Few things are more familiar than the preparation of daily meals. Around the hearth, women in colonial Mexico worked culinary wonders, crafting dishes from a wide array of ingredients native to the Americas—maize, chili peppers, beans, squash, tomatoes, chayote, avocados, guavas, mamey, chocolate, and vanilla, among others.

Bread was a staple in the meals served to Father Hidalgo, his family, guests, and household staff. Those in need could always count on a bowl of soup or a warm stew in this kitchen. The 1810 rebellion was born in the warmth of this space, accompanied by steaming chocolate and small rolls that invigorated the first leaders of the insurgency.

The war disrupted the kitchen. With the collapse of the tithe system, food supplies in Dolores dwindled. Instead of chocolate with cinnamon, the military hospital (installed in the former tithe warehouse) served fava bean porridge, beans, and stale bread.

This room recreates the kitchen as it would have appeared in the early 19th century. Most objects are contemporary reproductions, though some utensils are original from the time.