Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen

Betty Hallock · Josef Centeno

Oct 2019 · Chronicle Books

About this ebook

The chef behind LA’s beloved Tex-Mex restaurant shares 100+ creative recipes inspired by regional Mexican cuisine and global flavors.

Hailing from San Antonio, chef Josef Centeno drew on traditional family recipes for his acclaimed restaurant Bar Ama. Starting with a foundation of regional Mexican cuisine, he ventured far and wide, with influences from the American South, Germany, Poland, and Morocco. Now, with this irresistible collection of recipes, he helps you bring the same diverse and delicious flavors into your kitchen.

With more than 100 recipes, Ama is divided into chapters on breakfast, vegetables, and main courses as well as desserts and even a super nacho party. Full color photos throughout capture the mouthwatering dishes as well as the incomparable atmosphere of Bar Ama.

An Eating the West Award Finalist 2020

Ratings and reviews

Amá A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen by Josef Centeno and Betty Hallock I miss Mexican food and do my best to make it here in Lebanon. I learned to make authentic tortillas from a woman in Saudi Arabia, learned to make salsa from a Mexican cookbook to serve to an embassy friend missing home and I have enjoyed reading and eating food from south of the border for years. I have more than one Mexican and Tex-Mex cookbook in my collection but NONE of them have the varied recipes using so many tasty ingredients as this one does. In fact, as I began reading I immediately wrote to my daughter (a foodie) to tell her about this book suggesting that she should see if she can find it. Sadly I won’t be able to find all of the ingredients where I live BUT I might be able to find substitutions and approximate the recipes. I certainly hope so. In addition to the recipes there is a great deal of family history that enriches this book. We learn of generations past that the author remembers fondly while sharing their recipes and history. What I liked: * The history of the author, his restaurants and family’s * The ease of reading the recipes and feeling I could recreate the recipes if the ingredients were available * The flavors that popped in my mind as I read through the book * Being reminded of home and eating out decades ago in Los Angeles * Seeing twists on recipes I make now or have made in the past using Centeno’s family seasonings and recipes Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I buy it for myself or others? Yes Which recipes would I want to try first? Perhaps some of the salsas, desserts and mixed drinks and I have to say I am fascinated by the idea of using beer in cooking beans. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

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About the author

Betty Hallock is a journalist and food writer, and former deputy food editor of the Los Angeles Times. She is the coauthor of Bäco and lives in Los Angeles. Josef Centeno is the chef-owner of the Centeno Group, which includes the award-winning restaurants Bäco Mercat, Bar Amá, and more. He is the coauthor of the cookbook Bäco and lives in Los Angeles. Ren Fuller is a Los Angeles–based food and lifestyle photographer.