A Mexican Fiesta: Food and Recipes Galore

Pati Jinich brings Mexican food to new audiences in her debut cookbook

Pati Jinich, describes herself as “an overloaded soccer mom with three kids and a powerful blender.” Born and raised in Mexico City, Pati is on a mission to show all Americans that true home Mexican cooking isn’t what they’ve come to expect. Today, she is the official chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute and host of the PBS show Pati’s Mexican Table.

Pati Jinich is now the author of a forthcoming cookbook, Pati’s Mexican Table, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) which is also the title of her popular public television series. Pati’s Mexican Table will go on sale March 5, 2013. Pati’s Mexican Table introduces readers to Mexican ingredients, cooking techniques, and recipes, many of which are surprising in their simplicity and freshness.

Contrary to popular belief, Mexican food is not always spicy, covered in cheese, or for carnivores alone. Pati presents many recipes that aren’t well known outside ofMexico: from “Divorced Eggs” striped with red and green salsa, to her boys’ favorite lunch, “Grilled Cheese and Bean Heroes,” to the homey “Chicken à la Trash,” a staff meal she gleaned from a Mexican catering company. She’s also mined her native country for regional specialties, from vegetarian dishes like Oaxaca-Style Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas to Piggy Cookies, and included a few of her own Mexican-influenced creations, like Ancho-Chili Burgers with Lime Aioli. All her recipes fit neatly into a busy routine. Throughout the cookbook, Pati’s charming personality, warm voice, and joyous celebration of the Mexican family gathering—past, present, and future—are on full display.

Pati Jinich has appeared as a guest on the Food Network, NBC’s Today, CBS’s The Chew, CNN, Fox News, NPR, and The Splendid Table. She directs and teaches a culinary program through the Mexican Cultural Institute inWashington,D.C., where she lives with her husband and three boys. She also hosts live programs for the Smithsonian Associates and has cooked at Blair House, the official state guest house for the vice president.