Veracruz All Natural

A new take on Mexican American cooking rooted in the fresh produce of coastal Veracruz, this is a deeply personal book from the immigrant sisters who founded the Veracruz All Natural restaurants in Austin, which enjoys a nationwide cult following of people who want to make their recipes.

Reyna and Maritza Vazquez grew up in Veracruz, Mexico. A rural coastal region, it is famous for its colourful, healthful cuisine. In Veracruz, cooking with red meat is rare, and local dishes are vegetable-forward, with proteins like fish, shellfish, chicken, and eggs. Such are the one hundred recipes in Veracruz All Natural, inspired mostly by the home cooking with which the women grew up, along with easy favourites from their restaurants.

Throughout, Reyna and Maritza tell the story of their food, which, in turn, is their story: In 2008, they walked across the Mexican-US border. They made their way to Austin, Texas, where they sold roadside ices. With their first profit, they opened a humble food truck, and then a few more. Now, they have a fleet, plus a restaurant, La Fonda. It won a Michelin Gourmand Award last year. They are local heroes with a national story, beloved for their unparalleled food, of course, but also for their generosity, grit, and openness about their immigrant story.

Beautifully photographed in Austin, the recipes include:

• El Breakfast Taco
• Chicken and Vegetable Stew (Puchero de Pollo y Verduras)
• Shrimp and Scallop Aguachile (Aguachile de Camarón y Callo)
• Veracruz-Style Snapper (Huachinango a la Veracruzana)
• Achiote and Citrus-Braised Pork (Cochinita Pibil)
• Whole-Wheat Conchas (Conchas Integrales)
• Cantaloupe-Seed Horchata (Horchata de Semilla de Melón)

Veracruz All Natural is a love letter to the authors’ Mexican roots and their American home. It is a testament to sisterhood and the power of food to make people feel more alike than different.