MEZCLA
'One-in-a-million creativity, Ixta's food is simply outstanding!' Yotam Ottolenghi
'This is such a beautiful and joyful book.' Nigella Lawson
'Ixta is what we all long for in a cook. Innovative, passionate, exciting and accessible.' Andi Oliver
'Ixta has a unique culinary voice, producing food that's bold and intense and audacious. Buckle up. It's quite a ride.' Diana Henry
'Ixta is an alchemist with flavour. Thrilling recipes full of life and imagination. I can't wait to cook everything.' Jessie Ware
Everyday eating with built in wow factor - from the Ottolenghi protégé shaking up the food world.
MEZCLA means mix, blend or fusion in Spanish and in her first solo cookbook, Ixta Belfrage - loved for her inventive ingredient combinations - shares her favourite mezcla of flavours. Helpfully divided into quick recipes (for when you need something great on the table, fast) and longer recipes (for when you have time to slow down and savour the process), here are 100 bold, impactful recipes inspired by Italy, Brazil, Mexico and beyond. Creative, colourful and always delicious, this is food for every day and every occasion.
Includes quick, flavourful recipes, such as Giant Cheese on Toast with Honey and Urfa Butter and Chicken with Pineapple and 'Nduja, as well as dishes to spend more time over: Chiles Rellenos with Salsa Roja Risotto and Prawn Lasagne with Habanero Oil.
Ixta’s style of cooking draws inspiration from three countries she grew up travelling to, eating in and obsessing over. Brazil (where her mum is from), Italy (where she lived as a child) and Mexico (where her granddad lived). She began her culinary career at Ottolenghi's NOPI restaurant, before moving to the Test Kitchen, where she worked for Yotam Ottolenghi for five years, contributing to his columns in the Guardian and The New York Times. Ixta was Yotam's co-author on bestselling Flavour (2020) before publishing her first solo cookbook: MEZCLA (2022), which was nominated for 'best debut cookbook' at the Fortnum & Mason Awards and 'best international cookbook' at the James Beard Awards. MEZCLA was named one of the best cookbooks of 2022 by The Independent, The Times, Bon Appetit, Amazon, Spectator and Squaremeal.
In 2021 and 2022 Ixta was named ‘one of the most influential women in food’ by Code Hospitality. Ixta is a contributing editor at Elle Magazine and has also written for The Guardian, Suitcase Magazine and Pit Magazine.