Yucatecan Cookbooks

The culinary delights of a typical Yucatecan kitchen come from a mouth-watering mixture of European and Mexican flavors.

A bit of history will explain this strong European influence. Once upon a time the Yucatecan peninsula was considered to be too far away and too difficult to reach from the rest of Mexico. Mountainous terrain and very poor roads kept the peninsula isolated.

Having ports with commercial and cultural contacts with Europe (especially France), New Orleans and Cuba, the Yucatecans were easily influenced by many aspects of these countries, such as dress, architecture and cooking, which explains why there is a lot of European flair in its cuisine.

Here are some ideas on cookbooks to get you started on the pleasures of our delicious cuisine. 

A Yucatan Kitchen by Loretta Scott Miller

Mayan Cooking by Cherry Hamman

Foods of the Maya by Nancy Gerlach, Jeffrey Gerlach, Jeffrey Pilcher

Gulf Coast Kitchens by Constance Snow