PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE won a 2016 Imagen Award for Best National Informational Program!
In Season 5 of PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE, chef and cookbook author Pati Jinich explores the Mayan world in the Yucatán Peninsula. Embarking on a road trip that crosses three states – Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo – she meets with local producers, growers and chefs, both in restaurants and in their homes, to learn about the unique cuisine of the region.
Along the way, Pati visits remote fishermen's villages, historic haciendas, bustling markets, the Mayan ruins and more, diving deep into the region’s cuisine and culture. As is customary, Pati then brings her experiences back to her kitchen, where she teaches viewers how to make these dishes on their own.
Visit Pati online to read her blog, read about her cookbook, and to get recipes from the series. Pati Jinich is on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and you can follow @PatiJinich on Twitter.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1: “Chachi's Champotón Kitchen” airs Saturday, Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. - Pati heads to the coastal city of Champotón, located an hour south of Campeche. She meets her friend Chachi at the local market to gather groceries for a family dinner at Hacienda Niop. After tasting their way through the market, they head to the hacienda to prepare the area’s prized dishes pollo pibil, a gigantic tamale cooked underground and pan de cazón, a local version of lasagna made with shark, beans, and spicy tomato sauce. Recipes: crema de coco and Pati’s bitter orange juice substitute
Episode 2: “Mérida - Exploring with the Locals” airs Saturday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. - The Yucatán Peninsula is known for its vast jungles, underground cenotes, pristine beaches, ancient architecture and sensational food. With the help of local friends and chefs, Pedro Evia and David Cetina, Pati gets an inside look at Mérida, the capital of Yucatán. Pati explores the forefronts of molecular gastronomy, botanas “bar snacks” like chaya empanadas filled with gooey Edam cheese at a cantina, family classics like mondongo stew at the market, and even foreign influences like Kibi. One thing is for sure, Mérida is a food-lovers city. Recipes: pork and beans, basic Yucatán tomato sauce and mango pound cake
Episode 3: “Celestun – Coastal Cooking” airs Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. - Pati’s favorite way to experience a new place is on the arm of a local. Her good friend Pedro Evia, chef behind K’u’uk restaurant in Mérida, accompanies Pati on one of his favorite day trips—to the coastal town of Celestun. Their adventure begins with a delicious breakfast complete with the freshest seafood caught that morning. Then they take a boat ride to see the main attraction, the flamingos, hundreds of them. After that, it’s time to get to work, Pati and Pedro have a cookout right on the beach making a fresh ceviche and grilled fish with ingredients from the local market. Recipes: chayote, apple and jícama salad, everything but the kitchen sink rice and seafood broth
Episode 4: “Sunday Family Food” airs Saturday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. - Sunday in Mérida is a day not to miss. It is a joyous weekly celebration of food, dancing, and culture. Pati starts her day like most Meridians, at the market. After touring around and tasting the best lechon torta (slow cooked pork sandwich) in town, she takes in the sights of the Vaquería dance in the main square. Mérida en Domingo is incomplete without a family meal. Luckily, friend and Chef Robert Solis of Nectar restaurant in Mérida, invites Pati into his home for a traditional Sunday meal with the whole family. Recipes: pork tenderloin enchiladas, radish pico and white beans with roasted cherry tomatoes
Episode 5: “Campeche – Tale of a Pirate City” airs Saturday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. - Join Pati as she explores Campeche, a bright beautiful colonial city defined by its history of piracy. The best place to gain an understanding of this vivacious fortified city is the market. Local gastronomic historian, Lolina Echeverria, unearths what makes Campeche so special, including tasting the best turkey panuchos in the Yucatán Peninsula. Pati also makes her way to the best restaurant in town, La Pigua to sample some of the regions treasures like pescado verde and grilled octopus. Recipes: mango habanero hot sauce, coconut shrimp, to die for ceviche and pescado en salsa verde.
