Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
Rick Bayless, 1987, William and Morrow Company
In 1987, the year I moved to Chicago from New York, Rick Bayless and his wife Deann opened their first restaurant, Frontera Grill. This was also the year he published his first cookbook Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. His goal was to bring the genuine flavors of Mexico into the kitchens of home cooks. Since then he has published seven more books and opened eight more restaurants.
In each of his cookbooks, Bayless provides a comprehensive introduction to ingredients, discusses differences in regional cooking, and provides cultural context for his recipes. The recipes never fail to turn out as described. Eating at Frontera and reading this first cookbook were my initial exposures to Mexican food that went beyond the tacos and fajiitas served at fast food restaurants. Perhaps that’s why this first volume has remained my favorite out of all his excellent books.
Recipe
Sopa de Tortilla: Toasted Tortilla Soup with Fresh Cheese and Chile Pasilla