¡baja! Cooking on the Edge

I have had great success with the recipes in this book. The salsas are fabulous. One recipe I really like is the "Mariscos en Papellote".

What a surprise to find a cookbook that invokes both the flavors and diversity of Baja California! Deborah Schneider takes us on a culinary journey that includes"street food" and farms to the wine regions and coastal cuisine of Baja California.Her recipes are quite easy to follow and she includes the basics for those who may be new to Mexican cooking. One of my favorites is the recipe for Pollo Lucas Tacos. "Lucas" means "crazy" and it is the sweet/salty contras tof this spice which makes it especially wonderful. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to try adventuresome cooking from a gifted chef.

As a native Southern California, and now cruising sailor of Baja and other Mexican locales, I've always wanted to get my hands on some of the recipes for the basic dishes that I enjoyed in Baja. Do you know the secret to making crunchy fish tacos? Have you ever wondered what was that white creamy sauce on fish tacos? Well, finally you can have the recipe for Mayonesa Secret Sauce on page 47! This book also "spills the beans" about, well, the beans. I've now made several pots of mouth-watering mexican style beans that are actually better than what is served in the US resturants. No, I'm not a great cook - the recipes are simple. All of the marinades and sauces that I've made from this book have been tasty and very easy to prepare. Using fresh ingredients is the key - no canned stuff. The tastes are "clean" and not heavy. The descriptions of chilis and what to make with them has made it so that I now can shop for these and make wonderful homemade dishes.

I collect cookbooks, and lately it's been hard to find anything new. I'm excited about Baja. It's authentic, and the quick and easy recipes use fresh ingredients. I live 50 miles from Baja, but I don't often go down there. I'm so glad that I can make these dishes at home now! Free yourself from repetive "Tex-Mex." Buy this book.

Color photos of the landscape, the markets and the cooks illustrate this lively and innovative paean to the Mexican cooking of the Baja California region in California chef Schneider's first book. Salsas and sauces sparkle throughout as Schneider leads off with street food and moves on to seafood from the coast, Nuevo cooking from the wine country, and vegetables from the farms. In addition to the numerous tomato, tomatillo, avocado and chile salsas, sauces marry unexpected ingredients in contrasty, complementary combinations, like the red wine sauce for duck that includes raisins and green olives. Main dishes include Sautéed Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Fennel, Olives and Dried Fruit; Fish Baked in Banana Leaves with Achiote and Sour Orange; and Chicken with Honey, Cumin and Red Wine Lentils. For dessert, try Coconut Macaroons or Cream Cheese Flan with Orange Sage Honey. Strong flavors predominate in the vegetable dishes as well - Jicama with Lime, Salt and Ground Guajillo Chile; Spinach and Watercress Salad with Strawberries and Balsamic Vinaigrette; Pickled Jalapenos; Corn and Poblano Soup. There are a number of tacos (several versions of fish tacos) and quesadillas and a whole chart of suggested combinations. Along the way Schneider shares her love of the place in boxed asides on the ingredients, techniques, customs and sights as well as personal anecdotes from her travels. This is a vivid, energetic book about a Mexican tradition long influenced by Indian and Asian influxes. It should appeal to anyone looking for innovation in traditional Mexican cooking. --Portsmouth Herald