Episode Title: Chabela Wedding Cake
Now that I’m over my doubts about this reimagining of one of my favourite novels, I’m so excited to get into this week’s episode. I’m ready for some more drama and some answers! I’m dying to know if Tita will finally talk to Pedro after his betrayal and what Rosaura’s been up to. Let’s get into this Like Water for Chocolate Episode 2 recap!
In this Episode
The De La Garza Tradition
Well, it seems that Tita isn’t the only one forever bound to the De la Garza ranch. It turns out that when Nacha was much younger, she fell in love and decided to get married. But Mamá Elena’s mother soon forbade Nacha’s fiancé from setting foot on the ranch and warned him never to return; Nacha was born on the ranch, belonged to the ranch, and would never leave the ranch. So Nacha never had the chance to fall in love again and spent the rest of her life cooking in the De la Garza kitchen. What remains unclear is how this tradition started and why it’s still being upheld by Mamá Elena, a character who, like her mother before her, has so wholly embraced her strength and independence in a male-dominated society.
Tensions between the Ruling and Working Classes
After a disagreement about caring for an injured horse, the ongoing conflict between the ruling and working classes boils over between Pedro’s father, Don Pedro, and Juan, one of his ranch hands. Don Pedro is cruel and disrespectful to his ranch workers, not unlike Mama Elená. It’s no wonder these two detest each other!
After Don Pedro banishes Juan and his family from his ranch, he burns their home right down to the ground, guaranteeing they’ll never be able to return. In retaliation, Juan returns to the ranch on horseback with a few armed friends to take what they have been denied while under Don Pedro’s thumb. Just as violence is about to break out, Pedro intervenes and allows Juan and his friends to take whatever they want. This incident sets the stage for a period of estrangement between Pedro and his father that is barely contained at the wedding reception.
Mamá Elena’s Cruelty
This is truly beyond the pale. In the days leading up to the wedding, Mamá Elena orders Tita to prepare the invitations, help Nacha make the TWENTY dishes for the reception (including the wedding cake!), and stand beside Rosaura during the ceremony as her bridesmaid. Even the typically obedient Tita had to stop and ask Mamá Elena what exactly was going on in that house! It looks like this Tita will push back against her mother’s tyranny in ways she never did in the book, and I am here for all of it. Go Tita!
Rosaura and Pedro Tie the Knot
Ok, now I know for sure that Rosaura is up to something. Watch her face on the way to the wedding and tell me you don’t see what I see! Her hands are all over this arranged marriage! I’m even willing to bet money she stole Pedro’s letters to Tita. And yet, there’s a part of me that pities her. After all, she’s still quite young and in love with someone who doesn’t love her and likely never will. However, how she reached this point is still a mystery because she’s always known about Tita and Pedro. I’m hoping for some clarity in the next episode.
And Mamá Elena is no help at all to her seemingly delusional daughter. On her wedding day, Mamá Elena tells Rosaura that marriage is about duty and power, not the fleeting illusion of love. Talk about a mother who never takes a moment to truly listen to her daughters! I’m feeling even sorrier for Rosaura after seeing the disaster her wedding and wedding night turned out to be. Ooof!
Chabela Tears
Of course Tita’s feelings of grief and loss are infused into the cake. Of course! It’s a pity, because it looked so moist and delicious. At any rate, each guest dissolved into floods of tears at first bite, mourning their lost loves. I can’t lie, I want to know why the pastor was crying. What was he getting up to in his past life? And to make a bad situation worse, the skies open up and let loose a torrential downpour that absolutely destroys Rosaura’s reception. Serves her right! And of course Mamá Elena blames Tita for ruining Rosaura’s wedding. Of course!
Nacha’s Death
While all hell is breaking loose outside at the wedding reception, Nacha passes away peacefully in her sleep. This devastates Tita, who boldly defies her mother to go to Nacha’s funeral. But before she goes, Tita tells Mamá Elena just how much she loved Nacha and how much Nacha loved her like a mother loves a child. All the ways Mamá Elena can’t seem to find it in herself to love her youngest daughter. Azul Gaita shines here as Tita, her grief on full display. She cried, and I cried with her. And are those tears in Mamá Elena’s eyes? Is this a crack in her hardened heart?
Pedro Confesses
Pedro follows Tita to Nacha’s funeral and finally lets her in on his grand plan to keep her in his life forever. And like the sensible young woman she is, Tita dismisses his plan as utter foolishness. Pedro, are you really telling sweet Tita that you’re going to build a family with her sister and expect her to be happy? Make it make sense! But Tita is also a young woman in love, so she passionately kisses Pedro goodbye. Young love, I guess. The romance between these two is the foundation of the series, and it’s everything it should be and more.
This was a great second episode! I’m eager to get answers to some of my most burning questions. I need Mamá Elena’s story; I suspect it will be far more layered than the original. And I want to see more Gertrudis on my screen; her presence balances all the tension in the series so well. I’m also going to miss Nacha; she was so warm and comforting, and her death will only add to Tita’s troubles. Buckle up. It’s going to get hectic! I’ll be back next week with the Like Water for Chocolate episode 3 recap. Let me know your predictions for episode 3 in the comments!
Happy watching!
