Eva Longoria Welcomes You Into Her Kitchen

 Eva Longoria is famous for portraying the sultry Gabrielle Solís on ABC’s hit television series Desperate Housewives. But when she is away from the red carpet, the Hollywood spotlight and the magazine covers, there are few places she would rather be than in the kitchen. Her new book titled “Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking With Love for Family and Friends,” can inspire you to choose your tex-mex style Quince menu, with the help of this Latin celebrity.

“I try to cook every day”, she says. And so she proves it in her first cookbook, in which readers have the opportunity to take a gander into her beloved kitchen showing her lesser-known domestic side: sharing time with family and friends first, acting second. 

This book traces her life story,  taking readers on her culinary journey, from the food she was brought up on in Texas to the recipes inspired by her travels abroad to the dishes she serves during casual nights at home with her girlfriends.

Eva shows us basic cooking skills, sprinkling in the histories and traditions behind her favorite dishes, including personal stories and anecdotes that capture the warmth, humor, and joy of her most memorable meals. Drawing inspiration from her Mexican heritage, the actress and philanthropist offers 100 of her favorite dishes, focusing on Mexican cooking, Texas style.

Cooking With Love

Eva has appeared on the cover of numerous international women’s magazines including Vogue, Harper’s Bazar, Marie Claire, People, Allure and Hello. She first became famous on television in the soap opera The Young and the Restless and for appearing in high-profile national advertising campaigns. Later, she became a household name by portraying Gabrielle Solís on the hit television series Desperate Housewives. She was nominated for the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

But her love for cooking has little to do with fame and famous restaurants. Instead, it is a passion born from her childhood, her many travels and personal experiences.

Eva Jacqueline Longoria was born on March 15, 1975, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She shares her family’s recipes and techniques for making the world’s best tamales, chicken tortilla soup, Spanish rice, and pan de polvo (Mexican pastry), among others. There is also a variety of international foods inspired by her journeys abroad, with dishes from other Latin American countries, as well as Italy and France. But most of all, she wants to inspire you to share those special moments with friends and family around the dinner table.

For instance, the Lemon Dover Solecomes from a tiny hotel-restaurant she once visited on a trip to Normandy; the recipe for Cannellini Beans with Crushed Red Pepper was a souvenir from a trip to Florence; and Yellow Squash Soup with Lemon brings her back to her family’s vegetable garden in Corpus Christi.  Her must-have ingredient? Lemon.  ”I put lemon in everything, on everything,” she said, laughing, during her book presentation in New York.

Eva doesn’t attempt to become the next Rachel Ray.  Basically she wants to share her gusto and passion for cooking.  This is a book about love, family, friends and sharing precious time. Beautifully designed and illustrated with photographs of many of her favorite dishes, the book makes a great gift for any occasion.

*Marcela Alvarez writes for www.tintafresca.us

This post is also available in: Spanish