Tip#943: Food & Family Memories - Tortilla Soup

I was feeling down this past Easter because the holiday weekend fell on my Dad’s birthday. He would have been 81 years old and I was missing him and our family gatherings growing up. I missed our meals together and the times he introduced us to delicious restaurants and foods he discovered like Swiss Chalet rotisserie chicken!

So it was a magical moment when a friend and I walked by a Swiss Chalet on Good Friday and decided to have dinner there. I felt that my Dad had guided us there instead of the restaurant we planned to go to! So in honor of him I had a classic ¼ chicken dinner with fries and their world famous dipping sauce. I added ribs for this special occasion! For dessert my Dad always ordered warmed apple pie with a scoop of ice cream so even though I was full I ordered that dessert in memory of my Dad.

I have other wonderful memories of my Dad and food. I remember he loved having fried eggs with rice so I occasionally cook this for myself in the mornings. He also loved Maple Leaf Vienna Sausages so a couple times a year I’d see these at the supermarket and get some to take home. When I fry them up and hear, smell and see them crackle in the frying pan oil it warms my soul and makes me feel my Dad is here with me.

Tortilla Soup (2001)

The comedy-drama film, Tortilla Soup, is about semi-retired Mexican-American chef Martin Naranjo (Héctor Elizondo) sharing his Los Angeles home with his three adult daughters Leticia (Elizabeth Peña), Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) and Maribel (Tamara Mello). The entertaining story is based on the Taiwanese film, Eat Drink Man Woman. This movie is also visually rich and tantalizing with all its scenes of Mexican food being prepared and enjoyed! See: movie trailer

Each of the three daughters is going through their own life dramas which they share at dinner time each night. And in between their stories of going through life challenges it is so exciting to see Martin preparing the colourful meals. This is one of those foodie films that makes your mouth water and eager to taste these homemade dishes!

Inspiring Themes:
• Passion
• Resilience
• Indestructible Optimism
• Sense of Family
• Supportive Relationships
• Entrepreneurial Spirit

In the end the food and family gatherings on screen make me think about my own Dad and my family growing up. My soul is warmed by the images of love, compassion and even arguments between the characters. I then feel so grateful for these memories of my Dad, Mom and siblings for re-energizing my spirit when I felt down. And, of course, I am thankful for the memories of the delicious foods we shared that I still keep alive today!

Food and family can bring up powerful, nostalgic memories. Movies that feature food can also inspire and trigger happy images growing up. Find these films that lift your spirits and they can be your resilience resources whenever you feel down, lost or stuck in life. Let these movies feed your soul and remind you of joyful times with family. You’ll feel re-energized to move forward again with delicious enthusiasm!

Related Tips:
Tip#660: What Does Family Mean to You? Part 1 – Fast & Furious 6 
Tip#796: Comfort Food for Your Cinematic Soul – Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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A) Entertain & Escape 
B) Re-energize & Release 
C) Inspiration & Motivation 



Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Speaker & Movie Blogger
Discover How Movies Inspire Resilience & Indestructible Optimism
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© Emmanuel Lopez 2016