Pati Jinich Foods of La Frontera: Recipes and New Taste Frontiers from Both Sides of the Border – 125 Recipes from the Vibrant US-Mexico Borderlands by Pati Jinich

Harvest, 2026. Hardcover. New. 

To Pati Jinich, the word “border” sounds forbidding. She much prefers the Spanish name, “La Frontera,” or “frontier,” suggesting not just one place, but the beginning of another, a place of origins, opportunity, and invention. Throughout her zigzag travels in the U.S. and Mexico, Pati shows that where our two nations meet, exciting things happen, and nowhere is that more true than in food. After all, several of the world’s favorites were born in La Frontera: nachos, burritos, Caesar Salad, and margaritas.

As Pati reveals, the food of the Borderlands is richer and more varied than in any single Mexican state. Though it’s often equated with Tex-Mex food, it’s much more than that, encompassing styles from all over Mexico. And when it is Tex-Mex, it comes in a surprising range of forms and flavors—from the outstanding barbecue with pickled jalapeño slaw and grilled corn in Marfa, West Texas, to the silkiest queso with roasted poblanos in the Rio Grande Valley.

In Pati Jinich La Frontera, Pati Jinich casts the border in a new, delicious light, sharing essential recipes from the borderlands, even for desserts, including:

• Tamales de Frijol con Chile Verde y Queso (Mashed Bean, Green Chile, and Cheese Tamales)
• Nachos con Carne Asada (Skirt Steak Nachos)—that Pati makes for Super Bowl parties
• Tacos Dorados de Camarón (Crispy Shrimp Taquitos)
• Pollo Loco (Crazy Chicken)
• Guacamole con Jalapeño y Chile de Árbol
• Enchiladas Navideñas de Pollo (Christmas Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas)
• Pastel de Tres Leches Chocolate (Chocolate Tres Leches Cake)