Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy (2019) - full transcript

[silence]

I have some lard in the pan,
ladies and gentlemen,

and I'’m putting in...

finely chopped white onion,
not too much.

Now this is
pork frijoles refritos

as I learned to do
them in the capital

many, many years ago.

Now when your onion
is transparent,

then you'’ll want to add
your beans with their broth

and mash them down.

Now this, you think,
may take a long time,



but you know we need
things that take a long time,

occasionally.

You can turn on
your cooking cassette

and amuse yourself
in the kitchen.

You can solve problems
as you mash the beans.

You know cooking
is great therapy.

[Narrator] The Art of Mexican
Cooking with Diana Kennedy

will return.

[Muted vocal sounds]

Yeah, I usually walk a bit
faster, but you'’ll have to...

[Dog barking]

Oh, shit!
This damn shoe!

I can never
remember the turns I'’ve done.

So what do I do? I have 10
leaves. I'’m gonna do 10 turns.



And here, I'’ve done one,

so one leaf goes on this side.

[Birds calling, dog barking]

[Theme music comes up]

All my life, I'’ve cooked.

We had to cook.

From around 6 or 7,

we were in the kitchen
with my mother cooking.

[Theme music continues]

[Theme music fades out]

I'’ve had a very funny life.
Let'’s face it.

Drifted from one
post to the other.

Nobody has really said,
"You do this or you do that."

Somebody will suggest
something and I'’m off.

[Car horn]

I'’m not going to be killed
or maimed by some idiot

who doesn'’t know how
to drive on a country road.

I wish my truck could recount
some of the experiences

they have been through with me.

Hailstones, floods,
landslides...

You name it, we'’ve been
through it together.

One is never satisfied.

There'’s so much more
I'’d like to do.

I'’ve traveled in my truck
all over this country

from Chihuahua into Yucatán,

many, many, many times.

As I drive,
I think about things,

and I plan what I'’m going to do,

or what I hope to find
at the next stop.

I'’ve got my rhythm traveling.
I know which way I'’m going.

I don'’t always
know where I'’m going to stop.

And I'’m basically
very selfish anyway.

I don'’t want to share
some experiences.

When there are two people,

your experience
isn'’t the same as one.

I never had a car
at the beginning.

I used to go on 3rd class buses
with the chickens and the pigs.

But I'’d always get a recipe,
always get a recipe.

[Theme music comes up]

Not always getting all I wanted,

but it was then
reasonable to do and

and I used up any savings I had
on doing that.

That'’s why I'm so pissed off

when people
plagiarize my recipes.

They didn'’t do the research.

I'’ve done the research.

Anything to escape and to learn.

Each colonial had a market,

and in these markets, that
was the very center of food.

So we had very fresh stuff
coming in from the areas around,

and so I would ask anybody
I could in the market

where they came from,

what they were cooking, how
they cooked their ingredients.

I took an interest
in their food,

in what their family
were eating,

how they got their food,

what were the local chillies,

what were the local fruits,

what were the local herbs
they were using.

I felt I was at home
immediately wherever I went.

With eight amazing books on
Mexican cooking and culture,

it can be said that
the author, Diana Kennedy'’s

knowledge and passion for
Mexican cooking is unsurpassed.

Thank you, Martha...

You are the classic.
You'’re books are classics,

but you are the classic.

It'’s really a great pleasure
and everyone is so excited here

to work with you.

Thank you so much.

So what are we going to make
today from this book?

I think, because
it'’s very difficult,

to get some of the materials
for tamales,

we'’ll make one that I think's
great fun to make and very, very

popular tamale in Oaxaca.

And it'’s with black beans.

And then, as long as the dough
can come cleanly away

from the husk...

That'’s cooked.
Okay.

- See?
- So here'’s your plate.

You want a taste, don'’t you?

This is rather hot.

But it'’s a wonderful foil
for these tamales.

[Stewart moaning]

Do you like them?

They are spectacular.

- Good flavor in the bean paste.
- Yummy.

Wonderful flavor.

The salsa is wonderful.

It may take a little extra time
and effort to make

authentic Mexican tamales but...

when you taste these,
you'’ll know

it'’s worth the effort.

[Theme music comes up]

How can it be that
a white, British woman

knows more about Mexican
food than anybody else?

These are
the very best calabacitas.

I think everybody
that meets Diane,

they never forget they met her.

You have to be Diane and
to have the character she has

to achieve what she'’s achieved.

I think she'’s a legend.

Many Mexicans are very against
admitting that Diana knows

more than they do
about their food.

She'’s an incredible
repository of knowledge.

She'’s the person in the
English-speaking world that

first really mined the richness
of regional Mexican cooking.

She taught us
the very traditional ways

and was not doing
her own variation.

