Secrets of Colombian Cooking, Expanded Edition

This is the absolute BEST Colombian cookbook you will ever find. I bought the original a few years ago. I was amazed by the recipes that this book had. It was as if my Abuela was right in the kitchen with me. I then bought more copies for my sisters and cousins. I finally gave my personal copy to my brother about a year ago. I woke up the other night thinking about this book. I was ecstatic to see that there were even MORE recipes and color pictures! My mother's family is from the coastal town of Santa Marta. Many of these dishes are familiar. Those that aren't, I have either tried or am willing to. Patricia has done an amazing job with her detailed explanations and instructions for each dish.

There is no better tasting food in the world to me than Colombian food. I enjoy cooking it as much as I enjoy serving, sharing and eating it!

It’s alright. Very thorough collection of Colombian dishes, and being Colombian I recognize most of them. My husband, however, is not Colombian, and he is the cook of our home... so it’s kind of tricky for him to be inspired, or choose what to make. It would be so much better if each recipe had a high quality, full-color, glossy photo of the dish (like most cookbooks do)!

I was looking for a Colombian cooking book that would help me find the names of ingredients (names of herbs, what cut of meat to use etc) of dishes I sort of knew how to cook. This book not only did that but offered alternatives using products you can find in American supermarkets. But the most important thing about this book (and I can't stress it enough) is that the recipes are fantastic! After I made my mom the Arroz con Pollo (she was visiting from Colombia) she said that was one of the best she ever had. I loved the author's brief descriptions of Colombia and personal pictures of her cooking with her family as a child, it feels like you are cooking with a Colombian friend. If you have never tried Colombian food or already are an enthusiast that has a craving for Colombian food this book is for you.

Our adopted son is from Barranquilla, so between our exposure to the food while in Colombia and our own son's knowledge, this book is the real deal. He loves helping follow and cook the recipes from the book. We are fortunate to have several Latin food markets in our area, so ingredients haven't been a real issue. There are some recipes that have shorter, less involved versions out there that are just as good, but love the book.

I am Colombian and have several well know Colombian cooking books in Spanish but always had issues with the ingredients and some of the complicated recepies. But this book is incredible as it gives you the ingredients as you find them here in the US and the recepies are explained so clearly. Several of my Colombian friends just order the book once they saw mine.

Loving this book. I’m from Colombia and they bring me awesome memories of my childhood when I used to cook with my parents. The recipes are so good and easy to follow for anyone who’s interested in our cooking. I bought it for me & my husband, who’s American and loves our Latin food.

This cookbook is perhaps too authentic. I don’t have access to a regular supply of guinea pigs and plantain leaves in Ohio. This is an English version of a legit Colombian cookbook if I am not mistaken. If that is what you need, than you are in for a treat.

This cookbook isn't much on pictures and color. So if you want that, then this isn't the cookbook for you. However if you want great Columbian recipes this is a cookbook you should get. For example, one of my friends from Columbia once showed me how to bake pandebono. If you've never had it, you have to try it. And the author of this book states basically the same. But after my friend left, I accidentally had lost my pandebono recipe and I'd tried re-creating them to that great recipe I once had. I've tried other cookbooks and either couldn't find pandebono or if they had it the recipe was off. I also had tried recipes from online and many of them were off too. But this one has it right on the mark. Not too many eggs. Just the right amount of masa or corn meal . Then your yucca starch and a fresh white cheese (I like to use queso de frier if you have Market Baskets and are on the east coast).

It doesn't take much looking in this cookbook to see that you are getting authentic Columbian recipes that are written the right way. You may want to do a little research on the ingredients though so you can find them in the store.

More photos associated with the recipes is a must!!!

I'm really enjoying this cookbook so far, but wish the author would be more specific in her list of ingredients. For example, in the recipe for Ajicao Bogotano many of the ingredients are for specific amounts (1 tsp, 1 pound) but then she says 4 chicken breasts rather than how many pounds of meat, and she says 36 small white potatoes, 24 medium gold potatoes, etc. rather than a weight. It's not a big deal, but my store only had huge white potatoes and I would have liked to prepare a weight equivalent since it was my first time to cook the soup.