You Can't Hurry Second Chances Quotes

“Gabriella had outdone herself this time. She presented us with enchiladas filled with tender, slow-cooked brisket, topped with a creamy chipotle sauce. On the side were her famous elote cups— sweet corn with cotija cheese, chili powder, and a hint of lime— and a watermelon salad with a tangy Tajín drizzle that balanced the heat of the enchilada perfectly. The colors on the table were as vibrant as the flavors promised to be, and everyone let out a collective "ooh" as she set it down.”
― Michelle Stimpson, You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel

“You related to Miss Jewel?” he asked. He was old enough to be my uncle, yet still clearly flirting, with his too-wide grin and his too-tight wedding band.
“Yes. She was my grandmother.”
“Whoo! You’re just as beautiful, sugar.”
“Thank you, sir,” I replied, because I wanted him to know he was at least ten years older than me and needed to watch it.
“Naw. Don’t sir me. Just call me Wardell,” he said with a wink. “A pretty woman like you ought to know— age is just a number.”
He must have meant to open a doorway for dating. I shut it closed. “I was taught to respect my elders.”
― Michelle Stimpson, You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel

“Elijah blessed the food, and we passed the plates of waffles, chicken sausage, and eggs around first. Then came their masterpiece of mixed-berry syrup, which melted away the last remnants of my attitude with Gabriella. The syrup, still a little warm and thick with fruit chunks, glistened as it poured slowly from the pitcher— deep reds and purples swirling together like stained glass. It clung to the waffles, seeping into every crevice. This girl had some kind of culinary magic in her hands.
Now, my momma could cook, as could Grandma Jewel. They passed down their cooking skills and recipes to me, and I knew them by heart after so many years of repetition. Gabriella had a way of taking of what was already delicious and adding her own twist. Such was the case with this syrup. There was a little more warmth and depth to it— something besides the ingredients Elijah had listed.
I swallowed. “There’s something in here. Adding richness…”
Gabriella rewarded me with a wink and a smile. She turned toward Elijah, who was beaming with enthusiasm. “Should we tell her?”
He nodded half a second before shouting, “A dash of vanilla!”
“Mexico is one of the original sources of vanilla,” she said.
“Mmm, mmm, mmm,” I said, swirling another square of my waffle in the sweet crimson sauce. How she’d known to add vanilla was pure genius. “This is so rich, I hope it’s paying local taxes.”
― Michelle Stimpson, You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel

“Because my new trial recipe, blackened catfish with elote topping, requires that both the fish and the corn be, well, blackened by the broiler."
I shook my head. "That sounds gross together."
"Corn and fish?" she asked.
"Elote corn and fish. That's like mayonnaise and fish. Doesn't match."
She squinted at me. "What do you think is in tartar sauce?"
She had me.”
― Michelle Stimpson, You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel

“It's a mix of chilaquiles and cheesy grits--- something my grandmothers used to make, in their own ways. One was Black, from Georgia, and the other was Mexican, from Veracruz. I grew up eating both, and this is kinda like a blend of the two worlds. A little homage to both of them."
I took a bite, and the flavors exploded--- creamy, sharp cheese with the slight crisp of tortillas, balanced with the rich softness of the eggs. The grits were smooth and buttery, while the spice from the salsa brought the dish to life.
I laughed. "This does taste like one foot in the South and the other across the border.”
― Michelle Stimpson, You Can't Hurry Second Chances: A Novel