- Hola.
- Hola, Javier.

Good morning. How are you?

She is a prophet
for Mexican food.

You think about these
Old Testament prophets

who go around preaching the word

and they get burned
at the stake.

Diana doesn'’t care
if people like her.

She cares that
Mexican food is evangelized,

that these things that
she saw how they were

get remembered and continued.

So she's gonna tell you
the truth.

I think Mexico as a country
will be eternally indebted

to her efforts.

Here...

[Diana exclaiming]

[Chuckling]

It was the war years in England
when I was growing up.

I feel like I was let loose
like an unguided missile.

Everybody had to join a service.

But because I wouldn'’t
salute anybody,

I couldn'’t join the
Army Corps or the Navy.

So the Timber Corps,
I joined that,

and learned how to,
unfortunately, fell trees...

And saw them up.

I'’ve been planting trees
ever since, of course.

Most people buy land here

and the first thing they do is
to cut down the trees.

Not here.

Nobody'’s allowed to.

People come and
I want them to realize that

we have to live with nature.

If we do,
nature is very kind to us.

The war years taught us
an awful lot.

We couldn'’t waste a thing.

So I was well brought up there
in the country

in an ecological house,
and consider all the things

in the world
that people don'’t have.

After the war,

I had been invited
by a friend to go to Jamaica.

I was propelled by
lots and lots of hormones.

[Chuckles]

In those days,
every time the plane stopped

in the Caribbean,
it was on your ticket.

The plane stopped in
Ciudad Trujillo, as it then was,

Dominican Republic.

I was nearly kidnapped,
but I managed to escape.

Escaped many things.

There were two hicks from
the middle west in straw hats,

I think were fantastic really
because they said,

"Well if you'’re thinking of
stopping in Haiti,

"don'’t forget to stay at
the Hotel Olofsson."

And I did.

There was a revolution on,
of course,

met with army
with guns on the airport.

We went to the hotel.

The hotel was
full of correspondents

because of this revolution.

And the first person I saw

was my future husband,
Paul Kennedy.

Of course, I believe in fate.

I mean how was it that we
both landed at the same hotel,

the same minute?

[Chuckling]

When I came in to see
if there was a room,

the hotel owner said,

"An English woman, ho-ho-ho.
There'’ll be sex tonight."

[Cackling]

The Mexican expression is
"un flechazo."

That'’s an arrow shot.

He was rather
like Spencer Tracy in build,

and, of course, the Irish blood.

He was just a character
that people

naturally drifted towards

and enjoyed his company.

[Theme music comes up]

We had an affair and then
he was based in Mexico,

so I took a steamer
back to Mexico.

And, of course, I had to
change the menu on the boat.

[Chuckles]

I arrived at Puerto Veracruz
on the 13th of October in 1957.

And then began this absolutely
fascinating time in love

and then very quickly became

in love with the country
that I had come to.

[Sound of truck engine]

Okay, now we'’re gonna
really get us some bumps.

[Gasps]

[Truck stopping]

Okay, kid.

That'’s it.

Got it?

Here you have it.

This is with all the little
papery skins, you see,

that have to come off
the coffee before you toast it.

And this of course
is an antique toaster.

This is laughable
a lot of people think,

but no matter,

that'’s how we do it.

[Classical music
playing on radio]

That'’ll go on for about
20 minutes to half an hour, OK?

So find yourself a good program
to listen to

or put your television
in the kitchen,

but take your time.

And of course,
most people don'’t have time,

so many of the coffees
around here are slightly burnt.

But anyhow,

if you come in the right mood
and the right time,

you'’ll have
a decent cup of coffee

if you don'’t invite the
guy from Washington Post.

[Chuckles]

[Classical music on radio
comes up]

It was 1957.
There was no smog.

At 2 o'’clock in the afternoon,
the city went dead.

Everybody was having
a long siesta,

went back to the office
at 5 o'’clock.

I remember in Reforma,

it wasn'’t paved along the side

and there were people
riding horses.

It was very lovely.

We lived together
in various places for a year,

and then I found the apartment,

and I moved in
with the furniture.

A year later,
we were married.

I worked at the British Council.

All the correspondents arrived
and then, of course,

I'’d dash home from work
and cook for them all.

If they came to Mexico,
then they came to dinner.

It was a very lively household.

We used to have
some very happy times.

Dear Paul,
everybody loved Paul.

He was so funny
when he got drunk.

He'’d do Spanish dancing
and all sorts of things.

And he'’d never had
a hangover, ever.

I think he thought
I was crazy.

I certainly wasn'’t
the traditional housewife.

I never wanted children.

I don'’t want to be responsible
for somebody.

I'd hate to bring up
a little me.

Can you imagine?
I'’m such a freelance, you know.

