Since the 2004 opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, the museum's Mitsitam Cafe (mitsitam
means "let's eat" in the Piscataway and Delaware languages) has become a
destination in its own right. Featured on Rachael Ray's television show
and praised by reviewers nationwide, the Mitsitam Cafe continues to
receive accolades from both critics and visitors.
Drawing upon tribal culinary
traditions from five regions—Northern Woodlands, Great Plains, North
Pacific Coast, Mesoamerica, and South America—the cafe's offerings
feature staples that were once unknown in the rest of the world in
dishes such as:
- Squash Blossom Soup
- Cedar-Planked, Fire-Roasted Salmon
- Pulled Buffalo Sandwich with Chayote Slaw
- Corn and Tomato Stew
- Cranberry Crumble
Replete with beautiful
photographs of the finished dishes as well as objects and archival
photographs from the museum's vast collections, The Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook showcases the Americas' truly indigenous foods in ninety easy-to-follow, home-tested recipes.
A 1995 graduate of the Baltimore International Culinary College, author Richard Hetzler
worked at several fine-dining restaurants in the Washington, DC, and
Baltimore area before joining the food-service firm Restaurant
Associates at the Smithsonian. Hetzler was on the team that researched
and developed the groundbreaking concept for the Mitsitam Cafe: serving
indigenous foods that are the staples of five Native culture areas in
North and South America. As the executive chef of the cafe, he continues
to create and refine seasonal menus that showcase the Americas' native
bounty. -- Publisher Marketing
