Take a good measure of Southwest culinary history, blend it well with insights from area chefs and food experts, and add plenty of mouthwatering recipes with four-color food photography, not to mention fascinating historical images. What do you get? "The Southwest Table"--a vibrant, must-have volume on America's spiciest swath of states. Veteran cookbook author Dave DeWitt focuses on southwestern Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona--those areas most influenced by Native American and northern Mexican cookery, as well as American imports and techniques. These are the traditional locations for a unique cuisine--dating to prehistory--that continues to evolve. We often think of Southwestern cuisine as imported from Mexico, but parts of the Southwest "were" a part of Mexico for more than 200 years. In addition to nearly 200 recipes, the book includes a "Pepper Primer" and a glossary of Southwestern cooking terms and ingredients.