If you jump online Thursday morning (May 23) without eating breakfast, you’ll likely develop a big appetite once you see the latest Google Doodle.
We have the exclusive first look at the new Google Doodle, illustrated by Oakland-based artist Chava Oropesa, which features the beloved Mexican breakfast dish chilaquiles, which means “chilis and greens” in the Aztec language Nahuatl.
Chilaquiles, a dish with a rich cultural history, was born out of resourcefulness. Instead of discarding stale corn tortillas, people began cutting them into strips, frying them up, and sautéing them in salsa. Today, this beloved Mexican dish can be found on menus in Mexican restaurants across Mexico and the southwest of the U.S. It is usually garnished with a combination of cream, queso fresco, onions, and avocados.
It was an easy yes for Oropesa when asked if he would participate, as he personally connected to the Google Doodle project. “Being Mexican-born and raised, our food feels like a part of my DNA. Chilaquiles is one of those dishes I grew up with,” he shares. “Being able to represent and create around the subject was very personal and special.”
The challenge for Oropesa was to create an illustration that would be instantly recognizable. He decided to use Mexican pink, or Rosa Mexicano, in the piece, a color that is synonymous with Mexican culture. He also wanted to incorporate a Talavera plate, a traditional Mexican ceramic, and cut tortillas into letters and fry them, a creative twist that adds depth and texture to the artwork.
Oropesa added that he felt he had a huge responsibility to capture the essence of chilaquiles. To do this, he used his childhood memories as inspiration, including how his tía would bring the dish to the family’s annual New Year’s celebration and the freshness and flavor of his mother’s salsa verde.
“I’ve had chilaquiles thousands of times,” he said. “That feeling stayed with me during the whole process. I want to make people crave chilaquiles, spark the memory of having them or the curiosity to want to try them.”
Check out the Google Doodle on Thursday, May 23, 2024, on Google.com.