Tex-Mex is more than just a flavor-packed cookbook of tried and true recipes for comfort-food favorites like nachos, fajitas, and chili—it’s a way of life.

“A revelatory book that will make you want to heartily wander the border.”—Hugh Acheson

It was born in the 1940s when traditional Northern Mexican cuisine collided with the robust flavors of Texas ranchers’ kitchens. Now, chef and restaurateur Ford Fry presents the definitive book on the topic with craveable recipes that are heavy on flavor and light on fuss. Peppered throughout are jump-off-the-page photographs, helpful ingredient explainers, playful histories, and important cooking tips. These melty, crispy, hot-as-heck classics include Dirty Breakfast Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Diablo, Cheese Enchiladas Con Chili Gravy, Sopaipillas with Local Honey, and more salsas than you can imagine. Pour yourself a Classic Margarita on the Rocks—don’t forget to salt the rim—and get ready to satisfy the rumble in your stomach.

Praise for Tex-Mex

“Fry puts his passion into [this] approachable cookbook. . . . [Tex-Mex] offers recipes for all-time favorites like nachos, fajitas, and enchiladas, with lesser-known dishes like albondigas, and staples such as migas and campechana de mariscos.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Ford Fry’s food is warm, inviting, and soulful, and his passion for all things Tex-Mex—from queso to combo plates—is contagious. If you love refried beans, salsa, enchiladas, and tacos, you’ll want to cook everything in this beautiful and lively new book. I know I’ll be referring to it time and time again.”—Lisa Fain

“These authors make the perfect team to capture the crave-ability of Tex-Mex. This fantastic book will lead you to discover the soul of Texas’s ultimate comfort food.”—Tyson Cole

“The photos and recipes make you salivate and the stories remind you of the friends and family who you’ve shared a basket of warm chips and salsa with countless times before. I for one plan to enjoy this book the way it was meant to be: with a big bowl of queso dip in front of me and an ice-cold margarita in hand!”—Kevin Gillespie