Delicioso! the Regional Cooking of Spain

Penelope Casas is surely an authority on Spanish cusine. She has won numerous awards and The Spanish government has awarded her both the National Prize of Gastronomy and the Medal of Touristic Merit, naming her Dame of the Order of Civil Merit. I own three of her books and have never come across any other Spanish cookbook that is as authentic and at the same time simple to follow as hers. Delicioso is a collection of classic spanish recipes, but goes far beyond that. If you are interested in learning some of the history behind what the Spaniards eat depending on their region this is the perfect book for you. There are no glossy pictures here but the detailed explanations make up for that. One thing that is missing here is a reference of where to find some of the ingredients utilized in Spanish cuisine. "Cesar" by Olivier Said and James Mellgren offers such a reference (the best one in my opinion is tienda.com) and I stongly advise using authentic ingredients and not the chorizo from your local grocery store. Trust me it is worth the expense!

I originally stumbled across this book looking for some variety. Having ancestors from Spain, I thought this would be an interesting adventure. Delicioso has surpassed my expectations. I have made several dishes and all have been quite excellent and easy to prepare with American ingredients. I also enjoy the commentary and education on the regional differences and origins of items. It is well worth it - we love it!

I was first introduced to Penelope Casas' books several years back when a friend gave me "The Foods and Wine of Spain". I have been hooked since. Her recipes are always on target and delicious. A particular focus of this book is the regional differences in Spanish cuisine. From the Moorish influenced lamb and melon stew to the Catalan garlic chicken, Casas covers the cuisine deliciously. I use this book regularly and have followed its suggestions on restaurants and tapas bars when visiting Spain.

The recipes in this book consistently taste like the food I've enjoyed in Spanish restaurants. Her chicken dishes are among the best I've made, and I am thrilled with how authentic the tapas dishes are. The recipes are easy to follow and most are fairly easy to prepare. They are organized by region rather than type of dish. Although it is interesting to read about the variations in regional cooking, the organization makes finding the recipes you are looking for a bit more difficult... but the results are worth it. I have a large collection of cookbooks, but this is one of the few I use repeatedly.

I first learned of Casas when I read her "Uncommon Guide" to Spain. She clearly loves the country and is devoted to its accurate representation. Her "Uncommon Guide" focused on areas and their foods. "Delicioso!" is the next best thing to discovering Spain. If you can't go, you can at least make the food. Her recipes are detailed and easy to follow. She also gives you some background on the recipes and covers tapas to seafood to desserts. The results are truly delicioso!