My (Half) Latinx Kitchen: Half Recipes, Half Stories, All Latin American—An Unforgettable Multicultural Culinary Journey, Spice Up Your Cooking Game

by Kiera Wright-Ruiz

You’re invited on this culinary journey of self-discovery as Kiera Wright-Ruiz connects to her Latinx roots with recipes and stories from the diaspora.

“What are you?” is a dreaded question that has followed Kiera Wright-Ruiz around her entire life. She is half Latinx and half Asian, and her journey to understand her identity has been far from linear. Though she is a first-generation American, she didn’t have the typical experience often tied to that identity; she didn’t grow up in a home where many traditions from her family’s home countries were passed down by her parents. Kiera’s childhood was complicated, and the role of caregiver was played by various people in her from her mom and dad to her grandparents and foster parents. Many of whom were from all different parts of Latin America, and each of them taught Kiera something about what it means to be Latinx through their food.

This cookbook is the story of Kiera’s journey to embrace her identity and all her Latinx, Asian, and American. It’s a celebration of Latin American food in all its vibrant, flavorful glory, and a love letter to the diaspora. From Ecuador to South Florida, Mexico to Cuba, the recipes in this book are as diverse and unique as the cultures themselves with dishes

Ecuadorian Seco de Pollo (one of the most beloved dishes from her father’s home country)Three Salsas to Know Before You DiePeruvian Ceviche with Leche de Tigre (her aunt’s iconic recipe)Elote TaquitosPernil (a traditionally Puerto Rican dish that is now her family’s Thanksgiving main course)Lomo SaltadoTamarindoOkonomiyaki QuesadillasPandan Coconut FlanMexican Hot Chocolate CookiesKiera also weaves in charming personal essays to accompany the recipes—from the story of how tamale soup helped bring her family together again after being separated in foster care, to their tradition of bringing visiting relatives from Mexico to what she considers the most American Medieval Times.

This one-of-a-kind cookbook featuring 100 inventive recipes shows how being half can ultimately lead to being whole. It will inspire you in the kitchen and expose you to a different kind of first-generation story, one that’s never been told before.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Kiera Wright-Ruiz is a writer and recipe developer. She has written for publications like The New York Times, Food52, Serious Eats and The Kitchn. Her work explores the diversity of food and amplifies underrepresented communities. Her first book, I Want To Be Spaghetti!, explores how a little ramen packet finds self-love and belonging in a spaghetti-obsessed world. It will be available on July 2023 from Kokila. And her debut recipe book, The Half-Latinx Cookbook, publishes in 2025 from Harvest. When not writing, she is probably eating onigiri with her husband and dog somewhere in Tokyo, where she is based.

Find more about her work @kierawrr and kierawrightruiz.com.

Reviews

[Kiera Wright-Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving my cookbook 5 stars because self-love is important 🙇🏻‍♀️

[Jessica Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this half-memoir, half-cookbook Wright-Ruiz tells us all about her complicated childhood. She grew up with her Ecuadorian dad, then Cuban foster parents, and finally her Mexican grandma. She experienced neglect and racism but she carried on and has a pretty cool life now in Japan! I enjoyed reading her story and cooking along with it. Thank you for the gifted copy, Harvest Books!
🌎
Here’s what I made:
🍳 Breakfast Tostadas with Lazyyy Beans- this is a decadent breakfast that’s also pretty dang healthy! The best part was that my kids loved it too!
🌽 Arepas de Choclo- these tasted like sweet corn cake with cheese in the middle. The author said cheddar isn’t traditional but it’s her preference so I went with it and it was really good!
🥚 Albóndigas- mostly tasted like a regular meatball with an egg in the middle but I did enjoy the added flavor of the mint leaves!
🌭 Huevos con Weenies- this is a fun way to eat hot dogs! So much easier than making bacon. And it makes for a quick, tasty breakfast taco!

[Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect cookbook does exist! Vibrate photographs mixed with adorable illustrations, clear recipes with a manageable ingredient list, and meaningful personal stories connected to food. All the stars, I am ravenous. Why am I not eating caldo de bolas or elote taquitos at this exact moment?!

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps the ultimate fusion cookbook. El Salvador, Mexico, Florida, New York, Japan and more. Wow.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful memoir and delicious recipes