Encarnación's Kitchen

In 1991 Ruth Reichl, then a "Los Angeles Times" food writer, observed that much of the style now identified with California cuisine, and with "nouvelle cuisine du Mexique", was practiced by Encarnacion Pinedo a century earlier. A landmark of American cuisine first published in 1898 as "El Cocinero Espanol" ("The Spanish Cook"), "Encarnacion's Kitchen" is one of the first cookbooks written by a Hispanic in the United States, as well as one of the first recordings of Californian food - Mexican cuisine prepared by the Spanish-speaking peoples born in California. Pinedo's cookbook offers a look into the kitchens of a long-ago culture that continues to exert its influence today.Of some 300 of Pinedo's recipes included here - a mixture of Basque, Spanish, and Mexican - many are variations on traditional dishes, such as chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, and salsa (for which the cook provides 15 versions). Whether describing how to prepare cod or ham and eggs (a typical Anglo dish labelled "huevos hipocritas"), Pinedo was imparting invaluable lessons in culinary history and Latino culture along with her piquant directions. In addition to his clear translation, Dan Strehl offers a view of Pinedo's family history and of the material and literary culture of early California cooking. Prize-winning journalist Victor Valle puts Pinedo's work into the context of Hispanic women's testimonies of the 19th century, explaining how the book is a deliberate act of cultural transmission from a traditionally voiceless group.