Introduction
I don't remember exactly how I first learned about this movie, "Como agua para chocolate". All I do know is that women, at that time, wuved it. Now I find fewer people, including some of my e-pals, know about it. It came out in 1993 in the U.S. and was the highest grossing foreign film of all time. (The only reason it didn't won an Oscar is because they didn't follow all the instructions for nomination.) It was later beaten out by Life Is Beautiful and then Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
The story is a wonderful mix of erotic romance and fantasy-realism with a strong aspect about FOOD. Lost of it. Eating popcorn while watching this is sacrilege. Originally I thought the title, a cooking metaphor for the romance element of the film, meant that water was being substituted for the chocolate. Thankfully I was wrong. Instead of milk, Mexicans use water to cook chocolate. As soon as the water is boiling hard, you then add the chocolate. That hard boiling is the metaphor on the emotions of deep (some may say crazy) love. That makes me think what in the heck am I also missing since I don't know Mexican culture as well as I might.
What follows is my spoiler, broken down into the various chapters on the DVD. First I list the DVD title for the chapter and then my little quirp-title. I will also say what I like or don't like... yes, I don't like some things about this obvious gem. First though, the character list.
The Characters
| Tita | The heroine and youngest sister of the family. |
| Pedro | Tita's love interest who is a dween-head (chapter 2). |
| Elena | Tita's mother and keeper of the family tradition. |
| Rosaura | The oldest sister, much like her mom. |
| Gertrudis | The middle sister, more playful and spontaneous than the rest of the family. |
| Nacha | The older maid, Tita's mentor. |
| Chencha | The younger maid. |
| Doctor John | Family doctor. |
| Juan | Soldier of the revolution. |
| Alex | John's son. |
| Nicol�s | Works at the family's ranch. |
| Esperanza | Rosaura's daughter later in the film. |
| The narriator | Daughter of Esperanza, keeper of Tita's cookbook/diary |
The Spoiler by Chapter
Chapter 1: Opening Credits / Tita's birth
After reading the credits in the film's native Spanish, we see a woman reading from an old, worn-out book. She reads out loud from the book, while chopping onions, that putting an onion on your head to stop crying. She then looks at us and says that its isn't the crying but not stopping that is the problem. I don't know. I have been slicing onions at Damon's for longer than I wish to admit and it doesn't seem to work. After a while though I become immune, so I do agree slightly with the 'not stopping'... unless its a Saturday night.
Cut to Mexico, 1895, with this woman narrating. She tells the story of how the great-aunt Tita was born. Her mother, Elena, was chopping onions when the birth-pains hit. She knocks everything on the table to the floor. The maid Nacha, who was also in the kitchen, rushes to help and the husband comes in to observe. The narrator says that a 'torrid of tears' accompanied her birth while we see the water breaking. After it dries, Nacha gathers 40 pounds of salt which she cooked with.
We then see the husband talking in English with two other men, saying he now has 3 daughters. The men asked when is he going to make a son when another man approaches and says in Spanish "It isn't entirely his fault". The husband gets up from the chair and ask why he would say such of a thing. One of the English-speaking men whisper in Spanish in his ear the middle daughter, Gertrudis, was fathered by someone else. He promptly has a heart attack and see a bit of his funeral.
Back at the kitchen, Nacha is cooking while holding the crying baby Tita in her arms. After telling the baby that the first man who sees her will want to marry her, Elena walks in and tells Nacha that won't happen. According to family tradition, the last daughter has to take care of the mother till she dies. The movie fast forwards time with a few shots: Tita growing up in the kitchen watching Nacha work (including chopping onions), and one with a group of people eating outside, the child Tita delivering food, and catching a boy looking at her while doing it.
Chapter 2: Pedro declairs his love / Perdo show how stupid he is
There is a book called "Why Men Love Bitches" in which the author, a woman, says that before sex men can't think clearly while women can. This chapter supports that theory.
