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Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night: Bringing Your Family Together with Everyday Latin Dishes by Daisy Martinez

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Book description:

Brilliant colors, sassy flavors and a respect for tradition are the hallmarks ofDaisy’s cooking. People always ask Daisy where she learned to cook andher answer is always the same. “I went to the French Culinary Instituteto learn classical technique, but I am primarily an alumna of theConchita and Valentina Martinez Cooking Academy.” In this collection of150 recipes, the classic dishes that Daisy learned to cook alongsideher mom and grandmother in their Latin kitchens mingle with the dishesDaisy has picked up in her travels around the Spanish-speaking world,whether it’s the spice of the Caribbean; the love of all things chilein Mexico and Central America; or the plethora of distinctly differentdishes throughout South America. Daisy sets out to demystify the stapleingredients of the Latin kitchen–which many people walk right byduring their trips to the supermarket–and turn the dishes she grew upwith into your family’s favorites. Simple recipes like Sofrito (10minutes, start to end) and Achiote Oil (4 minutes) add depth and flavorwhile keeping kitchen time to a minimum. These kitchen staples, alongwith a host of other flavor-boosting tricks Daisy has picked up whilecooking for her family of six, help “Daisyfy” everyday dishes as wellas form the building blocks of Daisy’s flavorful repertoire.

Daisyorganizes the cookbook by Morning, Noon and Night meals. The actiongets underway early in Daisy’s kitchen as she starts the day preparingmorning meals that are enjoyed all over Latin America, including sweetand savory breakfast tamales, filled with raisins and olives as theyare savored in Peru. Noontime means and snack might include Daisy’stake on Berengena con Coco (Breaised Eggplant with Coconut Milk) fromthe town of San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic. Nighttime mealsare the most fun of all including anything from family meals andbarbecues to cocktail parties and elegant dishes. Daisy offers recipesfor Arepitas de Yuca (yucca fritters) with pineapple-vinegar-chiledipping sauce and Tamarind Rum Glazed Chicken Wings. Daisy wraps thingsup with desserts like Guava-Cheese Pastelillos (turnovers) that aresure to satisfy the most serious sweet-tooth and the busy mom who madethem in under 10 minutes.

Enjoy empanadas filled withcreamed corn, a crispy-edged, juicy skirt steak doused in tangychimichurri, or the divine layers of moist angel food cake,strawberries, and whipped cream of the Strawberry Delicia, all of whichDaisy Martinez brings to life in this vibrant collection of recipes.

Growingup in her mother’s and grandmother’s kitchens, Daisy became an expertin traditional Latin-American cuisine. Here she “Daisifies” thoseclassics and includes a hearty sampling of dishes from her travelsacross Spain, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Argentina.

ToDaisy, food is about bringing family together, and so she peppers hercollection with anecdotes and family vacation photos. Each recipe is asmuch about the memory the flavors recall as the love that goes intopreparing the dish; for her, the succulent grilled meats of aparrillada bring back memories of a Christmas spent floating in a poolin Argentina, while the flaky, gooey vegetable potpie recalls anextravagant dinner party in the Dominican Republic. As a busy mother offour, Daisy lives the time crunch every day and has crafted her recipesto be quick, adaptable, and easy to understand. She deftly demystifiesthe ingredients of the Latin-American kitchen, explaining everythingfrom the spectrum of color in plantains to the degrees of heat inchiles.

With this range of mouthwatering recipes, you canplan your day with Daisy: rise and shine with the rich aromas ofchile-spiked hot chocolate; power up with a midday empanada with yourpick of five savory fillings; and start a tradition with a night oftantalizing tapas. Why eat dull when you can eat delicioso?

Inthis upbeat, accessible and beautifully packaged cookbook, traditionmeets innovation as Daisy Martinez, Food Network star of Viva Daisy!,“Daisifies” the classic Latin American dishes she grew up with, mixingin tastes from her travels through Spain, Puerto Rico, the DominicanRepublic, Peru and Argentina.

Author bio:

In 2005 Daisy launched her new career with Daisy Cooks! on PBS, and hercookbook, Daisy Cooks! Latin Flavors that Will Rock Your World, whichwas an IACP nominee and winner of the Best Latino Cuisine Cookbook inthe World by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

AsDaisy’s star ascended she met the iconic Rachael Ray at an event. Thischance meeting lead to Ray’s production company, Watch Entertainment,producing Viva Daisy!, which debuted on the Food Network in January2009. Daisy’s newest show continues her focus on celebrating life andfamily through food, while demonstrating her knowledge of the broadspectrum of Latin cuisine. In addition to her new TV show, Daisy isalso a regular columnist for Every Day with Rachael Ray and Seleccionesmagazines.

Intensely proud of her Puerto Rican heritage,Daisy is very active in the Latino community and with manyphilanthropic endeavors. To date, just a few of her honors andactivities include: Latinas Unidas in Rochester, NY, and The Committeefor Hispanic Children and Families; mistress of ceremonies for TheAmerican Cancer Society Gala/Brooklyn Chapter, and judge for the StreetVendor Project’s Vendy Awards; promoting more fresh food in cornerstores through her heartfelt essay and recipe for the Bodega Party in aBox; working with the New York Fire Department Museum Cook-Off, Marchof Dimes/ Chicago Chapter, Easter Seals Miami/Dade County Chapter; andappearing at numerous career days at schools all over New York City.

A dedicated mother of four fantastic children, Daisy and her family reside in Brooklyn, NY.

www.simonandschuster.com

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