We just have lovers.
That seems to...

But at this age, you know,

men like young flesh.

They don'’t like old...
withered old flesh, do they?

[Chuckles]

Oh, shit!
[Honking]

Ah!

The other day,
a taxi driver opened the car,

his door of the car,
but this side,

there was a big van
so you couldn'’t...

maneuver...

Adios!

[Speaking in Zapotec]

[Laughing]

[Spanish greeting]

The minute I arrived in Mexico,
I'd be off to the markets,

looking at things.

When he was off in his trips,

I'd get on 3rd class buses and
start wandering around Mexico...

And look at the food
in the markets.

To me,
that was the most exciting part,

and I thought that is
the key to Mexican food,

and the key to the real life of
Mexico coming into the city.

I also was influenced very much

by Josefina Velazquez de Leon,

who did a series
of these regional books.

But she would get the recipes
from church groups

all over the country.

They really
for the first time revealed

that there
were regional cuisines.

I was interested by that,
and many of them,

I didn'’t think
explained to me enough.

I wanted to
know how people lived.

I wanted to know what their
landscape looked like.

I wanted to know more.

Craig Clairborne,

the Food Editor
of The New York Times,

visited us in Mexico.

And I was talking about Mexico
and the food I'’d come across.

And I offered to give him
a Mexican cookbook.

And he said, "No. I don'’t want
one till you write one."

[Theme music comes up
with lively beat]

Okay, now let'’s do,

guess what?

An English woman
making guacamole?

What barbarism!

I'’m going to do it
the traditional way.

No, you don'’t put garlic in,

and you don'’t put Kosher salt.
Let'’s get it right.

I'’m using a molcajete.

You may not have a molcajete,
but buy one.

[Growls]

It'’s just as easy
to cook it the proper way.

We'’re going to put some
finely chopped white onion.

Not minced!

For Chrissake,
everybody minces everything,

and they leave all the juice
on the board!

I'’m going to put some
finely chopped chile serrano.

Keep your hands
off the jalapeños, por favor.

No jalapeños.

Here'’s a full chile serrano.

These happen to be
from the garden.

They'’re totally organic.

They'’re a little bit small,
but what the hell.

Weird seeds and bends,
don'’t stop to take those out,

'‘cause that'’s crazy.

Anybody who says take
the seeds out of the serrano,

well, they'’re not
very good cooks.

Then we have some
roughly chopped cilantro.

People say,
"Don'’t like cilantro."

Please don'’t invite them.

Thick stems you can remove.

And, you know,

put in the compost,
whatever you do with it.

Give it to the hens, whatever.

We'’re getting this down
to a nice base,

so we'’re going to crush out
those flavors

and then we'’ll add the avocado.

Whatever you do,
don'’t blend your avocado.

We want a sort of a
lumpy guacamole.

We don'’t want
a thin, smooth, liquid sauce.

In the early days,
when I was I demonstrating,

some snooty young woman

went out of my traditional
Mexican cooking class,

with her head, with her nose
stuck in the air and said,

"And even her guacamole
was lumpy."

That'’s what textures your food.

We don'’t want baby food
all the time.

And do use salt, please!

I cannot bear all this
saltless cooking.

And, finely chopped tomato.

If your tomatoes
are not very good,

look and see
what is in the market.

Don'’t make your menus up
before you see what'’s fresh.

Now there is one that you
would do with green tomatoes.

I had it in one of my books and
guess who plagiarized it?

Okay, it'’s a secret.

There we go.

It'’s a dish of guacamole.
What'’s wrong with that?

It looks all right.

[Off camera]
Do you taste it, Diana?

What am I going to say?
"Oh, so delicious!"

Nobody'll believe me.

You try it. You taste it.

All right?

[Theme music comes up]

Paul was diagnosed
with prostate cancer,

and it became clear then
he had to have treatment.

So in 1965, we moved to
New York where I was completely

lonely and at sea
and shell-shocked.

So Paul must have
thought I was terrible because

I didn'’t find the apartment
that we moved in, he did.

I didn'’t know anybody.
I was very sad.

And it was Paul'’s
last year of suffering,

terrible suffering,
and he died in February '67.

So it was a very sad time,
a very wearing time.

Paul, obviously, was
the great love of my life, yes.

He was a very special person.

Now here I am and that was
our engagement party.

The Ambassador
of the United States.

And, of course,
everybody loved him

He was such a character.

So here he is laughing away
and thinking.

It reminds me of a past life.

You never remarried, obviously.

Oh, no.
I'’m not the marrying kind.

[Sighing]

I'’m not the marrying kind.
I didn'’t want to have children.

How would I, I'’d wonder,
how the...

You know, females do it and
everything all the time, yeah.

I worked, you know.

