To a cartographer, a border is a
solid demarcation line, dividing people and separating nations. To Cheryl
Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, authors of The Border Cookbook, a border
is a fluid place where people and freat foods intermingle and become
even greater. The popularity of Southwestern cooking attests to the
success of these fluid borders.
Working within from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Pacific, in the area of Northern Mexico and much of the
US Southwest, the Jamisons have gifted us with 300 recipes for home-style
cooking. Recipients of a James Beard Foundation Award for excellence,
they have been indefatigable in their quest for the authentic, as well
as for the variations that appeared when foodstuffs traveled across
borders.
There is something irrepressible
about the Jamisons. They pile up their 300 recipes as if they don't
want the reader to miss a single delicious dish. Each recipe has an
introduction giving tidbits of knowledge they have gleaned. Rather than
withhold a single nugget, they often add sidebars. They give tips for
techniques so we may be successful with the recipes. Respecting the
fluid borders,they often add regional variations. The Jamisons want
us to eat well and they love to share, can't wait to share. The recipes
jump up from the page, spicy, saucy and flavorful. They include such
items as regional salsas and the secrets behind perfect guacamole and
refried beans. Meat and seafood dishes comprise the bulk of the recipes,
but the range of foods is thorough and complete. The tortilla in its
myriad uses is well represented.
The Jamisons include a section entitled
'Border Basics' which includes ingredients, preparation techniques and
equipment. The recipes are easy to follow, clearly written, and perfect
for the adventurous home cook. This is a book to dive into with zeal.
A classic.
About the authors: Cheryl and Bill
Jamison are also the authors of The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook,
Smoke and Spice (winner of a James Beard Book Award), Texas
Home Cooking (click
for our equally enthusiastic review) Sublime
Smoke and Born to Grill.
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