"Oaxaca al Gusto" by Diana Kennedy

[janeer]

Amazon says my pre-order, placed back in April, will ship on Sep 17.

Just received an email from Amazon that shipment has been delayed until Sep 22.

[danielito]

I pre-ordered mine directly from The University of Texas Press. It arrived in the mail yesterday and it is amazing!

If you haven't ordered it yet you need to do it.

Edited September 16, 2010 by danielito (log)

[Chris Hennes]

Mine shipped from Amazon.com yesterday, I'm really looking forward to it.

[Jaymes]

I've got the Spanish version, and my English version is supposedly on the way. There's a reception and booksigning here in Houston next Monday, and I'm going. Hopeful that the book will be here by then but, if not, I'll just get some at the booksigning.

The Spanish version is wonderful, but the binding, etc., are not so wonderful. I'm actually afraid to open it and use it much. I suspect the English version will hold up much better.

[danielito]

Coming soon to a theater near you...

Diana Kennedy

Book events and personal appearances in support of

OAXACA AL GUSTO: AN INFINITE GASTRONOMY

August – November 2010

8/13/2010 FortWorth, TX

FortWorth Museum of Art

7:30PM

8/14/2010 FortWorth, TX

FortWorth Museum of Art

12:00PM

9/13/10 Austin,TX

LongCenter/Mexican Centennial Celebration Dinner& book signing

6:00PM

mexico2010austin.com

9/16/10 Austin,TX

BlantonMuseum of Art Booksigning

6:30PM

booksigning

blantonmuseum.org

9/18/10 SanAntonio, TX

TiendaDe Cocina at the Pearl Brewery Booksigning

200East Grayson

6:00– 8:00

melissaguerra.com

9/19/10 SanAntonio, TX

CasaMargarita Unique Art Booksigning

SouthTown Art District 716 South Alamo San

3:00– 6:00

9/20/10 Houston,TX

Hugo's Restaurant

1600 Westheimer @ Mandell

TimeTBA

Dinnerand book signing

www.hugosrestaurant.net

9/22/10 CoralGables, FL

Booksand Books Booksigning

265Aragon Avenue

8:00PM

booksandbooks.com

9/26/10 ChapelHill, NC

FlyleafBooks Booksigning

752Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

2:00– 3:00 PM

flyleafbooks.com

9/30/10 Cambridge,MA

OleGrille Discussion,dinner &

11Springfield St Inman Square booksigning

7:00– 9:30

olegrill.com

10/4/10 Chicago, IL

Les Dames de Escoffier and

The Chopping Block present:

