Q&A with Cookbook Author Pati Jinich

Pati Jinich is host of the public television series “Pati’s Mexican Table,” and recently published her first cookbook with the same name. She also writes a blog about food and her work and is a cooking teacher, food writer and official chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. Pati was born and raised in Mexico City and comes from a family of accomplished cooks.  She launched “Mexican Table” in 2007 as an ongoing series of culinary programs comprised of informative talks, cooking demonstrations and tasting dinners at the Mexican Cultural Institute.

Pati has appeared as a guest on The Food Network, NBC’s “Today Show,” CBS, CNN en Español, ABC’s “The Chew,” FOX News and public radio’s “The Splendid Table.”  She has also been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Examiner. Patti lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for with her husband and their three young boys.

What are the best books you’ve read recently?
“The Museum of Innocence” by Orhan Pamuk. It had me clinging to each passing page and in a daze for weeks after reading the ending.

What was your favorite book as a child?
One of my favorite ones was “Momo” by Michael Ende. In my young and wild imagination, I identified with the girl in the story, as I used to be an idealist and a loner too. A deceiving loner of sorts, as I am to this day, as I loved engaging in random conversations with any stranger I encountered that seemed interesting (and everyone seemed to fit the bill…) at the gas station, the stores, the market, the street. I’d ask about their lives, their trade, their interests, but it was mostly grown ups, like Momo did in the book.

I wasn’t that social with my own age cohort. Friendly for sure, but kept more to myself and didn’t join many groups or parties. So in elementary school, I’d spend recess talking with the school gardener who had fascinating stories from the faraway lands from deep in the country where he came from, where his family had pecan trees; or with the main cafeteria cook who had so many tales to share about the things she made, aside from giving me extra cheese on my sopes.

Why do you enjoy attending book festivals, either as a presenter or audience member?
I am fascinated, obsessed, with words. To be in a place where there are so many people that work within the realm of words is enthralling to me.

As a presenter it is an exciting challenge to present so many things I’d like to share in a clear and concise way. As an audience member, to have the opportunity to listen to such varied and fabulous authors, one after another in a concentrated time and space gives me the thrills!

Have you been to the D.C. area before? If so, what is your favorite thing about it?
I live in the area! One of my favorite things is that I am not the only one with an accent (!) and there are so many different accents you hear everywhere you go… It is so diverse and multicultural, thus more welcoming for people that come from all places including different parts of the US.

What is the most difficult, or challenging, aspect of being a writer?
Editing myself. As you can see, I like to express myself and chat, chat, chat. I can say the same thing one way and then try to explain it in three different ways, one after the other, which can be a bit counterproductive when writing.