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Daisy Cooks: Latin Flavors That Will Rock Your World
Daisy Martinez is America's most exciting and beloved new television cook. Here, at last, is her first cookbook, with all the recipes from her acclaimed show--and most can be made in under thirty minutes!
In Daisy Martinez's kitchen, salsa music is always playing. Laughter fills the air, along with delicious aromas of the amazing meal to come. Friends, neighbors, and family members are ever-present, sneaking tastes from every pot. And in the center of it all, Daisy is laughing, singing, tasting, and appreciating everything that her kitchen--and life!--has to offer.
Does this sound like your kitchen? If not, don't despair. In this book and on her acclaimed national public television series, Daisy Cooks!, Daisy teaches you how to bring excitement back to the table with Latin-inspired food that your friends and family will love!
Some of these recipes will remind you of meals you've enjoyed in restaurants. Some are great variations on dishes you already cook. Some are totally new. All of them will rock your world. Daisy's flavorful, satisfying interpretation of the best dishes from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Central and South America all taste like the results of a day in the kitchen--but in reality, most take only thirty minutes to prepare. Here, you'll find the techniques that Daisy learned at the French Culinary Institute, along with her mother's and grandmother's time-tested tricks! This winning combination results in dishes that range from elegant Chicken Braised with Figs to soul-satisfying Cuban Black Bean Soup to to-die-for homemade Dulce de Leche.
And then, of course, there are Daisy's "Top Ten Hits"--the recipes that, once you try them, are guaranteed to change the way you cook forever. In this first chapter, Daisy shows how simple flavor boosters, in addition to a few easy techniques, can make every meal mouthwateringly special. In Daisy's words, "If you can season, cook, and dress pork chops and serve them alongside fragrant yellow rice in less than thirty minutes, I can't imagine why you'd eat anything from a cardboard carton!"
With ingredients that are found in almost every supermarket, equipment that every kitchen contains, and a little bit of adventurousness on your part, the recipes in this book will transform your mealtimes for good. So jump right in--it's time to get Daisy-fied!
In Daisy Martinez's kitchen, salsa music is always playing. Laughter fills the air, along with delicious aromas of the amazing meal to come. Friends, neighbors, and family members are ever-present, sneaking tastes from every pot. And in the center of it all, Daisy is laughing, singing, tasting, and appreciating everything that her kitchen--and life!--has to offer.
Does this sound like your kitchen? If not, don't despair. In this book and on her acclaimed national public television series, Daisy Cooks!, Daisy teaches you how to bring excitement back to the table with Latin-inspired food that your friends and family will love!
Some of these recipes will remind you of meals you've enjoyed in restaurants. Some are great variations on dishes you already cook. Some are totally new. All of them will rock your world. Daisy's flavorful, satisfying interpretation of the best dishes from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Central and South America all taste like the results of a day in the kitchen--but in reality, most take only thirty minutes to prepare. Here, you'll find the techniques that Daisy learned at the French Culinary Institute, along with her mother's and grandmother's time-tested tricks! This winning combination results in dishes that range from elegant Chicken Braised with Figs to soul-satisfying Cuban Black Bean Soup to to-die-for homemade Dulce de Leche.
And then, of course, there are Daisy's "Top Ten Hits"--the recipes that, once you try them, are guaranteed to change the way you cook forever. In this first chapter, Daisy shows how simple flavor boosters, in addition to a few easy techniques, can make every meal mouthwateringly special. In Daisy's words, "If you can season, cook, and dress pork chops and serve them alongside fragrant yellow rice in less than thirty minutes, I can't imagine why you'd eat anything from a cardboard carton!"
With ingredients that are found in almost every supermarket, equipment that every kitchen contains, and a little bit of adventurousness on your part, the recipes in this book will transform your mealtimes for good. So jump right in--it's time to get Daisy-fied!
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 13, 2024
I have reviewed more cookbooks than I really should be reading—especially considering the minimal amount I cook beyond "heat and eat"—but that's the way free libraries work (although I got this copy from a charity auction).
That said, this one seems to be a labour of love, including not just a diverse range of Latin recipes that I really WOULD love to try had I the patience to hunt down duck and red wine (as a teetotaller), but also some lovely stories and photos about her family and friends. That might be my one complaint, that there are more photos of family and friends than of the food; as a non-cook, I'd like to see what mine is supposed to look like. Even so, the stories bring a little more to the table than the standard "Here are some random recipes, have at it!" of cheaper cookbooks I've reviewed, so that's a nice touch.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, though, the internet has basically made cookbooks obsolete, especially since loads of chefs have their own Youtube channels to demonstrate step by step how to make things. That isn't a knock on cookbooks, more a commentary on the state of the world we're in that a cookbook isn't NECESSARY to be able to make good food these days. Having a good one is nice in the event of an internet outage, though, or to avoid the incessant advertising online.
