Treasures of the Mexican Table: Classic Recipes, Local Stories - A Virtual Visit with Pati Jinich

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Adult Library Programs, Author, Intergenerational Library Programs, Senior Library Programs, Virtual Program

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Adults, Seniors, Family
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Join Pikes Peak Library District as we welcome James Beard Award-winning and Emmy nominated chef and television host Pati Jinich to discuss her new cookbook, Treasures of the Mexican Table: Classic Recipes, Local Stories. 

Please click here to view the recording of the program 

The years-in-the-making book aims to shed light on some of Mexico's lesser known regional dishes and is the culmination of Pati’s decade-long quest to share the best of her home country’s culinary treasures, as well as the people and stories behind them. With its wide range of recipes, historical context, and how-to cooking guides, Treasures of the Mexican Table is a versatile cookbook made for home cooks of all skill levels and culinary ambition. 

While most are familiar with Mexico’s most celebrated classics like carne asada, mole poblano and tres leches cake, Treasures of the Mexican Table shows that those beloved dishes only scratch the surface of the country’s cuisine, which is as complex and varied as its terrain. Having spent years traveling across her birth country (from a small Mayan hut in the Yucatán jungle to the bustling, labyrinthine Centro de Abastos market in the city of Oaxaca, to the food stands of Nogales) Pati shows how Mexico’s foodscape is influenced not just by its specific regions and sub-regions, but also by its history and people. The recipes in Treasures of the Mexican Table show how native ingredients like chiles, beans, squash and tomatoes, combine with new staples brought by the Spanish in the 16th century, such as pork, cattle, rice and olive oil, in addition to how cultural influences from various immigrant groups impact the cuisine. Together, these recipes help paint a vivid picture of the richness of Mexico. 

Recipe examples from the book include: 

  • Tinga de Pollo Con Chorizo y Papa / Chorizo Chicken Tinga —  While chicken tinga is popular across central Mexico, this version of the dish, which combines sweet tomatoes with tart tomatillos, chorizo and diced potatoes, is very local to the state of Puebla and not well-known beyond its borders. 

  • Queso Fundido con Hongos al Ajillo con Guajillo / Melted Cheese with Guajillo and Garlic Mushrooms — In a chapter of the book focused on dishes based on “masa” (corn dough), Pati shares a cheesy, vegetarian-friendly take on queso fundido. 

  • Salsa Macha Con Muchas Nueces / Mixed Nut Salsa Macha — Defying any preconceptions of what salsa is, salsa macha is a combination of nuts, seeds and dried chiles, cooked in oil and with a splash of something sweet and something tangy. It can be used as a topping for everything from guacamole to scrambled eggs to baked potatoes. 

  • Caramel-Filled Pastries / Coyotas — With their light, crispy crust and sweet brown sugar filling, these round pastries are one of the most loved desserts in the state of Sonora, and everyone in the area knows to go to Doña Coyo for the best version. Her recipe inspires the version in the cookbook. 

  • Flan Napolitano de Queso / Classic Creamy Fan — a traditional Mexican version of flan that Pati says “your aunt brings to potluck,” this recipe is called “Napolitano” because it includes cream cheese and uses sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk instead of whole milk. 

ABOUT PATI JINICH

Pati Jinich is a James Beard Award-winning Mexican chef who has dedicated her career to building a shared understanding between her two home countries: Mexico, where she was born, and the United States, where she currently lives and is raising her family. Her long-running PBS series Pati’s Mexican Table has brought Mexican flavors, colors and textures into American homes and kitchens, as viewers have watched Pati thoughtfully and enthusiastically guide them through the various geographic regions of the country. Named one of the “100 Greatest Cooks of All-Time,” Pati has won a Gracie Award for her television work, is the resident chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute, has been named one of the “Top 5 Border Ambassadors” by The Council of Americas, and has authored two cookbooks highlighting Mexican cuisine. This October, Pati is releasing her first ever PBS Primetime special, La Frontera, which highlights the unique foods and culture along the Texas-Mexico border. 


Treasures of the Mexican Table releases on November 23, 2021. For additional information, visit PatiJinich.com. Follow Pati on Instagram @PatiJinich.