A Taco Testimony

Acclaimed author/actress Denise Chávez explores the history, lore, and preparation of tacos—and other art forms—in a warm and exuberant memoir, with recipes.

"Tacos are sacred to me," writes Chávez, who's set many a fictional scene in a Southwestern restaurant or around a dinner table. And here are her special recipes, including her mother's Tacos a la Delfina ("I swear these tacos are really good cold!") and Granma Lupe's Pasta (not macaroni but a savory mincemeat-like taco filling). Here, too, are tips on shopping, cooking, and serving: "Offer up the meal with gratitude and remember: Tacos are one of life's greatest things!"

"We live in chile country," she adds. "We are blessed to be here. Food is more than food; it's a culture. And tacos are more than tacos."

Chile country is the setting for Chávez's magical, tragicomic fiction. And in A Taco Testimony she also tells wonderful stories that connect literature with culture and food with life along the Mexican-American border.

"Time and love are the essence of all Mexican cooking," Chávez says—including her spicy, juicy writing, and this feast of a book.

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A Taco Testimony: Meditations on Family, Food and Culture
by Denise Chavez

Denise Chávez has her roots in New Mexico, Texas, and México and learned to love tacos in all of these places. An award-winning fiction writer, playwright, actress, and teacher, Chávez considers herself a "performance writer." In 1995 her first novel, Face of an Angel, won the American Book Award as well as many other honors. Her works include the novel Loving Pedro Infante, nonfiction, fiction for children, and more than 45 plays. Her writing and her many community projects have been supported by the Fulbright Commission, the Lannan Foundation, and a Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Award. Chávez founded the Cultural Center of Mesilla and the Border Book Festival, of which she is executive director. She lives with her husband in Las Cruces, New Mexico.