Photos by Mike McCafrey

Margaritas, Mariachis & Antojitos But, certainly, not one at a time! By Nancy Ross Ryan The huge, traffic-stopping spotlight outside, aimed at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo restaurants on May 22, was there to highlight the celebration within: a party -- con brio! -- to launch chef-owner Rick Bayless' new June television series, Mexico, One Plate at a Time. But inside nothing was happening one at a time. Everything was happening all at once. The mariachis were playing, the margaritas were disappearing as fast as the bartenders could shake them, and the antojitos -- fabulous little snacks of Mexico -- were being devoured as fast as the cooks could make them. The crowd was exuberant, and strictly SRO -- chefs, media, and friends of Rick and DeAnn Bayless (the series' executive creative directors). But at the appointed hour the music stopped and sounds of merrymaking faded. All eyes turned toward the television set for a sneak preview of the first program in the 26-part series: The Whole Enchilada. From this we learn that "enchilada" simply means "in chile" (sauce), and the real thing in Mexico is a far cry from the U.S. version we're familiar with: soggy stuffed tortillas swimming in generic red chile sauce, smothered with a blanket of bland melted cheese. In Mexico a tortilla is a made-to-order street snack of fresh tortillas dipped in a real chile sauce and filled lightly with a wide variety of enticing ingredients. In his home kitchen Rick shows us how to make the chile sauce (very easy), dip the tortilla (very simple) and how to make them into a great brunch dish, Red Chile Enchiladas with Spicy Potatoes and Fried Eggs. In between each dish he makes in his home kitchen, he takes us to Mexico where we see the street snack being made (and eaten), to a famous restaurant Sanborn's in Mexico City where Enchiladas Suizas was invented, and because that dish uses cream, we share his visit to a Mexican creamery stall. Back in his home kitchen he teaches us to make "crema," the Mexican version of crème fraîche, and to use it in his own Creamy Enchiladas with Chicken, Tomatoes and Green Chile. And would you like the know the very simple secret of how to get packaged tortillas to be fresh, hot -- and almost as good as freshly made -- in your microwave oven? Well -- watch The Whole Enchilada. (We all know but were sworn to secrecy.) Some enticing titles from the series: Let's Talk Tacos, The Straight Cheese on Quesadillas, Sopes and Gorditas: Masa Appeal, Ceviche in the Limelight, Chiles Rellenos and Other Cool Stuff -- and more. Rick, who finished the companion cookbook just in time for the series, says that the programs were taped during October at his home kitchen in Chicago and during January in Mexico. Each show took 2-1/3 to 3 days to tape. The series officially started on June 17, on WTTW, Channel 11, and will air on Saturdays at 2 p.m.