by Virginia B. Wood Earlier in the summer, I traveled the cookbooks of several talented national
and international chefs and authors. More recently, I’ve done some very
exciting culinary exploration with three local authors to guide me. I’ve
visited rural Jamaica with Robb Walsh and Jay McCarthy; Jalisco, Mexico, with
Lucinda Hutson; and came all the way from Normandy back to central Texas with
Marie O’Shaughnessy.
As an avid cookbook collector, I’m always thrilled when I come across an
unexpected treasure such as Texas International Cookery by Marie
O’Shaughnessy (paper, $14.95). Mrs. O’Shaughnessy wrote the first edition of
her self-published cookbook in 1990 following the death of her beloved husband,
Michael “Shag” O’Shaughnessy, the dashing Army Captain who married Marie in her
native France after WWII and brought her to live in Texas.
The slim, spiral-bound volume contains some of the recipes Marie learned from
her mother and grandmother as a child growing up in Normandy. The collected
recipes reflect the cuisine of her native region and other areas of France
filtered through the experience of more than 40 years of cooking for an
Irishman in Central Texas. Mme. O’Shaugnessy reports that her husband only
requested one change in her cooking, which was that she use whiskey instead of
cognac in her French sauces because it was more in keeping with his
Irish-American tastes. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with
French cooking that a large number of the recipes call for cognac (or whiskey),
white or red wine, Madeira, champagne, even beer. Some of the recipes, such as
the omelette Normande and the Irish Legend Cake, are accompanied by
snippets of historical background. The book is further spiced with handy
cooking tips compiled by a well-traveled and experienced cook through years of
preparing delicious meals for appreciative family and friends.
For a sample of the cuisine chez Marie O’Shaugnessy, I would suggest
you try the Chicken Crepes or Poulet Normand Aux Reinettes (Chicken with Apples Normandy style) or the Veal Chops with Madeira. For a more
distinctly Texas flair, try out the Texas 1015 Onion Roast, the New Braunfels
Potato Salad, or the Fredericksburg Spiced Peaches. Recently, I’m partial to
the tender, dainty Madeleines, marvelously redolent of fresh lemon zest
and the sinfully rich Irish Whiskey Truffles. Reading this charming little
collection is likely to make you wish for a book containing all of your
family’s favorite dishes. That’s the effect it had on me. The author is
obviously very pleased to share her culinary traditions with us all.
The pages of [[exclamdown]] Tequila ! Cook- ing with the Spirit of Mexico (TenSpeed, paper, $16.95) by
Austinite Lucinda Hutson are sprinkled with delightful Mexican dichos (sayings) that all refer to tequila, drinking, or celebration in general.
Surely, the most definitive is this: Una mujer sin tequila es como el cielo
sin luna (A woman without tequila is like a sky without a moon), a direct
quote from the author herself. Her great love for Mexico – it’s food, fiestas,
and folk art – is reflected in this wonderful book published in the spring.
Growing up in El Paso and traveling extensively in Mexico her entire life,
Hutson was no stranger to tequila. But perhaps the genesis of this definitive
work on the most famous spirit of Mexico can be traced to Lucinda’s 1976 visit
to La Preseverancia, the primary distillery of the well-known
Sauza brand, located in the town of Tequila in the state of
Jalisco, Mexico. On the walls of that building, the shapely blonde writer
encountered a Gabriel Flores mural depicting the 16th-century discovery and
production of tequila. According to Hutson, she found her reflection in that
beautiful old mural: a solitary blonde woman surrounded by darker-haired
revelers, dancing with abandon, head thrown back, a bottle of tequila in her
hand. Her curiosity piqued, she decided to “learn more about tequila, the
seductive spirit that sang” to her soul. Both a picture of the mural and
Hutson’s recreation of the scene appear in the book’s introduction.
After years of travel and research, Hutson has written a book that will teach
you everything you ever wanted to know about tequila by dispelling myths,
preserving legends, and introducing you to the proud tequila distilling
tradition in the Mexican state of Jalisco. This includes legal descriptions of
the four categories of tequila (white or silver, gold, roasted, and aged), its
journey from the agave fields to the distillery to the cantina, and
introductions to the most prominent Mexican tequila producers. Julie Marshall’s
marvelous watercolor depictions of Hutson’s extensive Mexican folk art
collection decorate the pages along with the dichos.
All the information is bound to whet your appetite for actual tequila drinks
and Hutson does not disappoint. First, there is a chapter entitled “Stocking
the Home Cantina” to make sure that you have the necessary liqueurs, mixers,
garnishes, and glassware to perform the enjoyable tequila rituals. There are
instructions for making flavored and infused tequilas and then there are the
drink and punch recipes. Historically speaking, the margarita is a
relatively new drink and by far not the only libation that Hutson suggests you
make with tequila. There is, however, an entire chapter on the lime juice,
orange liqueur, tequila, and salt concoction. The mango, prickly pear, and
fresh pomegranate margaritas were extremely popular at many of Hutson’s book
signing fiestas, in some instances celebrated with a particular tequila
company.
