"The Spanish Kitchen" tells the story of the ingredients used in cooking in different regions of Spain in terms of culture, history, cultivation, tradition, location, and content, and provides a selection of local recipes using the ingredients described. Color photos.

"Part cookbook, part travelogue and part history lesson — albeit an engaging one — this volume offers an epicure's tour of Spain, with recipes. It's divided into chapters by region, each focusing on a specific ingredient (or two) that is a source of local pride and providing a brief, food-oriented history. In the chapter on Castile-Madrid, for example, Chinchn garlic is the ingredient of choice, and recipes include Garlic and Chile Shrimp, and Spicy Monkfish with Saffron and Chilies. Other chapters go from savory to sweet, as in the La Rioja chapter, which features pears in Duck Breast with Honey-Spiced Pears, Pears Poached in Moscatel and Spices, and Rioja Pear Cake. The Valencia chapter showcases oranges in Toasted Bread with Garlic and Orange, Hake in Orange and Saffron Sauce, and Delicias (an almond and chocolate confection). Recipes are generally simple and often rustic; there just aren't enough of them (only 75). The color photos by Peter Cassidy are honest; they don't try too hard to make things look modern or slick when they simply are not. Together with the text, they provide an authentic look into Spanish cuisine and the areas where it is prepared." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Highlights the different ingredients and regions of Spain, shaped by many influences: including Roman, Arabic, Jewish, the New World, and recently, the New Europe.