Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens

Whether you’re settling in for a heaping plate of banana pudding or arepas and tostones, a good meal can always bring families together. Once a year, on a Friday night, My family leaves the cityAnd drives hours and hours . . . First my family drives through the mountains to stop at Mamaw and Papaw’s house in rural West Virginia. We share blueberry jam and toast for breakfast the next morning, then munch cookies and cut bananas to make banana pudding with Mamaw. After the last bite of pudding, we get ready for the next part of the journey, down to Florida to visit Abuela and Abuelo for crispy tostones, fresh squeezed juice, and arepas with queso blanco. Elizabeth Lilly’s tale of a joyous road trip, drawn from her own experience, is illustrated with quirky charm that captures all the warmth and love of her family’s two distinct cultures.