Southwest Flavors: Santa Fe School of Cooking 
asked by fabio on November 2, 2006 9:28 AM
In this long-awaited follow-up to the original Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook, authors Susan Curtis and Nicole Curtis Ammerman share dozens of new recipes, techniques, traditions, and flavors from one of America's culinary hotspots.
Reviews
After experiencing authentic southwest cuisine in wonderful old west locations like Durango, Colorado, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, I had to have some more of it back here in northeastern Pennsylvania. This book does it all, with a terrific range of tasty recipes - literally from soup to nuts - and its text is fully complimented by tasteful color photography and artwork.
It makes a great gift for your favorite cook - trust me, I know !
It makes a great gift for your favorite cook - trust me, I know !
reviewed by goonball on November 27, 2006 7:59 AM
We have always been fascinated by the cuisine of Santa Fe, a new age culinary vortex that attracts the most creative spirits in the food world. Like Cuban food, the Santa Fe style blends cooking modes and techniques from several cultures -- Spanish, Native American, Mexican, and Anglo -- to create a rich new cuisine. We enjoy the fresh new tastes and the vitality of the Santa Fe School of Cooking.
Of course, Santa Fe cuisine is unlike Cuban cuisine in its celebration of the pepper in all of its varieties. Where Cuban food sticks to the mild side of the pepper world, cooking Santa Fe style allows us to really take a walk on the wild side with hot and spicy peppers. When we want to really spice things up in the kitchen, we really enjoy these recipes with their use of a dozen or more chiles that define Santa Fe cuisine.
Somehow the authors of Southwest Cuisine have managed to create a style of "Haute Cuisine" without being pretentious, and that is an amazing accomplishment. No matter how sophisticated the dish, this is food that remains true to its more humble roots and never loses the earthiness and sincerity of its food origins.
We enjoy rice and we have been making rice pudding for ages. The authors include a savory version of rice pudding that is a real treat! Other favorites include the orange cilantro salsa, cream cheese pie with pineapple coconut sauce, and a unique "lasagna" laced with smoky chipotle and a poblano pesto that is very original. The roasted pineapple salsa has also proved very popular at our house. We've tried it with the fiery turkey as suggested in the book, but it also works well with several of our own dishes -- at least for the more adventurous eaters in our circle.
Southwest Flavors is an ideal book for people who enjoy entertaining with food. If you have a creative flair in the kitchen, this book will inspire you to think outside the box and will open up whole new pathways for your own creations. If you have been stuck in a less-than-creative food rut, this book will take you places you've never been before. With a clean look and excellent food photography, this book is a joy to cook with.
Also recommended: Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban, and Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban.
Of course, Santa Fe cuisine is unlike Cuban cuisine in its celebration of the pepper in all of its varieties. Where Cuban food sticks to the mild side of the pepper world, cooking Santa Fe style allows us to really take a walk on the wild side with hot and spicy peppers. When we want to really spice things up in the kitchen, we really enjoy these recipes with their use of a dozen or more chiles that define Santa Fe cuisine.
Somehow the authors of Southwest Cuisine have managed to create a style of "Haute Cuisine" without being pretentious, and that is an amazing accomplishment. No matter how sophisticated the dish, this is food that remains true to its more humble roots and never loses the earthiness and sincerity of its food origins.
We enjoy rice and we have been making rice pudding for ages. The authors include a savory version of rice pudding that is a real treat! Other favorites include the orange cilantro salsa, cream cheese pie with pineapple coconut sauce, and a unique "lasagna" laced with smoky chipotle and a poblano pesto that is very original. The roasted pineapple salsa has also proved very popular at our house. We've tried it with the fiery turkey as suggested in the book, but it also works well with several of our own dishes -- at least for the more adventurous eaters in our circle.
Southwest Flavors is an ideal book for people who enjoy entertaining with food. If you have a creative flair in the kitchen, this book will inspire you to think outside the box and will open up whole new pathways for your own creations. If you have been stuck in a less-than-creative food rut, this book will take you places you've never been before. With a clean look and excellent food photography, this book is a joy to cook with.
Also recommended: Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban, and Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban.
reviewed by success06 on November 29, 2006 5:58 AM
