By Carolyn Worthington

My love of Mexican food started when I was a little girl living in Los Angeles. The influence of Mexican fare wafted through our home on occasion, primarily through the special, cheesy beef enchiladas my mother would make using corn tortillas. Even though my mother was a first-generation American of Greek heritage, she loved incorporating other national flavors into her menu rotation., she loved incorporating other national flavors into her menu rotation.

Olvera Street, circa 1930 – 1945. Photo: Tichnor Brothers, Publisher, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons,

We lived about 20 minutes from Olvera Street, often called the birthplace of Los Angeles, a lively Mexican marketplace established in 1930 and lined with historic buildings, shops, and traditional food stands. We loved visiting, where the sizzling aromas of tamales, tacos, and handmade tortillas made us feel as though we had stepped into Mexico itself. The attraction to Mexican culture and cuisine permeated not only our menus from time to time but even the naming of one of our first pets—a duck I won at a local fair, aptly named Poncho. (Although Poncho turned out to be Ponchita when we discovered the abundance of eggs being laid in our backyard!)

When I moved away from Los Angeles, I still returned often to visit my grandparents’ ranch in Valley Center, California. Not only did they have horses to ride—my greatest joy—but they also grew oranges for top growers. Between horseback rides and picking oranges, Mexican food remained a throughline in our lives, linking memories of family, warmth, and celebration.

Over the years, our love for Mexican food naturally expanded. I still make the same guacamole my mother made, and our table often includes shrimp tacos, burritos, chicken flautas, chimichangas, chiles rellenos, frijoles, and of course, caramel flan. The flavors always feel both comforting and adventurous at the same time.

A molcajete and tejolote, stone tools, aka mortar and pestle, used for grinding herbs and spices. Shown here with guacamole. Photo: Deposit Photos

Why We Love Mexican Food

What I’ve always loved about Mexican food is how it combines so many flavors and textures in one bite. A crunchy tostada might be layered with smooth guacamole, a squeeze of lime, and a little chile heat (very little for me!), while something slow-cooked and rich balances it all out. The food feels abundant and lively, yet still very down to earth. There really is something for everyone, whether you crave comfort or spice.

Chef/restaurateur Rick Bayless, author of Mexican Everyday, and noted for his PBS series Mexico: One Plate at a Time, explains it best:

“The heart of Mexican home cooking is making the most of what you have on hand, turning the simplest ingredients into a feast.”

That approach—fresh, resourceful, and celebratory—makes Mexican food a perfect fit for family kitchens around the world.

It’s also a cuisine of extraordinary cultural value. In 2010, UNESCO recognized Mexican cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—the same recognition given to traditions like flamenco or the Mediterranean diet. The honor acknowledges not just the dishes themselves, but also the history behind them: the central role of corn, beans, and chiles, and the way recipes are handed down from parents and grandparents as part of family identity.

Pati Jinich, chef and author of Treasures of the Mexican Table, eloquently captures this bond between food and heritage:

“Mexican food is more than recipes. It’s stories of family, migration, and celebration.”

Edith Galvez and the Power of Food Stories

Recently, I discovered a new voice who resonated deeply with my own food journey: Edith Galvez, author of In Edith’s Kitchen: Recipes from My Mostly Mexican-American Home to Yours.

Like me, Edith grew up straddling worlds. She spent summers on her family’s ranch in Mexico, where she absorbed the flavors of street food and learned the culinary secrets of her heritage from her mother and grandmother. What began as casual TikTok cooking videos—“mostly for myself, just highlighting my love of Mexican food,” as she writes—grew into a following of more than 10 million people across social platforms.

Her book captures that intimacy, showcasing the dishes she cooks for her family: breakfast favorites like huevos rancheros and banana pancakes, weeknight dinners like meatball soup, tacos, enchiladas, and carne asada, and desserts that are both comforting and spectacular.

Carne Asada. Photo: Ashleigh Amoroso

I loved the authentic marinade for her skirt steak Carne Asada – a combo of orange and lime juice, onions, jalapenos, garlic with herbs and spices.

Four tortillas are easy to make. Photo: Ashleigh Amoroso

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your own flour or corn tortillas, Edith shares her very simple recipe: Flour Tortillas. In about 30 minutes (plus 20 minutes to let the dough rest), you can make your own flour tortillas using just four ingredients: flour, salt, lard or butter, and water. The corn tortillas are made with three ingredient: masa flour, salt and water.

Tortilla press. Photo: Amazon

I even bought a tortilla press for this one … what fun! The 6.5″ cast iron press comes with a colorful “servilleta” napkin for keeping the tortilla warm plus a booklet with the history of tortillas. Not that I need another gadget for my kitchen but this one is handy, works well and can fit neatly in my cabinet.

A glance at the list of ingredients on some of the packaged flour tortillas in the grocery store will turn you into a forever fan of Edith’s tortilla recipes. Who needs soy flour, vegetable shortening, CMC gum, canola oil, Xanthan gum, etc. in our diet!

Edith’s insistence on authenticity is refreshing. She even champions the traditional use of lard in her homemade flour tortillas:

“Lard is actually lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than butter,” she notes. “And it makes for the most delicate, flavorful tortillas.”

It’s a reminder that real food, prepared with care, is often healthier and more satisfying than packaged alternatives.

Chocoflan Bundt Cake—half custard, half cake—is a showstopper. Photo: Ashleigh Amoroso

If you are looking for a dessert that is not only delicious but will wow your family or guests . . . Chocoflan Bundt Cake—half custard, half cake—is a showstopper that looks like it requires a pastry degree but is surprisingly easy to make at home. I tested it and received rave reviews from my family!

A Lineage of Great Mexican Cookbooks

While Edith represents a new generation of Mexican-American voices, she joins a lineage of legendary cookbook authors who have brought Mexican cuisine to global audiences.

• Diana Kennedy, often called the “Julia Child of Mexican food,” dedicated her life to chronicling authentic regional recipes. Her Essential Cuisines of Mexico is still considered the gold standard. She once said, “Mexican food is endlessly varied and fascinating, but above all, it’s honest.”
• Rick Bayless, through his cookbooks and restaurants, has helped Americans embrace authentic Mexican cuisine beyond Tex-Mex.
• Pati Jinich brings warmth and family storytelling to her PBS shows and books, making her recipes both easy to try and deeply rooted in tradition.

Together, these voices remind us that Mexican cuisine is both ancient and evolving, intimate yet global.

Bringing It Back Home

For me, Mexican food remains an everyday joy as well as a nostalgic touchstone. When I prepare shrimp tacos with lime crema or our classic guacamole, I am reminded of my mother’s enchiladas and our family trips to Olvera Street. These flavors bridge past and present, heritage and home.

As the fall season sets in, I find myself gravitating toward hearty Mexican dishes that feel especially right for cooler weather and can be found in “Edith’s Kitchen” cookbook—slow-cooked pork in chile sauce, tamales wrapped in corn husks, or pumpkin empanadas that bring together harvest flavors and Mexican tradition.

Mexican food has been with me all my life, evolving from childhood memories to modern-day discoveries. It’s comfort and celebration, history and innovation. And above all, it’s love—love of flavor, family, and culture shared around the table. I applaud Edith Galvez for her new book, In Edith’s Kitchen… and exciting recipes for us to try!