Carmen Aboy Valldejuli was, according to New York Times food critic Craig Claiborne, "the foremost authority on Puerto Rican cooking" whose cookbooks are "the definitive books on island cooking." Her cookbook, Juntos en la Cocina (Together in the Kitchen), is the result of fifty years of love, sharing and hard work. Carmen and her husband, Luis presented their favorite recipes in this new volume. Now these flavorful meals are available to anyone interested in learning the art of Puerto Rican cuisine from two of its finest teachers. Written in Spanish, Juntos en la Cocina provides a complete tour of the culinary arts of Puerto Rico. Adobo and sofrito, the bases of many island dishes, are despcribed in detail. To enable both novice and experienced cooks to create savory meals, each recipe gives step-by-step instructions, with special emphasis on preparation and serving. Sample Chili con Carne, Chicken Fiesta, Carne Empanada and traditional black beans and rice. Pasta is never dull with recipes for Lasagna a la San Juan and Spaghetti Florentine. And dessert temptations include chocolate and mango flan, queen's cake and other exotic pastries. Whether you are working alone in the kitchen or with someone you love, Juntos en la Cocina is a friend you won't want to be without. The late Carmen Aboy Valldejuli is also the author of Cocina Criolla, the standard reference work on Puerto Rican cooking that has more than 287,000 copies in print in Spanish. The English edition of Cocina Criolla is entitled Puerto Rican Cookery, which has more than 167,000 copies in print. Both are published by Pelican. Mrs. Valldejuli passed away in 2005.