What a spectacular book this is!
Fonda San Miguel was written to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Austin, Texas restaurant of the same name. Compiled by co-owners Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago with Virginia B. Wood, this book is a celebration of excellence, not only of the Fonda's kitchen and of the art that decorates the walls, but of all the elements of cookbook publishing.
With the book in hand one first notices the care lavished on it by Shearer Publishing - the binding, the way the book falls open to a selected page, even the jacket cover which has been designed to withstand the repeated uses that are in the book's destiny. The photography, again credited to Shearer Publishing, is lavishly used throughout the book and presents food, the restaurant and the fine art collected by co-owner Tom Gilliland throughout these thirty years. The text is elegant and vivacious, a credit to the versatile Virginia B. Wood who began as pastry chef at Fonda San Miguel and went on to a career as a journalist. Wood writes of both food and art with discernment and with obvious pleasure in both subjects.
This is a cookbook, however, and the test is in the written recipes. There are more than one hundred recipes, all of which surpass expectatons and succeed in bringing authentic Mexican food, full of spirit and ingenuity, to the home cook. Many are popular favorites taken from the restaurant's menu. These are mouth-watering recipes written with clarity and zeal, many adaptations of the pioneering Diana Kennedy, doyenne of authentic Mexican cooking. Throughout the book, the authors sing the praises of Kennedy. This gifted woman who brought authentic Mexican foods to us at a time when we only knew of tacos, discovered Fonda San Miguel in its early days and has been their guiding light and inspiration. They are happy to laud her accomplishment, and she returns their enthusiasm. In the foreword Kennedy herself writes: "Fonda, you are unique: it's the ambiance and the food created by people who care."
The book presents recipes from appetizers and drinks to main course, soups, breakfast and desserts. There are such classic dishes as Tortilla Soup and Chicken Mole Puebla style, Cochinita Pibil (Pit-roasted Pork), Loin Lamb Chops with Chipotle Rub, Ceviche Veracruz Style and Almond Flan. There is an additional section called Hacienda Buffet in which the authors share recipes from their Sunday Brunch Buffet. Wood tells us that it "is consistently rated the best in Austin," and that after its inception in 1985, it "quickly developed into a festive Sunday event." The recipes will inspire you to a Mexican brunch of your own for you can find recipes such as Tortilla Casserole with Turkey, Eggs Poached in Mexican Sauce, Mexican Stewed Beef (Carne Asada), or Manchamanteles , a name translated as Tablecloth Stainer, so named for its brilliant red color. Try Sweet Tamales or a Tropical Tart for dessert.
Photographs of the art displayed in the restaurant run throughout the book, along with notes about the artists. Gilliland proudly says of his collection that, "Today Fonda San Miguel displays the works of some of Mexico's best and most intriguing artists, past and present - and probably future."
As with any good book that centers on the authentic, there are sections that describe the unique ingredients of Mexican cooking and a section for mail order resources. There is also a section about the people of Fonda San Miguel. Here are the faces and biographies of the people who make Fonda San Miguel glow. Included here is Paco the "raucous parrot" who is a resident on the patio. Of course, Paco is included - these are generous people and their generosity is part of the excellence of the book. Not surprisingly the book is the recipient of an IACP Cookbook Award, as well as an Independent Publishers Award.
About the authors:
Tom Gilliland is a co-founder of Fonda San Miguel, is an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and a generous supporter of many Austin organizations. He directs the interior design and art collection. Miguel Ravago, another co-founder has been a pioneer of regional Mexican cooking for more than thirty years. He co-authored Cocina de la Familia with Marilyn Tuasend and has been published in Spanish. He is a longtime member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Virginia B. Wood began her professional cooking career as the first pastry chef at Fonda San Miguel restaurant in 1977. She went on to operate her own wholesale dessert and catering company before becoming a food journalist. Se is now the food editor at the Austin Chronicle and is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Southern Foodways Alliance.
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