Extra: What Makes the ‘Ultimo Taco’

Brownsville, Texas, is known for being one of the best taco destinations on the entire US/Mexico border. Pati stops at Ultimo Tacos to learn why Brownsville became so known for tacos and how being at the border influences their recipes and flavors.

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Extra: Visit the Sabal Palm Sanctuary

Pati visits the Sabal Palm Sanctuary just outside of Brownsville, Texas. This protected land is the last place to see how the dense sabal palm forests looked centuries ago before this border region was developed. It is also unique in that it is in US territory but located on the south side of the border wall, so Pati has to cross the border wall to visit this US sanctuary.

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Extra: Learn About Raspas

Pati travels to the Rio Grande Valley, just outside of McAllen, Texas, to taste and learn about raspas, a flavored ice treat unique to the region that comes overloaded with an assortment of candy and fruit toppings. She visits the Margo Raspa stand to talk about the origin of raspas, the endless variety of options, and why people in the Rio Grande Valley are so passionate about them.

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Episode 1001: Welcome to Guadalajara

Pati explores the culinary highlights of Jalisco’s capital city, Guadalajara. She starts at a legendary street cart for a taste of the city’s most iconic sandwich, tortas ahogadas. Then, she meets up with one of the city’s best chefs, Fabian Delgado, to see how he’s setting new expectations for the market food experience. In her kitchen, Pati makes bolillos and a torta (called lonche in Jalisco) filled with a local staple, tatemado de puerco.

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Episode 1002: Food Meets Art

Guadalajara is the cultural epicenter of Jalisco, drawing some of the most creative artists, musicians and chefs from all over Mexico. In this episode, Pati explores some unique spots where food and art truly connect. At Ceramica Suro, she gets a tour of the ceramics factory that supplies dishware and textiles to some of the finest restaurants in Mexico and the US. Then she visits two chefs, Poncho Cadena and Fernanda Covarrubias, who both create artistic, colorful dishes that are almost too beautiful to eat. In her kitchen, Pati makes an almond tres leches cake and another dish inspired by her experiences.

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Episode 1003: Jalisco Classics

Pati stops at a couple of Guadalajara’s most beloved restaurants for two of the region’s classic recipes. At Super Menuderia Cano, Pati learns the secrets to their menudo recipe that’s so good people line up down the block waiting to get in. Then, she visits Birriera Chololo, where locals say the birria is second to none.  Back in her kitchen, Pati keeps the classics theme going by perfecting her own recipes for a few Jalisco favorites: menudo, tepache and jericalla.

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Episode 1004: Los Mariachis

Some say that Jalisco is the birthplace of Mariachi. In this episode, Pati learns about the history, the instruments and the meaning behind that beloved music that pulls at the heart strings of so many Mexicans. In Guadalajara, she sits down for lunch with the leader of one of Mexico’s most accomplished bands, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán. Then, she visits a guitar shop owned by true craftsmen, with an interesting new take on the mariachi guitar. In her kitchen, Pati makes carne en su jugo and Masa Shortcake.

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Episode 1005: Escaramuza

Jalisco is famous for its charros. But, in this episode, Pati experiences a unique and storied part of this part of the culture: the Escaramuza. An all-female horse riding and skills competition honoring the woman charros who fought for Mexico’s independence.  Pati meets with one of the best competitors in Jalisco to learn about the history, rules and meaning behind the competition and watches as she coaches the next generation of young female riders during one of their biggest competitions of the year.  In the kitchen, Pati makes Jalisco-style birria and her friend, pastry chef and cookbook author Fany Gerson, joins her to make Mexican jello for dessert.

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Episode 1006: Tradition and Innovation

Pati meets chef and historian Maru Toledo who is working to preserve and pass on some of Jalisco’s most important regional recipes. She then goes to Hacienda Romo for a first hand look at the influence of hacienda culture and meets a family that built their legacy on tequila and agave, but are now using an entirely new crop, blueberries, to create more jobs and opportunities for workers, specifically women, in Jalisco. Back home in her kitchen, Pati makes Jalisco-style chicken tamales and chile relleno rice dressed with salsa roja.

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Episode 1007: Getting to the Roots

Pati meets the young chefs and owners of one of Guadalajara’s most exciting new restaurants, Xokol, where they are reconnecting with their roots and using heritage corn to create a menu full of delicious dishes. In Tequila, she visits Chef Marin from Solar de Las Animas, who creates a drink and dessert inspired by his grandmother. Back home, Pati invites her friend Francisco Migoya over to make one of his acclaimed desserts to go with a meal she loves, pellizcada and chicharrón in salsa verde.

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Episode 1008: The heart of Tequila

Pati visits one of Jalisco’s most popular tourist destinations and the birthplace of Mexico’s most famous spirit, Tequila. She explores the town, learns about the history of tequila making, and gets an up-close look at the whole process from the agave fields to the tasting table. At home, Pati makes a big brunch of corn tortilla egg nests with salsa verde con chile de árbol and a traditional arroz rojo.

