¡CON GUSTO! Available on our online bookstore
(Tamalada painting by Carmen Lomas Garza)
One of my favorite recollections of childhood is waiting for my mother to finish her delicious pan de polvo. Being from San Diego, there was no other pan de polvo but that made in the shape of rings. I guess that’s why they are called “wedding cookies.” And of course my mother’s anillos were made with cinnamon, no white powdered sugar for my mom.
With Christmas approaching the thought of pan de polvo is on my mind and I’m sure in many of your minds. So are tamales. Fortunately, for the younger generations there is a cookbook that has preserved many of the recipes from Duval County kitchens: ¡CON GUSTO! Duval Cookery.
This is one of my wife’s and daughters’ favorite cookbook. Their copies show extensive wear and tear, as do ̶ I’m sure ̶ those in your kitchens.Up to now you could only get ¡CON GUSTO! at the Duval County Museum, which unfortunately is only open sparingly.
Fortunately, that is not the case any longer. I am happy to announce that Soy de Duval has now opened an online bookstore. The bookstore will eventually try to carry any book that has a connection to Duval County. We are starting with four books for now but will soon expand our collection.
¡CON GUSTO! of course is one of them. So now you can get a copy of ¡CON GUSTO! at anytime to replace your worn out copy or to give as a Christmas gift. They make a great gift.
There are two recipes for pan de polvo, including one from Celina M. Trevino from San Diego that includes directions to make the cookies both in cookie shapes or rings, both in cinnamon-sugar mixture or powdered sugar. Petrita’s Pan De Polvo, a recipe submitted by Guadalupe B. Soliz of Benavides offers the cookie shaped version with cinnamon-sugar.
The book has no less than five recipes for tamales. Of course, there are many other holiday dishes and not just for Christmas. You can find several recipes for capirotada, bunuelos,empanadas, turcos and other sweets. There are recipes for pan de campo, barbacoa, menudo, albondigas, cabrito, calabaza, chorizo, enchiladas, gorditas, tripas, tortillas, dulce de calabaza and much more.
The cookbook is organized with chapters for appetizers, soups and salads, main dishes, breads and pastries, cakes and desserts, candy and preserves, and beverages and miscellaneous. A unique feature of the cookbook that it provides short histories of the various communities in Duval County. One would expect no less from a publication compiled by the Duval County Historical Commission.
Check out our bookstore and place your order for ¡CON GUSTO! So you can have it for the holidays. Bon appétit!
I’m enjoying this connection with Soy de Duval very much. I am sharing your sight with my daughter who is a Master Chef and has had a great interest in our family history for a long time. I know she will enjoy reading about Duval County and learning the recipes.
Muchas Gracias!
Thank you. Glad you are enjoying my blog. Hope your daughter does too.
The color print on the page looks very familiar. However I am not able to recall the artist’s name. Do you know her name?
Gracias!
The name is right below the painting: Carmen Lomas Garza.
Pues estoy ciega entonces! I didn’t see it. Thanks. And yes it is the artist I had in mind. Do not recall where I’ve seen her work but I have seen it.
Todos vamos en ese camino. I wish I could remember as well as I see.
We will be using your cookbook with many of our language students. Thank you so much for all you do to preserve our South Texas history. My maternal grandparents spent their first years of marriage in San Diego (Ernesto de la Garza, Consuelo Merced de la Garza). I would love to know so much more about that area.
Linda López de Román, Worldwide Languages & Communication, SATX
Thanks. This blog has a lot of history of Duval County. Be sure and peruse our archives and subscribe to the blog to get future posts and a free eBook on “A Brief History of Duval County.”