I love José. His enthusiasm is infectious and we frequent his restaurants. So when I learned he was signing cookbooks, I was all about being there. Matt and I talked his ear off. At first, I think we was kind of surprised then he got into it and the line of people waiting to get a signed book was getting long. I thanked him for America Eats! his pop up restaurant that is his love letter to American food. It is easy to wonder, what exactly is American food? He figured it out with his collection of first edition cookbooks going all the way back to Colonial days and a lot of research. When we told him we loved the food, he immediately engaged and said he had critics.
We discussed at length the issue of using the same recipe or improving a recipe to get to its essence. He also discovered that catsups were very important in Colonial cooking. But they are really simple sauces made from various ingredients like berries. He was criticized because they were not thick. He said something like, "Just because people ate shit 300 years ago we have to keep doing it?" Agreed. His catsups are interesting and add a nice flavor. Plus, there is the bastardization of the recipes. For example, we love the peanut soup. But it is not that thick puree that would be considered usual in the South. It is a sublime cream, like a voulette.
Anyway, we went on and on until we realized that we were monopolizing him. So we got our picture taken. He hugged me, offering his cheek. So I kissed it. Love him!
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