[Theme music comes up]

There'’s no pension,
so I really had to hustle.

I was just out of my depth
in New York.

I didn'’t know anybody.
I was very depressed.

Craig Claiborne said, "Why don'’t
you teach Mexican cooking?"

I thought he was crazy.

He said, "I want to photograph
you for the paper,

making papadzules which are
a favorite of his,

a dish from Yucatán.

It'’s like enchiladas with
a sauce of pumpkin seeds...

very delicate.

And so he
photographed that for the Times

and said, "She will be teaching
on Sundays in her apartment."

That time I was working at

Teacher'’s College
of Columbia University,

and on Sundays I changed and
put on my Toque Blanche

and started cooking
and teaching.

Having six people
in my little galley kitchen,

cooking up the really
traditional food

that I remember.

There was a dress designer,
there was an actress,

all sorts of these people
who came.

And here I was teaching
them papadzules.

I mean hardly anybody in Mexico
knows how to do papadzules,

squeezing the oil out of
the pepitas seeds.

I don'’t know, but anyhow,
it was fun.

It was a start.

An editor at Harper'’s said,

"I would like you to do a
Mexican cookbook."

When I first was pitching
this book to my bosses,

they were like,
"How are we gonna sell

"a British woman'’s take
on Mexican food?"

Yes, yes, but wait till
you see what this is.

They gave me an advance.

I'’d go to Mexico and start
really digging in,

traveling, very little money.

People were coming
into Mexico City

from the country to find work

and I was in touch
with many of them,

anybody I could talk to.

They said,
"Oh, we have a family.

"They'’ve set in a certain place.

"We'’d go on holiday.
We'’d go there and

"we'’d eat such and such a dish."

I said, "Oh, how do you
make that dish?"

And I said,
"Well, I'’d like to go there."

So I would get on that bus
and I would get there and...

"There'’s this English woman
coming into our house

"sitting there for hours,
standing around

"and being with us
for a week or whatever."

They were very kind and
very welcoming,

and very fascinated
that somebody

wanted to see the details of,
not only cooking that dish,

but what the ingredients
they were using.

You visited the country,
what they were foraging for

or what they had
in their little bit of land

and how they transformed
those things

into their local dishes.

And so I would sit there
and lap all this up,

and make notes and
then go back immediately

and cook it at home and see
what the accents of flavor were.

Instead of writing
a doctoral thesis,

I was doing it in real-time
or real life.

My first book,
"The Cuisines of Mexico,"

came out in '72.

I was asked to give cooking
classes all over the States.

And so I would travel and
that continued for many years.

In the '70s,

there was a whole growth
of cooking schools.

That'’s how I met Alice,
whom I think is

one of the great people in food.

It takes a long time for a dish
to become classic.

What we'’re tasting in the books
of Diana Kennedy

are the really, really
authentic dishes of Mexico.

And I think that'’s why

she'’s had such
an enormous effect on...

cooks around the world.

All of us at that time,
Marcella Hazan,

Joyce Chen in New York,

Paula Wolfert,

have produced seminal books,

classic books that
have stood the test of time.

A recent New York Times editor
called us

"the talented amateurs."

We started something,

and we have
these wonderful books.

[Audience applause]

Good morning.
Welcome to our show.

We'’re glad that
you joined us this morning.

Our special guest
is Diana Kennedy.

And she'’s probably,

if not the, one of the
foremost authorities

on Mexican cuisine
in the entire country.

Diana, good morning.
Good to see you.

Good morning.
Thank you for inviting me.

I have been dyin'’ to have
this lady on our show

so that you would have a chance
to know how to cook Mexican food

like you have never had before.

She has several
books.

One is entitled
"The Cuisines of Mexico",

which was her first
best-selling book.

Then "The Tortilla Book".

Diana, if you'’ll set that down,
right on the side,

right in front
of the camera here.

And then the
"Mexican Regional Cooking" book.

And then she has a brand new
one called "Nothing Fancy."

Now, this lady has

an ecologically,
almost self-sufficient home.

Where in Mexico?

It'’s 100 miles west
of Mexico City

in the mountains of Michoacán.

It'’s a beautiful place.

I decided to have a little base
in Mexico

where I could
have my books and my research.

and that'’s how this
place came about.

With all my travels
and learning,

I wanted to concentrate them
in one place.

So that'’s why I bought some land
and built an ecological house,

which eventually would become
my Mexican cooking center.

The greenhouse
is not ornamental.

It'’s to take plants that
I'’ve found on my trips.

So more exotic things that
I can'’t buy in the market

and need
for my regional recipes.

So not only beautiful,
but they're useful

in traditional Mexican cooking.

For many years, I have brought
from Yucatán chile habanero.

Now everybody says,
"Oh, it'’s hot."

