11
May
2009
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
I just finished this book, like, half an hour ago. It’s short, fun read–Magical Realism in 246 pages, though it reads faster than that.
This is the story about Tita, whose mother wouldn’t let her marry her sweetheart, and forced her sister to marry him instead. Wracked with pain, Tita throws herself into her cooking. She pours her emotions into the food she makes, and those who eat it are affected by her pain or pleasure.
Remember the movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar where she was a cook and things she made took on emotional qualities? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.
Only, I can’t remember the name of that move, Sarah Michelle Gellar fan that I am, and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting this book any time soon. It was exciting and passionate through every page.
Plus, it’s more than just a story. As one blurb from the San Francisco Chronicle says on the back of the book, it is “a tall tale, fairy tale, soap-opera romance, Mexican cookbook, and home-remedy handbook all rolled into one.” Except that leaves out the the science, history of the Mexican Civil War, farm guide, and how to make matches.
Esqivel set her book up into twelve parts, each for a month of the year, which I found a little confusing because the events described do not always take place in the month of each section.
Each section also has a recipe with it, which is explained throughout the chapter. They often call for things like lard though, so I don’t think I’ll be making any of them.
Esquivel did publish a cookbook though, so maybe I’ll try to check that out.
If you like this book/author, you might like:
Carmelo (F) by Sandra Cisneros
Love in the Time of Cholera (F) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (F) by Oscar Hijuelos
The Pearl (F) by John Steinbeck
The Bastard of Istanbul (F) by Elif Shafak
Chocolat (F) by Joanne Harris
Bel Canto (F) by Ann Patchett
Song of Solomon (F) by Toni Morrison
Mexico (F) by James Michener
Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses (CNF) by Isabel Allende
Other works by Laura Esquivel*:
Malinche (F)
Swift as Desire (F)
The Law of Love (F)
Between Two Fires: Intimate Writings on Life, Love, Food, and Flavor (CNF)
An Apetite for Passion Cookbook (NF)
*NOTE: This list is not exhaustive. These only include the works that have been translated into English.
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I think it was twelve months because it was originally written in a magazine, one chapter for each month.
I agree, I won’t be forgetting this! I would have a hard time making those recipes, though. Too much digression in the middle of the intructions!
I was able to borrow a copy of that book from one of my co-workers and it has a rather nice story. I’m not really into cooking though so the recipes didn’t do much for me.