MCJoe begins with his usual opening "notes" to the reader which are always like a good friend come to gossip and then continues with the essential tools of the Mexican kitchen. Each recipe is always begun with a bit of history and commentary and before you know it you have completed making the delectable dish. MCJoe is a bigger than life character who shares his enthusiasm of creating & presenting good food with a southwestern flair. "A Gringo's Guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking" is his best cookbook yet and will have you cooking as though you were born south of the border.

39 of 40 found the following review helpful:

Converted  Jan 11, 2009
By Jeffrey C. Hamilton "Argonaut"
Yes, this is a good book for the gringo. I read it cover to cover twice before using the recipes simply because I enjoyed it. I have cooked professionally for 16 years, but never made acceptable Mexican dishes. I attempted them occasionally, but didn't have enough information beforehand to get the results I was looking for. I sought the most authentic Mexican restaurants in my area and patronized them for my sub-border fix.

Since I got this book, I have not been able to put it on the bookshelf and my larder has a growing list of new items that I am enjoying. I have become familiar with the local Latin markets and their owners. The many chili pepper flavors are no longer a mystery and I'm enjoying my own homemade tortillas, salsas, carnitas, etc.

All the recipes are informative, flavorful and yet simple enough to leave room for personal adjustment and interpretation while maintaining authenticity. Your meals will taste like you grew up with a Mexican grandmother. This book has changed the way I look at Mexican food, markets, restaurants, and culture. The author could have been more explicit with preparation technique. Some of it seems a bit over simplified, but once you get started, you find it all conforms to "your kitchen". There are no hard rules in this kind of folk cooking.

If you like Mexican food to begin with, you will likely be very pleased with with the results. Now my Mexican dishes are as good or better than any restaurant I've tried, because I can do it all from scratch. This book is inspiring and fun. Although it is the only Mexican cookbook I own, I have looked perused many over time and find this one to be quite satisfying. I don't feel that I need another book on the topic, but I will likely seek another to further expand my repertoire. That is, if I can find another which I like as well as this one!



33 of 35 found the following review helpful:

Mouth-watering and highly recommended recipes  Dec 10, 2001
By Midwest Book Review
A Gringo's Guide To Authentic Mexican Cooking will take Mexican cuisine out of the stamdardized, watered-down, Americanized imitations found in your local Taco Bell, and upgrade it in both authenticity, diversity, and flavor to a true Mexican dining experience whether at the family table or a celebratory and festive event. From Huevos con Machaca (Eggs with Dried Beef); Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice); and Salsa Colorada para Enchiladas (Red Sauce for Enchiladas); to Tacos de Camarones (Shrimp Tacos); Callo de Hacha con Aguacate (Scallop-Stuffed Avocados); and Galletas de Boda (Mexican Wedding Cookies), A Gringo's Guide To Authentic Mexican Cooking is a superbly, wonderfully illustrated compendium of mouth-watering and highly recommended recipes.

15 of 17 found the following review helpful:

Excellent Basics Book  Oct 17, 2007
By The Divine Miss L
I based my purchase of this book on previous reviews & I am not disappointed. However, this is really what the title says: it is a book for gringos. I have some experience with Mexican food & I was hoping for a few more recipes but it really is exactly what the title promises.

14 of 16 found the following review helpful:

Que bueno!  Aug 31, 2008
By L. Moore
Though I am a card-carrying gringo, I do hail from San Diego. Therefore I know of what I speak when it comes to Mexican cuisine. The recipes are easy to follow and spot on. I never made my own enchilada sauce before. It's so easy and the recipe is really delicious. No more cans for me! I also recommend the green rice, and the way he recommends poaching the chicken is really tasty. We do that ahead of time and use it for a number of dishes during the week. This is one of those that you'll go back to again and again. I'm actually online to buy 2 more today as gifts!

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