The Mexican Cook, XIXth Century
"The Mexican Cook" is considered the most important 19th-century recipe book in Mexico. It brings together a mixture of French, Spanish and Creole-influenced recipes, as well as indigenous elements. The compilation reached numerous editions and transcended Latin America and the Caribbean throughout the 19th century, either as "The Mexican Cook", or in its later editions which changed the title to "The New American Cook".
The extent of its influence has been reviewed and documented in the South American region, such as Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. The first edition transcended American recipe books, because of the compilation of recipes, as well as the structure and layout. It started a publishing genre in Mexico and the rest of the continent that captured the identities of the nascent American countries, not only through the cuisine, ingredients and preparation techniques but also through the recovery of the language itself used in this cultural area. It also included indications for special recipes for different diseases, which are repeated in other regional recipe books.
Risks encountered
Environmental issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Moisture | Low |
Temperature | Low |
Light (visible light, ultraviolet radiation, etc.) | Low |
Dust | Low |
Pollution | Low |
Pests (rodents, animals, insects, etc.) | Low |
Microorganisms (bacteria, mould, etc.) | Low |
Management or organizational issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Lack of maintenance, including cleaning | None |
Inadequate building | None |
Building with structural damage | None |
Lack of an adequate warehouse | None |
Lack of boxes and/or archive materials | None |
Lack of human resources | None |
Lack of security measures | None |
Insufficient budget to operate | None |
Natural disaster risks
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Fires | None |
Rains | None |
Mudslides or landslides | None |
Floods | None |
Hurricanes, cyclones, storms | None |
Earthquakes | Moderate |
Tsunamis | None |
Volcanic eruptions | None |
Temperature increase | Low |
Political and/or social risks
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Armed conflicts | None |
Illegal trafficking of documents | None |
Thefts or robberies | None |
Vandalism | None |
Threatening socio-cultural environment | None |
Lack of support/public policies | None |
Environment (location) issues
Identified risks | Level of risk |
---|---|
Material/storage units | None |
Furniture | None |
Room or warehouse | None |
Building | None |
Site or neighbourhood | None |
Area or region, beyond the neighbourhood | None |
Indicators
Identified risks | |
---|---|
Management Plan | Partially |
Response Protocol | No |
Documentary heritage digitization | Yes, partially |
Documentary heritage availability on the internet | No, but we are planning it |