The chef Nicolas Sanches was depressed after his wife had left him. He decided to prepare for himself an exquisite dish with rat poison. He thanks Saint Jude because he got scared and didn’t eat it after all.

When I married Gregorio I didn’t know that besides being a kind man and a great lover he’s also a wonderful cook. He cooks almost every day, and I enjoyed all the food. I give thanks to the Virgin of San Juan for such a joy and for sending me my husband.

Although I wasn’t beauty like my sisters, I married the handsome and kind man who loves me very much. All this thanks to the gift of cooking I had from Saint Paschal. So I always cook something delicious.

Raul Arellano enjoyed eating while watching movies. One day he was so excited, and popcorn stuck in his respiratory tract. He started to suffocate. Raul gives thanks to the Lord of the Wonders for he was rescued right away and he didn’t die.

Eleazar Camargo went to the USA to make money but returned back really fucked up. He entrusted himself to Saint Martin and started to sell carnitas. The thing have been going pretty well, so he brings this retablo in gratitude.

Uruapan, 1935

I dedicate this drawing to the Virgin of Guadalupe in her Day, December 12, 2013, as sign of my eternal gratitude for showing me that despite my wife Maria Virginia de Sosisoxitl being incapable to cook neither ceviche nor pozole, she still can be very good at the kitchen… and dirty.

My husband liked to eat in bed while watching TV. It bothered me because he left crumbs and left-overs on the sheets. One warm night we left the window opened and a lot of squirrels came to our room. They started to eat the left-overs. I was nervous and began to scream like crazy. My husband chase the squirrels away and closed the window. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because after that my husband stopped eating in bed. And now is very comfortable to sleep without crumbs.

Everybody likes how I cook. People always ask me what is my secret. It’s the Virgin of San Juan who sends her angels to make my food delicious. They add some salt and thyme here and there. And I give thanks to the Virgin for this miracle.

My daughter Maria was in marriage age. She was very pretty but she was an awful cook. I prayed to Saint Anthony so that he make her a better cook. Otherwise she would never get a proposal. Saint worked the miracle, and my daughter began to cook better. And with a recipe book that I bought her she even prepared very tasty dishes.

Alberto Ruiz ate a seafood cocktail and got food poisoning. He was very sick and entrusted himself to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Alberto got better and now he thanks for that with this retablo.

Jasinta Xolaltenco gives thanks to Saint Paschal for saving her husband when he choked with tacos with pork that stuck in his throat.

Rancho Torija, 1930

I thank the Niñopa because the hipsters started to get interested in the products of small local farmers to prepare their tasty garnachas with organic food. So now my chinampas in Xochimilko, that I always had, help me to pay for the Estefany’s 15th birthday party.

Your faithful and devoted old chilango.
Xochimilko, Mexico City
July 2014

Rodrigo Alcantara, the most handsome bachelor in the area, proposed to me. He said that I had won his heart with my food. In fact, I’m very proud about my cooking skills so I gladly agreed to marry Rodrigo. I thanks Saint Anthony for the happy marriage.