In 1991 Ruth Reichl, then a Los Angeles Times food writer, observed that much of the style now identified with California cuisine, and with nouvelle cuisine du Mexique, was
practiced by Encarnaci簿聶翻n Pinedo a century earlier. A landmark of American cuisine first published in 1898 as El cocinero espa簿聶翻ol (The Spanish Cook), Encarnaci簿聶翻n's Kitchen is the
first cookbook written by a Hispanic in the United States, as well as the first recording of Californio food--Mexican cuisine prepared by the Spanish-speaking peoples born in California.
Pinedo's cookbook offers a fascinating look into the kitchens of a long-ago culture that continues to exert its influence today.
Of some three hundred of Pinedo's recipes included here--a mixture of Basque, Spanish, and Mexican--many are variations on traditional dishes, such as chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, and salsa
(for which the cook provides fifteen versions). Whether describing how to prepare cod or ham and eggs (a typical Anglo dish labeled "huevos hip簿聶翻critas"), Pinedo was imparting
invaluable lessons in culinary history and Latino culture along with her piquant directions. In addition to his lively, clear translation, Dan Strehl offers a remarkable view of Pinedo's family
history and of the material and literary culture of early California cooking. Prize-winning journalist Victor Valle puts Pinedo's work into the context of Hispanic women's testimonios of
the nineteenth century, explaining how the book is a deliberate act of cultural transmission from a traditionally voiceless group. In 1991 Ruth Reichl, then a Los Angeles Times food
writer, observed that much of the style now identified with California cuisine, and with nouvelle cuisine du Mexique, was practiced by Encarnaci簿聶翻n Pinedo a century earlier. A landmark
of American cuisine first published in 1898 as El cocinero espa簿聶翻ol (The Spanish Cook), Encarnaci簿聶翻n's Kitchen is the first cookbook written by a Hispanic in the United States, as well
as the first recording of Californio food--Mexican cuisine prepared by the Spanish-speaking peoples born in California. Pinedo's cookbook offers a fascinating look into the kitchens of a
long-ago culture that continues to exert its influence today.
Of some three hundred of Pinedo's recipes included here--a mixture of Basque, Spanish, and Mexican--many are variations on traditional dishes, such as chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, and salsa
(for which the cook provides fifteen versions). Whether describing how to prepare cod or ham and eggs (a typical Anglo dish labeled "huevos hip簿聶翻critas"), Pinedo was imparting
invaluable lessons in culinary history and Latino culture along with her piquant directions. In addition to his lively, clear translation, Dan Strehl offers a remarkable view of Pinedo's family
history and of the material and literary culture of early California cooking. Prize-winning journalist Victor Valle puts Pinedo's work into the context of Hispanic women's testimonios of
the nineteenth century, explaining how the book is a deliberate act of cultural transmission from a traditionally voiceless group.