Yes, but it has a flavor.

It'’s one chile
that has a flavor.

This is a very unusual
type of chile habanero.

I just love it.
It looks very beautiful.

I said it'’s aubergine color.

It'’s eggplant color,
the color of eggplant.

And this is chile dulce.

And it'’s a surprise
it'’s grown to that size.

And I just have one.

This is a plant I bought from
Sierra de Puebla,

where they cook it
with black beans,

Picolita.

It'’s a coffee plant.
Look at this lovely, shiny leaf,

and it was obviously a seed
that we threw away

and just sprouted.

This is my jewel box, right?

I always say if

robbers came in
they'’d never know what,

they wouldn'’t find money and
jewels, but these are my jewels.

So let me get my purse out here,
out of the way. Okay.

Oh, God!

Jeez, I haven'’t got
a lot of gas. [Sighing]

[Car starting]

I didn'’t have any goals.

I sort of went where the wind
blew me,

out of curiosity,

and just have to learn
to do this.

She would just go.

She was traveling
by herself usually.

And she would sleep in her truck

or sleep in a hammock
that she took with her.

She used to keep
a tape recorder with her.

Her early days,

she would sometimes
have a pistol with her.

She put on thousands of miles,

moving around Mexico
and doing her research.

I always came back laden with

the local corn
and the local chiles,

mezcal,

whatever I found along the way.

She'’ll take a trip
just to check one thing out.

It took years.

Every recipe has a frame.

It has an ambience.

Always mention
who gave you the recipe.

She approached
Mexico in a very...

genuine, giving,
honest, hungry way.

When Diana received
the Order of the Aztec Eagle,

I think that was the first time
that Mexico really

recognized her contributions.

The more that time goes by,

the more that her books will
continue to be published

and her recipes
will be passed on.

I think she will continue
to have a very strong impact.

She would say, "Well, I'’m done.
That'’s it. That's it."

But I still don'’t believe that.

She says it now
and I keep thinking,

"Ah, there'’s
something in there...

"that she wants to say."

My shoes are pretty awful.

Calla lily.

When this comes up
in the rainy season and tall,

the leaves can also be used.

They are used
in certain areas of Mexico,

in southern Mexico, for tamales.

I'’ve created this environment
very much to preserve.

I think it is terrible if
children
grow up in cities without trees,

not hearing birds'’ songs,

not appreciating
the effort it takes

to produce
something pure to eat.

It'’s so exciting to see
every year is different,

everything is different

and you can eat it
in different stages, too.

And no fertilizer.

All we do is compost everything
in the house,

and everything from
the neighbors'’ houses, too.

And then that goes on the ground

and look at the result.
It'’s quite stunning.

See, you don'’t have to put
chemicals on things.

And, of course, to make
my British marmalade,

can'’t live without
Seville orange marmalade,

so that'’s in full swing.

A mixture of things here as
gardens should be.

You never want mono culture.

You want
lots of different plants,

so that...

one plague or whatever it is

will attack one plant, but
not the others.

So there we go. We'’ve got
cilantro looking okay.

Oh, don'’t have that over here.

And we have onions,
some scallions there,

and lots of...

We'’re waiting for
the nopales to sprout.

And this is tomato plant.
This is one in flower

because tomatoes are, generally,

until the alum comes,
are pretty awful.

What are all these chefs
and all these cooks doing

not complaining about
these awful tomatoes?

Always looking for flavor.

Food without flavor and
without careful cooking,

no matter how low-cal,
can be horrible.

There'’s a lot of horrible
uncooked food these days.

Let'’s learn to cook again.

There'’s people who think
microwaving is cooking.

It'’s just heating food.

Eating vegetables cooked
in the microwave,

to me, don'’t have any character.

And I know I'’m gonna have
lots of people writing in

saying...
[Grumbling]

And you'’ve got to have opinions
about cooking, too.

I'’m noted for my opinions.

But I always say if you'’ve
arrived at this age

and you haven'’t got opinions,

I don'’t know
how you'’ve been living.

What?

What is it about
Mexican cooking?

There is no high technique,

except for making
certain tamales.

It'’s not like French cuisine

where you could take
four ingredients

and make four different things.

Okay?

But it'’s knowing how to use,
how to treat your ingredients,

and how to use them,

and the balance
with ingredients.

Who are professionals?

I have three restaurants
in Manhattan.

Oh, my God. I wish
you'’d tell me before.

And you'’re a professional?

Yeah, I have five restaurants
in Portland.

Oh, my God. These people!

All right, now
who else has cooked?

I'’ve worked in a family
catering company

in Napa Valley in St. Helena.

I'’ve only been cooking
for three years.

I'’m a novice.

I think it'’s very nice
that we have a mixed bag.

