Both reviews included the historical importance and context of the Cookbook. However, Valle discussed the cookbook in terms of greater history and cultural importance for the United States as a whole. Whereas, Strehl focused on the importance of the cookbook for Hispanics and people from Mexico. Both authors agree that the book addresses the complex and difficult history of Hispanics and Californios at the time. The writers also agree that the book works to unearth and reconstruct lost voices and culture as a whole. But Strehl takes the genealogy and family influence a step further and discusses how Pinedo includes her own family traditions and her personal history, and how food relates to religion, local culture, among other things that were important to her and her own family that was stripped away during conquest and battles on the Mexico-American Border. The book also includes Spanish, Indian, Italian, and Native influences.
Week 5 Blog Post
