Rick Bayless has been acclaimed widely as America's foremost proponent of Mexico's thrillingly diverse cuisine. In this companion book to his 26-part Public Television series, he takes us, with boyish enthusiasm, through Mexican markets, street stalls and home kitchens to bring us the great dishes of Mexico, one "plate" at a time. And each "plate" Rick presents here is a Mexican classic. Take guacamole, for instance. After teaching us the essentials for a perfect, classic guacamole, Rick shows how to spin contemporary interpretations, like his Roasted Poblano Guacamole with garlic and parsley. Rick's cuisine is always lively, but rooted in strong traditions.

Always the teacher, Rick begins each "plate" with some never-before-found features: traditional benchmarks (Rick's idea of the best guacamole), when to think of the recipes (weeknight dinners or casual party food), and advice for American cooks (Rick's insight into the ingredients that make the dish). He rounds out each "plate" with suggestions for working ahead.

To complete the journey into the Mexican mindset, Rick, with help from his testers, ends each "plate" with a question-and-answer section detailing just about everything a home cook might want to know: What are the best cuts of beef for grilled tacos? The best cheeses for quesadillas? Is one grill better than another? Rick draws from his years of living in Mexico, pulling us into the Mexican kitchen, to teach us how to create authentic Mexican dishes in our American kitchens.

Rick is an Indiana Jones of the stove, a Julia Child of Mexican cuisine in black jeans and a T-shirt. Rick's goal: to enable folks all across the United States to create dishes that weave in the rich tapestry of Mexican flavor with ingredients that are widely available. He always provides ingredients that make the dish authentic, but he also delivers with the right substitute if an ingredient is hard to find.

Experience food you can't wait to make in a new and user-friendly cookbook that contains the full range of dishes — Starters, Snacks and Light Meals; Soups, Stews and Sides; Entrées; Desserts and Drinks. Rick serves up such classic Mexican plates as Tomatillo-Braised Pork Loin, Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic, Chiles Rellenos, Cheesy Enchiladas Suizas, and Mexican Vanilla-Scented Flan.

And for an exciting taste of the unexpected, try Rick's contemporary interpretations of the classics — Crispy Potato Sopes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs, Grilled Salmon with Lemon-and-Thyme-Scented Salsa Veracruzana, Broiled Flank Steak with Tomato-Poblano Salsa and Rustic Cajeta Apple Tarts with Berry "Salsa."

Food and friends, food and family. Good cooking, for Rick, is the unspoken animator of friends and family as they gather to share a meal. Rick's recipes lend themselves to weeknight family meals or celebrations. Take part in a tamalada, the tamal-making party before the party, or the ritual of a barbacoa, an earthy experience that Rick has made possible with a kettle grill in the backyard.

24 color photographs of finished dishes Photographs of Mexican location shots throughout

Host of Public Radio International's This American Life

Rick Bayless is like the hero of some never-made Saturday morning cartoon for adults: cultural anthropologist by day, top flight chef at night. I hope in his next book he also starts solving crimes and playing in a pop band. That's all his protagonist needs to make the jump from PBS to HBO.

chef-owner of Jean-Georges, JoJo, Vong and the Mercer Kitchen, New York City, and Prime, Las Vegas

I just love how Rick has given not only his contemporary recipes but the traditional as well. It's one of the best Mexican cookbooks I have seen.

MacArthur Award-winning ethnobotanist and author of Coming Home to Eat

Rick Bayless has the depth and breadth of knowledge about Mexican food traditions that most food writers can only dream of. Bayless is as vital to the culinary exchange between the U.S. and Mexico as Carlos Fuentes is to our binational literature. Viva Ricardo!

host of Cooking Live with Sara Moulton

Rick Bayless — one of the greatest teachers I know — has demystified Mexican cuisine for American home cooks. He demonstrates that there's much more to this great cuisine than nachos and burritos. Indeed, under Rick's tutelage it appears that Mexican cuisine is as vast and subtle as French or Italian.

author of Legends of the Fall and The Road Home

I have long admired the work of Rick Bayless. In Mexico One Plate at a Time he continues his passionate attempt to introduce us to a long-ignored cuisine. It is a splendid book and anyone who cares about world cuisine will want it in their library.

chef-owner of The French Laundry, Yountsville, California, and author of The French Laundry Cookbook

Rick's question-and-answer portion not only touches on the history of a particular dish, but provides personal tips for home cooks to successfully re-create the recipes in their own kitchens. This is definitely the kind of cookbook one returns to again and again.

chef-owner of Restaurant Daniel, New York City, and author of Café Boulud Cookbook

Rick Bayless has managed to make my mouth water and my mind leave New York (direction Mexico!), all in one book.

