Mexico Country

The drama of Mexico's tumultuous history--the rise and fall of the Olmec and Maya civilizations, the magnificent Aztec world that greeted Cortes, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the turbulent revolutionary years--is vividly reflected in the cuisine of this vast country. Mexican food is history itself, a culinary marriage of native Indian foods such as corn, beans, squash, chocolate and "chiles" with the Spanish contribution of wheat, rice and meats. The merger resulted in one of the world's most intriguing and least understood cuisines. "Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook" captures the fascinating culinary heritage of Mexico in one stunning volume. The recipes, prepared by Acapulco-based Susanna Palazuelos, represent a vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes, from all of the states of Mexico. Many of them are unusual regional dishes that have been passed along by word of mouth, such as garlic chicken from Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi's own version of "enchiladas." The traditional favorites are here--"chiles en nogada, tamales, pozole," tortilla soup--along with some contemporary surprises such as tequila mousse, cilantro soup and lobster crepes. With pine nut sauce. Other well-known Mexican cooks have also contributed their own special recipes to the book. All 250 recipes have been photographed by Ignacio Urquiza, one of Mexico's foremost food and travel photographers. He also provided the scenic photographs, which lead the reader through the regions of Mexico, revealing the markets, the countryside, the way the people live and eat in this varied and beautiful country. Marilyn Tausend's text provides an informative accompaniment to the recipes and photos, exploringMexico's dramatic history through its food. "Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook" is the essential cookbook for anyone interested in Mexico and Mexican food.

Since the 1980s, Mexico has alternately served as a model of structural economic reform and as a cautionary example of the limitations associated with market-led development. Because of the importance of the Mexican experience in continuing debates about options available to developing countries, the twenty-three contributors to this book provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary assessment of the principal economic and social policies adopted by Mexico during the 1980s and 1990s. Mexico was a pioneer in the shift away from state-led industrialization and the adoption of market-oriented policies. As a consequence, Mexico emerged as Latin America's largest exporter of manufactured goods, which provided the country's most dynamic source of economic growth. Yet trade and investment expansion also significantly increased the Mexican economy's vulnerability to external shocks. A profound financial crisis in 1994-95 deeply affected Mexico's economic stability and rate of growth, and raised persistent questions about whether the country's new economic model is capable of achieving sustained growth and equitable socioeconomic development.