Sandoval Richard - Richard Sandovals new Latin flavors : hot dishes, cool drinks

Published in 2014 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

An imprint of ABRAMS

Text copyright 2014 Richard Sandoval

Photographs copyright 2014 Penny De Los Santos

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014930942

ISBN: 978-1-61769-124-9

EDITOR: Leslie Stoker
DESIGNER: Laura Palese
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Tina Cameron

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I spend my life entertaining people with Latin food and drink.

I OPERATE RESTAURANTS ALL OVER THE WORLD , and while they all share the exciting, palate-tingling cuisine and heady spirits of Latin America, they are also mostly distinct from each other. However, they all have one big common element: People go to them to have a good time. In New Latin Flavors, I will show you how to entertain your guests the same way that I entertain my guests.

Over my entire career, I have used bold flavors to create food that makes the diner sit up and take notice. In this book, you will learn about new tastes, such as unusual chilies and Japanese-influenced Peruvian cuisine. Youll find my versions of some favorite Mexican dishes, and together well travel throughout the world of Latin-inspired cuisine. From Mexico to Spain, and many places in between, this book pays homage to wherever Spanish is spoken and delicious food is cooked.

The value of being a good host was impressed upon me at an early age. My parents divorced when I was quite young, and my fathers parents in Acapulco, Mexico, helped bring me up. My grandfather Felipe was a banker, and he hosted a lot of corporate parties, exquisitely run by my grandmother Maruca. I remember how she would carefully orchestrate every detail. I can still see her attending to the lush flower arrangements, tasting the food prepared by the cooks in the kitchen, and making sure that the table was perfectly set with silver and crystal. Back then, Mexico was fairly isolated, and there wasnt a lot of imported food. However, my grandparents were able to mail-order special French cheeses to share with their guests. At one gathering, the cheese was Gruyre, and the guests oohed and ahhhed over its nutty flavor as they slowly nibbled their way through the precious chunk. Similarly, opening a bottle of fine wine was more than a prelude to drinkingit was an event.

These days, my entertaining is much more casual, but my early love of sharing food, drink, and good times with friends and family remains an important part of my life. I use the lesson of the French cheese at my parties nowserve interesting food and the entire party is elevated. The food doesnt have to be fancy, but intriguing flavors will spark lively conversation as your guests are exposed to new tastes.

Of course, food is just one element of a party. Without the right drinks to fuel the feast, you may as well not send the invitations. In a world where flavorless vodka is still at the top of the list of Americans favorite liquors, I am on a mission to popularize the much tastier spirits of Latin AmericaMexican tequila and mezcal, Peruvian (or Chilean) pisco, Brazilian cachaa (even though Brazil speaks Portuguese, it shares many flavors with the Latin kitchen), and Caribbean rum, as well as some beer, wine, and nonalcoholic cocktails.

Offer your guests an interesting alternative from their usual drink, and the unexpected change will be another way to bring excitement to the party. I share cocktail recipes not only for new libations but also for the classics, because some of the old favorites are incredible when they are properly prepared. For example, Ill show you how to make a margarita with homemade sweet-and-sour mix, and you will never use the store-bought stuff again.

) to help you become familiar with the new flavors that I am encouraging you to enjoy.

New Latin Flavors is really about having a good time. This journey began in my grandmothers kitchen, and now I bring my cooking to yours.

BUEN PROVECHO! / SALUD! / RICHARD SANDOVAL