Recommended for anyone interested in good Latin recipes!
That said, this one seems to be a labour of love, including not just a diverse range of Latin recipes that I really WOULD love to try had I the patience to hunt down duck and red wine (as a teetotaller), but also some lovely stories and photos about her family and friends. That might be my one complaint, that there are more photos of family and friends than of the food; as a non-cook, I'd like to see what mine is supposed to look like. Even so, the stories bring a little more to the table than the standard "Here are some random recipes, have at it!" of cheaper cookbooks I've reviewed, so that's a nice touch.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, though, the internet has basically made cookbooks obsolete, especially since loads of chefs have their own Youtube channels to demonstrate step by step how to make things. That isn't a knock on cookbooks, more a commentary on the state of the world we're in that a cookbook isn't NECESSARY to be able to make good food these days. Having a good one is nice in the event of an internet outage, though, or to avoid the incessant advertising online.
Recommended for anyone interested in good Latin recipes!
July 31, 2020
Daisy was my first introduction to Puerto Rican food, and along with Rick Bayless into Latin cuisine, even if I live in Southern California. Some of these I've made and enjoyed and others I look forward to reading.
April 23, 2018
Loved the Ropas Viejas! OMG
December 22, 2011
As a food blogger and long-time hard-core foodie, I have a collection of cookbooks that encompass many types of cuisines. I read cookbooks like normal people read novels. Cover-to-cover, stopping to enjoy the pictures along the way. Only after I've done that do I start trying the recipes. I first encountered Daisy on her PBS show, "Daisy Cooks!" and was excited to find a Puerto Rican cooking show. However, Daisy does not confine herself to her native Puerto Rican/Nuyorican recipes, but includes foods and recipes from all of Latin America and the Caribbean. This is definitely one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. I have used it several times, and have always been happy with the results. She always explains the background of the recipe (origin, history, etc.) and the recipe is broken down into simple steps that even a novice cook can follow. The tone of the book is fun and chatty, as though you're swapping recipes with a friend.
November 18, 2012
Love this book. I ignore the ones with hard to find recipes because I live in China and as an expat I have a hard time finding ingredients, but I can make most of them.
For example, sofrito. The most important ingredient to me is the cilantro because I love it but I substitute the peppers for the ones I can find here and it still takes like the one my Venezuelan grandmother used to make.
The only thing I wish the book included was the Spanish names in the index. I don't look for Beef and Vegetable Stew I look for "sancocho". Not everyone who reads the book is going I be a Latino looking for our own food but there's enough I is that do to make the bilingual index useful.
One tip: for the Soupy Chicken and Rice recipe, you must season the chicken beforehand. Otherwise it's too bland. Use her wet rub on page 19 or this dry rub from Jamie Oliver: mix 1 tsp, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt an 1 tbsp olive oil. Rub on chicken.
For example, sofrito. The most important ingredient to me is the cilantro because I love it but I substitute the peppers for the ones I can find here and it still takes like the one my Venezuelan grandmother used to make.
The only thing I wish the book included was the Spanish names in the index. I don't look for Beef and Vegetable Stew I look for "sancocho". Not everyone who reads the book is going I be a Latino looking for our own food but there's enough I is that do to make the bilingual index useful.
One tip: for the Soupy Chicken and Rice recipe, you must season the chicken beforehand. Otherwise it's too bland. Use her wet rub on page 19 or this dry rub from Jamie Oliver: mix 1 tsp, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt an 1 tbsp olive oil. Rub on chicken.
July 4, 2008
Ok, not really "READ"... but I looked through it and it looks like it tastes REALLY awesome! I'm planning having Josh whip a few things up from there, like almost the entire recipe book. There are some dishes too in here that I LOVE that my family has cooked, the Puerto Rican side of course... that are DELICIOUS! I checked it out from the library, but plan to buy it in the future; it's on my "list".
September 14, 2011
This is one of the few cookbooks I've read that really do justice to Puerto Rican cooking. The recipes are simple, but the flavors in the dishes are often complex. I prefer this style of cooking, which is basically taking things that taste great on their own and throwing them together. Too often a recipe fails because your taking individual elements that must mesh perfectly for the right taste.
January 14, 2012
I looovvvve Daisy! I find that I can relate to her recipes because she cooks exactly the way I do! I think that she explains everything simply that an inexperienced cook can follow. I found that although I already use a lot of her recipes since I was taught to cook as a Puerto Rican, the mere fact that I've never seen my dishes portrayed before is awesome!
April 1, 2008
Easy, fun, and tasty. Plus, the pictures are fantastic as well. Check out Daisy's show on PBS too; it's what introduced me to her work in the first place.
April 14, 2008
Some ingredients are hard to find
December 4, 2012
The yellow rice recipe minus some salt is my fave!
December 22, 2012
One of the best cook books out there, we love Daisy!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews