Photo by Michael Ventura
Then, about eight years ago, while working for a Washington D.C. think tank and researching a paper on Peru’s Sendero Luminoso, she found her mind wandering to ceviches. She told herself: “This is nuts.”
She quit her job and entered L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where she earned a degree in Intensive Culinary Skills. In March, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published her first cookbook, Pati’s Mexican Table, which carries the same name as her television show.
The book combines personal stories from Jinich’s life — growing up in Mexico City, living as a newlywed in Dallas, and later, putting food on the table for her husband and three boys in Washington D.C. — with the nuts-and-bolts of Mexican cuisine.
She describes the flavors of common dried and fresh chiles, and emphasizes that not all Mexican food is spicy. The cookbook also includes lesser-known recipes from classic Mexico City restaurants, such as Bellinghausen and El Bajio.
Pati and I have followed each other on Twitter for years, and we recently got a chance to meet in person. Over coffee in Chelsea, she told me why she wanted to do a cookbook, what jumpstarted her love for Mexican cuisine, and where she likes to eat when she’s home.
Here’s an excerpt from our conversation, which I’ve edited for length and clarity.
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