This cookbook could adorn any kitchen or coffee table, it is beautiful!! And if you need an authentic Mexican recipe book, this one is all you’ll need! The author traveled to all the regions of Mexico, tasting regional favorites and collecting recipes to bring to us, the home cook. The recipes are special and the photos of Mexico and the food are mesmerizing!

Thank you Netgalley, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Publication date is May 3, 2022

This is a bright and colorful cookbook to put on that special shelf in your kitchen.

I love Mexican cuisine and I love being able to explore the different regions of this country through the cuisine. The author makes a point to organize his recipes by the region they come from showcasing the diversity of cuisine in his country just as you would find anywhere else. I found it entertaining how he also explained why many of his recipes use lots of lard and salt. For me food is to be enjoyed so if the recipe calls for lard it gets lard. (Just have to balance it out with other healthier stuff). I think the biggest selling point of this cookbook is the dedication to the basics of Mexican cuisine. There is not just one way to prepare a tortilla there are several and the same goes for the different ways he explains how to prepare rice. Most people like to dive into the the more complicated Mexican dishes that they have enjoyed at restaurants but are disappointed when the rest of the meal they made at home doesn't taste as good. That's because they need to prefect the basics! But don't worry he does get to the good stuff such as Pollo al Pastor and Tamales. I can't wait to get cooking with this book! I'm certain it will step up my home Mexican cuisine.

I actually liked this cookbook it told the story at the beginning and as we traveled to different cultures but it wasn't stuffed in our faces. The Mexican food listed all sounded homey and heartfelt and felt like family. I have a few earmarked to make and I am so hungry !

As much of a tantalizing cooking guide to exquisite Mexican cuisine as it is a memoir by a passionate and talented chef who has a story to tell. I love how the book is almost a travel guide of must-have culinary experiences and a detailed roadmap for how to replicate in your own kitchen. The book is divided into regions and thoughtfully so. Careful attention is given to explain the rationale for styles, spices, and methods of cooking. So many of the dishes are replicas of what I see in restaurants and have thought I’d never be able to recreate. My thanks to Rick Martinez for instilling a confident hope that I too can create some mouthwatering experiences in my own kitchen.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez is gorgeous, special, and personal. This book takes you along Rick's months long journey through Mexico. Each chapter focuses on a specific region and highlights the nuances of the geography, culture, people, and of course food. Along the journey, Rick not only learns about the country that houses his roots, but he reconnects with himself. The recipes are inspired by the food that Rick ate across the country but interpreted through his own lens.

The photography is stunning - bright, sunny, and jeweled toned images showcase Mexico and many of the recipes in the book. It's like a vacation in a book - especially perfect to read and cook through during the gloomy, cold months.

The book is broken up into the following sections:
1 - Básicos / Staples of the Mexican Table - some really excellent tortillas, rice and beans, and salsas found here
2 - El Bajío and Central Mexico
3 - Oaxaca and the South Pacific Coast
4 - Yucatán Peninsula
5 - El Golfo / Central
6 - El Norte / The Northern States
7 - Baja / California Peninsula

This is an incredibly rich and thoughtful look at Mexico as a whole. This book will make a great addition to every cook or eater. This book will be published on May 3, 2022.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press team for he ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Clarkson Potter for the advanced reader’s copy to review.

I have been a fan of Rick Martinez’s cooking for years and have been eagerly awaiting the release of his cookbook since he began posting updates on Instagram. Through his first cookbook, Martinez shares his appreciation and reverence for the nuances of Mexican cooking. I loved that he shared how he came across each dish in his travels across Mexico. Martinez also highlights the culinary contributions of the many indigenous groups of Mexico and immigrants to Mexico over its history. I am excited to get my hands on. Print copy once it publishes in May.

This is such a gorgeous cookbook, full of wonderful, authentic Mexican recipes. My Grama no longer cooks, and I miss her Mexican food so badly. These recipes are really helping me to expand on the foods I already make. This is a book you’ll want to cook from over and over again.

Such a gorgeous cookbook! The photography is beautiful and the stories within give depth to the recipes. It includes recipes from different regions of Mexico. Highly recommend this treasure of a cookbook!

