The term Tex-Mex often conjures negative connotations of fast food tacos and burritos, but according to food writer Jonas Cramby (Texas BBQ), real Tex-Mex--the stuff he discovered in towns along the Texas/Mexico border on a road trip--can be downright revelatory. "Real Tex-Mex is, like so many other things, the result of a culture clash," writes Cramby in his introduction. It is a mix that rose from the German immigrant's smoky sausages and creamy potato salad, cowboy prairie grub and the rich food cultures of the Mexicans, Spanish and Native Americans.
Tex-Mex from Scratch presents the traditional Tex-Mex dishes in accessible recipes. There are no-cook ceviches, chunky guacamoles made with mortar and pestle (or a mixing bowl, should mortar and pestle be unavailable); scratch-made salsas that make store-bought jars look like "eating spaghetti hoops straight out from the can while watching a reality show"; and, of course, pages and pages of tacos. Cramby highlights cooking barbacoas using a $75 smoker assembled from an oil drum, a few fine tools and bags of wood chips; the flavors "remind you of German polka, country twang, and the Mexicans' giant guitars." Recipes are well-organized gems showing how to prepare a simple tortilla out of flour, baking powder, butter, salt and water, or whip up a tasty salsa and a bowl of pickled onions, all to go with a plate of sweet and smoky al pastor tacos.
These recipes are authentic and inspired, made out of fresh ingredients by a pro who knows his stuff, understands the cuisines' origins, and who has worked diligently to elevate Tex-Mex beyond mere game day favorite. --Nancy Powell, freelance writer and technical consultant