• Tweet
• Pin It

With the release of the cookbook Sabores yucatecos: A Culinary Tour of the Yucatán by Chef Gilberto Cetina, Katharine A. Díaz, Gilberto Cetina Jr., both English and Spanish speakers will be able to indulge in the delicious, healthy cooking of this Mexican peninsula.

When most Angelenos think of Mexican food, burritos, tacos, margaritas and entrees covered in sauces begin floating around in their minds. Mexican food, from fast to fantastic, from traditional to Americanized, is a staple of LA’s culinary landscape.

Yucatán cuisine, however, is a little known subset of the large spectrum that is traditional Mexican fare. Yucatan’s culinary history begins with the Mayans and through the years of European and Middle Eastern contact the regions cooking has meshed with what other cultures brought with them to the peninsula.

The outcome is far from the jam-packed burrito we can buy on nearly every street in the city. Focusing on the light and healthy side of Mexican food, these recipes don’t sacrifice any flavor to be delicious. Dips that have a strong Lebanese influence. Ceviche that is flavorful and refreshing. Savory empanadas with coconut, sweet potato and powdered sugar. A salad, xec, made of jicama and orange that is perfect for any hot day. Agua de chaya (tree spinach water) that is an invigorating change from the juice that is being served by juicers around the city.

Bottom line is that it is comforting food that satisfies with out you needing to nap after indulging. These are meals that will sustain a healthy lifestyle while still being rich in taste.

Sabores yucatecos is filled with alluring pictures to accompany the recipes. Just thumbing through it will make you hungry!

Although many of the dishes names may sound unfamiliar, the ingredients certainly are not.

“This cookbook boasts more than 140 recipes with easy-to-follow instructions and more than 120 mouthwatering photographs,” says co-author Katharine A. Díaz. “The cookbook is also jam-packed with information about the region, its culture and the stories behind its foods.”

This cookbook encapsulates the flavors of the authors families and their stress of keeping up a healthy way of life.

Still not sure about Yucatán fare? Visit Chichén Itzá Restaurant at downtown’s Mercado La Paloma and try first hand the splendor that is food from the Yucatan.

Sabores yucatecos: A Culinary Tour of the Yucatán is available in both English and Spanish via www.Amazon.com.

• Tweet
• Pin It