The ninth season of chef Rick Bayless' cooking and travel series explores the cuisine and culture of Oaxaca — Mexico's fifth-largest state — from its capital, Oaxaca City, to the small coastal town of Puerto Angel. Rick explores regal ruined cities, craft villages, colorful markets, and beloved old churches and town plazas; paddles through wildlife-rich coastal mangrove lagoons and hikes tropical rainforest trails; visits off-the-beaten-path restaurants and food stalls, and takes in the stunning Day of the Dead festivities.
Recipes
Get all of Rick's recipes from season nine of MEXICO - ONE PLATE AT A TIME.
Behind-The-Scenes Oaxaca
Our crafty producers are following the ONE PLATE film crew to Mexico and back, creating a fun and informative series of behind-the-scenes video blogs showcasing the foods, the flavors, the stories and the fun of Mexico’s Oaxaca.
In every episode, Rick meets Oaxaca's artisans, including weavers, potters, small-batch mescal producers and boutique cheese-makers. He also cooks — and occasionally fishes and hunts for wild game — alongside Oaxaca’s finest chefs, home cooks and market vendors. At his home kitchen, Rick then translates the intricate cooking of Oaxaca into everyday dishes for American kitchens.
"Oaxaca’s Most Magical Holiday" - In this episode, Rick takes us on a remarkable journey through Oaxaca City during the revered Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday. We discover that in Mexico, death is embraced as part of the circle of life.
During the holiday, people welcome home the spirits of their ancestors who come to commune with their families and friends. Like all visitors, the ancestors are welcomed with food, drink, music and memories. The spirit’s presence is a blessing and brings joy to loved ones.
In preparation for the celebration, the last days of October are spent preparing aromatic loaves of pan de muerto (sweet bread), making mole, harvesting special flowers, including marigolds (cempasúchil) and creating commemorative altars in homes. Grave sites are decorated with elaborate sand paintings. The bustling Central de Abastos market in Oaxaca is overflowing with flowers and bread.
At the home of Rick’s friends, we learn to make Andres’ family’s black mole, tostadas topped with avocado leaf-infused black beans, a classic, smoky Oaxacan salsa and a simple guacamole. From the Panteon General to Xoxocotlan’s Municipal Cemetery, Rick gives us an insider’s look at the annual fiesta that richly blends Catholic and indigenous traditions with celebratory food.
Chef Bayless is on Facebook, and you can follow @Rick_Bayless on Twitter.
