My Lisbon: A Cookbook from Portugal's City of Light

Born and raised in Lisbon, Nuno Mendes has had a culinary career that includes work in California, in Spain at elBulli, and a long run in London, where is now the chef at the bustling Chiltern Firehouse. But Lisbon clearly has a grip on his spirit and imagination, as displayed in this handsome book. Although Portugal has not been gripped by the same fever of culinary innovation as its neighboring Spain, it has still experienced a recent period in which restaurants have flourished, particularly in Lisbon. Some have adapted and riffed on the humble food of the city’s tascas or neighborhood bars. And others have brought a smart refinement to the abundance of seafood and other fine ingredients which the city enjoys. Mendes also pays careful tribute to the home cooking of Lisbon’s generous people, and to the pastries of the city’s beloved bakeries and cafés. Throughout the book the recipes are attractive and hearty, with the occasional flourish of the unexepected: a salad of tomatoes and st