"A novel in monthly installments, with recipes, romances, and home remedies." Translated into English. The number-one best seller in Mexico in 1990, won international acclaim, and was adapted into a movie. I got this nice hardbound copy for $2 at a library sale. Gave it to my mother, who read it and described it as part cookbook, "an unusual combination, a difficult style, and one worth reading."

From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Erica Bauermeister
Like Water For Chocolate is a deceptively simple book - a love story set in Mexico, interspersed with recipes, related in unadorned, uncomplicated language. Yet when the ingredients are combined and simmer, subtle and unusual flavors emerge. On one level, this is the story of Tita, youngest daughter of the formidable matriarch Mama Elena who forbids Tita to marry her true love Pedro because tradition says that the youngest daughter must care for her mother until her death. When Pedro marries Tita's oldest sister in order to be near Tita, it begins a life-long conflict filled with passion, deception, anger, and pure love. Interwoven throughout the narrative are the recipes, which, like an ancient Greek chorus, provide an ongoing metaphorical commentary on the characters and their culture. Finally, there is the food itself that Tita creates as head cook on the family ranch, food so vibrant and sensual, so imbued with her feelings of longing, frustration, rebellion, or love, that it affects everyone who eats it. The combination of all these elements, with a good measure of the supernatural thrown in, makes for an earthy, quirky book, sad and funny, passionate, and direct, told by Tita's grand-niece who follows in her footsteps, using her cookbook and continuing a tradition quite different from the one her great-grandmother tried to impose.

Went to an exhibit on Chocolate at the Florida Museum of Natrual History in Gainesville. On the way out, I realized this would have been a great spot for releasing this book, but I didn't have the book with me. So I handed off the book to my friend in Gainesville who may go back and release it at the museum if it's convenient -- or will release it somewhere in or around the University of Florida.

Releasing at the Chocolate exhibit was a great idea but it didn't work out, so I am putting this book on the BookRelays because I want a book that's offered on the "Food and Cooking" Relay.

Mailed to Kislany in Cyprus 1/14/05, but unfortunately the postal clerk said it could take 6 weeks or more to arrive. Kislany emailed that it is no problem about the delay: "Don't worry I have a huge tbr pile in front of me :)Cheers."

Thanks a lot, received it today. And thanks for the beautiful postcard from Miami...ah..on can dream, right...
And yep, my TBR is still high, lol.

Received as part of the Reverse Relay.

This was on my wishlist and I've been wanting to read for some time. Thanks Kislany!

I loved the mixture of the recipes and the story, that resulted in a sort of fairy tale love story.

A very pleasant read.

Lent this to a friend. Let's see if we get a new BC member.