How many television series could seriously be considered a feast for the senses? Not many; a show can be visually stunning but a failure to watch, or well-acted but literally difficult to watch. But there are shows that not only have stunning visuals and a well-acted, well-written story, but also stimulate other senses. That is the case of a new Mexican series that debuts on HBO Latino and Max in the US.

Initial shot: Clouds and farmland. A voice says: “I learned a long time ago that stories are neither entirely true nor entirely false.”

The essence: Whoever says that is telling the story of how her great-aunt Tita was supposedly born in 1892. The story is that her mother gave birth to Tita while she was cutting onions, and that she shed so many tears that they flooded the kitchen.

As he grew older, he spent more time with the cook Nacha (Ángeles Cruz) than with his mother, Elena (Irene Azuela). After watching Tita meet Pedro, who would become the love of her life, we go back to 1908, when 16-year-old Tita (Azul Guaita) is preparing cream fritters with Nacha. The love you have for the person you are making them for makes them so delicious. Tita enthusiastically takes them to Pedro (Andrés Baida), who is now 18 years old and ready to go to the city to study at university. He promises to write to Tita every day.

Two years later, Pedro is at a rally for opposition leader Pedro Madero when the police raid him and start shooting. He barely escapes and ends up returning home to stay at the Múzquiz estate to live with his influential father, Pedro Sr. (Mauricio García) and study law. Tita sees him in church that Sunday and ignores him. Obviously, something happened (or didn’t happen) that caused that reaction.

Elena has three very different daughters: she has designated Tita, the youngest, to take care of her until she is old. The middle daughter, Gertrudis (Andrea Chaparro), is truly a free spirit. Elena is determined to marry her eldest daughter, Rosaura (Ana Valeria Becerril), first, even though she is the “simplest” (relatively) of the three.

These problems come to light at a society dance, where Elena instructs her daughters to direct any dance requests to Roasura. Pedro, of course, asks Tita to dance and the same spark that was between them before returns. She finally tells him that she never received a letter from him in the years she was away, and he responds by saying that he sent letters every day, as promised, until he got tired of not receiving answers.

This rekindles their romance and leads to a proposal. But Elena does not need the entire Múzquiz family, due to a dispute over the sale of two cows to Pedro Sr. when she was desperate for money. But Pedro Jr. convinces his father that he loves Tata and intends to marry her no matter what. An agreement is reached; Someone marries Pedro Jr., but it won’t be Tata.

What shows will it remind you of? Like water for chocolatebased on the novel of the same name by Laura Esquivel, it was also a universally praised 1992 film. Despite the early 20th century setting, the feel is more sensual. Bridgerton.

Our opinion: Francisco Javier Royo Fernández is the main author of this version of Like water for chocolatewhich has Salma Hayek Pinault as one of its executive producers. With the space offered by a limited series, Fernández and his writers offer a persistent visual smorgasbord of revolution-era Mexico, along with a thoughtful setup of exactly what was at stake when Tita learned that the love of her life , Pedro, was going to marry his older sister Rosaura instead of her.

Guaita, who plays Tata, communicates the longing her character has for Pedro, which will be channeled through her efforts in the kitchen as she grows older, frustrated that her mother has so much control over her destiny. It is excellent at communicating the struggle of women at that time, who asserted their independence but were still limited by the strong bias of the time towards gender norms. Add the social aspect to Tata’s upbringing, even though Maria struggles to stay financially stable, and Tata’s battle is certainly difficult.

But the chemistry between Guaita and Baida, who plays Pedro, is undeniable. Watching them share the cream fritters Tata made is the most sensual scene you’ll ever see, although the most sexual thing that happens during the scene is some kissing. That’s the power of food, right? The entire series will proceed like this, with Tata preparing more and more sumptuous and delicious dishes that are infused with her love for Pedro and the frustration of not being able to have him.

The calm pace of the show gives the audience the opportunity to really get to know Tata, Pedro, Elena, Rosaura and Gertrudis, along with the people around them, and surround themselves not only with their story but with the environment in which it is told. I don’t love slower paced shows, but since the story of Like water for chocolate It involves romantic love, revolution and amazing food, the pacing is perfect this time.

Sex and skin: Does it count to see a close-up of Tata and Pedro eating cream fritters?

Parting Shot: The camera quickly pans away from a horrified Tata as she watches Pedro and his father walk away from her family’s ranch.

Sleeping star: Ari Brickman is Pedro’s uncle Felipe, a senior police official. The two are likely to come into conflict as the revolution unfolds.

Most pilot line: When Pedro talks to a stable boy who has been a friend since they were both children, Pedro Sr. tells the stable boy to start calling his son “Mr. Pedro” or “boss” from now on. Yes, Pedro Sr. is that idiot.

Our call: TRANSMIT IT. We don’t often say that a TV series is “delicious,” but that’s the perfect word to describe it. Like water for chocolate. From the setting to the food that is integral to the plot and the performances of the show’s leads, the series is a feast for the senses.

Joel Keller@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and technology, but make no mistake: he’s a couch potato. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.comFast Company and other places.