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Food with Attitude
Cooking the Cuban-Rican Way
By Chef Papi Pérez

Join celebrated Chef Papi Pérez on a unique culinary journey where exotic flavors and health-conscious food go hand-in-hand. Cuban-Rican is a fusion of two distinct Caribbean cooking styles, and in the capable hands of Chef Pérez recipes contained in this book come alive as explosions of flavor and spice.

Drawn on his own experience of foodstuffs passed down from his ancestral home in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Chef Pérez shares his secrets for creating whole menus and truly exciting and accessible food in this dynamic and colorful cookbook. There are zesty appetizers, savory side dishes, aromatic salads, hearty main courses, and delectable desserts that bear the stamp of a master craftsman in the kitchen. “I love what I do, and I believe in what I do,” says Chef Pérez. Readers are in for a treat as they delve into such classics as sazon papas, vegan arroz gandules, Cajun hummus, award-winning Angel sweet potato pie, and the inimitable Havana Hot Plate, a creative comida of steak, garlicky yucca, and red beans and rice.
This vibrant and imaginative cookbook has a delicacy for every palate and creed, from mac ‘n cheese to wheatgrass spicy rum cake, from garlic mashed potatoes to the Pérez original peanut butter and jelly smoothie, “my kids love it,” says the epicurean maestro.

The emphasis here is on recipes that are easily prepared, healthy in composition, and incredibly tasty. The dishes herein reflect the worldview of their creator. “This is what Food with Attitude is all about,” says Chef Pérez. “It’s about taking a lot of traditional recipes and making them better. So let’s take those leftovers and turn them into a gourmet dish!”

Born in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, CHEF PAPI PÉREZ bears the distinction of being one of the only certified Kosher chefs in Chicago. He has worked as a chef for many eateries throughout Chicago, and he owned his own restaurant in the Pilsen neighborhood called Café Aorta. He has been an award-winning pie maker, menu consultant, and innovator in the kitchen for the past 25 years. Having personally cooked for a large percentage of President Obama’s White House staff, Chef Pérez is considered a world authority on Caribbean cooking. -- see http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Chef-Papi-Perez-Fan-Page/241196621426

Cloth 200 pages $27.95 ISBN 978-1-936679-00-3 August 2011 7 ½ x 9 ¼ Cooking

MUCH LOVE

CHEF PAPI PEREZ