Episode 6: “Ancient Yucatán with My Boys” airs Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. - Pati’s three sons are in Mexico and Pati wants them to experience the essence of the Yucatán . First stop they climb the ancient ruins of Uxmal and discover how advanced the ancient Maya civilizations were. After an exhaustive exploration, the boys cool off in one of the thousands of hidden cenotes (swimming holes). To fill their bellies, the boys eat the best tamales they have ever tasted and the regions signature dish, cochinita pibil, which uses the ancient technique of cooking the meat with heated rocks buried underground. Recipes: avocado crema, pickled red onions a la yucateca, fast track chicken pibil sandwich and carrot and sweet potato oven fries.
Episode 7: “Izamal - Gold & God” airs Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. - Izamal is a stunning city whose buildings are all painted the same golden hue. At its center is an enormous and impressive Franciscan monastery built right on top ancient ruins of a Maya temple. Pati explores this beautiful city, tasting the local flavors like venison tacos and poc chuk. The city is also filled with artisans creating hammocks, woven sisal baskets, and papier mâché decorations. Pati meets Esteban, a jeweler, who shows her how he makes the most elegant jewelry from plants growing right in his backyard, a perfect souvenir to bring home. Recipes: charred red onion salsa, pok chuc, Yucatecan style lasagna and pepita brittle.
Episode 8: “Valladolid - A Day to Explore” airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. - Pati shows us her favorite way to explore a city…without a plan, just following her nose. Today, she is in Valladolid, a city known to most as a stopover between Cancun and Mérida, but this city has so much to explore, you will need a few days. Known for their smoked meats, try the local specialties, lomitos de Valladolid and longaniza de Valladolid, explore the stunning churches, beautiful underground cenotes, and wander in and out of the local artisan’s shops. Recipes: lima soup, lomitos de Valladolid and tropical mint pineapple lime smoothie.
Episode 9: “Isla Mujeres Inspired” airs Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. - Isla Mujeres is a beautiful, peaceful paradise just across the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women) from Cancun Mexico. Known for beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters and the friendliest locals in the Mexican Caribbean, Isla Mujeres has become a haven for people from all over the world. Pati takes a day to explore this gorgeous island and try the local delicacy, tikin xic, fish marinated in a thick red sauce diluted with the juice of sour oranges and spices and wrapped in banana leaves for cooking. Recipes: tikin xic, roasted broccoli and cauliflower with queso cotija dressing and marquesitas.
Episode 10: “Cancun: We Meet Again” airs Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. - When most people think of the Yucatán Peninsula, they think of Cancun. A vacationer’s paradise, with the most beautiful turquoise waters and white sand beaches, hotels with every amenity possible and food from around the world. Pati explores this young city of only 30 years, tasting some of the most inventive dishes at Crab House, like their Alaskan wontons. She also experiences the fusion of traditional Mexican cuisine with an international twist, like tuna tartar Kibi and cold pork belly salad at Casa de Cristian Morales. Recipes: pepita and cilantro pesto; serrano chile in lemon and oil; shrimp rolls with pepita and cilantro pesto; grilled potato and radicchio salad.
Episode 11: “Turkey Day” airs Saturday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. - Pati and her family celebrate Thanksgiving in the Jinich house. Pati cooks for and hosts the Jinich family traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all of the essentials – turkey, stuffing, veggies, the works – all with a Mexican twist, of course. Recipes: Thanksgiving turkey; chorizo, apple and corn bread stuffing; sweet potato and pecan puree; spicy brussel sprouts with pork belly and habanero.
Episode 12: “Alan Goes To College” airs Saturday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m. - Pati’s oldest son, Alan is graduating from high school soon and heading off to college. Pati wants to make sure he goes to school with some basic cooking techniques and knowledge since he will not be able to rely on mom’s cooking anymore. In this episode, she makes a few simple, inexpensive recipes that any college kid can do and she gives a series of simple cooking tips. Recipes: dry rub skirt steak; overloaded double baked Mexican potatoes; quick charred green beans; no bake chocolate pie.
Episode 13: “Jose Andres Takes Over” airs Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. - Pati invites her good friend and celebrity chef, José Andrés over to cook with her in her kitchen. They join forces in her kitchen to cook a series of Spanish-influenced recipes that would be a hit on any family dinner table. Recipes: coco fish; bacalao navideño; snapper ceviche “Veracruz”; fried egg taco with pine nut pipián.
CREDITS:
Produced by Follow Productions. Distributed by American Public Television