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Alas I do not speak the language of this book but the layout and appeal was gorgeous! Various dishes from different parts of Mexico and a rich history. I enjoyed looking at the gorgeous pictures of Rick Martinez’ delicious cooking. Five star cookbook!

Rick Martinez has written a love letter to Mexico, and I am here for it! This was a cookbook, of course, but so much more. It's an immigrant-firstgen-secondgen memoir that provided interesting perspective on Rick's experience as a Mexican-American, how it's evolved over time, and how he found his roots. It is a beautiful travelogue through the regions of Mexico, providing a little bit of history and context for why certain dishes are the way they are. The food styling and photography is top notch and makes me want to try it all. The recipes do not appear to be "dumbed down", but seem to be written in a way that is accessible and invites you to tackle the challenge. Helpful tips are provided along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for this honest review. I plan to add #MiCocina to my cookbook library when it is published!

Mi Cocina cannot be published soon enough!!! This was one of the first Mexican cookbooks with recipes that I grew up cooking with my grandma. I loved that the recipes were divided by region as Mexican food is nuanced based in the part of the country in which you were raised. Every recipe included a picture, which is a great component for cooking an unknown dish. I cannot recommend this Mexican food cookbook enough.

Unrelated to the cooking, but a big inspiration for the book was information from Martinez’ family as immigrants in the United States. Those parts of the book were useful in informing his storyline, but do not distract too much from the recipes.

***Many thanks to #Netgalley for the free digital ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.***

Mi Cocina is a brilliant look at the food of Mexico written in the comforting writing style of Rick Martinez. Rick Martinez was already a familiar culinary persona and I was already a fan of his work but going through this cookbook has only deepened my appreciation and respect for him and Mexican food culture. Splitting the recipes in to regions helps educate even the casual eater on where recipes came from. Instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow. Before you know it his salsas, rice, beans and mains like carnitas or tacos árabes will be in regular weeknight rotation.

This is a beautifully photographed, authentic Mexican cookbook that gives the reader a feel for every region. There are vibrant photos for some of the recipes and also photos of regions and people of Mexico. No nutritional information is provided. As they are very authentic recipes, they tend to use a lot of authentic ingredients and take a fair amount of time. I'm sure they're worth it. I love Mexican food and cook it at least a couple of times a week, though I have to adapt it for our family's needs. Oddly enough, I didn't actually feel inspired to adapt any of these recipes the way I usually do with great cookbooks. Our family has members who are vegetarian, gluten free and keto, and there were very few recipes that would work for any of us, but it will be a fantastic resource for those who want to learn how to cook traditional Mexican dishes.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

As a casual cook, this cookbook made it easy to follow traditional recipes to go back to my roots. I tend to shy away from Mexican food when cooking because I know that it cannot compare to my mom's or suegras cooking. This gave me the confidence to try some delicious recipes.
Gracias!

What a beautiful cookbook. Wonderful photography, wonderful, heartfelt writing, and so, so many amazing recipes. As a vegetarian I'm often daunted by traditional Mexican cooking, but I love that this book does discuss the plant-based cuisine that predates colonization. Rick is also generous in offering substitutes for non-veg ingredients like lard. From a practical perspective as someone who doesn't know much Spanish or have a lot of access to specialty ingredients, I liked that this book gave the name of the dish as well as a brief description in English, and some of the ingredients that are more commonly found in Mexico than the U.S. have suggested substitutions with things that will be easier to find for people in my situation. All in all I think this is a wonderful book that celebrates the diversity of Mexican cuisine while having plenty of recipes that are friendly to regular home cooks like me.

This is absolutely everything I've wanted from Rick Martinez and more. Rick's recipes are fantastic as is are his descriptions of the various areas of Mexican cuisine. I absolutely loved learning more about Rick, his family, and his history. This is a must buy and I'll be adding it to my shelf as soon as it's published!

