Author Rohan Daft writes with such warmth and charm that his love for Spain, the Spanish people, and the richly varied cuisine, spills across the pages of the book. Menú del Día is the result of Rohan's meanderings over a period of many years, and across the vast extent of Spain, from Galicia, to the Basque country, the tourist portal of Ibiza, the scented air of Andalusia. There is a gentle quality to this book, and one imagines a slower life and the opportunity to savor a satisfying meal eaten under the Spanish sky. If the reader thinks a guitar is strumming softly in the background, it is not a leap of imagination, but an inevitability.
The recipe headnotes that accompany each recipe speak of the food, its traditions, and its cultural position. Some headnotes hold a snippet of Spanish history, others a mention of a person or restaurant that brought Rohan into the secrets of the food. This is hearty, substantial food using the magic ingredients of classic Spanish cuisine - the famed chorizo or pimentón, the luscious olive oils, some surprisingly spicy and rich. Maintaining the integrity of the authentic Spanish recipes, Rohan has not trivialized the dishes in an attempt to adjust them to other kitchens. Though he suggests substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients, he preserves authenticity. The result is to find the soul of Spanish cooking while being able to recreate the dishes no matter where one lives.
The phrase menú del día is equivalent to the French prix fixe and indicates the solid and home-like nature of the recipes, served as part of a set meal. As the author tells us, the menú del día is "a very Spanish institution and home to Spain's classic favorite dishes." Started in 1965 under the Franco regime, the menú del día had a dual purpose - to give good food to the Spanish and to satisfy the tourists whose money was waiting to be spent.
The recipes are written with ease of preparation in mind. Many have variations or sidebars with further explanations attached. Here the reader discovers classic dishes such as Fideuà, a Valencian specialty of Seafood with Noodles that is one of Spain's classics. There are paella recipes, though Daft points out that it is Cocido Madrileño that is the true national dish of Spain. There are recipes such as Catalan Boiled Meats with Potato, Chickpeas; Rice and Cabbage; Fricandó; Braised Beef with Wild Mushrooms; Bacalao a la Vizcaína which is a salt cod prepared with red peppers. For dessert the home cook can concoct a classic Flan, possibly Flaó, an Ibizan Mint Cheesecake, or sample Figos a la Malagueña, figs with Malaga Wine.
This is a book to open vistas, and to satisfy wanderlust by meandering with the author through Spanish markets and specialty stores, and by watching the Spanish cook and eat. The author has included a guide to Spanish implements, ingredients and preparations. There is a section on condiments as well as a shopping guide. Additionally there is a bibliography, which, sadly, has become a rare inclusion in cookbooks, but will lead the reader into more Spanish adventures.
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