Sunday, December 6, 2015

Salsas and Moles by Deborah Schneider, a Spicy Review



If you know me and my love for Mexican food, then you can only imagine my delight at receiving this book. What a fabulous addition to my ever-growing collection of books on Mexican and Latin American cooking. If you are anything like me and love the complex taste, zing, and boldness of Mexican cooking, then this book is a must have.
Deborah Schneider has done herself proud with this amazing collection of recipes. Many books have recipes for salsas and moles as a part of other recipes requiring their use, but this book has absolutely every salsa and mole imaginable, all in one convenient place. Additionally, there are suggestions for use that you may not have ever considered before. The colorful photographs are ample, mouthwatering, and inspiring.
The book is divided into five sections: Classic Table Salsas, Hot Salsas, Mole and Enchilada Sauces, Salsas for Tacos, and Chunky Salsas and Botanas. Each section contains a plethora of recipes, all with concise, easy-to-read instructions so that anyone can easily make these recipes. The detailed ingredient listings are particularly helpful, especially when it comes to listing the number off sprigs of cilantro needed, thereby removing any guesswork that may come into play. Each recipe contains some historical information and the recipes vary from easy to complex, to satisfy both novice and seasoned cook.
If you have always been fearful, or confused, about working with chiles, the “Essential Guide” in this book will turn you from novice to expert in minutes!
Even if you are not the Mexican enthusiast that I am, you need to see this book. Once you do you will no longer buy anything in a can. The recipe for Simple Enchilada Sauce in this book is easy and delicious, and best of all fresh and chemical and preservative free. Try this once, and you will never buy canned sauces again. Have you ever read the ingredient labels on cans? Some of them can be positively horrific. Making your own fresh food is satisfying in so many ways. Not just the sensuous acts of seeding, dicing, and chopping, but inhaling the wonderful, fresh ingredients. This is a book that is not only going to please you with the various tastes, but also give you the pleasure of knowing that you made it yourself.



2 comments:

Mae Travels said...

Just curious if you tried some of the recipes. I don't think you mentioned doing so. One amazon reviewer was unhappy with the instructions in the recipes, so I just wondered. She liked the flavor combinations, just thought the recipes didn't provide the correct steps to get to a result.

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

As I mentioned in the review, I tried the Simple Enchilada Sauce. It was easy to make and very, very good. Since the review posted, I have also tried the Salsa Taquero and Chimichurri. Thumbs up all around. I, too, saw that review on Amazon and, frankly, I found it puzzling.