It is now 1910. Elena is shown talking to guests when we see Tita grown up. A man looks at Tita, she turns away. The narrator says that Pedro's looking at her made her realize what dough must feel like when exposed to hot oil: bubbles breaking out all over the dough / Tita's body. Tita quickly goes to the kitchen and continues her duties. Pedro walks in and confess that he loves her. Tita's says she needs time to think about it. He shoots back you are either in love or not, tell me now, and I will always lover you. Tita says "S�".
The following morning Tita mentions to Elena that Pedro wants to talk to her. Elena and the oldest daughter, Rosaura, acts annoyed, and stop sowing. Elena tells Tita that if he wants her hand, he is wasting everybody's time and got up. Tita was about to object when mom turns around and yell that her daughter isn't going to be the first one to break the family tradition.
Later everyone is working in the kitchen. Bored silly, the odd-ball sister Gertrudis started to make music with the utensils. The dogs started barking at someone at the door. Elena asks the younger maid, Chencha, to answer it and then ask Tita if she invited someone to her birthday. Chencha rush in and says that Pedro and his father wants to see Elena. Cut to the living room with the three plus Chencha preparing tea. Elena tells Pedro and dad the family tradition but Rosaura would be perfect. After saying this, Chencha accidentally spills the tea all over Pedro.
Chencha storms into the kitchen yelling, "Girls... girls... you can't exchange tacos for enchiladas!" Mom walks in and announce that Pedro will marry Rosaura. Sad piano music begins while Tita is obviously crushed. Meanwhile Nacha follows Pedro and dad outside and overhears their conservation. Dad is confused why, if he loves Tita, she is marring Rosaura. Pedro explains he is doing this so he can be close to Tita.
Okay, I know that in romances, the hero and heroine has to sacrifice something to resolve the conflict and live happily ever after. But this is loco! Okay, if he was a typical male, he would have a prematerial affair and/or find someone else. But to just marry someone he doesn't know well, not to mention Tita's SISTER? If I was Tita, I would kick him you-know-where. That's not Tita though. Another thing. If this was Hollywood and not an independent film from Mexico, we might see Pedro 'bump off' mom. Destroy all the conflict though and bring the story to a premature end or into a Mexican crime drama. Okay, back to the story.
That night Nacha tells Tita what she overheard while trying to convince her to eat. Tita wasn't hungry and asked Nacha to just let her be, alone. The narrator says that she couldn't sleep at all and sowed all night. She also says that Tita had this unexplainable feeling and that if black holes was discovered, she would knew it was that buried in her chest, making her so cold.
Cut to another day when mom rushes into the kitchen asking Tita why she wasn't at her daughter's engagement. Her excuse was that she had a headache in the morning and was now helping Nacha. So Elena ordered her to make the wedding banquet and to stop acting like a sniffling martyr. Later Tita was coming in with some fruit in her apron when she sees Pedro inside. She drops some of the fruit. He comes over to pick them up and looks at her. She 'accidentally' drops the rest. He tries to explain why he is marring Rosaura, but Tita won't stay and listen.
Next we see Tita and Nacha making the wedding cake. Elena comes in saying its midnight and to hurry up so both would get plenty of sleep for tomorrow's wedding. She also reminds Tita to not shed any tears. Elena goes to bed. Tita starts crying. Nacha hugs her says a variety of things: let it out now instead of tomorrow, stop putting those tears in the cake mixture, and to go to bed and I'll finish it up. Tita complies.
Chapter 3: Chabelah Wedding Cake / Revenge of the teary-eyed Tita
We see the wedding. Someone comments how horrible Elena and Rosaura is to permit this. After the wedding Pedro comes to Tita and reminds her that he would be with her forever due to this day. >*barf*< Elena saw this and approaches Tita asking what he said. After receiving no real answer, Elena tells her never to talk to him again.
We see the wedding table and people diving into the cake. Slowly, according to the narrator, people started weeping as a strange intoxication created by Tita's tears started to overtake them. They started to have a powerful yearn for their true loves. We see Elena inside looking at a picture which I assume to be Gertrudis biological father. The next symptom forced everyone to run to the bathroom. Those who didn't make it had to do a 'collective vomiting spree by the river'. Nothing shown except the backs of the people.
