Like Water for Chocolate refers to the traditional Aztec means of making chocolate: the water must be at a furious boil to ensure the rich chocolate when the beans are thrown in. It’s used as a metaphor to describe a person who’s on the verge of boiling–actually sizzling.
The movie tells surrealistically the erotic and humorous tale of Tita, the youngest of three daughters of a nasty matriarch. The handsome Pedro is passionately in love with Tita and wants to marry her. But there is an obstacle: Tradition dictates that the youngest daughter can never marry, because she has to cook and take care of her mother until she dies! To remain close to his true love, Pedro marries Tita’s oldest sister.
The resourceful Tita doesn’t give up: She establishes an unusual sensual relationship with Pedro through the delicious food she cooks for him. She is like a sorceress, spending most of the time in the kitchen, preparing her delicious meals which function as love potions. Tita’s tears leaven the wedding cake, which results in the collective crying of the guests. Her blood reddens the Cornish hens to such an extent that the entire family twitches with passionate heat after eating them.
The dinner sequences in Like Water for Chocolate are as sumptuous and appetizing – this truly erotic and irreverent movie is a classic in the cinema of magic realism.
Movie Pairings:
Wine – Poem Cellars Tastevin Cabernet Sauvignon, plum and cassis fruit spiked with baking spices on the nose give way to a full-bodied, fleshy palate that sings with graphite and peppery spice to complement the fruit. It finishes with sweet caramel that’s integrated rather than overpowering.
Chocolate – Chili Lover’s Chocolate Collection is just as bold and complex as the movie.
Gastro Travels 