Book excerpt: The Maya—the Indians who inhabited part of Mexico and Central America in pre-Hispanic times—left the modern world a legacy of remarkable cooking that is still practiced in cliffside huts and middle-class haciendas. Copeland Marks has traveled widely throughout Guatemala and other countries that carry the Mayan heritage, in order to introduce us to the everyday pleasures of this little-known cuisine. For anyone who loves the taste of tamales, tortillas, and pungent sauces, this book will provide a rich adventure that begins with—but goes far beyond—those staples of the corn kitchen. The recipes reveal a delightful and accessible cuisine that, in addition to showcasing traditional Mayan flavor profiles, combines culinary ideas from India, Africa, the Caribbean, Great Britain and Spain.