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Hank Shaw's latest cookbook "Borderlands: Recipes and Stories from the Rio Grande to the Pacific" takes readers on a captivating journey through the often misunderstood culinary landscape of the U.S.-Mexico border region. This remarkable work, his sixth book, showcases not just 125 recipes (and 300+ photos) but also tells the rich stories of the people, places, and traditions that make this cuisine so special.

The borderlands themselves emerge as a character in Shaw's narrative. He describes them as "neither fully American nor fully Mexican," a unique cultural space with its own identity. This is reflected in the food, which often incorporates elements from both countries but transforms them into something distinctive.
Shaw's experiences crossing the border, interacting with locals (aka the "fronterizos"), and exploring remote desert regions and saltwater shores, bring this vibrant cultural landscape to life for readers who may never have visited.

Beyond recipes and ingredients, "Borderlands" is about connection—connection to nature, to culture, and to other people across perceived boundaries. In a time of division, Shaw's book offers a path toward understanding through shared appreciation of food traditions. As he notes in the conclusion of the interview, one of his hopes for the book is that it will take readers "a little bit outside your bubble" and help them see new perspectives.
In this way, "Borderlands" is more than a cookbook—it's an invitation to expand our culinary horizons and, in doing so, perhaps broaden our understanding of the rich cultural tapestry that exists along the U.S. - Mexico border.

The book is available now at HuntGatherCook.com or through major retailers, and Hank invites listeners to follow him on Instagram @huntgathercook or read his Substack "To the Bone" for more insights.

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