Alluring, enticing recipes, vivid photography and food styling, and highly personal, energetic commentary from Spanish Chef José Andrés, who is not only renowned for his multi-cultural restaurants and food trucks, but for his humanitarian efforts in dealing with the food shortages in Puerto Rico and Haiti after natural disasters and now here in the United States in the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I first heard of Chef Andrés in CNN reports of his trips to Puerto Rico after Category 5 Hurricane Maria devastated much of the island, destroying homes, roads and the electrical infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands homeless and destitute in isolated areas. He set up a volunteer network and makeshift kitchen stations all over the island that served millions of meals. That humanitarian work was profiled in his prior book We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time. He is a remarkable man, with a truly larger than life personality and an extraordinary zest for living.
I can't wait to try some of Chef Andrés's recipes, which bring together what might sound like unlikely combinations of certain vegetables, grains and seasonings. During the pandemic, preparing almost every single meal every day has become a challenge in staving off boredom, as well as repetition. After a full year in which I can count on one hand how many take-out meals my husband and I have had, and on the other, outdoor dining excursions with him or a friend, I am much more than ready for new culinary ideas, especially ones that have been presented with such color and energy.
Like nearly all the books I have read in the last few years, I checked this one out from the library via an inter-library loan, but it is so good, I have it on my Amazon wishlist for a future purchase. For now, I'll jot down some of the most appealing recipes and go from there.
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