Inside during all of this Tita finds the old Nacha dead. She comes up the stairs to tell Elena this only to have Elena scream at her about what she and Nacha did to ruin the wedding. Elena whips Tita. Tita screems "Nacha is dead". Quick shot of Tita standing over Nacha's grave, singing a song Nacha sings all the time.
That night, Pedro tells his bride it is best to wait until the intoxication wears off. He takes off a sheet... fertelity? Rosaura puts her arm around him, he takes it off, sighs, and gets up. During all of this Tita is sowing. She gets up and notice Pedro outside, walking aimlessly.
Cut back to the bedroom. Rosaura tells Pedro it has been 3 months now. We see Pedro praying to God that this act isn't for lust but to give him a son to serve him. Rosaura already has that fertility sheet over her as she pulls her nightgown up and turns off the light. So nothing is shown... yet. [Your boyfriend, by now, will perhaps give up and go to sleep.]
Later, in the kitchen, Rosaura comes to Tita and ask to do the cooking. Tita reminds her she never cooked before, but Rosaura insisted. We watch the family eat the apparently unappetizing meal. Elena says that for her first time, it isn't bad. She ask what Pedro thinks and he agrees. We then quickly take a visit to Peidras Negras (wherever that is) and see Gertrudis and Chencha running to the bathroom due to Rosaura's cooking. Gertrudis notice a revolutionary, Juan, looking at her. Chencha tells her to stop it. "One look from them can make you pregnant!"
Chapter 4: Quail in rose petal sauce / My personal favorite scene
Pedro give Tita roses since this day is her 1st anniversary as head cook. The pregnant Rosaura walked out of the room with Gertrudis smiling. Elena tells Tita to throw them out. Then Tita hears Nacha telling her not too as she holds them to her chest, the thorns scratching her skin. And so, we see her making quail in rose petal sauce. The effects were shocking. Pedro: "This is nector for the gods." Elena: "It's much too salty". Rosaura: "Excuse me. I don't feel well". The narrator explains that not just Tita's blood, but her entire being have dissolved into the rose petal sauce. That way, she "invaded Pedro's body.... voluptuously, ardently fragrant, utterly sensual." But although Tita was the giver and Pedro the receiver, it was Gertrudis who got the worst of it. The last thing she did before running away was to tear her blouse open.
Chapter 5: Gertrudis' arousal / A chance to get your boyfriend interested again
Okay, IF your boyfriend is asleep, poke him in the ribs right before Gertrudis rips her blouse open. Now, we see her running into the shower outside while we also see quick shots of revolutionaries fighting each other. Right before poring the water over her, she notice her body is already letting out a bunch of steam. While the water is poring over her naked body, the shower room caught on fire. Suddenly the fighting between the warring fractions stopped as the rose petal smell spread everywhere. Juan run off to find its source.
Now we get mixed shots of Gertrudis running away from the shower and shots of Tita and Pedro together. At first the two notice Gertrudis and the approaching soldier. Then they noticed each other and ignore Gertrudis. Gertrudis gets on the soldier's horse and gallops away. Elena yells to Tita asking where Gertrudis is as Perdo quickly sobers up and leave. Tita says someone lit the shower on fire and kidnapped her.
The next few scenes are fairly quick. A catholic priest mentions to the family a rumor that Gertrudis is now working in a brothel. That night Elena orders her name never to be mentioned again and burns all of her pictures and birth certificate. Before going to sleep, Tita writes in her cookbook / diary the recipe and how it affected Gertrudis. The following morning Tita is looking at a picture of Gertrudis she found in Gertrudis' bedroom. She hears someone coming. She puts the picture into a suitcase, put that under the bed, and likewise hide under the bed. Elena comes into the room, sits on the bed, and sadly says "My Gertrudis...." Pause. Looks up with her normal (that is, mean) face and yells "Tita? Where in the devil are you?" and walks off. Tita sighs.
