This episode brings together physical chemistry, history, and food studies in search of the origins of a colonial Mexican fudge. In conversation with Gastronomica’s Jaclyn Rohel, Patrick Charbonneau, Jeffrey Pilcher, and Kelsey Kilgore discuss their unique collaboration and share the story of how they re-created the dish in the teaching kitchen of the University of Toronto’s Culinaria Research Centre.
As Pati Jinich quickly yet gingerly spreads whipped masa into corn husks, it becomes apparent: The cookbook author and TV host has been doing this for years. She gracefully folds the stuffed wrappings, tying some with little corn-husk bows to denote a mushroom filling.
As Pati Jinich quickly yet gingerly spreads whipped masa into corn husks, it becomes apparent: The cookbook author and TV host has been doing this for years. She gracefully folds the stuffed wrappings, tying some with little corn-husk bows to denote a mushroom filling. Onlookers at a photo shoot where she demonstrates her method pepper her with questions: how much masa to use, how soft the corn husks should feel, what to do with leftover filling. Answering as she works, she never falters with a response or a tamal. Eventually, she offers a bit of reassurance: "You know, making tamales is like making rice for the first time or making crepes for the first time. You re never going to get it right on the first try. You can t be hard on yourself."