Reviews

Does anyone read reviews? I've been trying to choose a New Mexican cookbook on Amazon, and the reviews are just awful. I don't mean that they show the products in a bad light, necessarily, but they are irrelevant and poorly written. One complains about a particular cookbook because "it doesn't have any pictures". Every other review for the same book gives it five out of five stars. Other reviews are nearly twenty years old (which I guess doesn't matter too much, except to show that not much has gone on recently with that book) or pick apart the most ridiculous aspects of the book. Yet others sound as if they were written by the author or his/her family. None of this is helpful.

I'm determined to perfect New Mexican cooking, but I'm having a hard time getting a foothold. The online recipes I've found aren't authentic (unless Velveeta counts as an indigious ingredient). I've made sopaipillas twice, and while my son and his girlfriend thought they were delicious, I found them to be too donut-like, even when I rolled the dough to one-eighth inch thickness. I doubt that my family will mind if I keep trying to get them right. I did find a book at the library today that seems pretty good; tomorrow I'm making a stacked red enchilada recipe I found in that.

With all the cuisines represented in Jacksonville's restaurants, I'm surprised to find that New Mexican isn't among them. If I had a handle on the recipes and techniques, I'd be tempted to open one. Maybe someday.