Quintana (The Tastes of Mexico, not reviewed, etc.) and food writer Bishop throw readers off the deep end in this guide to the regional cuisine of coastal Mexico: It is inaccessibly organized according to 16 coastal states, contains local characters of the author's creation who introduce each chapter with personal histories, and calls for difficult-to-find ingredients without offering substitutions or a resource guide. The food itself is right for these health-conscious times, with most dishes based on seafood and vegetables. The radish salad with lime, cilantro, and onion is tart and light; the striped bass with marjoram is delicately served in its own juice. Only a few entries feel heavy, such as the steamed trout overpowered by salsa made with a cup and a half of feta cheese. But the book lacks the necessary organization for a serious cook: There's no separation by type of dish, nor any consistent order to the recipes within the 16 chapters. If you do hit upon something to make, you must then try to find chayotes (water pears), pasilla negr¢ chiles, or pulque (a fermented alcoholic beverage made from cactus sap). Quintana's directions are clear, although a multitude of steps make many of the meals too complicated for novices. The regional history in chapter openings and subheads offers an engaging focus. Messy presentation of mostly marvelous food. (Map; 2-color art, line drawings, not seen)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-671-74898-X
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1994
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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