The Latin-American population is the fastest growing in the United States--over 30 million people. Just look at the starting lineup of Major League Baseball if you need deeper proof. It's a population rich in cultural diversity, roots reaching back all over the place--Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, Argentina. And the nice thing that happens in this country, as Aaron Sanchez so eloquently points out in his first cookbook, La Comida del Barrio, is that this multilayerd diversity melts all over itself and becomes something new while suggesting something old and stable.

"This book is not about 'authentic' regional dishes," Sanchez writes in his introduction. Rather, it's about the real food of the real barrio, the Latin neighborhood, wherever that may be these days in the US. You'll find a small soup stand, la fonda, in the marketplace and that's his first chapter--black bean soup, shrimp chowder, plantain soup, menudo. Then there's the home kitchen restaurant, el paladar, open to the lucky ones who can find it. Stews are typical, and that's the next chapter--Brazilian cassoulet, roasted rabbit. The chapters march right up the Latin dining scale: la taquería for street snacks, la rosticcería for roasted meats, el comedor (the restaurant) for salads and entrees, el Mercado for vegetables and side dishes, la pandería for baked goods and sweets, la jugería for drinks, and a final chapter on essential recipes.

The entire Latin culinary landscape as it's found throughout the US is captured between the covers of La Comida del Barrio. Sanchez has done a wonderful job. You can take this food into your own home. But what's especially nice, with this book tucked under your wing, you can explore the barrio nearest you and taste it all for real. --Schuyler Ingle

From Publishers Weekly
The son of Mexican cooking legend Zarela Martinez, Sanchez is carving out his own reputation as co-host of the Food Network's Melting Pot. In keeping with the style of that show's offerings, Sanchez here serves up 120 recipes reflecting the heritage and contemporary tastes of Latinos living in the U.S. These are neither attempts to capture the authentic recipes of Central and South America nor fancified "nouvelle" interpretations. They are the dishes served in the homes and restaurants of North America's Latino neighborhoods. Most ingredients will be readily available in American supermarkets and the items that may require a visit to the local barrio (e.g., guajillo chile or frozen banana leaves) are described in short footnotes making them easier to find or replace. From Spanish-influenced Conejo Asado (Roasted Rabbit) to Caribbean Pescado en Salsa de Coco (Fish in Coconut Broth), the dishes range well beyond the predictable but remain within the grasp of an average home cook. Sanchez's homey introductions and sidebars give the book a personal slant that should help build his own brand name; his wonderfully active photos offer glimpses into Latino neighborhoods across the country.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Followers of television's Food Network will immediately recognize Aaron Sanchez for his cooking show surveying the wealth of Latin American cooking. La Comida del Barrio records Sanchez's recipes and adds plenty of useful data on ingredients unique to this cuisine. These recipes don't reproduce classics from their native countries; instead, Sanchez seeks to document foods as eaten in North American communities of immigrants from Latin American lands. Those who haven't ventured beyond standard Tex-Mex tacos will discover new tastes and new foods. Sanchez explores Central American and South American favorites such as Brazil's feijoada, a spicy elaboration of France's cassoulet. He explains why these cuisines make use of every available bit of meat, including beef tripe, tongue, and pig's feet. Sanchez covers foods from the Spanish Caribbean, and these often-overlooked Puerto Rican and Cuban recipes contrast with more familiar Mexican staples on the order of stuffed peppers and refried beans. Ingredients, although not universally familiar, can generally be found in large cities' ethnic markets, and Sanchez notes where substitutions are practical. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“Let the prince of the culinary barrio, Aarón Sanchez, guide you through his flavorful beat and Latin heat.”
—Bobby Flay, chef-owner of Mesa Grill and Bolo, and author of Bobby Flay Cooks American


“Aarón Sanchez is a pioneer in the development of new Latino cooking, almost as if seen through the eyes of an old master. The explosive flavors are more exciting than any Super Bowl or World Series game, and the recipes themselves are simple and direct, and create powerful, satisfying, and exquisite delights.”
—Mario Batali, chef-owner of Babbo, Lupa, Esca, and Otto


“Aarón Sanchez is the future of American cooking. He loves all food and brings this worldliness to his cooking. He merges Latin sensibilities with an international knowledge, resulting in an exciting new version of American cooking. He inspires all young people to become chefs and teaches all of us how fun it can be.”
—Jonathan Waxman, chef-owner of Washington Park

Review
?Let the prince of the culinary barrio, Aarón Sanchez, guide you through his flavorful beat and Latin heat.?
?Bobby Flay, chef-owner of Mesa Grill and Bolo, and author of Bobby Flay Cooks American