Outside, we see Tita giving a man a letter addressed to Gertrudis and to not let her mom know about it. Mom then shows up asking what she was doing. "Bathroom, mommy", she lies. Elena then tells Tita that she and Chencha are going to shop for Rosaura's baby. Later Pedro and Nicol�s is in a carriage and Pedro yells to Tita that Rosaura is having the baby now and is getting the doctor, who lives in Eagle Pass, Texas. We see Tita at her bed praying to Nacha when the final birthing pains hit and the baby is delivered. That night the doctor, John, complimented (and stared at) Tita on her handling of the birth. He agreed at Elena's wishes to return daily for checkups.
Another day we see Tita working in the kitchen when Pedro comes in and notice her breast exposed as she is leaning forward. The narrator explains that Tita knew a breast untouched by a lover's fire is as useless as a ball of dough. So, in that instant, her breast became chaste to voluptuous due to Pedro looking at it even though he didn't touch it. Nicol�s then runs in and said that the wet nurse has died. That night the baby was crying and Tita couldn't resist helping the hungry child. So she offered her virgin breast and gave the child milk. [Ask your boyfriend if he understand any of this and report back to me what happened] She quickly covered it up when the new grandma came in wondering why the child wasn't crying. Tita said she gave the child tea. Elena then told Pedro to stop standing around and give the child back to her mother.
Chapter 6: Turkey mole / Lets go to Texas
There is an outside gathering. The baby has grown a bit. John is here and compliments Tita, holding her nephew, and says how lovely she would look with a child of her own. "Did I said something wrong", he quirps, noticing the strange looks and sighs. Tita explains the family tradition and he doesn't think very well of it. She walks by someone tasting her mole dish and asks Tita for the recipe. "The secret," says Tita, "is to do it with much love". The woman chirps to herself "She thinks I'm stupid". Meanwhile Elena is talking to the priest voicing her concern for Rosaura poor health since giving birth, fear on not having a doctor available, and moving to Texas where John lives. We return to Tita who is nursing her nephew indoors. Pedro whisper's from the outside door to come in, but she tells him not to. She doesn't want to get caught together nor being caught nursing the baby. Then Elena is heard in the distance. Pedro scrams as Tita quickly dresses. Elena comes in, looks around, and leaves.
Later we see Tita and Chencha talking how good Elena is at breaking watermelon while delivering ice... well, breaking anything... before cutting to a night scene where Pedro is eating the watermelon. He hears Tita, approaches, and started to get physical. Elena hears this, and yells "Tita, where are you?" "Bathroom, mommy", Tita lies while quickly walking in.
Pedro, Rosaura, and their son leaves for Texas. We see Tita already missing the child's suckling.
Chapter 7: Bad news from Texas / Tita's life goes to hell
We see Tita trying to give her mom a bath. Elena complains it is to hot and she can't learn anything. Tita starts ironing. Then came the barrage of verbal abuse: "The towel! You don't want me to wrinkle up in here?" After drying her, she ask for the slip which Tita was ironing. It's burnt. "What are you thinking of, you stupid little girl? Save your tears for when I die. Hand me the dirty one or I'll catch cold. [Tita then opens the door] You open the door too wide. Do you want me to die of pneumonia? [Tita starts brushing her hair] You're pulling my hair. Leave me alone! Go to the kitchen and finish the Chorizo."
Now with both in the kitchen, Chencha comes to Elena crying ("I hate to see you cry") saying that her grandson has died. Apparently everything he ate made him sick. Tita was about to get up when Elena yelled at her to sit down and told both of them there was nothing to do about it, there is work to be done, and to stop crying. Tita promptly made a fit and destroyed the dish they were making. Elena slapped her with a wooden spoon. Tita ran out and climbed up to the dovecove. Chencha later came over to comfort her only to be called out by Elena. When asked, Chencha said that she is crazy or something. "Fine. Let her go to the crazy house."