As I say,
you'’re never gonna forget this,

if you survive.

[Laughter]

You never stir the rice. Okay?

Never.

It'’s absolutely sodden.

It's absolutely sodden.

No salt. There'’s no salt in it.

No, dear, no,
more than that.

Oh, no.

It just doesn'’t taste right.
It'’s not at all good.

I don'’t know.

I should have seen the onion
and garlic you put in.

Sorry.

No, it'’s not right.

This is not how I would cook it,

but you'll learn and
you'’ll never forget.

My golly, once you'’ve
been here, you never forget.

Okay, where are
those damn chiles?

It is absolutely appalling that
Mexico is importing chiles.

These are imported from Peru.

Then there'’s some small red ones
that are imported from China.

None of these fine chefs

give a shit and have said
anything about it.

Okay? None of them.

Anyhow, okay...

So, we'’ve got two things
going here,

and I'’m going to start
the third. All right?

Are you in for it?

If I were religious,

I'd make a little sign
of the cross here.

[Chuckling]

But I'’m not religious...

I trust in my gods of the trees
and the birds

and stuff like that.

All right, everybody!

Come closer, for God's sake.

Okay?

So was that
in the oven overnight, Diana?

Yep.
With the rind with the fat.

And that'’s going to be cut
up into little bits.

And that'’s the traditional way
of doing it here.

And there is not anywhere else.

That will continue cooking
a little bit more.

It could be ready now,
but we'’ve got stuff to do.

Where are you all?

Come on.
I get bad tempered now.

Look. I'’m trying to get you fed.

We'’re just trying
to keep up with you, Diana.

[Laughter]

Diana, how spicy
are the cascabels?

- Wait and see.
- Okay.

[Chuckling]

We'’re getting '‘em on our hands,
so we might need to know

ahead of time.

Go and wash your hands,
right now!

- I haven't touched them yet.
- '‘Cause you know I'd forget.

Okay, I haven'’t touched '‘em yet.

You might forget and you go
to the john or something,

and, by golly, you will know!

[Laughter]

Who is going to look
at Saveur Magazine ?

I wrote
30 corrections to Saveur.

And I said, here you're giving
first place in the world

to Mexican cuisine

and all you can put on the cover
is a dish of enchilladas?

Here, here!

Learn, learn, learn, learn!

Read my books and learn,
please.

And what are you gonna do
when I'’m gone?

Who else
is gonna start screaming?

Nobody.

[Loud applause]

I live sustainably.

And I just want to talk
to people about sustainability.

I am 90.

So everybody gets very nervous,

you see, that I'’m not gonna
be around much longer,

so they want to hear all
my complaints and things

while I'’m alive.

I think it is so shocking that

the more we are connected,

electronically,

the less we are unified.

And that in a certain
part of the world,

these awful,
goddamn machos come,

you know like Putin and Trump
and all the rest of it,

and want to change it.

They don'’t embrace and
see the beauty of this world.

We live in such a lavish world

and our education is so poor.

I mean, how many kids
in school realize how many
insects there are?

I mean, millions and millions of
different types,

each playing their part
in this marvelous universe.

We'’re destroying our planet.

We'’re destroying our
environment and it'’s such a loss

for the young people of today.

You don'’t just use
all the chemicals.

You don'’t just use
all your plastics.

You don'’t just put in all your
into your laundry,

all the bleaches and
all the fluffy stuff

that'’s gonna make it fluffy.

You remember that there are
generations coming after you

and you have a responsibility.

Everything'’s going
to a landfill.

Do we really need
to load up landfills,

which will eventually
filter into
water for future generations?

I don'’t think we do.

Water is the gold
of this planet.

Nobody talks about
the nitty gritties

of every day of every person...

How we can all
make a difference?

This is what it'’s all about.

- Want to hold your medal up?
- Wait a minute!

- Yes.
- Shoulders down, stomach in.

I know I shouldn'’t be so vain
at this age,

but goddamn it,
that'’s what keeps you going.

I just start
and do this, you know.

They just got me
under the wire.

If I think had to wait
another few years,

I may not be here.

But the thing is
don'’t forget my words.

All you chefs,

if I come into your restaurant,
I'’ll be looking in your garbage.

Okay?

I will just see how
you run your kitchens.

That'’s fantastic.

- We'’re done.
- Good.

- You did amazing.
- Oh, my God.

You'’re a legend.

I know, goddamn it.

But I don'’t know how long
I'’m gonna be a legend!

[Laughter]

Ooh, strawberries!

It'’s like I get at home,
you know?

Well, life is not dull.
It'’s hard, it's tough,

a lot of disappointments.

Oh, my God,
I get so exhausted.

And as I say, I tell everybody,

I'’m looking for a long beach
because I love to walk.