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Episode 1009: Double Vallarta

Pati is in one of Mexico’s most popular beach destinations, the beautiful, charming town of Puerto Vallarta. She gets an insider’s tour of the best street food from one of Puerto Vallarta’s most acclaimed chefs, Thierry Boulet, and visits one of the city’s best new restaurants, La Docena, which is helping to revitalize El Malecón. Then, she gets a behind the scenes tour of one of Nuevo Vallarta’s biggest resort destinations to learn the ins and outs of what it takes to serve thousands of vacationers every single day. As the sun sets, she hits the beach for a demonstration of one of the region’s specialties, pescado zarandeado.

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Episode 1010: Tacos and a Tostada

In this episode, Pati celebrates everyone’s favorite Mexican creation, the taco. She tries two of Jalisco’s best tacos — marlin tacos in Puerto Vallarta and barbacoa tacos in Guadalajara. In her kitchen, Pati creates a pair of Jalisco-inspired tacos and a Ceviche tostada that are sure to satisfy any true taco-lover.

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Episode 901: Tucson: Gateway to Sonora

In Tucson, Pati learns the basics of artisan bread-making from one of America’s best bakers, Don Guerra of Barrio Bakery. This experience sets her on a mission to cross into Sonora, Mexico, to see where the Sonoran wheat Don uses for his breads originates. Pati takes what she learned back to her kitchen to create a menu of tasty recipes using wheat flour.

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Episode 902: Hermosillo Food Crawl

Pati spends a day in Sonora’s capital, Hermosillo, visiting some of the city’s best culinary destinations. From gigantic burritos at Doña Guille, to a meat lover’s feast with the owner of the popular restaurant Mochomos, mingling with the young crowd at La Ruina brew park, and a treat no trip would be complete without, Sonoran hot dogs.

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Episode 903: The Blessing and The Benefit

Pati experiences two important Sonoran culinary traditions. First, on the coast in Bahía Kino, local fishermen receive “the blessing” from a woman from the Seri tribe before heading out on the water to catch giant sea scallops. Then, in the mountain town of Matape, Nere, one of Sonora’s few female butchers, shares with Pati a tradition called “the benefit.”

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Episode 904: Carne Asada with La Familia

Pati learns that carne asada goes way beyond grilled meat in Sonora. It’s an important weekly ritual that brings the whole family together. Back home, Pati throws a carne asada in her backyard for her husband and boys. First, she teaches them the basics of a true Sonoran carne asada. Then, for dessert, a whipped peanut buttercream and grape galette.

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Episode 905: Flour Power

Sonoran wheat has shaped the cuisine of the entire Mexican north and is a staple of Sonoran cuisine. Pati tours one of Hermosillo’s oldest flour mills and gets a lesson on making coyotas, a traditional dessert, at a local bakery. In her kitchen, Pati shares her take on a classic Sonoran recipe: a carne con chile burrito. Then, she shows us how to make coyotas at home.

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Episode 906: Sonoran Family Favorites for Sami

Pati spends a day in the kitchen with her middle son, Sami, cooking recipes inspired by her travels in Sonora that she knows he’ll love – beef and potato chimichangas, rice with lentils and caramelized onions, and an avocado and radish salad. In Sonora, Pati sees how the family bond can be the secret to delicious recipes at a famous family run street food stand, Johnny’s Tacos in Hermosillo.

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Episode 907: Legends of the Sonoran Sea

Pati travels to Sonora’s coast on the Sea of Cortez, where local legend Toño Contreras gives her a tour including shellfish on the beach, his restaurant Mariscos El Rey, and his home kitchen for some crave-worthy recipes. This inspires Pati to make a couple seafood-loaded recipes at home – double-stacked shrimp and cheese tacos and a Sonoran-style shrimp and scallop tostada.

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Episode 908: Super Sonoran

Pati makes three classic Sonoran recipes, each one a meal in itself: a fish special called pescado zarandeado, a rich stew called gallina pinta, and a tasty dirty rice with clams. In Sonora, she visits vacation destination Puerto Peñasco, where some of the town’s best chefs take her to the local market and invite her for a feast of their favorite recipes from the region.

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Episode 909: Cooking for my Crew in Sonora

As Pati travels with her TV production crew through Mexico’s vast state of Sonora, she’s inspired by the bold flavors and ingredients. They stop at a hacienda outside of Hermosillo, where Pati prepares her take on a true Sonoran feast in the rustic outdoor kitchen: Sonora cheese soup, chicken in pecan and ancho chile sauce, and asparagus with chiltepín.

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Episode 910: Sabores Norteños

Pati is inspired by Sonora’s “northern flavors” where the hot, arid desert lends itself to hearty and surprising recipes. She makes traditional tamales with corn, chiles, and cheese, and then for the main course, pork chops topped with a pickled grape salad. In Sonora, she visits a traditional hacienda, where she gets a true taste of Sonoran ranch food.

