Seasons of My Heart: A Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, Mexico

Some twelve years ago chef Susan Trilling said goodbye to an alive New York City catering business to follow her heart to a remote and exotic region of Mexico - Oaxaca. Today, deep in the heart of this Mexican state is Rancho Aurora, home of the Seasons of My Heart cooking school and inn. A companion to the well received National Public Television Series, Seasons of My Heart is a tribute to the people, culture and cuisine of this far-off area which has remained virtually untouched. "Oaxaca invites a deep appreciation of Mexican culture," the author writes. "Here time has stood still in the small village where I went to visit my husband for the first time. I was enchanted with every burro laden with corn going to the mill, every horse-drawn cart filled with alfalfa for the cows and horses......" A veritable armchair travelogue, this colorfully illustrated volume takes readers to a tomato lunch in the field, to harvest time by dawn, to a traditional wedding feast, and to see a primitive altar laden with dishes for religious holidays. Trilling wisely not only shares these treasured recipes, but offers her personal alterations and advice for successfully preparing them in American kitchens. Imagine sitting down to a platter of "Tamales De Ragas" (Chile and Tomato Tamales) with its appetizing marriage of sweet tomatoes and onions or "Empanadas De Mole Amarillo (Baked Mole Amarillo Turnovers), which are often prepared to order on charcoal grills set up outside local churches. Seasons Of My Heart nurtures not only bodies, but minds and imaginations as well. - Gail Cooke

I just want to concur with the other reviews and add that Susana Trilling is a brilliant chef, period -- in Mexican cooking or otherwise. I don't understand it, but she really knows how to balance flavors in a way that is unique, compared to similar recipes I've followed. What makes one chef good and another great? I don't know - but she's got it, whatever it is!

Having visited Oaxaca after reading this book I can attest to its authenticity. A charming and informative book to read with wonderful recipes. A must have for anyone interested in Mexico and cooking!

This companion to the national TV series provides a culinary focus on the Oaxaca, Mexico region, providing culinary and cultural insights and plenty of recipes from Oaxaca family roots. Add black and white and a peppering of color photos and chapters which open with local flavor and insights and you have an outstanding presentation which stands apart in the world of Mexican cookbooks.

Susana Trilling has been able to very capably capture the richness of Oaxacan cuisine. Oaxacan cuisine is not limited to the typical Mexican food known in the States such as tacos, burritos, and the like. It is much more than this with a world of different colors, textures, smells, and attractive presentations based on its varied ingredients and methods of preparation. Furthermore, Oaxacan cuisine has a heritage which goes back to important pre-colonial civilizations such as the Zapotecs.My husband is from Oaxaca (from a town in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec). Since our marriage, I have fallen in love with Oaxaca, its colorful people and culture, and its cuisine. We often travel there and enjoy caldo de mariscos (an exquisite seafood soup), mole negro (black mole), tlayudas (big, crispy tortillas filled with, amongst other things, black beans and Oaxaca cheese), etc. Susana Trilling has captured these and other recipes very accurately to allow people to reproduce these recipes in the States and introduce them to family and friends who, without a doubt, will be delighted by this flavorful cuisine.