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, Clarkson Potter for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#MiCocina #NetGalley

Frijoles de Olla; along with white rice, sunny side up eggs with buttery sweet plantains (and a side of ketchup) has been earmarked as my 'last dish on earth' for most of my life. While not Mexican (Caribbean), I grew up with Mexican friends and family that have introduced me to the amazing flavors of complex dishes that I can't get enough from. Mi Cocina is a cookbook that shows the personal love of family, food, and culture that I feel makes everything taste so much better. I was prepared for some recipes to have a few more ingredients than I normally have in my pantry and more complex than I normally cook, so I have to plan/shop ahead for. Well worth the time and effort.

I have many cookbooks and several on the foods of Mexico but this is by far the very best cookbook I have read on Mexican cuisine. I received this as a ARC from NetGalley and I enjoyed the stories and recipes so much that I have preordered myself a copy to work through the recipes through the coming years. With beautiful color photos and perfect details to each recipe, I can’t wait to try them all. If you were able to choose only one cookbook to own for Mexican dishes, this is it!

In his first, much-anticipated cookbook, New York Times contributor, Food52 columnist, and former Bon App�tit food editor Rick Martinez introduces home cooks to the diverse culinary treasures of Mexico. In Mi Cocina, Rick travels to each of the seven regions in Mexico to explore 100 unique dishes, the recipe for each accompanied by stunning on-site photography.

In this beautifully personal tribute, Rick expresses Mexico's regionality through dishes like Oaxaca's Mole Coloradito (made with pasilla chiles, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, plantain, and bittersweet chocolate) and Tacos de Capeados (cornmeal-battered fried fish tacos with papaya and tomatillo) from coastal Baja. His recipes are based on his favorite home-tested version of each dish, veering from tradition when inspired--like in the Tlayuda con Tasajo in which a flank steak is marinated with miso paste before being grilled and added to a large tostada topped with refried beans and queso Oaxaca. Rick always keeps availability of ingredients in mind and provides substitutions and replacements when needed.- Goodreads

I first discovered Rick on Cooking by Babish youtube channel. I knew about his experiences at Bon Appetit but I never watched any of the videos fully. I would start it and then not finish it because they were forced and seemed really condensed.

The videos on Cooking by Babish seem free; Like he is in his element and he is happy. I instantly requested this book when I saw it. I like Rick and I like him even more reading his personal stories. His recipes have more heart now that I know his circumstances and have read his own words.

The recipes are on point. They are easy, flavorful, personal, and starting to become part of my household meals. Although I have this book on the NetGalley app, I plan on purchasing a physical copy.

Overall,

5 Pickles

Supposedly, a 1st Century Roman foodie named Apicius was the first to say, "We eat first with our eyes." From Mi Cocina's dazzling cover to the eye-popping, palate-tempting photographs strewn liberally throughout the cookbook, it's a wonder my eyes haven't gained ten pounds! I indulged in nothing but eye candy for my first walk through the cookbook, then went back to the beginning to settle in with the introduction and the recipes.

Please don't skip the introduction. It's a small book in itself, the story of Rick Martinez's life as a Mexican American in Texas, at the knee of his mother, who was on a journey of her own to explore their heritage. That journey often included family recipes. There's much more to know about Rick, and I will leave it to you to take that trip with him.

"The recipes in this book represent the food that I loved eating the most", the author says, just before dropping a jaw-droppingly photo of what looks like a food court, under a huge sign reading, "Gastronomia". Then, he talks about his own cooking style, answering questions about why he measures in grams, why he loves lard, and so on. He discusses ingredients, to be sure you're familiar with the herbs, spices, chilies, and such that will be appearing in the recipes.

The first recipes are for tortillas. Nothing like starting off with the most basic, delicious, iconic Mexican food! We then move up to rice, beans, salsas, and condiments. By the time you hit the first actual meal, Pollo al Pastor (Spicy-sweet roast chicken with onion and pineapple), you'll have learned enough about the basics to just enjoy making Rick's recipes.

I can't recommend this cookbook highly enough. If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you'll enjoy creating exciting new dishes, reminiscent of basic meals you may have enjoyed before, but kicked up so many notches you'll run out of ladder.

My thanks to author Rick Martinez, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.