Always the teacher, Rick begins each "plate" with some never-before-found features: traditional benchmarks (Rick's idea of the best guacamole), when to think of the recipes (weeknight dinners or casual party food), and advice for American cooks (Rick's insight into the ingredients that make the dish). He rounds out each "plate" with suggestions for working ahead.

To complete the journey into the Mexican mindset, Rick, with help from his testers, ends each "plate" with a question-and-answer section detailing just about everything a home cook might want to know: What are the best cuts of beef for grilled tacos? The best cheeses for quesadillas? Is one grill better than another? Rick draws from his years of living in Mexico, pulling us into the Mexican kitchen, to teach us how to create authentic Mexican dishes in our American kitchens.

Rick is an Indiana Jones of the stove, a Julia Child of Mexican cuisine in black jeans and a T-shirt. Rick's goal: to enable folks all across the United States to create dishes that weave in the rich tapestry of Mexican flavor with ingredients that are widely available. He always provides ingredients that make the dish authentic, but he also delivers with the right substitute if an ingredient is hard to find.

Experience food you can't wait to make in a new and user-friendly cookbook that contains the full range of dishes — Starters, Snacks and Light Meals; Soups, Stews and Sides; Entrées; Desserts and Drinks. Rick serves up such classic Mexican plates as Tomatillo-Braised Pork Loin, Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic, Chiles Rellenos, Cheesy Enchiladas Suizas, and Mexican Vanilla-Scented Flan.

And for an exciting taste of the unexpected, try Rick's contemporary interpretations of the classics — Crispy Potato Sopes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs, Grilled Salmon with Lemon-and-Thyme-Scented Salsa Veracruzana, Broiled Flank Steak with Tomato-Poblano Salsa and Rustic Cajeta Apple Tarts with Berry "Salsa."

Food and friends, food and family. Good cooking, for Rick, is the unspoken animator of friends and family as they gather to share a meal. Rick's recipes lend themselves to weeknight family meals or celebrations. Take part in a tamalada, the tamal-making party before the party, or the ritual of a barbacoa, an earthy experience that Rick has made possible with a kettle grill in the backyard.

24 color photographs of finished dishes Photographs of Mexican location shots throughout

Introduction

1. Starters, Snacks and Light Meals

Guacamole

Ceviche (Lime-Marinated Seafood)

Queso Fundido

Sopes (Corn Masa Boats)

Gorditas (Corn Masa Pockets)

Quesadillas

Tostadas

Tamales

Taquería Tacos with Grilled and Griddled Fillings (Tacos al Carbón y Tacos a la Plancha)

Home-Style Tacos with Casserole Fillings (Tacos de Cazuela)

Enchiladas

Chilaquiles (Tortilla Casserole)

2. Soups, Stews and Sides

Mexican Chicken Soup

Tortilla Soup

Mexican Seafood Stew

Pozole (Pork and Hominy Stew)

Rice

Beans

3. Entrees

Chiles Rellenos

Turkey with Red Mole

Chicken with Green Pipián (Pumpkin Seed Sauce)

Chicken Adobado (with Red Chile Marinade)

Fish a la Veracruzana (with Tomatoes, Capers, Olives and Herbs)

Fish in Escabeche (Brothy Vinaigrette with Herbs and Vegetables)

Seafood in Mojo de Ajo (Toasty, Slow-Cooked Garlic)

Pork in Salsa Verde (Tomatillo Sauce)

Beef a la Mexicana (with Roasted Tomatoes and Green Chiles)

Carne Asada (Mexican-Style Grilled Steak)

Barbacoa (Slow-Cooked Meats, Pit-Style)

4. Desserts and Drinks

Flan

Rice Pudding

Cajeta (Goat's Milk Caramel Sauce)

Mexican Chocolate

The Quintessentially Tropical Mango

Tequila, Margaritas, Beer and Wine

Mexican Culinary Glossary

An Internet Guide to Mail-Order Sources for Mexican Cooking

Bibliography

Index