comal

Rather than portray such a violent scene, Nava shows Rosa arriving at her mother’s comal and finding it full of white butterflies.

Heat up a comal or skillet over medium heat, then toast the pasilla chiles for about 1 to 2 minutes, flipping with tongs as they toast.

A good tortilla, made fresh and hot off the comal, needs nothing more than a sprinkle of salt to be enjoyed.

“At the end of the day, she is showing us that all you need is fire, a comal and some ingredients to cook up these amazing meals,” Mr. Sandoval said.

My memories of it range from clear as a cloudless day to hazy, like the hot steam coming off a taquero’s comal.