DU faculty co-authored “Cocina Libre,” and all of the chefs have ties to Colorado.
DENVER — “Cocina Libre” is more than just a cookbook. It’s a collection of stories, recipes, and traditions shared by immigrants and refugees who call Denver home. This book focuses on their experiences, their travels, and what they learned from where they grew up.
This book features a variety of chefs and includes stories about each one.
Lila Ilaraza from Venezuela said, “I feel like I’m famous. No, to tell you the truth, I feel proud because I’m in a book for the first time.”
Ilaraza arrived in Denver about six months ago. In her cookbook, she shared a recipe for patacón, a plantain sandwich. Next to her recipes are her stories about how she endured the hardships of her journey to the United States, including riding a train in Mexico.
Now that she has arrived, what is important is to have the opportunity to preserve her culture and share it with others. The recipes in this book were passed down to her by her mother.
“The food, our culture, everything is really delicious,” Ilaraza said.
This book is co-authored by University of Denver professor Dr. Julia Roncoloni and teacher Dr. Delio Figueroa. Roncoloni is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina and has lived in the United States since 2007. Figueroa is originally from Puerto Rico and is currently a music teacher in Adams County.
“It was very important to me to get the stories and their experiences out into the world in the way they wanted them to be,” Roncoloni said. “Because all too often we talk about immigrants in ways that are not representative of how they talk about themselves.”
All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will be donated to the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition. Many of the chefs featured have been assisted by the organization through immigration proceedings and other legal issues.
“It’s often said that immigrants come here with nothing, but I don’t think that’s true. This is because immigrants stay connected to who they are and where they came from. I think that’s one way to do that,” Roncoloni said. “I think food is a really good way to explore identity.”
The book is currently available on Amazon and will be officially launched as part of a local event later this week.
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