Growing up, everything important happened around the kitchen table. It was the place where we celebrated birthdays, graduations and successes. It was where we discussed serious things like grades or negotiated permissions and curfews. It was also the place where we healed from heartbreak and grieved losses. And whether it was a moment of joy or worry or sorrow, we always had food to go with it, because, as the Mexican saying goes, « Las penas con pan son buenas » (« A sorrow shared with bread is easier to bear »).
The women in my family are naturally gifted cooks, and cooking has always been about more than just food for us. It’s about connection. The recipes I have learned do not involve measurements; they’re passed down, shaped by taste and feel. I have learned to cook and bake by smelling, tasting and watching for the right color, the right consistency and the right texture.
We never had a lot of money growing up, but somehow my mother managed to make every meal a feast. These quesadillas are one of my comfort foods. They’re quick, easy and require only three ingredients. When I make it, I feel my mother’s presence. She would never claim it as her own — her meals are more elaborate — but every time I make this meal, I remember the way she stood in our tiny kitchen, hands moving with practiced speed, while still being able to watch that we were doing our homework right.
These quesadillas are easy to make, but it is one of those meals that makes everything feel a little better. And it will taste like a Mexican mom made it for you. Mexican promise.
Quesadillas
Ingredients
- Maseca corn flour
- cheese
- salt
- warm water
