Pedro Muzquiz is their neighbor, with whom Tita falls in love at first sight at a family Christmas party.

Unfortunately, she forbids it, citing the de la Garza family tradition that the youngest daughter (in this case, Tita) must remain single and take care of her mother until she (Mama Elena) dies.

On the day of the wedding, Tita finds Nacha lying dead on her bed, holding a picture of her fiancé.

Roberto dies soon after the move and Rosaura later must undergo a hysterectomy due to complications occurring during the birth of her daughter, Esperanza.

At the ranch, a group of bandits invade the home and rape Chencha, and Mama Elena suffers a paralyzing injury.

While going through her mother's things, Tita discovers that Mama Elena had an affair with a mixed-race man, leading to the birth of Gertrudis.

While John travels to the United States to retrieve his aunt Mary for the wedding, Tita loses her virginity to Pedro.

This causes Pedro to get drunk and sing a love song below Tita’s window while she is arguing with Mama Elena’s ghost.

Just as she confirms she isn't pregnant (due to a late period) and frees herself of her mother's grasp once and for all, Mama Elena's ghost gets revenge on Tita by setting Pedro on fire, leaving him badly burnt and bedridden.

Many years later, John's son Alex and Esperanza are engaged, and Tita prepares for their wedding, after Rosaura has died from digestive problems.

The candles are sparked by the heat of Pedro's memory, creating a spectacular fire that engulfs them both, eventually consuming the entire ranch.

As the novel progresses, Tita learns to disobey the injustice of her mother, and gradually becomes more and more adept at expressing her inner fire through various means.

When Tita dares to stand up to her mother, blaming her for Roberto's death, Mama Elena smacks her across the face, breaking her nose.

Due to the tradition that requires the youngest daughter to care for her mother, Mama Elena forbids Tita from falling in love, marrying, or becoming pregnant, forcing her to work in the kitchen.

Deeply depressed about the fact that her sister is marrying her one true love, she places her feelings of despair and sadness into the wedding cake.

Another example of her inclusion of suppressed emotions into her cooking is when Tita’s blood infects the rose sauce and quail dinner that she serves to Pedro, Rosaura, and Gertrudis.

Finally, as a result of Pedro devouring this food, he becomes aware of Tita’s feelings and has a better understanding of the passion and love that she has for him.

In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, hot chocolate is made with near-boiling water, not with milk.

The Colors of My Past follows María, a descendant of Pedro and Rosaura, who discovers Tita's diary.

[17] It had its world premiere at the Royal Ballet on 2 June 2022, with Francesca Hayward as Tita, Marcelino Sambé as Pedro, Laura Morera as Mama Elena, Mayara Magri as Rosaura, Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Gertrudis, and Matthew Ball as John Brown.

It premiered in the US at the American Ballet Theatre on 29 March 2023 and starred Cassandra Trenary as Tita, Herman Cornejo as Pedro, Christine Shevchenko as Mama Elena, Hee Seo as Rosaura, Catherine Hurlin as Gertrudis, and Cory Stearns as John Brown.

La Santa Cecilia is set to write the music, with lyrics by Quiara Alegría Hudes, libretto by Lisa Loomer, and direction provided by Michael Mayer.

[24] Executively produced by Salma Hayek and starring Azul Guaita as Tita, it received positive early reviews.