Since the 1970s, Kennedy’s cookbooks helped introduce Americans to Mexican cuisine
, Kennedy describes her first experiences with Mexican food, specifically at the markets in Mexico City. “It was just the color of everything, and the smells, and all the wild things that I hadn’t seen. I simply had to go home and cook them,” she said. She began learning more about Mexican cuisine, and cooking feasts for visiting guests.
For many who picked up her books, they were an early introduction to the variety and history of cuisine in Mexico, at a time when America was mostly hard-shell tacos and shakers of chile powder. She described in detail the differences in cuisine for each region and state, and ensured readers knew the differences between each spice and chile they were asked to use. Her work required research and tenacity she says “no one” else had.
There was always a silent “white” that came after assertions that no one else possessed her knowledge. “You cannot have influence without authority,”. “It’s why well-known chefs and cookbook authors have historically been so effective in popularizing global ingredients among the North American mainstream.” Kennedy was an expert, but her expertise was noticed at least in part because of her race.
That said, Kennedy is an example of someone who did the work of cultural exchange. She spent the rest of her life in Mexico, cooking and eating and learning. “She has dedicated her life to understanding the food by seeking out and interviewing its creators, crediting her sources, and bringing a better understanding of it to a wider audience,” wrote Kludt. She never tried to take credit; she just wanted to point people in the right direction.
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