PATI'S MEXICAN TABLE V


#501 Chachi’s Champotón Kitchen
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.

#502 Merida - Exploring with the Locals
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 Merida, 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, Merida is a food-lovers city.

#503 Celestun – Coastal Cooking
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 Merida, 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.

#504 Sunday Family Food
Sunday in Merida 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. Merida en Domingo is incomplete without a family meal. Luckily, friend and chef Robert Solis of Nectar restaurant in Merida, invites Pati into his home for a traditional Sunday meal with the whole family.

#505 Campeche – Tale of a Pirate City
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.

#506 Ancient Yucatán with My Boys
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.

#507 Izamal - Gold & God
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.

#508 Valladolid - A Day to Explore
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 Merida, 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.

#509 Isla Mujeres Inspired
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.

#510 Cancun: We Meet Again
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.

#511 Turkey Day
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.

#512 Alan Goes To College
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.

#513 Jose Andres Takes Over
Pati invites her good friend and celebrity chef, Jose Andres 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.