Oaxaca al Gusto

Book Signing and Short Cooking Demonstration

w/ Diana Kennedy

Mon, Oct 4

6-8:30p

$65, includes signed copy of book

The Chopping Block

Merchandise Mart

thechoppingblock.net

10/5/10

Chicago, IL

Food Ways of Oaxaca

Discussion & book signing

Mexican Studies Seminar Series

University of Chicago

12-1:30pm

Katz Center for Mexican Studies

http://mexicanstudies.uchicago.edu/about.shtml



10/7/10 Saint Paul, MNCooks of Crocus Hill Discussion&

877Grand Avenue booksigning

6:00– 9:00

cooksofcrocushill.com

10/15-10/17 Austin,TX

TexasBook Festival Discussion&

TimeTBA booksigning

texasbookfestival.org

10/20/10 Westlake,CA

Let'sGet Cookin Culinary School Cooking

4643Lakeview Canyon Road demonstration

6:30PM

letsgetcookin.com

10/23/10 SanFrancisco, CA

Boulette'sLarder Booksigning

FerryBuilding Marketplace #48

11:00AM – 2:00 PM

bouletteslarder.com

10/24/10 SanFrancisco, CA

OmnivoreBooks Booksigning

3885A Cesar Chavez

3:00PM

omnivorebooks.com

10/28/10 Davis,CA

RobertMondavi Institute, UC Davis Campus Discussion&

TimeTBA booksigning

robertmondaviinstitute.ucdavis.edu

10/30/10 Napa,CA

RanchoGordo Discussion&

1924Yajome Street booksigning

TimeTBA

ranchogordo.com

11/13/10 LongBeach, CA

LatinAmerican Museum of Art Discussion&

628Alamitos Ave booksigning

7:00PM

molaa.org

11/14/10 Pasadena,CA

Vroman'sBookstore Booksigning

695E. Colorado Blv

8:00PM

vromansbookstore.com

11/16/10

Albuquerque, NM

Dinner, talk, and booksigning

Bookworks in conjunction

With Mexican Cultural Center

Time and venue TBA

11/18/10

Phoenix, AZ

University of Arizona

Discussion and book signing

Time TBA

11/18/10

Phoenix, AZ

Native Seeds/SEARCH

Discussion and book signing

Time TBA

[heidih]

Oh my there are 2 within an hour of me- decisons...

[rancho_gordo]

Mine just arrived! Tee hee!

[Chris Hennes]

Mine too. Haven't been getting much work done this afternoon...

[janeer]

Amazon says mine has shipped.

[heidih]

I was a later pre-order and Amazon says my ship date is Sept 20 to 22! Should I torture myself listening to your joy or just wait.....

[rancho_gordo]

Any initial reactions?

I'd never given the Spanish an intense going over but they do seem to very similar, with the English version a bit tighter in the design department.

I was laughing thinking about the new Bayless and how his book is all about getting you into the kitchen with easy ingredients and recipes and even music and Kennedy's is basically "Here is what I saw. And here's how they make it" with no compromise. I often say there was an era when strong women wrote great books for the ages: Julia Child with Mastering, Kennedy with Cuisines, Wolfert with COuscous and Hazan with Classic. There was no compromising and their books can be used today, which you can't always say about their contemporaries and certainly not about many books today, which seem like extended magazine articles. (I think the Bayless book is fun and inspiring and worthwhile, by the way.)

I think there's room for everyone and I'm thankful for most of them but I do want to raise a special little shotglass full of mezcal in Kennedy's direction for this amazing book.

[janeer]

Mine has shipped but not arrived. I fully expect to cook from it when it does. I have total faith in Kennedy dating back to first publication of Cuisines.

[Chris Hennes]

I'm still working out sourcing issues: apparently we don't have a large Oaxacan community here in OKC. As rancho_gordo mentions, this is really a no-compromises book.

[kalypso]

Any initial reactions?

I'd never given the Spanish an intense going over but they do seem to very similar, with the English version a bit tighter in the design department.

I think there's room for everyone and I'm thankful for most of them but I do want to raise a special little shotglass full of mezcal in Kennedy's direction for this amazing book.

RG, I have the Spanish version and my English version just arrived today. I thought I did a decent job of reading/understanding the Spanish version, now I know just how much I missed Oh, well.

If I thought it was amazing in Spanish, I am even more wowed with the English version. I'm planning to put the 2 English and Spanish books side by side next weekend, but at first blush they do look to be very close mirror images. The one thing I'm discovering right off, is that more of the recipes are actually doable than I thought and I can source more of the ingredient than I had originally anticipated. That may change as I go through the book in much greater detail but I'm really encouraged by my first pass through it.

I can hardly wait to see how many of the recipes are really possible.

[kalypso]

I'm still working out sourcing issues: apparently we don't have a large Oaxacan community here in OKC. As rancho_gordo mentions, this is really a no-compromises book.

Chris, would you post a list of what you can't find? I might be able to help. My copy arrived today and I've been pleasantly surprised at how much I can actually do. I've got access to more ingredients than I thought, plus some are probably available on-line somewhere.

[heidih]

Yes Chris- let us know what you can not find. Los Angeles has a large Oaxacan community. My book still has not shipped...

