review by Diana Serbe
Viva authenticity! Toss out those recipes created at the border, and be inspired by authors and chefs Dona Savitsky and Thomas Schnetz who have journeyed into the regional heart of Mexico. Doña Tomás is the cookbook spawned by the Mexican restaurant of the same name. Located in Oakland, CA, patrons line up nightly for a taste of real Mexican cooking. This is an ebullient book dedicated to bringing forward the authentic tastes of real Mexican food.
These are among the finest written recipes we've seen in a long time, and the care given to each carefully worded instruction attests to the author's' desire to make us all a little more aware of true Mexican cooking. If you normally hesitate before trying something different, you can lose your fear, for the clarity of the writing guarantees that discovery will also mean success. Try one mouthwatering recipe and you'll rush back to try a second. Try Fried Corn Tortillas Stuffed with Crab, Shallots, and Carrot, then rush back to make Tacos de Camarones Fritos (Batter-Fried Shrimp Tacos). If stuffed peppers appeal, try Roasted, Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Creamy Walnut Sauce then change gears and make Beef and Pork Meatballs in Carrot Soup. For dessert try a Pastel de Tres Leches (Three Milk Cake) or Crème Fraîche Cake with Blackberries, Cinnamon, and Pecans. Hoping to introduce authentic ingredients, the authors have provided a detailed list of ingredients, many just waiting in the wings for their turn on stage. The authors provide resources for the more exotic ingredients, but remind us that that these ingredients will become available in supermarkets as we use them. They state, "After all, remember how obscure cilantro was about twelve years ago?" Life before cilantro? Was it life at all?There are lavish color photographs throughout Doña Tomás by Ed Anderson.
About the authors: Although Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky became friends when both were cooking in the kitchen of San Francisco's Square one, Mexican food was in their blood. Their dream Mexican restaurant, Doña Tomás, opened in Oakland's Temescal district in 1999. Thomas and Dona both live in nearby Berkeley, California with their respective spouses and children. Mike Wille is a writer who has worked as a chef at Perry’s Downtown and the Claremont Resort and Spa. He also lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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