Edith Galvez remembers trips to her grandparents’ ranch in Mexico, watching her abuela perform “magic in the kitchen.”
Later, her mother would “replicate those memories on a plate,” with “very little measuring — just more cooking by heart.” But Galvez was content to just enjoy the bounty on her plate; she had little desire to be the one putting them together. Then, the world came to a standstill, and she struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety. She had trouble connecting with her family, lost weight and eventually found her way to cooking. It helped calm her down.
“I worked at exploring my family roots, the things that could keep me centered and happy, through the authentic Mexican family recipes from the women before me,” Galvez writes in the introduction to “In Edith’s Kitchen,” her newly released cookbook from Simon Element. During that time, her husband, Brandon, introduced her to ASMR videos — videos with whispering, tapping, repetitive audio and visual stimuli that trigger a relaxing sensation in certain individuals. She found them to be a big help and a way to get over shyness.
“No talking. No stress. Just set up the camera, invite viewers into my space and show them what I love. One of my first videos was of my Tostadas De Tinga recipe. I put it online with no expectations. It went viral, with 10.5 million views! I was so excited, because by this point, cooking had become my safe space, and to get this reaction was unbelievable,” she wrote.
Her first TikTok in August 2021 was about a blueberry pancake recipe; #foodtok fell in love with @edithXbella, with has since accumulated 7 million followers and regularly receives between 22 million and 81.4 million likes on her ASMR TikTok videos.
Becoming a #foodtok influencer has its perks, but Galvez says in the book, “I also love the fact that my ASMR videos can make a positive impact on the Latino community in this country. They help people who struggle with English by skipping the written lists of ingredients, since many are visual learners and can figure out my recipes just by watching what I do and how I do it. But they are also there for seasoned cooks who want a little insight into the foods of Mexico.”
When I began reading “In Edith’s Kitchen,” I was reminded of that innocent time on TikTok, between 2020 and 2022, when most Americans had flocked to it as a respite from COVID isolation. Like Galvez, they found a simple way to connect with a community. Oh, those glorious days of community building with people who shared interests or came seeking knowledge, back before the app became a place of gatekeepers, trolls and endless advertisements.
In looking for a recipe to share, I thumbed past the recipes for conchas, enchiladas, carne asada and mole con pollo, looking for just the right recipe to try. Then it hit me.
For weeks, I have been reading post after post on Facebook about how great the Alibozek’s corn at Susan B. Anthony Farm was. Monday morning, I decided it was time to find out for myself.
Of course, I already had plans for the corn when I headed out, a recipe for esquites — a version of Mexican street corn served as a salad. I made the short trip from my home in the center of Adams up to the farm on Walling Road. I left with a dozen ears of freshly picked yellow corn for just $7.50.
Out on my porch, I listened to my neighbors discuss whether or not the trim on a certain set of windows had been painted as I husked the corn silk and greens into a paper bag. I was a little anxious as I walked into our kitchen, the creak of the screen door not helping any, as I decided how I was going to cut the kernels from the cob. I hadn’t done it before, and in preparation, had read three articles about at least five different techniques. I ended up holding the corn vertically in the center of a large bowl as I sheared the kernels effortlessly with a kitchen knife.
This recipe is simple, short and sweet. You can dress it up or eat it as is; serve it as a side or as a main dish. After assembling my dish of corn mixed with mayonnaise, Cojita cheese and Tijin, I added some heated-up strips of Perdue Short Cuts Fajitas Chicken to my bowl. It was very delicious. And, for those who are wondering, the posts on Facebook were correct — the Alibozek’s corn, from Susan B. Anthony Farm, was worth the trip. It soaked up the butter and chicken broth, which gave this naturally sweet corn a savory swagger.
A bowl of esquites topped with a lime.
ESQUITES
Serves 5
Total time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the esquites:
10 ears yellow corn, husked and kernels sliced off
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, preferably Knorr
For serving:
1 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Tajin (see Tip), for sprinkling
Lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
Make the esquites: In a large pot, combine the corn and butter and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts and fully coats the corn.
Pour in 3 1/2 cups water, add the bouillon powder, and stir until the bouillon has dissolved. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the corn becomes tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 10 minutes. Drain the corn.
To serve: Divide the corn evenly among five bowls. Top each with 3 tablespoons of the mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the Cotija. Sprinkle with cilantro and Tajin and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Tip: Tajin is a store-bought Mexican spice mix of lime, mild dried chiles and salt. Add extra lime juice, hot sauce and salt if you can’t find it.
COOKBOOK REVIEW
“In Edith’s Kitchen: Recipes from My Mostly Mexican-American Home to Yours” by Edith Galvez
Published by Simon Element, a division of Simon & Schuster
256 pages
$32.50