[kalypso]

Yes Chris- let us know what you can not find. Los Angeles has a large Oaxacan community. My book still has not shipped...

I should add that I have some Oaxacan smoked chile pasilla that I brought back from a recent trip to Oaxaca that I'd be happy to ship to anyone for the cost of shipping.

It's looking like I will probably be back in Oaxaca at Christmas time and I'd be happy to bring back supplies. As long as it's dried, I can bring it back (and that includes bugs)

[percival]

I know nothing of Oaxaca cuisine, but it sounds interesting. Found a good interview of her here.

[Chris Amirault]

Can someone list the Oaxacan ingredients that you're finding difficult to source? I'm considering buying the book and, though I have have source issues here in RI for many Mexican items, will be heading to Arizona in a few weeks and expect to load up on a few things there.

[rancho_gordo]

This should help!

[Chris Amirault]

Seems like that'd help with, um, several things.

[Chris Hennes]

Here are some of the ingredients that I can't find locally (yet!):

• Chilcosle chiles
  
• Yerbasanta
  
• Chilhuacles negros
  
• Avocado leaves (fresh)
  
• Hierba de conejo
  
• Chiles de agua
  
• Cuitlacoche
  
• Taviche chiles
  
• de Onza chiles
  
• Chapulines
  
• Piojito
  
• Costeños chiles
  
• Iguana
  
• Moste leaves
  
• Chilpayas
  
• Chiltepines
  
• Chayote leaves and vines
  

Some of these chiles may be hiding in plain sight, but other stuff, like the iguana or chapulines, I have no expectation of being able to get locally. The Chilhuacles negros in particular seem to be a pricey and difficult-to-source item. Anyone have a good place for getting their hands on those? Presumably to get things like chayote leaves and vines you pretty much have to grow the chayote yourself: has anyone seen these in any markets, even in Oaxaca?

[Jaymes]

You should be able to find cuitlacoche in cans at a local Mex market.

[Chris Hennes]

I'd heard that canned brands vary widely in quality: do you have any brand suggestions (if I have a choice)?

[kalypso]

Chilcosle chiles

Yerbasanta - This grows pretty well in CA and some parts of TX. You may be able to find it growing wild in OK. Also check with local nurseries for plants, they often have them here in CA

Chilhuacles negros - Generally not available in the U.S. BUT...if you're willing to try growing them you can get them here - The Chile Woman I ordered from The Chile Woman with good success. All plants arrived in great shape and thrived, as did the tomatillos I ordered from her. You may also be able to find them at the Melissa Guerra store in San Antonio, TX. It's right next door to the new CIA facility in SA. I was in there in April and remember that she had some of the less common chiles for sale.

Avocado leaves (fresh) - Be very careful as the avocados generally grown in the American SW are not the same variety as grown in MX and have some toxic properties. I have dried avocado leaves and can send a small amount.

Hierba de conejo - generally not available in the U.S.

Chiles de agua - Generally not found outside of Oaxaca, even in MX. Gueros can often be subbed.

Cuitlacoche - also spelled Huitlacoche. There are a couple of on-line sources for it frozen, Google search. It is also sold canned in the U.S.

Taviche chiles - This is one chile I've not seen

de Onza chiles - not available

Chapulines - any Oaxacan restaurant will sell them to you. I looked for an on-line source for you but couldn't find one.

Piojito - not avaiable as far as I can tell

Costeños chiles - hard to find outside of Oaxaca and central Mex. I've not found them in the U.S. and I've not seen them in Tijuana

Iguana - See Rancho Gordo's source :-)

Moste leaves - not available

Chilpayas - not available

Chiltepines - I have some of these that I actually got in Veracruz, very tiny, hot chile.

Chayote leaves and vines - I have eaten both vines and leaves and they are delicious. The flavor is very soft, green and somewhat herbaceous and a little grassy. They are not hard to find in Oaxaca (or Veracruze for that matter) as Sope de Guias is a fairly common soup.