Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen

Champ of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award in "Worldwide" classification
Finalist for the 2018 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Book Awards
An assortment of 100 plans for local Mexican food from the mainstream San Francisco café.

The genuine soul, roots, and kinds of territorial Mexican cooking—from Puebla, Mexico City, Michoacán, the Yucatán, and past - wake up in this cookbook from Gonzalo Guzman, head culinary expert at San Francisco eatery Nopalito. Propelled by food directly from the ocean and the land, Guzman changes straightforward fixings, for example, masa and chiles, into brilliant and flavor-stuffed dishes.

The book incorporates central strategies of Mexican cooking, experiences into Mexican food and culture, and most loved plans from Nopalito, for example, Crispy Red Quesadillas with Braised Pork and Pork Rinds; Toasted Corn with Crema, Ground Chile, and Queso Fresco; Tamales with Red Spiced Sunflower Seed Mole; and Salsa-Dipped Griddled Chorizo and Potato Sandwiches. Covered off by plans for mixed drinks, water frescas, paletas, churros, and flan—Nopalito is your door to Mexico by method of California. This is a cookbook to be perused, appreciated, and cooked from consistently.

About the Author

Gonzalo Guzmán was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and came to the United States as a young child. He began working at Kokkari restaurant in San Francisco as a dishwasher, but was soon promoted and went on to work his way up through the ranks at Boulevard, Chez Nous, and Nopa. In 2009, he partnered with Laurence and Allyson Jossel and Jeff Hanak to open Nopalito on Broderick Street. Guzmán is now the chef of both the original Nopalito as well as a second location on Ninth Avenue, just outside Golden Gate Park.

Stacy Adimando is a food and travel journalist, and the test kitchen director at Saveur magazine. Her work has been published by NPR, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Forbes, and many more. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

I’ve owned this cookbook for about a year, as part of a large collection of Mexican, Latin, and Spanish cookbooks, and it is by far my favorite. The flavors are so vibrant, and the recipes so concise, that I feel like I’m back in Mexico every time I make something. My Mexican husband often closes his eyes and tells our kids that this is just like he used to have...there is no better compliment for cooking instruction than that. But beyond just recipes, I’ve been happy to realize that a lot of these recipes can be made one at a time, and then linger in the fridge and freezer, and suddenly you have something to eat with little extra effort for many more meals. It’s not just individual recipes, but a larger system of cooking that makes having regular, satisfying Mexican meals possible. So grateful that this information is available—it’s a game changer. --Erin

The first time I opened this cookbook I was intimidated and put it down. I'm thankful I gave it another chance...it's a wonderful cookbook. The recipes are on point, easy, and practical. It's one I will turn to again and again. Highly recommended. --Suzanne

Great book as an introduction to Mexican cooking at home. Gonzalo Guzman’s recipe for Chicken Tinga Tostadas is perfect any day and that’s the first recipe that I elected to make from his book. Recipes are straight forward and they work! A big plus: the photography in this book absolutely stunning. While you may not get to Guzman’s restaurants to sample his cuisine, you can create restaurant worthy food from this exceptional book --Apache

Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen