Feast of Santa Fe

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Description: Whether dishes native to the American Southwest are complicated and rich with European background or derived from far simpler Indian cooking, their flavors are deliciously clear. The sunny tastes of chile de ristra, the deep flavors of corn and sage, the richness of pork and lamb and the earthiness of beans and posole -- all are part of this cuisine. This is the definitive book on the cooking of the American Southwest, a distinctive, tenacious style that is also truly indigenous. American Indians laid the foundation, Spanish and Mexican settlers refined and expanded it, and the Anglo-American pioneers shaped its final form. The result -- a cuisine that includes blue-corn tortillas, chili con carne, salads of jicama and oranges, and sopaipillas, or "sofa pillows," the Southwest's traditional dessert. 

The Feast of Santa Fe is big and comprehensive -- besides more than 150 authentic recipes, the reader comes away with a thorough understanding of both the particular ingredients that give Southwestern dishes their unique flavors and the cultural and historic context that gave rise to a true American cuisine. 

The Feast of Santa Fe is more than a cookbook; it is an immersion into a different way of life. Huntley Dent writes lyrically of the Southwest, its landscape and its people. The reader not only will learn about the differences among chilies, and how to cook a variety of beans, but will also have no trouble following Dent's clear instructions for regional specialties. And although these recipes are rooted in tradition, the author also provides efficient shortcuts and modern methods that can be used without sacrificing authenticity. As a result, what was once a labor-intensive cuisine is tailored here for today's cooks. 

For those who are ambitious, Dent includes explicit directions for making flour and corn tortillas and Hopipiki bread by hand. The Feast of Santa Fe has an encyclopedic section on sauces, from salsa ranchera to sour green chili salsa, and includes countless variations for burrito, enchilada and tortilla fillings. Dent explores all aspects of Santa Fe cooking, from potato chili soup to barbecued lamb to drunken prune cake. 

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Condition: Good condition. Dust jacket has some corner wear.