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Boasting his self-declared 'gay tío energy,' author and cook Rick Martinez has just published his sophomore cookbook, 'Salsa Daddy.' Seventy salsa (and twenty-four salsa-infused meal) recipes populate the book's vibrantly vibrant pages. Raw, prepared, historical, avant-garde, simple, intricate, earthy, piquant, sassy: the salsas are as varied as the flavors of Mexico.

'Salsa Daddy' presents a saucier perspective on Mexican cookery. Rather than focusing on Mexican food totems, Martinez utilizes his background, identity, and creativity to discuss, narrate tales, and riff on salsas, permitting the reader to consume and produce their own.

Martinez, a native of South Texas with Mexican ancestry, mentions that he was often told that he didn't quite fit in - not sufficiently American, nor adequately Mexican. After working in advertising, he finally chased his aspirations and attended culinary school, transitioning into a profession in food media at the Food Network and later Bon Appetit. His inaugural cookbook, 'Mi Cocina Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico,' received the James Beard Award for best international cookbook. Currently, after traveling across all thirty-two states of Mexico, Martinez felt he genuinely found a home. He now resides near the Pacific waves in Mazatlán, Mexico, with his dog Choco.

Salsa, Martinez states, "is one of the most well-liked condiments within the United States. Over the years, I've been asked the identical question repeatedly: 'I adore salsa, but I only know how to prepare one or two. How can I improve?'

'Salsa is inexpensive, requires minimal effort, and doesn't call for elaborate equipment or culinary training. However, what it does demand and reward is passion and ingenuity.'

Salsa offers a spark, a sensation of liberation, of play, that there is no ‘correct method' for crafting a salsa. It's a culinary game with few regulations, few restrictions, open-minded thought, no adherence to a misguided authenticity. Just as individuals worldwide cook with what they possess at their disposal, salsas reflect this local cupboard nature of food and flavors. 'There's no such thing as salsa police,' he declares.

Martinez categorizes the book into various salsa categories: smashed, chopped, blended, sweet, spicy, cooked, and special. He initiates the publication with a few essential tools for crafting salsas (molcajete, excellent knives), alongside a guide to chili peppers and pantry ingredients.

Highlights include the creamy La Tatemada Cremosa (charred tomato, chipotle in adobo, crema), the chunky Xnipec (tomato, habanero, and sour orange), and even three types of Salsa Macha (peanuts, guiajillo, and chile de árbol; almonds, sesame, and habanero; and cashews, vanilla, and ghee).

The final chapter brings together the preceding seven, under the heading 'easy meals.' This chapter gives the reader diverse techniques for crafting meals based on or utilizing the salsas he detailed, such as chilaquiles, tacos, and pozole verde.

Throughout this undertaking and discovery of working in food media, Martinez has been a proudly open gay man. 

'The point is, I am gay. And that's a huge part of how I show up in the world — joyfully, unapologetically, colorfully,' he comments, reflected in the sensuous, vibrant hues of 'Salsa Daddy' (and in the book title). Within the culinary sector, he experienced 'vicious' remarks and reactions. Rather than concealing, he decided to live a life that brought him the most happiness, including through his career in food, resulting in a sense of 'peace, power, and joy.' Being gay has been 'the root of the joy, the freedom, the play, and the boldness in everything I do.' He also thrives by embracing his unique Mexican-American identity, aiding him in overcoming hardships and isolation.

Through his writing, vigorous Insta presence, and publications like 'Salsa Daddy,' Martinez continues to present himself, colorfully and completely.

'The intent of ‘Salsa Daddy' is to grant individuals permission, and the tools, to produce something joyful, bold, and personal. To cease pursuing some myth of authenticity and commence trusting their own sazón. It's about unleashing an entire category of flavor and making it your own.'

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