John then came and took her to his home in Eagle Pass, Texas. We quickly see his maid and son, Alex, from a previous marriage. He carefully sent her to bed. The next day he gave her some yarn to knit with, but got no response. She also wasn't eating her food. When he left with the food, she held her hands in front of her and waved them around The narrator said that she doesn't know what to do with them anymore since they are free from her mother. She wished they allowed her to fly away and wished she didn't had to say anything again, including her mother's abuse.
Chapter 8: Matches inside us / A hint of Tita's death
This little scene is actually very important. It has the doctor at a chemistry set with Tita looking at him, sitting on a chair, covered with a quilt. He goes on about a story his grandmother, a native American, told him. We are all born with matches inside us, but we can't lit it alone. Like how real matches need oxygen and a candle, we need a lover's breath and something else for a candle: a melody, word, caress, sound... anything. We must find what will pull the trigger that will light our matches. Sometimes though the matches are damp and need to be dried before it can be lit. Also, if they are not lit one at a time but all at once, a radiance will result and we will see the path we forgot at birth before rejoining the divine. During this he shows her a picture of a tunnel, this radiance, with two figures holding each other.
Chapter 9: Magic beef broth / If only the doc knew....
An even shorter DVD chapter. Chencha visits as the doctor brings up beef broth. Tita always believed beef broth cured anything. And so it did. Chencha then talked faster than the English subtitles can keep up about how mom is acting with everyone gone.
Chapter 10: Marriage proposal / And trouble at the ranch
Scene outside during a party. John asks Tita to marry him, she says "S�". Meanwhile at the ranch, Nicol�s and Chencha notice a boat at the river, turns around, and see a bunch of roughens. They hit him first. Chencha tries to escape but is pushed down. They start to rape her (not graphic) when Elena appears and fire a warning shot with a rifle. She though is attacked from behind and eventually falls down a cliff. Return to the party, evening. John asks Tita for a dance only to quit when he hears about what happened at the ranch.
I hate this scene. Why can't Nicol�s and Chencha just shove mom down the cliff (either by accident or on purpose) then use a bunch of men who's purpose and goal was never explained, never show what happen to Chencha psycholgically, and so forth. Makes me wonder if something was cut out from the novel even though these are minor characters. As is, it just doesn't seem fair.
Chapter 11: Just like mama Elena / Jealousy alert
Tita is getting Elena ready for her burial when she open Elena's heart necklace. She finds a key. She opens a box and find the picture we saw way back in chapter 3. She then cries not for an abusive mother but for a woman who couldn't have her true love. Two quick flashbacks: Tita as a child finding the box for the first time and scolded for it and her father's death. We see the funeral. Tita and Pedro hugs, but that's it. When leaving, Rosaura has birthing pains.
Cut to Rosaura and Pedro's home. He and Tita look at each other occasionally. John comes out and explains the birth was complicated. It was premature, she won't have any more children, and she will require lots of care.
We then see various scenes. We see Rosaura talking to Tita about naming the girl after her: born out of grief, will spend lots of time in the kitchen, take care of her mother per family tradition. Tita loudly voice her disapproval and recommends Esperaza. We see Tita with the happy girl cooking together, similar to how Nacha held Tita when she was a baby. Rosaura is given the child and Esperanza begins crying. Scene in English where Alex ask if he can marry Esperaza. Rosaura quickly mentions to him the family tradition. This made Tita mad. Pedro gives Rosaura some food. He doesn't look happy. She burped and farted.
They go to the ranch (uh-oh) where Rosaura can be better taken care of. Mentionings of the John and Tita's engagement and finalized. During the toast, Pedro crashes and breaks his glass (uh-oh). Pedro sees the two kiss. (UH-OH!) John leaves for Texas. (I think he has NO CLUE!) Quick scene with Tita and Chencha before going separate ways, Tita to the barn. Sees Pedro (oh no), asks what he is doing here (run!), he blows her lamp out (OH NO!), and sounds of heavy breathing is heard in the darkness. (Brian shakes his head)
Rosaura and Chencha sees a bunch of lighting and such outside by the barn. The spirit of Elena, Chencha thinks, and tells Rosaura she won't go to that barn again.
