Dec 27 2008
Estefan Kitchen
Coveted traditional Cuban recipes from the personal kitchen of international superstars Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
International music superstars Gloria and Emilio Estefan are making their popular recipes public—offering readers a peek through the kitchen doors of Bongos Cuban Café, home of authentic Cuban cuisine à la 1950s Havana. From savory tapas and easy-to-make individual and family-style entrées, to scrumptious desserts and signature cocktails, Estefan Kitchen covers complete menus that will surely become a staple of its readers’ households. They can recreate the savory dishes of Bongos Cuban Café authentic Cuban cuisine—right in their own kitchen— with this collection of tried-and-true recipes. Filled with Gloria and Emilio’s personal accounts, culinary inspiration, and Cuban cuisine’s historical context, Estefan Kitchen is a timeless cookbook that brings readers into their lives, culture, and food. Whether islanders or mainlanders, chefs or non-chefs, everyone can follow the step-by-step instructions for sumptuous feasts and unforgettable meals including:
• Papas Rellenas (Breaded Mashed Potatoes With Ground Beef Creole)
• Yuca Frita (Cassava Fries)
• Sopa De Platano (Plantain Soup)
• Vaca Frita De Polla (Cuban-Mojo Marinated Shredded Chicken)
• Guava and Cheese Flan
• Watermelon, Pineapple And Mango Mojito
• Papaya and Mamay Shake
• Cuban-style Latte
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Amazing!!!
I just got the book and I’m amazed at how authentic and easy these recipes are. Just looking through the book and I’m reminded of growing up in my grandfather’s cuban restaurant as a child. All of the ingredients are staples in a hispanic household and the anecdotes before each recipe are so down to earth. I’ve never bought a cookbook where I knew, had or heard of ALL of the dishes AND all of the ingredients. There are several types of flan, mojitos, beans and rice. This cookbook is a must in anyone’s household who is looking to get back to basics and enjoy some real home simple yet delicious cooking.
5 Stars Kudos to Gloria and Emilio
Kudos to Gloria and Emilio — they have created a legacy for their children and grandchildren in this book that captures many of the dishes from “Lario’s on the Beach” and “Bongo’s.” Many of the recipes exhibit the loving touch of Gloria’s abuela Consuelo Garcia who, like many Cuban abuela’s of that era, was mistress of the kitchen and a wizard with whatever ingredients were at hand. The Estefan’s have included most of the Cuban classics and pepper their pages with amusing anecdotes that provide interesting insights into their 20-year music career. A must for both fans of Estefan’s music and those who have enjoyed a meal in the couple’s growing chain of Cuban restaurants — including a popular location at DisneyWorld.
1 Star It’s been done!
The Estefans have joined the pack of also rans following the early success of such Cuban cookbook classics as Memories of a Cuban Kitchen: More Than 200 Classic Recipes and Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban.
Unfortunately, it’s all been done before and much better. Aside from the personal anecdotes, this book adds nothing to the Cuban food lexicon. Possibly a book for fans of Gloria’s music, but serious foodies will find better recipes and fun, easy-to-follow directions in the aforementioned “Cook Cuban” and the newer work Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban: 100 Great Recipes for Cuban Entertaining (Three Guys from Miami).
Gloria’s music is great, no doubt, but her restaurants have never been known for much more than pedestrian fare and the unimaginative recipes here reflect that reality.
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