California Mexican-Spanish Cookbook [Paperback]

A delightful guide to Americanized Mexican cookery.

Bertha Haffner-Ginger's 1914 California Mexican-Spanish Cookbook is a delightful collection of Mexican recipes. As she notes in her Introduction, Spanish dishes as they are known in California are really Mexican Indian dishes. Bread made of corn, sauces of chile peppers, jerked beef, tortillas, enchiladas, etc., are unknown in Spain as native foods; though the majority of Spanish people in California are as devoted to peppery dishes as the Mexicans themselves, and as the Mexicans speak Spanish, the foods are commonly called Spanish dishes. The dishes represented are Mexican dishes as they have come to be known across America and they will be a welcome addition to any kitchen. The volume contains the first known, English-language recipe for tacos.

TO MY READERS An announcement that my lesson for the day would be Spanish dishes, invariably brought record-breaking crowds in any city in the United States, and a demand for recipes induced me to search for the best to be found. My three years' stay in California has enabled me to learn how to prepare the very best dishes directly from the natives, both Mexican and Spanish. It is not generally known that Spanish dishes as they are known in California are really Mexican Indian dishes. Bread made of corn, sauces of chile peppers, jerked beef, tortillas, enchiladas, etc., are unknown in Spain as native foods; though the majority of Spanish people in California are as devoted to peppery dishes as the Mexicans themselves, and as the Mexicans speak Spanish, the foods are commonly called Spanish dishes. When made properly, there is great merit in this class of foods and I have endeavored to select the very best recipes, and have revised them into correct proportions and practical methods of preparation. Many of the dishes are very delicious and will be found of great value for luncheon, entries, and a zest to various menus, and espló