Mariana Velásquez has spent decades working in professional kitchens and as a food stylist for other people's cookbooks. Now, in Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes and Rituals from the Soul of Colombia, Velásquez has created her own cookbook, filled with lush photographs and more than 90 delectable recipes.
Paying homage to her Colombian upbringing, Velásquez notes the biodiversity of the country and the wide variety of influences upon its food: "our cuisine is a hearty mix of Indigenous, African, and European cultures." Across Colombia there are scores of culinary traditions rooted in this physical and biological diversity. Velásquez has identified three common foods that are representative of all Colombians: arepas (grilled corn cakes), empanadas (deep-fried dough pockets with a vast variety of fillings) and the one-pot stew, which varies from fish and coconut-based stews along the coast, to beans and plantains in the jungles, and chicken and potatoes in the Andes.
Colombiana showcases recipes from around the country, grouped by type. En La Mañana (in the morning) features the aforementioned arepas, changua bogotana (milk and egg soup) and chocolate santafereño (hot chocolate with cheese). Other sections are El Algo ("afternoon bits and bites") and Oda Al Postre (ode to dessert). Each section is full of gorgeous photographs, showcasing both Velásquez's love of cooking and her talent for food styling. Novice cooks as well as experienced chefs are sure to enjoy the novelty of Colombiana, since the country's cuisine is not common in many parts of the United States. Colombiana would make an appealing addition to any cookbook library. --Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans, Tucson, Ariz.