Large rocks formed one wall of Diana Kennedy’s home in Zitacuaro, around 170 kilometers west of Mexico City. Her gardens were full of herbs and other eatable plants; the home itself was built of locally made, often recycled materials. Shortly after her death, Mexico’s Culture Ministry called Quinta Diane, as she named her home, “an example of sustainability and protection of nature and biodiversity”.
Ms. Kennedy bought the land in 1980 and it expanded in the following years. Born in Loughton, United Kingdom in 1923, Diana Kennedy had no formal cooking training and tried a variety of jobs.
She went to Mexico in 1957 to marry Paul P. Kennedy and she soon began working on her first book, The Cuisines of Mexico, which was published in 1972. The plural (复数形式) was intentional: no English-speaking writer before her was determined to seek out and celebrate the wide range of Mexican food and cooking.
She had seen Mexico modernize and develop, and she drew attention to the culinary disadvantages the increasing use of convenient but poor corn flour instead of earthy, sweet fresh corn flour, the tendency to rush rather than enjoy preparing food; the disappearing of Mexico’s forests.
She was more a cooking anthropologist (人类学家) than an inventor. She didn’t create recipes; she gathered them, testing them dozens of times until the taste was as she remembered when she first tried them. She had great confidence in her approach, taking 14 years to research her final book, Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy, which was devoted to the country’s deliciously complex cuisine. It won a James Beard Award for Cookbook of the Year.
She was a strong supporter of traditional dishes. She understood that Mexican cuisine often has a sort of simplicity, using few ingredients at the peak of their ripeness, and prepared to let every flavor shine. She was deeply doubtful about cooking innovation and angry about the devaluing of what she considered as the world’s great cuisine.
19. What does Quinta Diana symbolize?
A.The long history of Mexican cuisine. |
B.The idea of environmental protection. |
C.The special design of Mexican gardens. |
D.The unique culture of building materials. |
20. What can we learn about Diana Kennedy?
A.She married Paul P. Kennedy in Loughton in 1957. |
B.She was a well-trained cook before becoming a writer. |
C.She bought Quinta Diara soon after she moved to Mexico. |
D.She introduced a variety of Mexican food in her first book. |
21. Which statement would Diana Kennedy agree with?
A.Food should be prepared for quite a long time. |
B.Corn flour is not the best choice for Mexican cuisine. |
C.Food shouldn’t be made at the cost of damaging its nature. |
D.Complex ingredients should be added to Mexican cuisine. |
22. Which of the following words can best describe Diana Kennedy?
A.Determined and responsible. | B.Cooperative and generous. |
C.Confident and sensitive. | D.Optimistic and ambitious. |