L.A. Mexicano: Recipes, People & Places

Spinning off of his Street Gourmet L.A. blog, Esparza guides readers to some of the best Mexican restaurants in the L.A. area. Esparza, a saxophonist who grew up in Stockton, Calif., toured with a number of pop, jazz and blues artists throughout the U.S. and Latin America. Along the way, he educated himself on regional Latin cuisines and shares that knowledge in this educational book, which includes numerous recipes. He profiles each restaurant’s owner, including Soledad Lopez, a former factory worker who introduced Oaxacan cuisine to L.A .in the 1980s with her restaurant Guelaguetza Palms, and Ramiro Arvizu and Jaime Martin Del Campo, whose La Casita Mexicana made a viable argument for haute Mexican cuisine. Home cooks will appreciate solid recipes for classics such as chicken tamales, taquitos, and fish tacos, as well as inventive riffs such as a ramen-like take on classic fideos, squash tacos with pumpkin seeds and an avocado-tomatillo salsa, and a luscious papaya cream soup. Angelenos will get the most out of the book, but any serious aficionado of Mexican cuisine is sure to appreciate the dishes showcased here as well as the stories of their creators. (June)