Description*
The “buoyant and brainy Mexican cooking authority” (New York Times) and star of the three-time James Beard Award-winning PBS series Pati’s Mexican Table brings together more than 150 iconic dishes that define the country’s cuisine.
Although many of us can rattle off our favorite authentic Mexican dishes, we might be hard pressed to name more than ten. Which is preposterous, given that Mexico has a rich culinary history stretching back thousands of years. For the last decade, Pati Jinich has sought out the culinary treasures of her home country, from birria, to salsa macha, to coyotas, to carne asada.
Many of these dishes are local specialties, heirlooms passed down through generations, unknown outside of their original regions. Others have become national sensations. Each recipe is a classic. Each one comes with a story told in Pati’s warm, relatable style. And each has been tested in Pati’s American kitchen to ensure it is the best of its kind. Together, these essential recipes paint a vivid picture of the richness of Mexico.
Review
It’s a rare cookbook that I recommend for LibraryReads, but Treasures of the Mexican Table is so charming, chatty, and informative that I had to do so.
Pati Jinich writes to you as though you are her best friend and she’s teaching you how to make Mole or Carne Asada or any one of the delicioso recipes in this comprehensive book. For the first time ever, I feel like I am beginning to understand the subtle but powerful differences among chiles. Jinich also clearly demonstrates and communicates the depths and differences in cooking throughout the Mexican states. Her stories, included with every recipe, add a delightful charm to this book, making it very readable as well as utilitarian.
Some of the recipes use ingredients that are not readily available in my little corner of the world, so some cooks may be disappointed, but Jinich often offers alternatives that will give a similar flavor. Many recipes are also somewhat complicated, making this a book for the experienced cook. The variety of recipes is outstanding, with some of the most intriguing being Grilled Oaxacan Air-Dried Beef, Carne Con Chile, Wedding Stew (Asado De Boda), and Mole Poblano with Chicken (which has a whopping 26 ingredients just for the Mole sauce) which looks and sounds amazing.
If you watch Jinich on PBS, you will hear her voice in your head as you read. She wraps you in her enthusiasm and joy in her cooking and sharing her Mexican heritage with the world.
Highly recommended.
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Published By: Mariner Books
Thanks to *Netgalley for the review copy
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