Mexican Family Cooking

Having recently moved to El Paso, Texas and having learned to enjoy good Mexican food, I was looking for a cookbook that went beyond the standard dishes that everyone associates with Mexican cuisine. Looking through the list of available Mexican cookbooks, very few are written by people of Mexican descent. The author of this book is from Mexico, so the book met my first requirement. (That is not to say that non-Mexicans can't know and do Mexican cuisine well, this is just my personal preference.) I've only made two recipes, the 'stuffed green chiles' and the 'sauce for chiles rellenos 1'. Both recipes turned out great (must confess that I bought pre-roasted chiles, a definite time saver). The instructions for both were excellent, including illustrations in the stuffed chiles recipe. The flavor of both was was as good as what I've had in good restaurants, and I will be making them again. I've read a few of the other recipes and they also are intriguing. I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes. For those who do not live in an area where the necessary ingredients are readily available, the author provides a list of mail order sources. She also covers ingredients and utensils, along with basic techniques in the front of the book. The book is upbeat in nature, and very thorough. The recipes are not complicated. I would definitely recommend this to those who are looking for a good Mexican cookbook.

My husband is from Mexico and happy to have found this book with his favorite foods from home.

My best instincts told me my mother would love this book, so I purchased two copies of the first edition hardback in '86. Working from this wonderful mix of recipes and reminiscence, the flavorful bounty from this book has graced both our tables for more than a decade. My third copy was purchased the day after my aunt came to visit. Born and raised in Mexico, she wasn't expecting her niece in North Carolina to serve the best Chile Verde she'd ever tasted. Compliments led to confessions, and I brought out this cherished book. Once she'd read the first few pages I knew I would give it to her. Plan to share this book with your family.

Don't pass up a chance to buy this cookbook if you really want to learn about what you are cooking and if you love Mexican cooking. This is every mothers cookbook to her son or daughter, chock full of great family recipes, short stories and love. Mrs. Gabilondo taught me all about chilis in 8 short pages full of illustrations-I have never had to refer to any other book for this information. Her book is my bible. It is now a worn, jacketless hardback I purchased in 1986. When the man of my dreams appeared I cooked him her recipes for Cheese and Potato Chowder and Minced Steak Burritos. We are now married and I have used this book to cook his family favorites as he is hispanic. The recipes have become part of my life. You have all the different sauce and salsa recipes in this book you will ever need and frankly it is the only book for mexican cooking you will ever need. If you think making tamales would be too hard the simple illustrations make it much easier-trust me. (My in-laws have even taught my two young daughters 3 and 5 to make tamales and they are better at it than I am!) The recipes for Chicken and Rice, Tamales, and Chicken Mole I have made for up to 50 people and more and Mrs. Gabilondos' recipes still hold. Also, all my husbands family and friend have raved over the results-and they know what they are talking about. My personal favorite was making the Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic as there is a great story behind the great meal that I will leave to my children in the notes I will put in their copies of Mexican Family Cooking by Aida Gabilondo. They will not be leaving home without it. I have made more than half of the recipes in this book and most are every day family meals now. I love to just pick it up and read it for the recipes, stories and because of the love imbued in it by the author.

This book offers step-by-step instructions for making authentic Spanish dishes. Aida avoids unobtainable or proprietary ingredients in the recipes. We have found the "Green rice" and the "Chicken and Spices" particularly good.My only regret is this is the only book by Mrs. Gabilondo.