It would probably be dangerous to sample too many tequila potions without food
and Hutson also includes a collection of festive foods from salsas to desserts,
some made with tequila and some just designed to be enjoyed along with it. This
fall, try a batch of Pedro’s Pumpkin Soup with Ancho-Tequila Butter and then
make the Smoky Chipotle Torta with the toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
The Frijoles Fiestas (Black Beans with Corn in a Peppered Tequila
Marinade) are an interesting new appetizer to serve with chips before a hearty
serving of Puerco Miel y Mostaza (Pork Tenderloin in Tequila
Honey-Mustard).
Having only recently discovered the large selection of Mexican produce at
La Pulga (The 290 Flea Market), I can’t wait to try some of Hutson’s
recipes that call for the tunas (prickly pear fruit), mangoes, and
pomegranates I know I can find there.
Years ago, I worked at a Midwestern resort hotel with a long tradition of hiring waiters from Jamaica to
work the May to October tourist season. Hearing those friendly men speak about
their island home in their lilting patois sparked my interest. It wasn’t
long before I visited Jamaica and fell in love with the gracious hospitality,
the Blue Mountain coffee, and the wonderful native cuisine. That was so many
years ago and sadly, I’ve never quite been able to arrange a return trip. There
is no real substitute for jerked meat at roadside stands or fresh Caribbean
fish grilled over an open fire, and what passes for Blue Mountain coffee in
this country is exorbitantly priced and pales in comparison to the genuine
article.
A new cookbook has fanned the flames of my dormant longing for Jamaica:
Traveling Jamaica with Knife, Fork and Spoon (Crossing Press, paper,
$16.95) by Robb Walsh and Jay McCarthy. The authors – a food journalist
regularly published in the Chronicle with a true love for spicy and
exotic foods, and an American-born chef who grew up in Jamaica with a guava
tree in the backyard and an indigenous culinary banquet all around him –
brought Jamaica back to me. Their new cookbook accurately depicts what I
remember about the tropical country: the friendly people, the glorious food,
the exotic scenery, the rum-laced libations and the best coffee in the world.
The intrepid authors are very true to their title. Making the most of
McCarthy’s extensive native family and his knowledge of the island, the two men
sought out good cooks in every region, sampling fried fish from roadside
vendors, dining on I-tal food at the open-air “Peppers Garden-of-Eating
Restaurant” of Sister Fire, and visiting the “jerk pits” for which Boston Beach
is justifiably famous. Their travelogue made my mouth water and my heart ache
for the sounds, flavors, and aromas of Jamaica.
Because of the incredible bounty of fresh, exotic produce on the tropical
island, there are many wonderful, savory recipes that feature fruits,
vegetables, and peppers. Walsh and McCarthy present such island delicacies as
Callaloo Rundown on Fried Plantains, Beefy Banana Soup, and Aunt Cassie’s
Jamaican Pepperpot Soup. There are authentic versions of traditional favorites
like Saltfish and Akee and Mannish Water, the assertive goat’s head stew served
to Jamaican bridegrooms on their wedding nights because of its “mannish”
(macho) properties.
Possibly the most readily recognized Jamaican dishes in this country are
“jerked” meats and fish, marinated in wet jerk mixtures or rubbed with dry ones
for a period of hours and then cooked slowly over hardwood coals. There is an
extensive chapter on Jerks and Curries which should be very popular with Texas
cooks who love spicy food and outdoor cooking. Additionally, the writing duo
were so concerned about authenticity that their research included an extensive
sampling of island libations. They share many intriguing formulas for potions
such as Pump the Skin, Red Devil, and the rum and pineapple drink Calico Jacks,
the consumption of which prompted McCarthy and a girlfriend to take a skinny
dipping spree in the lighted pool above a Negril resort dance floor when they
were high school students. Use your own discretion when trying out the drink
recipes.
McCarthy’s skills at translating his native cuisine are apparent throughout
the book and Walsh brings their island travels to jubilant life. Many of the
ingredients necessary to prepare Jamaican dishes are becoming increasingly
available here because of stores such as Fiesta, stocking a wide range of
exotic produce. Look for imported seasonings and canned goods under the
Jamaican flag. For necessities not available locally, there is a thorough
listing of mail-order sources in the back of the book as well as a glossary
defining some of the more esoteric ingredients. Whether you’ve been to Jamaica
or not, Traveling Jamaica with Knife, Fork and Spoon can bring the
luscious flavors and aromas of the island to your kitchen. All I know is, now
that I’ve read it, I just have to go back. n
This article appears in September 8 • 1995 and September 8 • 1995 (Cover).