Pyet DeSpain, "Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking" (HarperOne, 2025)

Pyet DeSpain, "Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking" (HarperOne, 2025)

Author: New Books Network November 20, 2025 Duration: 50:45
Chef Pyet DeSpain joins the New Books Network to discuss her new cookbook, Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking (HarperOne, 2025). Drawing from her Potawatomi and Mexican heritage, DeSpain shares recipes that connect past and present, including bison meatballs with Wojape BBQ sauce, raspberry mezcal quail, and poblano-corn tamales. Each dish reflects her effort to preserve tradition while creating something new. In this conversation, Pyet talks about growing up between two cultures and how understanding their shared roots changed her approach to food and identity. She reflects on rediscovering ancestral ingredients, the meaning of her tribe’s “keeper of the fire” role, and the importance of gratitude and ceremony in her cooking. She also speaks about the family members, chefs, friends and home cooks who inspire her to keep Native American and Mexican foodways alive, ensuring that these traditions continue to be seen, shared, and celebrated. Interview by Laura Goldberg, longtime food blogger at here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the vibrant and complex world of Mexico through its latest scholarship. New Books in Mexican Studies, part of the New Books Network, moves beyond textbook summaries to bring you the authors themselves. Each conversation is a direct line to the research shaping our understanding of Mexico's past and present, covering everything from ancient history and revolutionary politics to contemporary art, social movements, and scientific inquiry. You'll hear two experts engage in a detailed, thoughtful discussion about a recently published book, unpacking its arguments, sources, and contributions to the field. This podcast serves as an academic audio library, making cutting-edge scholarship accessible to anyone curious about the depth and diversity of Mexican life and culture. The discussions are substantive yet approachable, offering listeners the chance to eavesdrop on the kind of dialogue that usually happens in university corridors or at academic conferences. Whether you're a seasoned scholar, a student, or simply an intellectually curious listener, these episodes provide a rich, nuanced perspective that challenges simplistic narratives. It’s about hearing the stories behind the studies and understanding why this work matters now. Tune in to discover the people and ideas currently defining Mexican studies, one new book at a time.
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