Chapter 12: Apparition / Pregnancy worries
This chapter begins with the narrator hinting that Tita is worried she is pregnant while cooking. Rosaura walks into the kitchen asking for help. Since she is marring John, Rosaura don't feel so jealous and threatened about Tita and feel more comfortable asking for something she wanted to ask earlier. She wants Tita to help her win Pedro back. Since Rosaura is fatter, has this flatulence problem, and bad breath, Pedro never even touch her anymore. So Tita agreed to put her on a special diet with mint leaves for the breath.
When Rosaura leaves, suddenly the window shutters open and Tita sees a ghost of Elena. The apparition warned Tita that she didn't want to see her with Pedro, didn't approve of not following the rules of society, and cursed the child growing inside of her. Chencha then walks in asking Tita why the windows were open due to the cold and close them, not seeing the ghost.
That night there was a big party. Tita took Pedro to the side, but was interrupted by Chencha, wanting help, before Tita could tell him anything. So Tita quickly whispered that they need to talk later. They go into the main party room. Tita sees the ghost again. She nearly faints as the dog barks at the ghost. No one else saw Elena.
We then see Tita recovered and a minor character telling her that if she wasn't such of a good girl, she would bet she was pregnant. The two then hear noises outside, open the door, and saw Gertrudis approaching on horse back with bullets strapped around her torso. She get down, hugs Tita, and introduce her to her now husband Juan and her men. Back inside General Gertrudis and her husband was dancing a storm. Rosaura commented to Tita that mom never danced and dad was a horrible dancer, so seeing this was unexpected.
Chapter 13: Sister talk / Elena sure didn't stay for long....
Gertrudis was blabbing away about the revolution and how she missed Tita's cooking in the kitchen. She then asked Tita if she was boring her (Actually, this one of the few times we actually see her talk. Before she ran off, the only other time I caught was after eating Roseaura's meal way back) and why she was marring John. Tita confessed she might be pregnant. Gertrudis said that if she, Tita, and Pedro are really in love, marriage can't change that. Then she pulled a fast one. While Tita was working on the fitters, Gertrudis saw Pedro come in. "I think you should tell Pedro you caring his child... Pedro! It's your lucky day. Tita has something to tell you."
Gertrudis walks out and, with a bit of humor, orders a soldier who never cooked in his life to finish the fitters. Meanwhile Tita and Pedro talked. Pedro, typical as a person who can only think about himself, was happy about the child and wanted to move away. Tita reminded him they can't leave Rosaura and Esperaza.
That night all of the soldiers were having a good time. Juan and Pedro, drunk, was singing next to a campfire. Tita was watching this when Elena showed up again, ordering her to leave until she can be a decent lady. Tita shoots back that she did the same thing with Gertrudis; had an illegitimate child. With this and a final plea to leave, Tita banished the ghost. But, before leaving, Elena made the campfire burn Pedro. He was carried in while Rosaura looking. Tita removed her hand from his when she saw Rosearua. Pedro pleaded in pain to hold his hand again. Tita started treating his burns with Nacha and John's grandmother's spirits offering guidance.
Chapter 14: Lovers quarrel / No more pregnancy worries
We see John finishing up Pedro's treatment. Later Tita comes in with food for him and a short argument begins. First they argued on if John should know about the baby, him wanting John to know and she didn't. But she landed a bombshell... she was just a little late this cycle and is not pregnant. Pedro has a fit and accuse her of being torn between a sick man and John. Tita said, "You are no longer sick.", in which Pedro responds, "What about my love and sacrifice?" His 'sacrifice', of course, is marring Rosaura so he would be near Tita. Tita yelled back that he should have kidnapped her.
Chapter 15: A talk long overdue / Sisters can quarrel too!
Now we have Tita vs. Rosaura. She is mad with Tita for breaking tradition. Tita argue back Pedro didn't marry her for love but to be near her. So on and so forth until Rosaura forbid her to be near Esperanza again.
