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Product Description Julia Child introduced us to French cooking. Lidia Bastianich introduced us to Italian cooking. Now Daisy Martinez will introduce all of America to Latin cooking-her way. In a country where salsa now outsells ketchup, Daisy Martinez is out on a mission to change the way we cook. In her new cookbook, a tie-in to her public television show, Daisy introduces us to the mouthwatering meals of her Latin ancestry-and not just to the pork, beans, rice, and burritos many people associate with Latino culture. Here are Stuffed Yucca Fritters, Peruvian Minestrone, and Braised Chicken with Figs, to name just a few. By combining the delicious flavor of Latino cultures with ingredients available in any kitchen, Daisy shows us how to -daisy-fy+ regular meals and turn them into something extraordinary.Divided into twelve chapters such as Turnovers and Tamales, Appetizers and Little Bites, Soups and One-Bowl Meals, and Chicken, Duck, and Turkey, and filled with more than 200 recipes and color photographs throughout, this is a cookbook that will introduce a new culinary star.Special features in the book include: l-Daisy+s Top Ten: palate-rocking staple dishes and condiments that will expand your repertoire.l-Daisy+s Corner: a series of essays about the intersection of food, family, and culture. From Publishers Weekly Martinez serves up a jazzy tie-in to her new public television cooking show of the same name, and while the subtitle's claim that the recipes within will "rock your world" is pure hyperbole, Martinez does offer a decent introduction to Latin "soul food." The overly chirpy tone can feel cloying, yet Martinez succeeds in demystifying staples of Latin cooking. Starting with important such basics as Sofrito (a blend of onions, peppers, tomatoes and herbs that adds "zing" to dishes), Achiote Oil (which also adds a "quick kick") and Recaito (a Sofrito-like seasoning, sans the color and extra liquid), she moves on to tapas, soups, meats, vegetables, starches and desserts. Recipes for the truly cooking-impaired (e.g., Guacamole, Black Beans, Basic White Rice) are unnecessary, but exotic dishes like Breadfruit Tostones (twice-fried crispy chips), Sole Baked in a Banana Leaf, and Stuffed Flank Steak are welcome. Health-conscious readers, beware: this cuisine is laden with animal products, carbs and things fried and refried, and Martinez admits to leaning toward too-large portions, which she calls "Daisy Servings." Still, anyone new to Latin classics like Paella, Ropa Vieja, and Dulce de Leche should find plenty of motivation within these colorful pages. Photos. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Author Daisy Maria Martinez was born to mainland Puerto Rican parents in Brooklyn, New York, where she lived at her grandmother's house until she was almost five years old. Her extended family includes relatives from Central America, Spain, and other parts of the Spanish-speaking world. She has modeled and acted in commercials and in numerous films including Carlito's Way and Scent of a Woman. She attended Long Island University and the French Culinary Institute before establishing her catering business, The Passionate Palate. Daisy lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn.