Chef Jose Garces of Amada, Village Whiskey and Distrito Cantina at the Revel Hotel and Casino in AC has written his first cookbook The Latin Road Home which takes the reader for a ride into his personal culinary experiences and influences throughout his life. It is a beautiful jouney filled with delicious recipes and wonderful pictures of the many countries that helped shape his culinary style. Cuba, Spain, Equador, Peru and Mexico play a tremendous role in this exciting cookbook filled with intimate stories of the people and places in Chef Jose Garces’ education and exposure to Latin food.
The reader is instantly transported into his world of flavors, sights and sounds. Written with love and respect for all he met along the way which only adds to the desire to recreate some of the wonderful recipes that make up the fabric of Jose Garces’ Latin roots and heritage. He has included a recipe for Fritada, fried pork from his childhood that his mother made for him which he loves to this day.
Last week I was able to speak to Chef Garces about his book and his upcoming event at Amada.
Was there a single recipe that inspired you to write the book?
“This is a difficult question to answer; so many of these recipes are personal to me, and the fact that I get to share them, and people will cook them, is so thrilling. I think, as readers explore each chapter, they’ll understand how personal all of these dishes are and how each of them has shaped me and contributed to the chef that I am today.”
What’s next on your plate? Any more books in your future?
“I would say: never say never. The life and career path I’m on now, I never would have predicted. At this stage, I hope I have learned enough not to try and to just work hard, learn as much as I can, and share it with the people I care about. Stay tuned!”
Favorite recipe from the new book.
“I’ll always have a soft spot for my mom’s Fritada, or fried pork, which is in the Ecuador chapter. My mom is a great cook and it’s a brilliant technique she uses – the meat is slowly cooked in a mixture of stock and oil, making it next-level tender, and then once all the stock has evaporated, the oil fries it in the same pan for texture and tons of flavor. The taste and smell of this dish will always remind me of home.”
Tonight, Thursday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m., join Chef Jose Garces at his gorgeous tapas bar and restaurant, Amada (609-225-9900) at Revel(500 Boardwalk, 855-348-0500) for a decadent, multi-course meal celebrating the publication of The Latin Road Home. For $110 (includes tax and gratuity) or $150 (includes tax, gratuity and wine pairing) guests will enjoy dishes from each of the book’s five chapters: Ecuador; Spain; Cuba; Mexico; and Peru. A copy of the book, which is a cookbook, travelogue and memoir all at once, is included in the price and Chef Garces will be available after dinner to sign copies.
Michele Errichetti is from South Jersey born and fed. She comes from an Italian family where they eat, live, and breathe FOOD. Michele was cooking and eating under her grandmom’s feet every Sunday for “gravy” and at home with her mother (a Medigan or American) during the week. Nowadays, she cooks for her two sons, husband, and father most days of the week. She takes “Girl Road Trips” with her friends at least once a month that always culminate with you guessed it, FOOD. She hopes fresh, local, organic, and free range will become the norm. Michele is searching Atlantic County for everything that has anything to do with good food and she’s taking you along for the ride.
