<Tr> <Th> Pages </Th> <Td> 256 (Spanish) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> ISBN </Th> <Td> 978 - 0385721233 (Spanish) ISBN 978 - 0780739079 (English) </Td> </Tr> <P> Like Water for Chocolate (Spanish: Como agua para chocolate) is a popular novel published in 1989 by Mexican novelist and screenwriter Laura Esquivel . </P> <P> The novel follows the story of a young girl named Tita, who longs for her lover, Pedro, but can never have him because of her mother's upholding of the family tradition: the youngest daughter cannot marry, but instead must take care of her mother until she dies . Tita is only able to express herself when she cooks . </P>

When does like water for chocolate take place