About this Event
Join us for a conversation with author Monti Carlo to celebrate the launch of Spanglish: Recipes & Stories, a tasty tribute to Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. The discussion will be followed by a signing.
PLEASE NOTE: RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Seating is limited and will be first come, first served. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
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A delicious tribute to Puerto Rican cuisine and culture, with more than sixty-five soulful recipes.
Growing up, Monti Carlo felt like she was perpetually bridging the gap between worlds—one foot on her home island of Puerto Rico, and the other in the heart of Houston, Texas. In the space between, as a self-taught chef and eventual TV host and James Beard Foundation advisor, she’s carved out a cuisine all her own, one that’s a testament to a life spent bridging two cultures. It’s a mosaic of borrowed words and flavors, a reflection of the bittersweet beauty of connecting two very different ways of life. It’s pure Spanglish.
Within these pages, Monti shares the dishes embodying that journey: continental American classics created with the bold flavors of Puerto Rico, a taste of two worlds merging on the same plate. There’s comfort food like her elementary school’s soupy chili with her Abuela Dora’s sweet and savory picadillo, golden bacalaíto-battered onion rings, and tangy tamarind roast chicken. There are nostalgia-laced Puerto Rican breakfasts like hearty sorullo waffles with pique honey and pastries like cinnamon rolls constructed with pillowy mallorca dough. There are not-so-traditional sides like floral hibiscus baked beans and crispy coconut rice. And there’s delectable, subtly sweet desserts like morir soñando no-bake cheesecake and passion fruit–curd stuffed mini cakes. There’s also a glossary of traditional Puerto Rican ingredients and where to source them, as well as recipes for traditional Puerto Rican bases like sofrito, sazón, and recaito.
With flavor and heart, this cookbook is more than just recipes. It’s a beautifully written reflection on Boricua identity and a testament to the healing power of food.
Monti Carlo is a two-time Telly Award–winning Puerto Rican food media personality, cookbook author, and special events chef. The Senior Editor of Food & Dining at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is also a TV host and has appeared on major networks, including Netflix, Roku, FOX, PBS, Food Network, AMP, and Tastemade. Proudly Puerto Rican, Monti highlights her community’s chefs, recipes, and foodways in everything she does. Her debut cookbook, Spanglish (May 2026), is a love letter to bicultural cooking and Puerto Rican identity.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, United States
USD 0.00
