Every now and then, a request for a friend's recipe is met with an awkward pause, followed by, “I’m so sorry, it’s a family secret... My grandmother would kill me.” It’s lucky, then, that Daniella Germain’s abuela was totally lax about sharing every single recipe in her repertory.

Last year, as part of her final project at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Daniella created a 104-page book compiling her grandmother’s recipes. In a wonderful example of serendipity, the managing director of Hardie Grant Publishing was invited to judge the students’ final folios. She took a fancy to Daniella’s project and, six weeks later, offered to publish it. “The finished product is a little different to the book submitted for my course, but not by much. It felt unfinished [as it was], so I decided to add an extra 24 pages, and lots more photos and illustrations,” says Daniella.

Mexi-fusion food

While Daniella provided the visuals, the recipes in My Abuela’s Table are the longheld ones her grandmother, Carmen Ochoa de Hermida (pictured, holding daughter Elsa), crafted as a young woman. The eldest of five children, Carmen was often called on to care for her siblings when her mother was unwell. In a tiny kitchen in Veracruz, Mexico, she whipped up 100-plus dishes that quickly became family (and neighbour) favourites. “Mum tells me that nobody ever cooked like Abuela. When the family went to restaurants, they’d always compare the ‘fancy’ food to that of Abuela’s. Of course, her food was always far more delicious,” says Daniella.

At 83 years of age, Carmen is still very active and busies herself running a farm near Alvarado. She credits her renowned cooking skills to the local women in Veracruz, who taught her how to cook. Many of them were of French and Spanish descent, and, as a result, her own cooking style became a fusion of European and traditional Mexican food. “She learnt many recipes from these women, but from one in particular named ‘La Gallega’, aka the woman from Galicia [in northwest Spain]. Abuela still remembers eating her fragrant paellas and rich, bean-based dishes prepared with chorizo and longaniza –a type of chorizo,” explains Daniella.

Although she hasn’t yet seen the published cookbook she inspired, Carmen is amazed that the recipes she has perfected over a lifetime have resulted in something people beyond her own family can enjoy. “Abuela is not the sort of grandma who wants to take her recipes to the grave,” says Daniella.

Evidently, these same recipes have fed three generations of Daniella’s family. Recalling the smells that would waft from her abuela’s kitchen, Daniella misses the simple things, “Like a fresh corn tortilla topped with beans and queso fresco [fresh cheese].” Speaking of tortillas, Daniella says the perfect one should puff up when cooking. “And it is tradition to eat the tortilla immediately – fresh off the pan. Living in Australia all my life, Mexican food is a connection to my Mexican family, so it’s very special to me.”

In the 1970s, Daniella’s parents, Elsa and Graham, brought this fervour for food to Australia, running a traditional Mexican restaurant in Townsville, called El Mexicano. “It was fantastic and ahead of its time in 1970s North Queensland. The menu featured some of the recipes from My Abuela’s Table,” says Daniella.

At home, Mexican families not only eat together, but take pleasure in preparing the meal together too. “As in lots of other cultures, food is a means of bringing the family together and celebrating each other’s company. The process of making the meal is just as important in bringing the family together as is eating,” explains Daniella.

As a child visiting her relatives in Mexico, Daniella remembers she was allowed hot chocolate and sweet bread for dinner – a ritual not unorthodox in Mexico. “But my favourite memories were of the lavish parties my abuelo and abuela would throw for my sister and I when we visited Mexico City, as well as visits to cake shops to see the most amazingly decorated cakes you’ve ever seen,” she gushes.

Amazing could also be used to describe Daniella's illustrations, which she draws to complement the recipes in her book. “I wanted to incorporate my own experiences with these drawings, so little characters, such as the drunk chicken for pollo en vino blanco [chicken in white wine] was more important than drawing the actual dish itself.”

Drawing ever since she could hold a pen in her hand, Daniella says practice – not talent – makes perfect. “I’m not sure if I’m a ‘natural’ as such, I’ve just always loved drawing and painting, and I practice a lot. I was drawing every day for around three months for this book, which led to huge improvements in my ability.”

DIY fiesta

When it comes to hosting your own Mexican feast, sombreros and multi-coloured piñatas are optional. “It’s more about sharing lots of small meals and trying everything,” Daniella says. In My Abuela’s Table, she writes, “The food in this book should be eaten the Mexican way – with lots of tortillas, beans, chillies and sauces; as well as lots of good company and laughs.”

Not surprisingly, Daniella cooks an impressive Mexican feast herself. Served on a colourful table setting with traditional music playing, her ultimate menu starts with guacamole and corn chips. “Next, it’s meatballs, empanadas, tamales and individual serves of fish pie. Of course, there are also side dishes, like rice, beans and salsa, so my friends can spice up their meals to the level they like.” A word to the wise, courtesy of Daniella: “Approach poblano chillies with caution – sometimes they can have significant heat.”

And for postres? “I would have to serve my favourite – flan de yemas (caramel flan). Although, I may have to roll my guests out the door as it’s very rich. My mouth is watering again… ”

My Abuela's Table (Hardie Grant Publishing), $35, is out now.

Recipes

• Meatballs in chipotle sauce (albondigas)

• Pork Puebla-style (tinga poblana)

• Tomato rice (arroz rojo)