Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California's Wine Country

The chef at the Michelin-starred Auro in California’s Napa Valley offers an impressively sophisticated take on Mexico’s long, indelible influence on California cuisine.

Rogelio Garcia perceives and riffs on an array of connections between ingredients and cooking techniques, never seeming to lose sight of the traditions behind his cooking. His handsomely plated food takes full advantage of California’s land and sea bounty, occasionally nodding toward other cultural influences as well.

For instance:

• Emoladas (a cousin of the enchilada) with roasted black sesame mole

• Seared cauliflower with peanuts and salsa macha, itself made with peanuts and chilies

• Cold stone fruit salad with mezcal vinaigrette

• Porchetta stuffed with Mexican forbidden rice and chorizo

• Chestnut cinco leches cake with chocolate dust

• Huckleberry mimosas

To a large extent this is ambitious, restaurant cooking. Many dishes are composed of multiple, separately prepared components, just as one would expect from a restaurant cookbook.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.