Comida Guatemalteca. - book reviews

by Nancy Rhine

Having just returned from Guatemala, and being a longtime bean-eater, I was delighted to see a listing in the Pueblo to People catolog (WER #66, p.136) for Comida Guatemalteca Guatemalan Food). It s a wonderful little cookbook produced by a group called Women for Guatemala. Profits from soles of the book go to aid some of the 2,50, 000 orphans in Guatemala.)

The recipes are simple and traditional, given by Guatemalan women refugees in the U.S.; most of them do not give their names for safety reasons.

Chapters cover brief descriptions of corn and other staples, customs, cooking techniques, ideas for the kitchen, and the current Political situation. Then there are the recipes! Masa tortillas, block beans, chilis, tamales, pepia'n, chuchitos, atole, plantain torts, and more. Nancy Rhine

PEPIA'N
2 lb pork or chicken   1 French bread loaf
1 lb pumpkin seeds     2 tomatoes
1lb sesame seeds       2 tomatillos
1chili guaque          I onion
1chili ancho (dried)   2 cloves
2garlic cloves         salt to taste

Cook meat with salt until tender. Saute sesame, pumpkin seeds, chili guaque, chili ancho, tomatoes, onion, tomatillos, cloves and garlic.

Break up bread and toast in oil until light brown. Mix with sauteed mixture.

When the meat is cooked, add the above mixture to it and cook for 10 minutes.

Comida Guatemalteca 1988; 61 pp.

$7.50 ($9.70 postpaid) from Pueblo to People, 1616 Montrose #4400, Houston, TX 77006; 800/843-5257