Spirit of the Earth: Native Cooking from Latin America

Serve up tamales, moles, ceviches and more, as they were made in their cultures of origin: the ancient civilizations of Latin America. Spirit of the Earth chronicles the authentic and delicious recipes of the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs, updated for preparation in your modern kitchen. With previous collaborations winning James Beard and Julia Child IACP awards, Cox and Martin are the perfect team to reintroduce you to familiar favorites with a fresh new palette. Made with the traditional ingredients and techniques of pre-Columbian America, guacamole, salsas and tortillas have never been the same!

Luscious chocoatl (the sacred chocolate drink of the Aztec and Maya), and fresh cebiche de pato (marinated duck ceviche from Peru) await, alongside the sauces, spice blends, and drinks that flavor and accent each traditionally prepared dish, from appetizer to dessert. Enjoy potatoes, quinoa, chocolate, corn, and chiles as when they were first cultivated - and regarded as sacred - by the pre-Columbian cultures of Central and South America

With pictures, tips, and anecdotes beside each recipe, Spirit of the Earth makes as good a travelogue as a cookbook. Each chapter includes an expert introduction to the culture and culinary history of the peoples whose recipes follow. This collection is the perfect guide to reaching beyond the expected in the kitchen, and taking your love of Latin American flavor to a whole other level.

This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a paperback (ISBN 1635616883).

Be sure to also pick up the other luscious book of regional fare by this incomparable duo, Spirit of the West!

Martin Jacobs is an award-winning photographer who specializes in food photography, has photographed many cookbooks. He and Cox collaborate on a regular column on Indian cooking for Native Peoples, the magazine published by the Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian.

Beverly Cox is a fourth-generation Wyoming rancher who grew up on a cattle ranch near Cheyenne, Wyoming. Her interest in the region's traditional foods and history began in childhood. She holds a Grande Diplome from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and apprenticed with the noted chef Gaston Le Notre. Many o£ the recipes -and some of the props used in the photographs-are from her forebears.