When I read this cookbook I did not know the origin story of why this chef and food writer had enough time on his hands to spend a year traveling through Mexico, collecting the very best food that each region has to offer. He was a senior food editor at Bon Appetit and rumor has it that he asked for equitable pay and treatment, and when that didn't go his way, he hit the road--literally--and this book is the result.
Several things to say about this book. One is that the recipes are well written, spectacular, and easy to follow. He has included the measurements of all the ingredients by both volume and weight, making everyone happy. And, as he correctly points out, "one Jalapeno" can be vastly different in both size and weight, and since there is heat invcolved, precision is at least a helpful start. He also is a proponent of add some, taste, and adjust. You cannot take it out but you can add it.
The book is organized by regions, which I love because that is also how I think about Mexico, but it may not suit everyone. In my mind, a regional cookbook is meant to teach you something that you might not know about a place or a cuisine, but it is possible not everyone agrees and the organization might seem a hindrance.
Finally, there are vibrant pictures, lots of stories, and what the food looks like is pictured throughout. All of which I loved. This book is well worth reading as well as cooking out of!
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