Story by Eyzel Torres, Summer 2020
I grew up in a Mexican household where food and the art of cooking is valued greatly due to its ability of bringing people together. The food that my family prepared was usually very spicy because Mexican cuisine tends to use a lot of hot peppers. However, I didn’t really enjoy the spiciness of the food when I was younger. Fortunately for me, not all peppers are spicy- some are actually mild or can even be sweet! One of my favorite peppers happens to be on the milder side: the Poblano pepper. This type of pepper originated in Puebla, México and is used to make a dish called chiles rellenos, which translates to “stuffed peppers.” And although my family is not from Puebla, this dish is still one of my favorites because it reminds me of my family and our culture.
I’ve always appreciated my family’s heritage but I have also struggled with feeling disconnected to our native country, México. This is mostly because I was born in the United States and never had the opportunity to visit my family’s mother country; therefore, I felt that I didn’t really know México enough. However, my mom helped me make a valuable connection when she taught me how to make chiles rellenos. The dish consists of Poblano peppers that are stuffed with cheese, covered in an egg mixture, and fried. We had fun going through the steps while she talked to me about her own life experiences and what cooking means to her as a Mexican-American. Our hands (and even my forehead) were full of flour, egg, and cheese but I felt happy being able to share those moments with her.
Learning how to make this dish may be a small aspect of my culture, but it is definitely an important part of it. I think that Poblano peppers are a beautiful type of pepper because they’re a reminder that I don’t have to fit a certain mold in order to be Mexican, American, or Mexican-American; I just have to be my authentic self and that is enough. They will forever be a symbol of love for my family, my culture, and of myself in my head, heart, and soul.