Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy (The William and Bettye Nowlin Series in Art, History, and Culture of the Western Hemisphere) Hardcover by Diana Kennedy (University of Texas Press)

For serious students of Mexican cuisine, Oaxaca holds a certain fascination. As one of the poorest and most indigenous regions of Mexico, Oaxaca is where one finds the food ways that pre-date the arrival of the Spanish. It is this Pre-Columbian tradition that leads many food writers to believe that Oaxaca has the most "authentic" and profound Mexican food.

As earlier reviewers have noted there are plenty of recipes in "Oaxaca al Gusto" that are way beyond the means of even the most dedicated home cook. Afterall, how many people are really going to make wasp nest sauce or salsa for flying ants? While most people will never make these recipes, they are nevertheless fascinating to read about. In addition, Diana Kennedy's extraordinary photos bring an additional level of understanding.

While there are plenty of exotic recipes, they are also easily a couple of hundred recipes that can be attacked by any serious home cook with a little imagination. As the Mexican immigrant population has grown and moved throughout the United States, ingredients that ten years ago seemed exotic and impossible to find can now be found at number of neighborhood food stores. It may take a little work to find these ingredients but end result will yield a greater understanding of the diversity of Mexican food.

Diana Kennedy has spent the last forty five years wandering around Mexico's backroads in search of interesting recipes. She is the foremost expert on Mexican food in the world and "Oaxaca al Gusto" is truly her opus magnus. This book is not for the casual cook looking for recipes for Thursday Taco night. "Oaxaca al Gusto" is the culmination of Diana Kennedy's life's work. One can only pray that Diana Kennedy has it in her to produce one or two more classic books like this one. The highest recommendation.