like Water For Chocolate, you'll like this special book. Nicely illustrated with photos of all the food in beautifully styled presentation. Bonus for art lovers: the cover and some of the illustrations are re-creations of paintings by Frida... tour de force still-life photography!
Rating:
Summary: Intimate Memories, Labor-intensive Recipes
Review: Do get this book if you are a big Frida Kahlo fan. Her step-daughter's memories are somewhat interesting; it's a good read that sits with dignity on either a bedroom night stand or the coffee table or the cookbook shelf. Don't get this book if you want to start to learn Mexican cooking. It's not a beginner's cookbook! Do get this book if you have kitchen help and/or if you have some experience with Mexican ingredients (and access to them) and Mexican recipes/dishes. In Asia I have succeeded in making the smothered pork sandwiches (associated with a baptism Frida attended) and some of the other simpler recipes. If you like the format of Like Water For Chocolate, you'll like this special book. Nicely illustrated with photos of all the food in beautifully styled presentation. Bonus for art lovers: the cover and some of the illustrations are re-creations of paintings by Frida... tour de force still-life photography!
Rating:
Summary: Ay, que rico!
Review: If you are fascinated by the life of Frida Kahlo AND you enjoy culinary explorations, then you will absolutely LOVE this book. You are granted the privilege of peeking into Frida's dining room and kitchen, and you will find that this savoury experience complements magnificently her already sensational biography.
Rating:
Summary: Ay, que rico!
Review: If you are fascinated by the life of Frida Kahlo AND you enjoy culinary explorations, then you will absolutely LOVE this book. You are granted the privilege of peeking into Frida's dining room and kitchen, and you will find that this savoury experience complements magnificently her already sensational biography.
Rating:
Summary: ¡Que aprovechen!
Review: If you are looking for a great Mexican traditional cookbook, look no further. These mouth-watering recipes are grouped by occasions for which they are served, so the reader will also learn about the traditional Mexican fiestas celebrated all year round. What gives the book another dimension, is that these are the recipes that were prepared in Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera' "Casa Azul" in Coyoacán! The numerous anecdotes and the extensive selection of pictures also featured in the book make it an excellent choice, whether you are solely interested in Mexican cooking, or looking to read about the fascinating couple Rivera and Kahlo were and continue to be. If you are considering this book for a gift, beware! You will end up keeping it for yourself...
Rating:
Summary: "Viva La Vida"
Review: In this beautiful, lavishly photographed book, the celebratory life of Frida Kahlo is recreated month by month. Each chapter covers a joyous cause for festivity beginning with the month in which Frida and Diego Rivera were wed in August. Prior to the chronoligical following of a month in the life of Frida, the daughter of Diego invites you and entices you to join her in her recollections of the joyous side of Frida's life. Guadalupe Rivera, professor of law and also a writer under the name Guadalupe Martin recounts her life experiences and memories based on her early years as a witness to life in the Kahlo/Rivera household. The unabashed sunny account sets the table, so to speak, for the culinary delights. The reading is insightful and for the most part not a rehash of other accounts available , most notably the definitive(now with Selma Hayek on the cover) Hayden Herrera biography or the nearly as compelling book by Martha Zamora entitled The Brush of Anguish. The writing is concise and gives a glimpse into the life of Frida based on short vignettes providing you with an intimate portrait. You will find the stories delightful and complimentary to the fabulous photographs. The full color pictures are works of art. It is not just the colorful plates and settings but the entirety of the photographs. Each is magnificent, the design and layout of each picture is a testament to Mexican photographer Ignacio Urquiza, whose works have illustrated several cookbooks. The sumptous and exotic dishes are only part of the beauty. The settings and location of the photographs are visually stunning. You are allowed to take a peak into the house in Coyoacan, complete with antiques and recreated table settings. You can also see some of the places Frida enjoyed visiting such as the floating gardens of Xochimilco. All in all this is super book with fantastic recipes and easy to follow directions to create your own festive occasion. It is an excellent cookbook . Highly recommended for your culinary delights. This book will help you celebrate with cuisine from Mexico and give joy as Frida entitled her last painting, "Viva La Vida."
Rating:
Summary: Delicious!
Review: It is a treat to look into the life of Frida. You will want to take a trip to Mexico to savor the treats or follow the recipes to understand why these dishes stand out. Try the dishes before the movie about Frida is released.
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