?Aarón Sanchez is a pioneer in the development of new Latino cooking, almost as if seen through the eyes of an old master. The explosive flavors are more exciting than any Super Bowl or World Series game, and the recipes themselves are simple and direct, and create powerful, satisfying, and exquisite delights.?
?Mario Batali, chef-owner of Babbo, Lupa, Esca, and Otto


?Aarón Sanchez is the future of American cooking. He loves all food and brings this worldliness to his cooking. He merges Latin sensibilities with an international knowledge, resulting in an exciting new version of American cooking. He inspires all young people to become chefs and teaches all of us how fun it can be.?
?Jonathan Waxman, chef-owner of Washington Park

Book Description
In this groundbreaking cookbook, chef Aarón Sanchez explores the delicious food and exciting culture of the barrios—the vibrant Latin-American neighborhoods from Miami’s Little Havana and New York’s Spanish Harlem to San Francisco’s Mission, and the entire United States in between. These rich neighborhoods have spawned a new cuisine, melding tradition with experimentation, and taking advantage of locally available ingredients and modern cooking methods. This book is a celebration of that cuisine: not the painstakingly authentic dishes of the homeland, or the hypercreative chef-y inventions of fusion cuisine, but the comforting, delicious food that’s enjoyed in home kitchens and mom-and-pop restaurants across the country, accessible to all cooks.

Since a defining aspect of Latin-American culture is the variety in eating establishments—from casual street vendors to upscale sit-down restaurants, the meal is defined as much by the place as by the dish—La Comida del Barrio is organized by types of eatery:

•Fondas, market stands, for soups such as Pozole Verde and Black Bean Soup
•Paladares, home-kitchen restaurants, for hearty entrées like Chicken Fricassée and Carne Mechada (Shredded Beef)
•Taquerías, street stands, for quick snacks that include tacos, tamales, gorditas, sopes, tortas, and other portable foods
•Rotiserías, cafés, for roast meats such as Steak in Red Chile Sauce and Cuban Pot Roast
•Comedores, restaurants, for sit-down meals with starters like Cactus Salad with Shrimp and main courses like Arroz con Pollo
•El Mercado, the market, for sides such as Refried Black Beans, Roasted Corn with Chile-Lime Butter, and Stuffed Plantains
•Panaderías, bakeries, for desserts that include Flan de Coco, Dulce de Leche, and Rice Pudding
•Jugoerías, juice stands, for drinks like Batidos (tropical shakes) and Sangría

From the Inside Flap
In this groundbreaking cookbook, chef Aarón Sanchez explores the delicious food and exciting culture of the barrios—the vibrant Latin-American neighborhoods from Miami’s Little Havana and New York’s Spanish Harlem to San Francisco’s Mission, and the entire United States in between. These rich neighborhoods have spawned a new cuisine, melding tradition with experimentation, and taking advantage of locally available ingredients and modern cooking methods. This book is a celebration of that cuisine: not the painstakingly authentic dishes of the homeland, or the hypercreative chef-y inventions of fusion cuisine, but the comforting, delicious food that’s enjoyed in home kitchens and mom-and-pop restaurants across the country, accessible to all cooks.

Since a defining aspect of Latin-American culture is the variety in eating establishments—from casual street vendors to upscale sit-down restaurants, the meal is defined as much by the place as by the dish—La Comida del Barrio is organized by types of eatery:

•Fondas, market stands, for soups such as Pozole Verde and Black Bean Soup
•Paladares, home-kitchen restaurants, for hearty entrées like Chicken Fricassée and Carne Mechada (Shredded Beef)
•Taquerías, street stands, for quick snacks that include tacos, tamales, gorditas, sopes, tortas, and other portable foods
•Rotiserías, cafés, for roast meats such as Steak in Red Chile Sauce and Cuban Pot Roast
•Comedores, restaurants, for sit-down meals with starters like Cactus Salad with Shrimp and main courses like Arroz con Pollo
•El Mercado, the market, for sides such as Refried Black Beans, Roasted Corn with Chile-Lime Butter, and Stuffed Plantains
•Panaderías, bakeries, for desserts that include Flan de Coco, Dulce de Leche, and Rice Pudding
•Jugoerías, juice stands, for drinks like Batidos (tropical shakes) and Sangría

From the Back Cover
“Let the prince of the culinary barrio, Aarón Sanchez, guide you through his flavorful beat and Latin heat.”
—Bobby Flay, chef-owner of Mesa Grill and Bolo, and author of Bobby Flay Cooks American


