The Native American roots of Texas Mexican food serve up tacos, feminism and cultural resistance.

Based on the award-winning history and cookbook,
"Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage In Recipes."

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SYNOPSIS
Over time and during conquest,Texas Mexican food sustained Native American memory and identity. Cooking nopalitos, deer, mesquite, tortillas and other Native foods, indigenous women led the cultural resistance against colonization.

15,000 years ago, Native American women domesticated the plants and cooked the same game and fish we eat today. It’s the “comida casera,” (home cooking) of contemporary Texas Mexican American families. Comida casera was made famous in the late 1800s by indigenous businesswomen, chefs, who operated outdoor diners in downtown San Antonio. Later dubbed “Chili Queens,” the chefs were harassed and forced out of business, victims of racism.

Original Chefs, Creators of the Modern Urban Restaurant,
San Antonio, TX
Advertisement circa 1915

But other women followed in their footsteps throughout the state, they kept on cooking.  Chefs, artists and community leaders in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and other cities share intimate food experiences that shape who they are today, facing a history of discrimination, dispossession and violence.

The road movie weaves through Texas cities, naming the racism that erased Native American history and celebrating the food that kept alive the community’s living memory and heritage.
Food narrates who we are, and indigenous Texas Mexican food questions what it means to be “American.” It offers a new type of encounter. One of understanding, building a table where ALL ARE WELCOME.

Harvesting salt at “La Sal Del Rey” salt lake, upper Rio Grande Valley, TX

PRODUCTION TEAM:
Our team is an international Texas-Latin America collaboration:
Executive Producer, Writer: Adán Medrano, his work has been featured in The New York Times , The Washington Post and The Houston Chronicle.

Producer: Virginia Díaz, her list of Feature Film and Television credits include: “Selena,” “The Chase,” “Rushmore,” and others.

Director: Anibal Capoano, his documentary films involve communities in the making, his most recent, the award-winning, “Caballitos De Lata”

Cinematographer: Gabriel Bendahan , his award-winning documentary films, with location shoot worldwide, include “Preso” and “Mandado”

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12 Responses

  1. Loved the film and its take on food, culture, and history in south/central Texas. As a former resident of Harlingen, lots of familiar places and one very familiar face in this documentary. Highly recommended.

    • Hi, Lupe. Each local PBS station is broadcasting it individually so they are all different. Please call your local PBS station and ask them, or look at their schedule online. Each station is receiving the movie feed directly from National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Houston is braodcasting it on March 29, at 9 pm. All the PBS stations in Colorado are broadcasting it on April 1 at 7 pm. All the PBS stations in Texas are broadcasting but at different days/times in Marchm, April and May. San Bernardino, CA and stations in New Mexico also have their own dates. Each station is programming it according to how they see that it fits best into their local programming and audience. It’s best to ask the one where you live. Thanks for asking.

  2. Hi, will this film be available for viewing via streaming services outside of the United States? I do not have a VPN right now. But would really like to support your film as I loved the trailer. All the best from Germany

    • Hi, Thomas. The film is available in Spanish and English worldwide on Apple TV, Google TV, YouTube and Amazon. I am not sure if those platforms offer the English version in Germany. Can you do a search on those and see if the Enlish-language version is available? We were wondering about making a German language sub-titled version,but we don’t know if there would be enough interest in the general public or at Universities to warrant the expense of sub-titling it in German. Thank you for your support.

    • Hi, Bill. We love the opening music, composed and performed by Robert Marshal Sutton I’m sure he’d love to hear from you on FB. The title is Sal Misteriosa. The original song, “Sabor Comida Tejana” is composed and performed by Belén Escobedo and I know she would also love to hear from you on FB. The music and sound are by Scott Szabo, also on FB. Scott also did compose one of the songs that takes over during the fire scene.

    • Hi, Bill. We love the opening music, composed and performed by Robert Marshal Sutton I’m sure he’d love to hear from you on FB. The title is Sal Misteriosa. The original song, “Sabor Comida Tejana” is composed and performed by Belén Escobedo and I know she would also love to hear from you on FB. The music and sound are by Scott Szabo, also on FB. Scott also did compose one of the songs that takes over during the fire scene.

  3. I love the show on 4/30. There is a young printer/chef/activist from RGV that I would like to contact her to obtain some of her artwork, Could you provide me her contact info. She made a great grapefruit pie, that looked great.

  4. Loved the road movie! Bravo! I have ordered the book from Amazon and can’t wait to arrive at home. Thank you for your hardworking and dedication to create this film. Give us more!!! Blessings, AliceDr

  5. Though Medrano had not planned to appear in the film as its narrator, he is a natural in front of the camera, and only occasionally lets loose with some unfiltered exasperation. And what about the food?

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