The country we'll be reading in July is known for its sun, water, food, drink, traditions, art, music, & its concept of family. Although stereotyped as a slow-paced land of subsistence farmers, this society is actually made up of wealthy landowners & investors contrasted with poor folk in the cities & countryside.
The 11th most populous country in the world & a huge tourist destination, many indigenous words from this area have even become common in other languages. For example, one of the native languages called Nahuatl gave us the words chocolate, coyote, tomato, & avocado.
SO WHAT COUNTRY ARE WE READING NEXT?
We're reading Mexico in July! While suggested by Mia, Mexico is near to my heart because of its fantastic scuba diving in Cozumel,* its breathtaking Mayan ruins, & of course, the delicious food.
After visiting the Yucatán Peninsula area & falling in love with the dishes there, I picked up this multi-award winning cookbook. My favorite recipes range from the simple:
- Salsa Verde (Fresh Tomatillo & Chile Sauce)
- Aqua Fresca de Tamarindo (A sweet & tangy non-alcoholic drink)
To the more complex:
- Negritos ("darkly addictive" burnt sugar & coconut caramels)
- Pol'kanes (Scrumptious maize, bean & squash-seed fritters served with X'nipek, a zesty tomato table sauce)
If you've never tried authentic Mexican cooking or tasted the flavors of the Yucatán Peninsula, I urge you to get this cookbook which also introduces you to the amazing local ingredients & cooking techniques as well as the culture.
*Cozumel is where I fell in love with scuba diving so as a bonus, here's a video of me diving the wreck of the Felipe Xicoténcatl C-53 with its schooling fish while obtaining an additional certification very early on in my dive career. It's also the only time in my adult life that I had short hair!
HAVE ANY BOOK club SUGGESTIONS?
Just let us know your Mexican suggestions by Thurs., June 14 11PM ET. (That's NYC time. See this converted to your local time below.)
We'll use 2 suggestions from book club members, 2 suggestions from Mia (the book club moderator) & 2 of my suggestions to compile a list of 6 books on which book club members will vote. The most popular book from the list will then be read.
Please note - We're specific in our books, they must:
- Largely occur in the location specified unless the world described is an alternate reality
- Be written by an author born there who has spent a good portion of their life there
- Exist in paperback & ebook available on both Amazon & Kindle at least in the US & hopefully elsewhere