Excellent recipes and nice drawings
I bought this book originally in the 1970s and have used it till it literally fell to pieces. I was very glad to find a copy on Alibris. When I first cooked from it I didn't have much idea what real Spanish food tasted like; my appreciation of it grew after my many trips to all the regions of Spain. Like Elizabeth David's French Provincial Cooking, this book is quite difficult for a beginner as it assumes a lot of basic knowledge of techniques, but for people who think Spanish food is all tapas and paella, it will reveal many new culinary experiences. The book roots the dishes in their regional context, which is essential in Spain - a Basque generally doesn't eat rice and there isn't much demand for cabbage in Andalucia (unlike in Galicia). It's also got some lovely drawings ( I think the author and her husband are both artists). Most other Spanish cookery books are American and while perfectly usable, one gets tired of reading about cups, sticks of butter and minced green onions. So please, Penguin, reprint it!
