Nuevo Latino: Recipes That Celebrate the New Latin-American Cuisine

This was one of my very first cookbooks. I received it as a gift and at first was intimated due to the author's / chef's reputation and the book's photographs, which depict dishes as they were presented at Patria, Mr. Rodriguez's former NYC restaurant. Nonetheless, while I'm not a "star chef", I've had great success with several of these recipes and even ventured to make a few variations.

I made the Brazo Park Avenue and the chocolate flan and people went nutz for them! The Brazo takes time to make but on your first bite, you'll be hooked. I'm making it as for Christmas Eve.

Is this cool way of cookin?! I'm totally impressed by the style and excitement of this style of cuisine, full of marinades (adobo in Spanish, both dry rub and liquid), and that hot/cool tension of Latino food. With tropical fruits and Latino veggies and tubers (malanga, yuca, etc) this introduces most of us to an exciting whole new venue of possibilities.It's all here, drink suggestions and Breads (you've got to try the Yellow Arepas, they're worth the book itself). Amazing array of salsas and mojos, such as Ruby Grapefruit, Shallot and Cilantro Mojo (unblievable flavors).The offerings here are spectacular, Grilled Flank Steak over Mushroom Ceviche. Who would have thought of that, ceviche applied to small button mushrooms which this guy found in Peruvia through his dad's barber. Knockout dishes like Original Plantain Coated Mahimahi served with Tamarind Tartar Sauce. Avocado and Pistachio Crusted Gulf Snapper with Black Bean Sauce. Sugarcane Tuna with Malanga Puree and Dried Shrimp Salsa. Mango and Mustard-Glazed Salmon with Calamari Rice.This review could continue to speak of creative dish after dish. Desserts are equally attractive, with fruit and flans and rice and a neat dish to dazzle your guests from Cuba, Brazo Park Avenue with Banana Mousse.All nicely packaged by one of the best, Ten Speed Press, with class and style, color photos and rich, vibrant text.My frontrunner for Latino cooking resource.

Rodriguez is an excellent chef and a great cookbook writer. I bought this after eating a couple of meals in one of his newer restaurants in NYC, Chicama, where the creative ceviches, oyster appetizers and other dishes are absolutely out of this world. Combining unlikely flavors to create new versions of Latin American standards, this book contains many recipes you will want to make over and over. Only challenges: some ingredients are hard to find, and most of the recipes take a little extra preparation. Small price to pay for uncommonly good food.

We've just returned from a Caribbean cruise with its final destination in Costa Rica. We were inspired by the diversity of the flavors and food presentation everywhere we visited...so inspired we decided to come home and have a New Year's Latino brunch for friends and neighbors. So, our local library had Nuevo Latino on the shelf and we were on! Douglas Rodriguez' book is well written so that it tells an interesting story of his career journey, and it presents recipes, definitions of ingredients, and presentation ideas in a practical and easy-to-replicate way. Now, even the trips to the grocery store with all these new "foreign" foods in the produce section conjure up memories/ideas from the recipes he's presented. Can't wait to go to New York to experience Patria, but also know that what we made from his book was excellent. Our friends thought we were great cooks! And that's the point of cookbooks, isn't it! Thanks to Nuevo Latino.