Zarela's Veracruz: Mexico's Simplest Cuisine

Rating:
Summary: The best of coastal Mexico
Review: Mexican chef and New York restaurateur, Zarela has very decided and exacting ideas about food. She came late to the cuisine of coastal Veracruz, thinking it too touristy and modern for her taste. But she has come to love the place and opens her book with a culinary driving tour of the region, discussing terrain, local ingredients and the best restaurants. The recipes make plentiful use of seafood, various chilies, corn, beans, tomatoes, citrus and avocado.

From Almond Soup to Shrimp Salad to Totonac-Style Beans with Pumpkin Seeds to Shredded Chicken in Blackberry Liqueur Sauce, Zarela insists on fresh herbs, painstaking preparations and the finest ingredients (which she often laments of finding in the U.S.). Dishes range from simple to elaborate (more time-consuming than complicated); the photographs of the region and the food are beautiful, and Zarela's directions are clear. This is Mexican food at its finest.