“Aarón Sanchez is a pioneer in the development of new Latino cooking, almost as if seen through the eyes of an old master. The explosive flavors are more exciting than any Super Bowl or World Series game, and the recipes themselves are simple and direct, and create powerful, satisfying, and exquisite delights.”
—Mario Batali, chef-owner of Babbo, Lupa, Esca, and Otto


“Aarón Sanchez is the future of American cooking. He loves all food and brings this worldliness to his cooking. He merges Latin sensibilities with an international knowledge, resulting in an exciting new version of American cooking. He inspires all young people to become chefs and teaches all of us how fun it can be.”
—Jonathan Waxman, chef-owner of Washington Park

About the Author
AARÓN SANCHEZ is one of the cohosts of Melting Pot on Food Network. He trained with chef Paul Prudhomme and took a culinary degree at Johnson & Wales in Providence, then cooked at Patria, Erizo Latino, L-Ray, and Isla in New York City and Rose Pistola in San Francisco. He is now chef and co-owner of Paladar on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Aarón is also the son of restaurateur and author Zarela Martinez, one of the pioneers of Mexican cooking in the United States. He was brought up in El Paso and New York City, where he now lives.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this groundbreaking cookbook, chef Aarón Sanchez explores the delicious food and exciting culture of the barrios—the vibrant Latin-American neighborhoods from Miami’s Little Havana and New York’s Spanish Harlem to San Francisco’s Mission, and the entire United States in between. These rich neighborhoods have spawned a new cuisine, melding tradition with experimentation, and taking advantage of locally available ingredients and modern cooking methods. This book is a celebration of that cuisine: not the painstakingly authentic dishes of the homeland, or the hypercreative chef-y inventions of fusion cuisine, but the comforting, delicious food that’s enjoyed in home kitchens and mom-and-pop restaurants across the country, accessible to all cooks.
Since a defining aspect of Latin-American culture is the variety in eating establishments—from casual street vendors to upscale sit-down restaurants, the meal is defined as much by the place as by the dish—La Comida del Barrio is organized by types of eatery:
•Fondas, market stands, for soups such as Pozole Verde and Black Bean Soup
•Paladares, home-kitchen restaurants, for hearty entrées like Chicken Fricassée and Carne Mechada (Shredded Beef)
•Taquerías, street stands, for quick snacks that include tacos, tamales, gorditas, sopes, tortas, and other portable foods
•Rotiserías, cafés, for roast meats such as Steak in Red Chile Sauce and Cuban Pot Roast
•Comedores, restaurants, for sit-down meals with starters like Cactus Salad with Shrimp and main courses like Arroz con Pollo
•El Mercado, the market, forsides such as Refried Black Beans, Roasted Corn with Chile-Lime Butter, and Stuffed Plantains
•Panaderías, bakeries, for desserts that include Flan de Coco, Dulce de Leche, and Rice Pudding
•Jugoerías, juice stands, for drinks like Batidos (tropical shakes) and Sangría

Author Biography: AARÓN SANCHEZ is one of the cohosts of Melting Pot on Food Network. He trained with chef Paul Prudhomme and took a culinary degree at Johnson & Wales in Providence, then cooked at Patria, Erizo Latino, L-Ray, and Isla in New York City and Rose Pistola in San Francisco. He is now chef and co-owner of Paladar on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Aarón is also the son of restaurateur and author Zarela Martinez, one of the pioneers of Mexican cooking in the United States. He was brought up in El Paso and New York City, where he now lives.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The son of Mexican cooking legend Zarela Martinez, Sanchez is carving out his own reputation as co-host of the Food Network's Melting Pot. In keeping with the style of that show's offerings, Sanchez here serves up 120 recipes reflecting the heritage and contemporary tastes of Latinos living in the U.S. These are neither attempts to capture the authentic recipes of Central and South America nor fancified "nouvelle" interpretations. They are the dishes served in the homes and restaurants of North America's Latino neighborhoods. Most ingredients will be readily available in American supermarkets and the items that may require a visit to the local barrio (e.g., guajillo chile or frozen banana leaves) are described in short footnotes making them easier to find or replace. From Spanish-influenced Conejo Asado (Roasted Rabbit) to Caribbean Pescado en Salsa de Coco (Fish in Coconut Broth), the dishes range well beyond the predictable but remain within the grasp of an average home cook. Sanchez's homey introductions and sidebars give the book a personal slant that should help build his own brand name; his wonderfully active photos offer glimpses into Latino neighborhoods across the country. (May) Forecast: With his Spanish-language TV series soon to be released for broadcast in the U.S. as well as Latin America, this book should sell well in the barrio itself. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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