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Episode 801: A Local’s Tour of Culiacán

Pati visits Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. Founded in 1531, Culiacán is the center of trade for produce, meat, and fish. Locals pride themselves on the produce cultivated from the land and nearby sea. Celebrated chef and culinary ambassador Miguel Taniyama takes Pati to the best markets, street food stands, and restaurants. In her kitchen, Pati creates recipes inspired by the experience.

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Episode 802: Altata, Hidden Gem by the Sea of Cortez

Altata is a small coastal town with stretches of beautiful beaches. Pati meets locals and chefs as the town embarks on a journey to reinvent itself from sleepy fishing village to tourist destination. She takes a boat ride to sample fresh oysters right from the water and visits restaurants serving fresh seafood. At home, Pati prepares a seafood feast based on the bountiful waters of the Altata Bay.

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Episode 803: South by South of the Border with Vivian Howard

Pati welcomes dear friend and fellow public television chef and host Vivian Howard to her kitchen. In this south of the border meets southern food experience, Pati and Vivian will cook a couple of their classic recipes for each other, looking for connections in cultures and food.

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Episode 804: Los Mochis, Street Taco Favorites

Pati heads to Los Mochis, a coastal city in the northern region of Sinaloa that was founded by Americans in the late 1800s. After learning its unique history and getting an incredibly delicious tour of the street food, Pati returns to her kitchen to create two mouth-watering taco recipes that take her right back to those street stands in Los Mochis.

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Episode 805: A Taste of Mazatlán

Sinaloa’s premiere resort town has 13-miles of beautiful coastline and some of the best restaurants in Mexico. But Mazatlán has overcome a complicated history. Pati meets two close friends, chefs Luis Osuna and Zahie Tellez – both witnessed the evolution of Mazatlán firsthand. They each give her a personal tour of the city, and chef Luis takes Pati to his family’s restaurant, Panamá.

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Episode 806: El Fuerte, Magic Town

Pati is in El Fuerte, one of Mexico’s “Pueblos Mágicos” or magic towns. Now a quiet colonial town, El Fuerte was the most important commercial and agricultural center in northwest Mexico for over 300 years. After a walking tour and a stop at the Hotel Posada Hidalgo to try their famous cauques, a unique local shellfish, Pati creates a few lobster recipes in her kitchen.

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Episode 807: Jinetes, Adventure in the Mountains

Pati travels into the mountains of Sinaloa to the tiny village of Jinetes. The small population of barely 100 people live on whatever the land gives them. Miles and miles removed from civilization, they’ve managed to preserve their customs and recipes for generations. Pati is the first visitor to come learn from their culinary traditions and they’ve prepared a feast fit for the occasion.

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Episode 808: El Chepe, Railway to the Past

The El Chepe railway is a historic passenger train offering stunning views of the Sinaloa countryside and the Copper Canyon. Pati rides the first section of the train’s journey, from Los Mochis to El Fuerte, and tastes the gourmet offerings from the train’s restaurant, Urike. Back home, the early morning train ride inpsires Pati to make a delicious breakfast based on Sinaloan classics.

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Episode 809: Mocorito, The Land of Chilorio

Mocorito is known for one of Sinaloa’s most beloved recipes: a slow-simmered pork dish called chilorio. Pati visits Victoria Gonzalez, a cook known for having one of the best chilorio recipes. Then she goes with Victoria to see her sister, Fabiola, who specializes in another Sinaloan classic, jamoncillo: a soft candy made of sugar and milk. In her kitchen, Pati perfects her own chilorio recipe.

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Episode 810: Surfside Eats

Celestino Gasca didn’t exist until about 30 years ago and is becoming a vacation destination due to its magnificent beaches and idyllic surfing conditions. Pati meets restaurant owner Carmen and helps her cook an iconic Sinaloan dish: pescado zarandeado. Then, she travels to the nearby fishing village Las Barras to learn how to harvest percebes, a tiny crustacean considered a delicacy.

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Episode 811: A Day in Sinaloa’s Countryside

Known as “Mexico’s Breadbasket,” Sinaloa produces about 40% of the meat and produce consumed in all of Mexico. Pati travels the countryside to get an up-close look at the wealth of resources Sinaloa has to offer. She visits a dairy farm known for its fresh cheese, tours a high-tech produce farm, and gets a fresh-water fishing lesson from a master fisherman.

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Episode 812: Home Cooking Sinaloa Style

Pati visits home cooks and an iconic restaurant to sample some of Sinaloa’s most beloved dishes. She meets a family of bread bakers in Altata to try their rustic pan de mujer. And she goes to one of the most famous restaurants in Mazatlán, Cuchupetas, which is beloved by celebrities, politicians, and locals for delicious seafood and a one of a kind experience.

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Episode 813: How Do You Say Tucson?

Pati travels to Tucson, Arizona, which claims to have the best 23 miles of Mexican food anywhere in the world. She visits restaurants and meets local chefs to get a deeper understanding of what Mexican food in America truly is. What happens to recipes when they cross the border? How do different cultures connect and shape the food we eat? And what is this Sonoran hot dog everyone is raving about?

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