But at the end,
I want a three-star restaurant.

I do not want to eat grilled
fish and black beans every day.

No. I hear you.

You know?

If you'’re relaxing you want,
"Oh, come here, gorgeous."

Yeah...

It'’s probably really an annoying
question, but I'’m so interested.

If you could only have
one more meal in your life...

- Oh, yeah. That'’s such a bore.
- Is it annoying?

Such a boring question!

If everyone was gonna die
on Earth tomorrow...

I would not think of eating.

I won'’t tell you what I would do
but I'’m not thinking of eating.

- I like the answer!
- Exactly, caleta.

Everybody says,
"Don'’t you think that love

"starts in the kitchen
over a meal?"

I said, "No way."

[Laughter]

No way!

Think of it, kids.
Get with it, for God'’s sake!

How romantic!

I hope you like
something Irish instead

'‘cause I'’ve had too much wine
to play Bach.

[Violin solo, Irish melody]

I have planned only
five more years,

and nobody can say
no.

There'’s a time.

It'’s like the cauducidad...

The date on your ingredients
you buy.

They last so long. Okay?

And I choose to die
when I want to die,

when I have stopped feeling.

If I were blind, or somebody
said you have the wheelchair,

I'’m out of it.

Obviously, I have
a choice, don'’t I?

Everybody has a choice
of suicide
or whatever they want to do.

Everybody has a choice.
Nobody can tell you not to.

God forbid that
my friends will say,

"Oh, it'’s Sunday afternoon and
we have to go look at old Di."

No... I myself...

While I can'’t cook
and I can'’t eat

and I can'’t see
and I can'’t walk,

long before that, I'’m going.

I haven'’t decided how but...

Of course.

I think I'’ll put the radio on.

Let'’s have a look at the radio.

[Radio] You'’re listening to
897, WGBH News...

Oh, this is the wildest month.

...More great stories
and more great... [groans]

So pitch in at
WGBH News-dot-org.

...McMaster faces essentially
the same task as 26 years ago.

How to make it rock.

This time he must try to do so
from within the White House

as one of several top aides.
In fact, Trump is already...

This is not
wasting paper, right?

This is for scrap paper.

[Chuckling]

- Can I talk?
- Sure.

[Choking sound]

[Chuckles]
Too much to do.

Look at all this stuff.

Sixty years of stuff.

[Theme music comes up]

What am I gonna do?

I just don'’t want it
to be destroyed.

I don'’t want people to
come in and choose

and take little things.

It reveals what
I have learned in Mexico,

and what I love about Mexico,

an appreciation of
one little pot there

that came from a certain village

and I remember what I ate there
and I'’ve written about it...

You see?

Hola, Chima. Hola, boy.

He'’s such a cute dog.

[Whispering]
Chima, hi.

[Whispering] Good boy.
You'’re my boy. You my boy?

Ya-ya-ya.

Look at his coloring.

Interesting, isn'’t it?

To me this is a poem.

It'’s a poem, making things
grow in rocks.

And then my chickens,
all upstairs...

Oh, they brought them
upstairs to their house.

I'’ve been very quixotic
in my life,

and many things I regret, yes.

I could have been
a lot more productive

had I not go wandering off,

time after time,
all these villages.

No, I have to go again
next year.

I have to go again in 6 months.

I'’ve got to see
what'’s happening.

I think I'’d like to make a pact
with the devil

and take a few years off

'‘cause I would like
to retrace all my steps,

all my steps
through this country.

[Theme music comes up]

She told me it was like
an Indiana Jones afoot

trying to search
for that precious gem,

the diamond that is somewhere

in the forest or
in the mountains of Mexico.

And she will not stop
until she will find it.

In order to have a future,

we really need to understand
our past and, more important,

we need to protect our past.

That'’s gonna be
the legacy of Diana.

Thing is, I'’m glad you're there
because bicycles come along

- and you know.
- Yes.

Let'’s go, let's go, let'’s go.

- Let'’s go, let's go, let'’s go.
- Yeah.

- Would you like a coffee?
- No, dear. Thank you.

- Would you like some tea?
- No.

Chamomile or a little Tezon?

Nobody knows how... No!

You never make tea
for an English woman.

- I know.
- Ever!

I know. I just wanted to ask if
you like a mint or digestive...

You might boil your herbal tea,

but you don'’t make tea
for an English woman.

The thing with Diana is
you can'’t make tea.

You can'’t make anything
that English are experts in,

but you can'’t make anything that
Mexicans are experts in either.

So how is it gonna go,
just so Diana has it clear...

'Cause I think
we have to go soon and

there'’s a photographer that
needs to take your picture.

Oh, my God!
Warn him, Amy.

It'’s fine. I think he's seen
worse than you. Don'’t worry.

