Food of the Yucatan

[Caarina]

I"m particularly intrigued by the various pickled/vinagrette meat dishes; the various salpicon.  I really like flavor of habeneros as well, and the way it is combined with tomato and citrus.

Does anyone have recs on cookbooks (in English) with Yucatan recipes?  I have a few recipes scattered throughout some Bayless books.  Is there a particular Kennedy book to recommend among her many tomes?

I think that the large number of cold and pickled dishes are a unique aspect of Yucatecan cuisine-- anything to deal with the HEAT!

I have seen some Yucatecan cookbooks in English, but I can't personally recommend any of them. I would use from DK, Essential Cuisines of Mexico and The Art of Mexican Cooking.

There are quite a few books in English on the Yucatan which I can find on Amazon, but since I have not personally used them, I cannot vouch for them. You may be able to try them out first at your public library.

Yucatan Cookbook : Recipes and Tales (Red Crane Cookbook Series) (Paperback)

by Lyman Morton, Michael O'Shaughnessy (Photographer)

Mayan Cooking: Recipes from the Sun Kingdoms of Mexico (Hardcover)

by Cherry Hamman

A Yucatan Kitchen: Regional Recipes from Mexico's Mundo Maya (Paperback) by Loretta Scott Miller

Foods of the Maya: A Taste of the Yucatan (Paperback)

by Nancy Gerlach, Jeffrey Gerlach

[ludja]

Thanks for the legwork on the Yucatan cookbooks, Caarina. I will scan my libraries to check them out as well as looking through those DK books again.

[Caarina]

Taking off this evening... just a little disappointed. Los Dos contacted me and cancelled my class due to no available staff. (this is semana santa...ni modo) However, I do still have the Gastronomy & Liqueur tasting confirmed. I'll be doing gastronomic adventures on my own!

Will report back with photos and info.

Caarina

[docsconz]

Taking off this evening... just a little disappointed.  Los Dos contacted me and cancelled my class due to no available staff. (this is semana santa...ni modo)  However, I do still have the Gastronomy & Liqueur tasting confirmed.  I'll be doing gastronomic adventures on my own!

Will report back with photos and info.

Caarina

←

Looking forward to it. Buen Viaje!

[caroline]

I dunno. I'd be a little careful about two assumptions that are creeping into this list.

First that limas are connected with the Lebanese presence in Mexico. It could be. But limas are a specialty of Silao, Guanajuato. I could be proved wrong but I think that this goes back way before the Lebanese started arriving. And I am pretty sure it is not associated with a Lebanese presence there.

Second that salpicones and pickled dishes are a specialty of the Yucatan. They are very common in Central Mexico. They have just never made it into cookbooks for Americans.

Rachel

[ludja]

I dunno. I'd be a little careful about two assumptions that are creeping into this list.

First that limas are connected with the Lebanese presence in Mexico. It could be. But limas are a specialty of Silao, Guanajuato.  I could be proved wrong but I think that this goes back way before the Lebanese started arriving. And I am pretty sure it is not associated with a Lebanese presence there.

Second that salpicones and pickled dishes are a specialty of the Yucatan. They are very common in Central Mexico.  They have just never made it into cookbooks for Americans.

Rachel

←

Thanks for you insights, as always, Caroline. While I'm fascinated with Mexican food, my experience is only limited to some english-only cookbooks... and no visit even to Mexico yet! Input like yours is invaluable. I'd like to try some salpicone dishes and with your comments it may be a little easier to begin to know where to look in both cookbooks and in Mexico.

Are there other Yucatan food themes or dishes that you are familiar with and that haven't been touched on yet in the thread?

Edited April 15, 2006 by ludja (log)

[caroline]

Hi Ludja,

You should be abe to find salpicon if you look. I don't have my books with me but I think Diana Kennedy has one for a San Luis Potosi picnic, though not under the name salpicon. A selection of pickled vegetables--carrots, cauliflower, chiles, potatoes--is a very common thing to put on the table to nibble on before a meal.

But I can't help on the Yucatan. That's way outside my culinary territory.

Hope to see you in Mexico some time,

Rachel