Patatas A La Italiana

This recipe hails from the turn of the 20th century, found in Hortensia Volante's 1902 'Cuaderno de Recetas de Cocina.' The manuscript features the cosmopolitan tastes of early 1900s Mexico, where Italian touches such as Parmesan cheese 'a la italiana' melded with traditional Spanish and French culinary influences. Such a recipe would have reflected the fashionable European flavours enjoyed by affluent households at the time and gives a charming glimpse into the everyday gourmet aspirations of the period. Typically, home cooks and domestic staff would use local adaptations for ingredients, and French-style sauces such as demi-glace were much admired, signaling a blending of international culinary trends.

The early 20th-century kitchen would have relied on a pot for boiling the potatoes, usually over a coal or wood-burning stove. Once peeled and sliced, the potatoes would be sautéed in a heavy, cast-iron or copper pan, stirred with a wooden spatula or spoon. A sharp paring knife was vital for peeling, and a hand grater would have been used for the cheese. All actions took place at the stovetop, without the help of electric gadgets. Serving would have involved a warmed porcelain or ceramic dish to keep the potatoes hot until they arrived at the table.