DENVER — "Cocina Libre" is not just a cookbook. It's a collection of stories, recipes and traditions shared by immigrants and refugees who have made Denver their home. The book highlights their experiences, their journeys and what they bring from where they grew up.
The book features different chefs and includes stories about each one.
"I feel famous. No, the truth is, I feel proud because for the first time, I’m in a book," said Lila Ylarraza, who is originally from Venezuela.
Ylarraza arrived in Denver about six months ago. In the cookbook, she shared a recipe for patacón, a plantain sandwich. Next to her recipe is her story of how she endured the challenges of the journey to the United States, including getting on a train in Mexico.
Now that she's arrived, it's a matter of preserving her culture and having the opportunity to share it with others. The recipe in the book comes from her mother, who passed it on to her.
"The food is really delicious, our culture, everything," Ylarraza said.
The book is co-authored by University of Denver professor Dr. Julia Roncoroni and teacher Dr. Delio Figueroa. Roncoroni is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina and has lived in the United States since 2007. Figueroa is originally from Puerto Rico and is now a music teacher in Adams County.
"For me, it was super important to see the stories and their experiences out in the world in the way that they want to see them out in the world," Roncoroni said. "Because so often, we talk about immigrants in ways that are not representative about ways that they would speak about themselves."
All proceeds from the cookbook sales will be directed to the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Many of the chefs featured have also been helped by the organization through immigration proceedings or other legal matters.
"So often we say immigrants come here with nothing, and I don’t think that’s true. I think this is one way that immigrants stay connected with who they are, with where they come from," Roncoroni said. "I think food is a really good way to explore identity for sure."
The book is available now on Amazon and will officially launch as part of a local event later this week.
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