Cooking the Central American Way: Central American Recipes

• Easy recipes for authentic Central American cooking.
• Includes a chapter on Central American holidays and traditions, and the accompanying cuisine.
• The section on special ingredients – like achiote paste and masa harina -- is helpful.
• Tasty illustrations!

• Unfortunately, the book is short – there are only twenty Central American recipes.

• Cooking the Central American Way
• Authors: Alison Behnke, in consultation with Griselda Aracely Chacon and Kristina Anderson.
• Copyright 2005 by Lerner Publications Company
• Lerner’s Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks Series includes titles like Cooking the Turkish Way and Desserts from around the World

I love (most) Central American food. However, Central American restaurants are hard to find. Central American cuisine just hasn't caught on in the United States, despite the nearness of the regions. That’s why I was pleased to receive Cooking the Central American Way for Christmas (Thanks Jessie!).

Cooking the Central American Way is a Central American cookbook by Alison Behnke, in consultation with Guatemala residents Griselda Aracely Chacon and Kristina Anderson. The book, though short, spans the Central America isthmus with recipes ranging from Belizean Johnny cakes to Panamanian yucca fritters.

We found that with the right recipes, Central America cooking isn’t difficult. We couldn’t resist the platanos fritos, or caramelized, fried plantains, a side dish served all over Central America. I’ve been looking for a way to make El Salvadoran pupusas, or stuffed cornmeal cakes, and the pupusa recipe illustrated on the Central America cookbook’s cover resulted in a delicious meal. And the authors are right -- the more hot sauce, the better!

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