Abuelita’s Kitchen is up now thru Apr 28 at the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History.
Courtesy LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History welcomed a new traveling exhibit in February. Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories gives guests a closer look at the impact of Mexican and Mexican-American women on the culinary traditions of Southern California. USC professor Sarah Portnoy developed it with support from California Humanities and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. In this community hub, people gather to celebrate Latinx culture through food, music, art, dance, and multigenerational artmaking and storytelling.
Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories features 10 grandmothers who have preserved and passed along Mexican food culture through their cooking. The story of each abuela — Afro-Mexican, Indigenous, Mestiza, and Mexican-American — is told through audio stories, documentary film, and photographs, plus kitchen artifacts and family recipes.
While exploring the various dishes these grandmothers prepared in their kitchens, like chiles en nogada, mole, pozole, and tamales, the exhibit gives a closer look at the themes of identity and place, not just cuisine. Abuelita’s Kitchen highlights the rich food heritage of Mexican immigrant communities and addresses some of the shared challenges faced by these grandmothers as immigrants and Mexican-Americans. As you make your way through the exhibition, you will learn about each woman’s immigration journey, their deep connections to their home states in Mexico, and the diverse neighborhoods that became their home.
The FWMSH’s Karla Hernandez explains that narratives of Mexican and Mexican-American women have been underrepresented in museum collections, which makes this show a welcome addition to the Cultural District. “By capturing the histories and family recipes of immigrants and non-English-speaking women, we enrich our understanding and gain a deeper appreciation for the significant contributions these women have made to the food traditions of the United States.”
To celebrate the culinary heritage and vibrant community of the City of Fort Worth, the museum has also partnered with local establishments to feature additional local stories of women who have made an impact in the city’s culinary culture. Fort Worth favorites like Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez (2220 E Rosedale St, Fort Worth, 817-600-0127), Don Artemio (3268 W 7th St, Fort Worth, 817-470-1439), Los Vaqueros (2513 Rodeo Plz, Fort Worth, 817-624-1511), and Tokyo Cafe (5121 Pershing Av, Fort Worth, 817-737-8568), have contributed personal artifacts and stories. Museum guests and community members will also have the opportunity to submit their recipes, in person or online, to help create a community cookbook, which will be available to the public free of charge once the exhibit ends.
Explore the various dishes that Hispanic grandmothers prepared in their kitchens, like chiles en nogada, mole, pozole, and tamales. Courtesy @AbuelitasCooking
Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories
Thru Mon, Apr 28, at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth. Free-$16. 817-255-9300.
While exploring the various dishes these grandmothers prepared in their kitchens, Abuelita’s Kitchen gives a closer look at the themes of identity and place, not just cuisine. Courtesy @AbuelitasCooking
Delicious events are afoot in North Texas this spring. Read about it in Night & Day.