John and his aunt pays a visit. After this aunt express in English her happiness in their soon-to-be marrage, Tita said in Spanish to John that they need to talk. After revealing that not only does her aunt not know Spanish but deaf too, Tita revealed she lost her virginity. When John isn't around, she loves this other person more (never said Pedro's name), but loves John more when he is with her. When asked, she said she doesn't know who to love and leave the table. The aunt, busy eating, is confused. John walks out and tells her he would be very happy if she goes on with the marriage but if she rather not, he would congratulate Pedro (so I guess he DID knew, or at least suspect) but demand he would give her everything she deserves.
Chapter 16: Esperanza and Alex wed / Where has all the time gone?
Numerous miscellaneous shots. We FINALLY find out its 1934, and a party is going on. Pedro (I hoped he matured by now) is dancing with Tita and reminds her how he would like to marry her and give her a child. Quick shot of John, alone. We find out that this is Alex and Esperanza wedding. We see a flashback of Rosaura, learning that three days after her biggest fight with Tita, she died of digestion problems.
I wonder if they cut huge portions of the novel out here, perhaps showing Pedro realizing he did a serious boo-boo. The original Thorn Birds movie did has a huge portion cut out, I know, and was made much later. But PLEASE don't ask for a spoiler for that monster of a movie!
Chapter 17: Chili pepers with love / Hurrying up to the finish
The wedding continue. The chapter's title is from a comment Tita made. The same woman who asked about Tita's mole back in chapter 6 got the same answer when inquiring about her chili peppers. The wedding ends and everybody leaves. Pedro, Tita, and John sees the new couple off. John leaves... alone. I personally think he got mistreated in this story.
Chapter 18: Like water for chocolate / Why premarital sex is dangerous
Pedro carries Tita into the barn. There is a bed and candles everywhere. Tita sees Nacha's spirit. Pedro and Tita started to undress as thunder and lighting occurs outside. Once they started doing it, Pedro screams "I love you" (since no one is around to complain), see a radiant tunnel, and promptly DIES. Tita bring over a quilt as we hear John's monologue in Chapter 8 on matches inside us. Tita starts eating matches. Quick shots of this and various flashbacks. Soon her mouth starts to glow and finally she burst into flames. The whole building burned down.
The narrator said that when her mother, Esperanza, came back from her honeymoon, all she found is Tita's cookbook/diary. Zoom back to the present, where the film began. The narrator puts an onion on her head while saying some final comments, like "I wonder why I cry when I cook them" and that Tita will continue living as people continue to cook her recipes. During this, the spirits of Esperanza and Tita slowly appears. They look at the narrator just before...
Chapter 19: End credits / The boring stuff
I don't think this part warrants a spoiler.
~ FIN ~
Appendix A: The List
Appendix B: Quail in Rose Petal Sauce
12 roses, preferably red
12 chestnuts
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 drops attar of roses
2 tablespoons anise
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic
6 quail
1 pitaya
Preparation:
Remove the petals carefully from the roses, trying not to prick your fingers, for not only are the little wounds painful but the petals could soak up bloood that might alter the flavor of the dish and even produce dangerous chemical reactions.
...
After the quail are plucked and dressed, their feet are pulled together and ties so that the bird keeps a nice shape after being browned in butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste.
The quail must be dry-plucked because putting them in boiling water affects their flavor. That is just one of the many cooking secrets than can only be learned through practice.
...
After the petals are removed from the roses, they are ground with the anise in a nortar. Separately, brown the chestnuts in a pan, remove the peels, and cook them in water. Then puree then. Mince the garlic and brown slightly in butter; when it is transparent, add it to the chestnut puree, along with the honey, the ground pitaya, and the rose petals, and salt to taste. To thicken the sauce slightly, you may add two teaspoons of cornstarch,. Last, strain through a fine sieve and add no more than two drops of attar of roses, since otherwise it night have too strong a flavor and smell. As soon as the seasoning has been added, remove the sauce fro the heat. The quail should be immersed in this sauce for ten minutes to infuse them with the flavor, and then removed.
The smell of attar of roses is so penetrating that the mortar used to
gring the petals will smell like roses for several days.