Mexicocina: The Spirit and Style of the Mexican Kitchen

In the tradition of Chronicle Book's best-selling Mexicolor and Mexicasa, Mexicocina showcases over forty kitchens throughout Mexico. Melba Levick's stunning photographs and Betsy McNair's informative text and exciting recipes reveal the blend of native tradition, Old World ornamentation, and contemporary innovation that is the Mexican kitchen.

Mexicocina takes you behind the doors of private homes, museums, resorts, and cooking schools for an insider's tour of the kitchens of Mexico. Awash in bright colors and bold designs, each kitchen features traditional Mexican artistry flavored with the owners' distinctive style. Here, stainless steel meets colorful talavera tile, and the humble comal grill is as essential as a sleek appliance. Priceless collections of ceramics sit side-by-side with everyday dishware. And San Pasqual Bailn, the patron saint of cooks and kitchens, blesses every last handmade copper kettle, clay pot, and wooden spoon.

Inspiration abounds in these kitchens. Whether you're decorating a kitchen, planning a trip, or just dreaming of the rich aroma of caf de olla, Mexicocina takes you into the heart of the Mexican home, la cocina. And Mexicocina tantalizes more than just the eyes, featuring mouth-watering recipes for innovative Mexican dishes, from guacamole with fresh fruit to chile-scented chocolate truffles.

Melba Levick, based in Los Angeles and Paris, has published more than 40 photography books on travel, architecture, and design.

Santa Cruz author Betsy McNair a chef, caterer, writer, and tour guide with a culinary career that spans thirty years, two coasts of the US, and many years in Mexico, where she managed a four-star bed and breakfast, La Casa de Espiritus Alegres. Her innovative recipes were featured in the May 2003 collector's edition of Bon Appetit, The Soul of Mexico. She returned to Santa Cruz in 2003 to begin her current business, My Mexico Tours , offering small and specialized culinary and cultural tours of Mexico.