Language: English
Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10pm/et
Saturdays at 1pm/et & 3pm/et
Sundays at 10am/et
Repeatedly honored over 2 decades with the most distinguished culinary and cultural awards, chef-restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality Rick Bayless has done more than any other culinary star to introduce Americans to authentic Mexican cuisine and to change the image of Mexican food in America. Travel with Rick and discover the real and varied flavors of Mexico. Taste the distinct flavors that animate and define Mexican culture, from the street food of Mexico City to the glorious eateries of Guadalajara.
Tue. Feb. 21 & Sat. Feb. 25 - The Whole Tamalada
Tamales are Rick’s idea of the perfect party food: little gift-wrapped packages of light fluffy masa dough with a whole fiesta’s-worth of sweet and savory flavors inside. And in Mexico, when family and friends get together for a tamalada—a tamal-making party, the cooking’s as much a part of the celebration as the eating. After a look at how tamales are hand-made in a traditional shop in Puerto Vallarta, Rick shows viewers how to pull off a tamalada for a crowd, where the guests roll up their sleeves and take part in the filling, the wrapping and best of all, the feasting. There are Fresh Sweet Corn Tamales made with sweet corn and butter, and two kinds of classic Savory Tamales filled with red chile pork and green chile chicken. As these bundles steam and fill the house with fantastic aromas, the guests enjoy Apple-Tamarind Cooler or, with the addition of some beer, a Mexican Snakebite, and Rick serves up bowlfuls of Caldo de Camaron, a spicy made-ahead shrimp soup with potatoes and dried pasilla chiles. This tamalada is as much about cooking together as it is about eating together. And that’s one great packaged deal.
Thu. Feb. 23, Sat. Feb. 25 & Sun. Feb. 26 - Summer and Smoke
It’s a hot, Midwestern summer day. The mood is slow and easy, and the garden’s in overdrive. So Rick decides to beat the heat and get out of the kitchen with a mostly made-ahead backyard cookout a la Mexicana, inspired by one of his world-favorite meat eateries: El Canelo, near Guadalajara. It’s a sprawling outdoor restaurant with dirt floors and strolling Mariachis, where slabs of succulent pork, lamb, goat and beef roast slowly on spikes in a walk-in wood-fired pit. And it’s wood, not charcoal, that gives the meat its unforgettable smoky flavor, so Rick gives us a quick lesson in setting up a home grill for wood-fired cooking. The menu is as casual as it is mouthwatering. For starters, there’s an Heirloom Tomato “Carpaccio” with tomatillo, avocado and fresh herbs—a salad made with tomatoes grown in “Earth Boxes” (part of a groundbreaking educational program that teaches sustainable practices to kids all over the world). And then, there’s the cookout: sizzling Carne Asada Brava—rib eye steak marinated with serrano chiles and lime juice, seared over wood embers, sliced and served with homemade Salsa Huevona, fresh tortillas and beans. For dessert, Rick combines two of summertime’s greatest treats—ice cream and corn—to make a Sweet Corn Ice Cream with berry salsa, inspired by some of his favorite ice cream shops in Mexico. And since this fiesta’s all about simplicity, he shows how easy it is to set the mood with music, offering a playlist of some of his favorite Latin “finds.” It’s an irresistible take on summertime entertaining: shorts and T-shirts, robust flavors, and plenty of relaxed fun—for the guests and the host.
Tue. Feb. 28 & Sat. Mar. 3 - Barbacoa Block Party
The Baylesses love to feed a crowd. And one of their favorite ways to do it is firing up the Mexican-style barbecue pit they built in their Chicago backyard, inspired in part by the 3,000 seat Arroyo restaurant in Mexico City, where the pit-cooked lamb and pork make every meal a carnivore’s carnival ride. At Arroyo, we catch a glimpse of barbacoa—lamb wrapped in maguey leaves, slowly roasted in a massive brick pit. And with that mouthwatering memory in mind, Rick and his daughter, Lanie, prepare a block party for 25, featuring Oaxacan-style Barbacoa—lamb marinated with red chiles, wrapped in avocado and banana leaves and slow-roasted in the smoldering pit. To welcome the lucky friends and neighbors, there are refreshingly simple Watermelon Coolers and freshly made Tlayudas Oaxaqueñas, Oaxacan-style grilled tostadas, topped with chorizo, guacamole and fresh cheese. Then there’s the moment of truth, as the pit is opened, the leaves are peeled back, and the guests applaud the unveiling of the fragrant, juicy meat. It’s served up buffet-style along with black beans, salad and warm tortillas. And for dessert, there’s Lanie’s easy Mexican Fresh Lime Ice—and a band of strolling mariachis to make the celebration even sweeter.
Thu. Mar. 1, Sat. Mar. 3 & Sun. Mar. 4 - Fiesta in the Fast Lane
Rick’s having people over for a relaxed evening of parlor games. He doesn’t want to spend all day cooking. But still, he wants it to be special. So he’s set himself a challenge: in one hour, with one bag of groceries, he’ll pull off a big-flavored spread of Mexican party food. The secret is starting with great prepared ingredients and combining them to make something exciting and new. That means finger-food like little Tuna in Jalapeño Escabeche filled with good-quality canned tuna, quickly warmed with vinegar, onions and pickled jalapeños. It means using canned chipotles to transform ordinary nuts into spicy-smoky Chipotle Roasted Nuts, and doctoring tortilla chips with lime juice and seasonings, and then baking them to make Garlicky Black Pepper Tortilla Chips. And it means an ultra-easy Wild Mushroom Queso Fundido, a hot cheese dip made extra-flavorful with a splash of beer. From a few avocados and a handful of grocery store ingredients, Rick whips up a sweet-spicy Mango Guacamole and a nutty Pumpkinseed Guacamole. And for drinks, he shares his restaurant’s classic recipe for Topolo Margaritas with fresh lime and blanco tequila. It’s a race to the finish—a one-bag fiesta that’s fun, flavorful and, best of all, fast.
