'Larousse' with a Spanish accent, at last

"This is a cult book for me. I keep the 1938 edition, as if it were a treasure," says Andoni Luis Aduriz, the head chef at the world's third-ranked restaurant, the two-Michelin-starred Mugaritz.

Aduriz, one of the leading figures of Basque nouvelle cuisine, says he was surprised to get a call to inquire whether he would help update the classic French reference book for all things food-related, the Larousse Gastronomique. The fact that a Spanish chef has been asked to add new entries to this definitive encyclopedia is a sign of the times.

The original work by Prosper Montagné, first published in 1938, came out in Spanish in 2004, thanks to support from the now-deceased Spanish chef Santi Santamaría. But this time, Spanish and Latin American content will be more relevant. It is no coincidence that Joël Robuchon, a lover of Spanish cuisine (and whose workshops draw inspiration from tapas bars), is the chairman of the Larousse gastronomy committee, a group that also includes leading names such as Pierre Hermé, Pascal Barbot, Anne-Sophie Pic and Pierre Troisgros.

"I was asked to make any contributions I considered relevant, and to suggest a number of new entries," says Aduriz. "A large part of my mission was to bring in a greater Latin American presence through people and dishes. The list I first proposed is long enough for several future editions."

The figures surrounding this weighty opus - both literally and in terms of its culinary wisdom - are all impressive: it will go on sale in the coming days for ¤100, and its 1,280 pages include more than 4,000 articles covering ingredients, techniques, tools, history, procedures and more, peppered with around 700 photographs and maps, and 3,000 recipes. There are dishes thought up by Aduriz, Ferran Adrià, Sergi Arola, Juan Mari Arzak, Joan Roca, Carme Ruscalleda, Santi Santamaría and Pedro Subijana. Other Spanish names who made the encyclopedia, although without any recipes of their own, include Martín Berasategui, Karlos Arguiñano, Quique Dacosta, Elena Arzak and Albert Adrià, to name a few.

"We've tried to refresh the glossary and add important names and concepts in gastronomy," says Aduriz. "I also suggested including essential figures in the dissemination of food and science, such as Harold McGee or Hervé This."

The chef has also tried to ensure that glaring mistakes in the 2004 edition are corrected, such as discussing cider without mentioning the Basque and Asturian versions, or printing an erroneous description of Iberian jamón de bellota (exclusive ham obtained from acorn-fed hogs).

And this time, Latin American cuisines also have their place in the book. "The Gastronomique is very popular in Latin America and Larousse Mexico will commercialize it across the continent," said a spokesperson at the publishing house. "It reflects the great culinary revolution experienced by Spain, which has expanded throughout the world."

And the next culinary revolutions point to the Latino world: Peru, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, without losing sight of the Hispanics in the United States. Aduriz sums it up thus: "Cuisine is a powerful mediation mechanism between different cultures."