Like Water for Chocolate

Doctor John Brown: I see you didn't touch your dinner. Sue Ellen is a horrible cook, but my son and I put up with her food. Of course, *you* don't have to.

Doctor John Brown: My aunt is as deaf as a post.
Tita: Then how can she carry on conversations?
Doctor John Brown: She reads lips, but when she is eating, she is too preoccupied to notice anything else. Watch. [shouts] Tia Mary, I’m marrying Tita because the poor girl is crazy. [Tia Mary continues eating.]

Gertrudis: Sergeant, can you cook cream fritters?
Sargento Treviño: To be honest ... no. But if you want, I will try.
Gertrudis: You have never let me down before. I hope this will not be the first time.
Sargento Treviño: Yes, my general

So for New Year's Eve, we decided to do recipes from the film "Like Water for Chocolate," based on the book of the same name that comes from the Mexican "magical realism" writing tradition. The movie is a bit strange, but the food is amazing: Tortas de Navidad, Sopa de Fideos, Caldo de Colita de Res, Mole de Quajolote con Almendra y Ajonjolí, Champandongo, Chocolate y Rosca de Reyes, Frijoles Gordos con Chile a la Texcucana, and more. One thing we learned that's very important: when converting from grams to cups, the conversion for flour is different from the conversion for sugar is different from the conversion for nuts is different from.... Our mistake turned the wedding cake into an egg frittata--which was very good with salsa, but not what we had intended! But we made the correction, and the cake was a splendid success. Here it is:

This is the Three Kings' Bread, also delicious:

Ox-Tail Soup:

Beans with chile:

Wedding Capons:




Released February 17, 1993
Starring Marco Leonardi as Pedro Muzquiz, Lumi Cavazos as Tita, Regina Torné as Mamá Elena, Mario Iván Martínez as Doctor John Brown, Ada Carrasco as Nacha, Yareli Arizmendi as Rosaura, Claudette Maillé as Gertrudis, Pilar Aranda as Chencha, Farnesio de Bernal as Cura, Joaquín Garrido as Sargento Treviño, Rodolfo Arias as Juan Alejándrez, Margarita Isabel as Paquita Lobo, Sandra Arau as Esperanza Muzquiz, Andrés Garcia Jr. as Alex Brown, and Regino Herrera as Nicolás
Directed by Alfonso Arau
Screenplay by Laura Esquivel, based upon the book of the same title by Laura Esquivel
Awards:
--1992 Ariel Awards, Mexico: Gold Ariel for Alfonso Arau; Silver Ariel for Best Actor (Mario Iván Martínez), Best Actress (Regina Torné), Best Actress in Minor Role (Margarita Isabel), Best Cinematography, Best Direction (Alfonso Arau), Best Production Design, Best Screenplay (Esquivel), Best Set Design, and Best Supporting Actress (Claudette Maillé)
--1993 Gramado Film Festival Audience Award (Arau) and Golden Kikito for Best Actress (Cavazos) and Best Supporting Actress (Maillé)
--1992 Guadalajara Mexican Film Festival Audience Award (Arau)
--1994 Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Film
--1993 Premios ACE for Best Actor (Martínez), Best Director (Arau), and Best Film
--1992 Sudbury Cinéfest Best International Film (Arau)
--1992 Tokyo International Film Festival: Best Actress (Cavazos) and Best Artistic Contribution (Cinematographers)