About the cookbook

The host of a highly popular PBS series, Pati’s Mexican Table, and a self-described “overloaded soccer mom with three kids and a powerful blender,” Pati Jinich has a mission. She’s out to prove that Mexican home cooking is quicker and far easier than most Americans think.

Her dishes are not blanketed with cheese, or heavy and fried, or based on complex sauces. Nor are they necessarily highly spicy. Surprising in their simplicity and freshness, they incorporate produce and grains. Most important, they fit perfectly into an everyday family cooking schedule and use just a handful of ingredients, most of which are already in your pantry. Many are homey specialties that Pati learned from her mother and grandmother, some are creative spins on classics, while others are not well known outside of Mexico.

Dishes like Chicken à la Trash (it’s delicious!), a one-pot meal that Pati gleaned from a Mexican restaurant cook; Mexican Meatballs with Mint and Chipotle; Sweet and Salty Salmon; and Mexican-Style Pasta can revitalize your daily repertoire. You’ll find plenty of vegetarian fare, from Classic Avocado Soup, to Divorced Eggs (with red and green salsa), to Oaxaca-Style Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas.

Praise

Here is what the culinary world is saying about “Pati’s Mexican Table.”

Pati Jinich is one of the best Mexican chefs we have here in the United States. Mexico’s vibrant culture and its many influences shine in the recipes from this new collection. Each dish contains a story, and Pati brings the food of Mexico – and her kitchen – into our homes.

José Andrés
chef/owner, Minibar by José Andrés & ThinkFoodGroup

Pati is a breath of fresh air in the food world. She’s warm, beyond smart, she’s funny and a generous and gifted cook. She knows Mexican food as her heritage and as a scholar, but knows, too the realities of being a working mother. She never gave up on the tastes she grew up with, but, she’s got an uncanny way of streamlining how she recreates them. This is one of those books you’ll be cooking and learning from a long time.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper
host, The Splendid Table from American Public Media

Pati’s energy and spirit shine through in this beautiful book. The delicious, accessible recipes represent an exciting and fresh side of Mexican cooking — perfect for sharing with family and friends! The stunning photos, helpful cooking tips, and concise ingredient explanations make this a favorite that you will turn to again and again

Hugh Acheson
author, A New Turn in the South