Many friends helped bring this book into print and we deeply appreciate their support and many contributions. Thank you, Andrews McMeel Publishing, particularly publisher and president Kirsty Melville, who has been our publisher and editor for ten of our previous cookbooks. Many thanks also to our editor, Jean Lucas, who guided the creation of the book and provided invaluable insights at every step. Thanks also to talented book designer Diane Marsh and art director Tim Lynch.
Carol Cole added her culinary talents to the food styling, and mapmaker Russ Charpentier brought the complicated historical drama of the beginning of the Mexican independence movement to life with his maps of the San Miguel area.
Many people from San Miguel contributed their unique skills. Thank you, Dianne Kushner, for providing us with a beautiful rancho—the home for our cooking school for our first five years, and the scene of many of our cooking school photos. Now due to the generosity of Pedro Guerrero, general manager of Casa de Sierra Nevada, our school is located at their beautiful houseware shop, Sazon. A special thanks to Sierra Nevada chef Emanuel Cervantes for his kindness at the hotel restaurant, Andanza, and at our classes at Sazon. The school in San Miguel would have been impossible without the attention to every detail by two skilled assistants. Many thanks to Audreen Maestri, who was my assistant for five years, and to CC Stark, who is my assistant now. What a pleasure it has been to work with both of you.
Kathy Lichter and Steve Zazula host our rancho cooking classes and lunches at their historic Rancho de la Capilla in an unforgettable setting. Many of the photos of the “Rancho Ladies” cooking, and other stylish photos, were set in the main house of the Rancho de la Capilla. And many of our groups have enjoyed early morning horseback riding through the countryside with Steve. Every “graduation” concludes at the home of jeweler Bill Harris and Howard Haynes. Bill and his great jewelry designer, Luis Pantoja, are always ready to help members of our group choose from their huge selection of fine art jewelry!
A special note of thanks goes to the following artists who enrich the San Miguel program in so many ways: Annemarie and Gary Slipper, Toller Cranston, Dan and Nisha Ferguson, Susan Page and Meyer Schacter, Merry Calderoni, Juan Ezcurdia, Marion Perlet (we mourn your passing), Fernando Diaz, Anita Middleton (a bright light, gone too soon), Margarette Dawit, David Leonardo, and Ellen Johnson.
The food of San Miguel has been transformed by these talented chefs. Dining at their restaurants has been an important part of our program. Thank you Chef Donnie Masterton at the Restaurant, Chef Juan Carlos Escalante at Nirvana, Chef Cuatepotzo and food and beverage Manager Sebastian Acosta at Restaurant Moxi at Hotel Matilda, owner Max Altamirano at Tio Lucas, Chef Paco Cardenas at El Petit Four, Juan Carlos Cuevas Almazan at Planta Baja, Chef David Jahnke and the owners of MX Restaurant, Arturo Regalado and Paola Millan, and Chef Gonzalo Martinez.
Many others have made invaluable contributions. Thank you to our transport director, Leandro Delgado, to Bill and Heidi LeVasseur at Casa de la Cuesta, and to house rental expert Annie Reutinger, shipper Michael Vidargas, cultural ambassadors Michael and Valerie Coon, guitarists Frances Zelenka and Jack Stillwater, Robert Waters at his B&B, jeweler Joan Vidargas, Patsy Dubois, who conducted classes for us in the early years of our school, and to Theresa Jones, founder of Sazon.
After the recipes were tested at our home and used in cooking classes, the following home cooks gave their final evaluations. This book gained much from their insights. Thank you Susan Anderson, Tom and Tina Barrett, Beth Belden, George Cunningham, Kim and George David, Kathy Dunkle, Marty Flannery, Loren George, Luke George, Bobbie and Richard Handel, Lynne Hood, Geri and Fred Howard, Diane Jackson, Kris Johnson, Bettylu and Lou Kessler, Sandy Lefever, Pat and Laurie Lott, Lynn Maltz, Kim Manthei, Marie Mitchell, Bob and Sanchia Mazza, Ann O’Mara and Wayne Peters, Daliah and Harvey Organ, Sherry Patterson and Don Meldrum, Peg Philleo, Beth Anne Randall, Terre Sisson, Tim and Andrew, Wilson, Beth Wisinki, Carol Zimmerman, and Susan Zubik.
An aged bell waits for a new life on a rancho.