MEZCLA: Recipes to Excite

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This might seem irrelevant, but the fact that my grandfather was deported from the US led him to settle in Mexico, where he spent twenty-eight years of his life in a beautiful house in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City. Along with his wife, Mary, he ran this as a halfway house for political refugees, a halfway house where my mother and her family would find safety in ’66, having fled from the Brazilian right-wing military regime. As a final note, we did not test or include cookbooks from recipes writers who work with New York Times Cooking or New York Times Food to avoid any conflict of interest. But we have highlighted the work of these writers below. Books From Our New York Times Cooking Family

The word mezcla (not to be confused with the delicious drink mezcal) means “mix,”“mixture,”“blend,” or “fusion” in Spanish. It’s a beautiful word that has meaning in food and cooking, and also in music and art. And while, as mentioned, it’s Belfrage's first solo title, she co-authored Flavour along with the great Ottolenghi and is at her most contagiously confident with big, bold bright flavours. Some recipes, to be sure, include ingredients you might not have in your kitchen cupboards already, but there’s generous room for manoeuvre and plenty of recipes that provide adventure more accessibly. What’s it about? Having spent her youth absorbing the diverse culinary traditions of Italy, Mexico, and Brazil, Ixta Belfrage’s style of cooking has always been defined by her inventive ingredient combinations and her bold approach to flavour fusions. In MEZCLA, her first solo cookbook, she draws on her many influences to create a truly exciting and unique set of recipes. The Spanish word mezcla translates as mix, blend, or fusion, and that’s exactly what this book is; expect classic Italian dishes infused with vibrant Mexican flavours, traditional Mediterranean ingredients sitting side-by-side with Brazilian spices, and thoroughly idiosyncratic twists on familiar favourites. Life Is What You Bake It: Recipes, Stories and Inspiration to Bake Your Way to the Top” (Clarkson Potter) by Vallery Lomas Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes (and Love My Microwave)” (Clarkson Potter) by David Chang and Priya KrishnaWhile the rice is cooking, make the salsa. Put the first 10 ingredients (everything except the water and tomato paste) into a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and fry, stirring often, for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and the onions are soft and golden-brown. Turn the heat down to medium or medium-low if the mixture starts to catch or burn. Ixta is an alchemist with flavour. Thrilling recipes full of life and imagination. I can't wait to cook everything.' Jessie Ware

Ixta is what we all long for in a cook. Innovative, passionate, exciting and accessible.' Andi Oliver I’ve been cooking from this book all through September and it’s still bristling with post-it notes for recipes I haven’t yet tried, but really, really want to. I love it as much as “Fire Islands” by Eleanor Ford and that’s high praise from me. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

Ready, Set, Cook: How to Make Good Food With What’s On Hand (No Fancy Skills, Fancy Equipment or Fancy Budget Required)” (Simon & Schuster) by Dawn Perry JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE •100 recipes for everyday eating with built-in wow factor, from the Ottolenghi protégé and co-author of Ottolenghi Flavor shaking up the food world. Two testers reviewed every book we considered this year. They were asked to read the books cover-to-cover and to choose three to four recipes to try (like any home cook would!). Testers were asked to consider how easy it was to find ingredients and to cook the recipes exactly as written, assessing whether the recipes not only worked but lived up to their expectations as well. Finally, we asked our testers to give us a final impression of the book: How likely were they to recommend it to a friend or family member? Did it open their eyes to a way of cooking they hadn’t considered before or introduce them to a new spin on an old favorite? And most important, would they cook from it again? If both testers gave the cookbook a thumbs up, it landed on this list.

We lived in the old servant quarters of a beautiful fifteenth-century villa, surrounded by rolling Tuscan hills, vineyards, and olive groves as far as the eye could see. My sister and I spent our days roaming the countryside with our dog, Giacomino, and life was pretty damn good.Who’s the author? Ixta Belfrage is a food writer and recipe developer. She co-authored the bestselling Ottolenghi FLAVOUR, and has spent the last five years honing her skills in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. If you want to know more about Ixta, read our Q&A here. The recipe I’ve chosen is the rapturous (and vegan-friendly) Tomato Salad with Tahini Ginger Sauce, Chilli Oil and Crumpet Croutons. And yes, I did say Crumpet Croutons! Ixta is an alchemist with flavor. Thrilling recipes full of life and imagination. I can’t wait to cook everything.” —Jessie Ware, singer and host of award-winning podcast Table Manners

One-in-a-million creativity, Ixta's food is simply outstanding!” —Yotam Ottolenghi, chef and New York Times bestselling author of Ottolenghi Flavor My story begins halfway up a mountain in Tuscany. When I was young, my father’s job was cultivating relationships with Italian wine producers, and so we moved to Tuscany when I was three.Because of all this, Mexico was also a huge part ofmy upbringing. I have never lived in Mexico (afact I will one day correct), nor do I have Mexican blood, but it is very close to my heart. Thecountry and its food feel like a part of my identity. I felt this connection before I ever went there, most likely because of my Mexican name, but also undoubtedly because of the significance ofthe country as a place of political refuge for both sidesof my family. Ixta is what we all long for in a cook—innovative, passionate, exciting, and accessible.” —Andi Oliver, London-based chef and TV host