'‘Cause he'’s the one who
will have to bear with you.

[Diana speaking Spanish]

I think he speaks English.

[Diana continues
speaking Spanish]

- He speaks English.
- No comprende...

Oh, you don'’t? Oh well.

I was telling
I'’m not photogenic.

I'’m not photogenic.

And I'’m very old.

So I'’m not a great subject.

I haven'’t had
a decent haircut and...

You look just fine.
I promise you.

...I live in the country
and I wasn'’t...

My hairdresser wasn'’t there
when I was ready to...

have my hair done.
Hold my purse.

Who'’s this?

This is Dan Barber.

- It's Dan Barber?
- Over at the Blue Note.

I didn'’t recognize him.
Well, he had hair.

He had hair when I saw him.

Now don'’t make me look
so severe, okay?

Okay.

- Because I'’m...
- Because you'’re not?

- No.
- Pfft...

[Chuckling]

Okey-dokey.

Thank God my black panties
don'’t show.

- Okay.
- Cool. You all right?

Cool? Oh will you all of you
get together and not say "cool."

- Find another adjective!
- It'’s a good word!

No, it isn'’t.
Find another adjective!

The English language is full
of the most wonderful adjectives

and none of you guys use it.

So let'’s get the other hand.

Yeah, that'’s wonderful.

Yeah.

Wonderful?
Come on now.

[Laughter]

Diana, you'’re a feisty one, huh?

Are you kidding?

You don'’t think I've created

something that
nobody else has created

and done the best Mexican
cookbooks, 7 or 8 of them?

- Can I...?
- Cooked my way through the...

all my 80, 90 years of life?

Really awesome.

[Chuckling]

There you go.

There you go.

Can you back up a little bit?

Diana, act like
you like her, will you?

Just for the photo.

Wow!

[Chuckling]

And Gabriela, right here,
both of you.

All right, girls,
thank you so much.

Not "girls"!
You don'’t say "girls".

- We are ladies!
- Ladies.

We'’re ladies.
Ladies, please.

- Ladies, for God'’s sake.
- Open your eyes.

Yeah, I know.

Are you ready to go onstage?

Yes, I'’ll need my purse, though.

- You need your purse onstage?
- Yes, of course.

- Or could we leave it here?
- No. I want my purse, sweetie.

I'’m gonna bring
the purse on stage.

...It's got my credit cards...

Don'’t be too bad.

Gotta make it interesting,
for God'’s sake.

I know. Jeez.

- Am I allowed to swear?
- Yes.

Good.

Diane Kennedy is here.

[Loud applause]

You have to put it
in context. I'’m old, okay?

And certainly,
I'’m not very sociable.

Um... [Laughing]

Don'’t ask me to play bridge,
for God's sake.

Um, and...
[Chuckling]

I'’m not always patient, no.

I'’m very inpatient
actually normally.

But there are some things
that you get so deeply into.

One of the important
things of Mexican food is

the preparation
of the ingredients.

Once you'’ve got
decent ingredients,

How do you prepare them?
And this matters.

And you'’re not going to...

toast your garlic
in your guacamole, ok?

You'’re not gonna put garlic
in your guacamole, please.

You'’re not gonna do
certain things,

certain things I'’ve learned in
different parts of the country.

And I think it'’s the building up
of flavors

and the final dish where you can
taste these layers of flavors.

That fascinates me
because I love to eat.

[Crowd murmuring]

Good.

Good. Well, don'’t forget,
don'’t boil, simmer.

[Theme music comes up]

Your work life
is not considered love.

It'’s a passion

out of curiosity and energy
and things like that.

It'’s not just rushing in and
getting a recipe and coming out.

It'’s recreating it
in your own kitchen.

How do you express
this recipe

so that people can do it...

So that it won'’t be lost?

God knows I tried.

And the only way
that I was capable of

were the things that
were given to me

and the character I was given.

I tried.

You can'’t win '‘em all.

And how horrible
it is for people to go around

wanting to be loved and liked.

You just go on doing what
you know you want to do,

and at some point,
the tide will turn

and you'’ll make
your mark, or you may not.

I'’m very honored the way
so many people do

look at my books and
appreciate what I'’ve done.

That'’s all you can do,

and cook from them.

That'’s all you can ask for.

There'’s this little piece
by Tagor
in an English poem and it said,

"Let me light my lamp,"
said the star,

"and never debate whether
it will remove the darkness."

Why did you call
the book "Nothing Fancy"?

It'’s down to earth cooking

through different phases
of my life.

But there is extremely
fancy stuff in that, too,

because I love to eat
and I love to cook.

And before I die,
if I can'’t eat...

Okay, when I can'’t eat, wow!

Yeah. You'’ve
got to have delicious food.

[music plays]