Santo Remedio chef release cookbook Ciudad de México: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Mexico City

In his debut cookbook, Edson Diaz-Fuentes takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. Ciudad de México: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Mexico City unearths the culinary highlights of the chef’s childhood, providing vibrant dishes for every hour of the day, accompanied by an array of cocktails. The book features favourite dishes such as Tamales, Huevos Motuleños, Tacos de Pescado Estilo Baja, Pambazos and Oxtail Mole de Olla, drinks including Margaritas de Jamaica and Mezcal Sours and dedicated sections for marinades, rubs, salsas, breakfast and snacks and handy substitution guide. This seminal recipe book captures the essence of Mexican cooking with readily available ingredients and contains everything someone might need to add a touch of flavour to their kitchen.

Evoking the flavour and soul of Mexican hospitality, Diaz-Fuentes unveils the pillars of their cooking and the rich food culture that unites the country’s capital. Mexico City is one of the world’s biggest metropolises. It’s a vibrant, bustling place, where people are always on the move. The smell of street food, traditionally called antojitos mexicanos, being prepared over a comal or charcoal grill permeates the air and the music blaring from buses paired with the notoriously bad traffic leads to an overwhelming assault on all the senses. This constant buzz of activity is what makes it such a beautiful, magical and surreal city. For any serious eater, this is the place where food really is integral to everyday life. Influenced by this lively city and tied together with stunning location photography, this book makes for a must-have for any culinary explorer.

Diaz-Fuentes was born and raised in Mexico City and is inspired by travelling and discovering new food, flavours and ingredients as well as the stories and traditions behind each dish. He particularly enjoys getting lost in markets anywhere he visits. While growing up, he realised he was not quite like the others and from a young age would spend time observing meticulously how food was made, served and presented. Whether at his grandmother’s house, at a taqueria or at restaurants for family celebrations he found himself mesmerised by the process of bringing food to fruition. The chef has spent time living in New York, London and Oaxaca City. In the latter, he spent time in the kitchen of Alejandro Ruiz, at Casa Oaxaca, learning about the diversity of some of Mexico’s most treasured ingredients and its slow cooking techniques. He set up Santo Remedio in London in 2015, with his wife Natalie, to recreate the flavours he grew up with. What started off as an idea in New York and later a food stall in Shoreditch, East London, evolved into a critically acclaimed restaurant that is now situated in London Bridge.

The editorial unit
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

Ciudad de México: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Mexico City is published by Hardie Grant at the hardback price of £26 and is available in select bookstores and major online retailers.