AARP Hearing Center
A Little of This, A Little of That: A Comforting “To Taste” Fideo Soup Recipe that Keeps Generations Connected
Behind Texas news anchor Rita Garcia’s family roots—and the cherished fideo soup her mom, Irene, still makes with love.
AARP Texas
In Rita’s kitchen, recipes are rarely pulled from a cookbook.
Instead, they live in memory, in conversation, and in the instinct passed down through generations. A sprinkle here, a taste there, and a familiar phrase repeated often between mother and daughter: “It’s to taste.”
For Rita and her mother, Irene, making Fideo Soup is about much more than dinner. It is about slowing down long enough to reconnect and carry family traditions forward; one bowl at a time.
“This is one of those traditional meals that’s very important to me to keep alive,” Rita says as she breaks down the beef with her mother toasting the noodles beside her. The dish itself is simple, comforting, and adaptable.
Fideo, a beloved noodle soup found in many Hispanic households, often reflects the cook preparing it. Irene explains that growing up, her mother made it one way, while Rita now makes it another.
“You can make fideo with chicken, you can do ground beef, you can add potato, you can add carrots, celery,” Rita says. “It’s to your liking, whatever you like.”
AARP Texas
For this version, Rita uses ground beef because it is her three-year-old daughter’s favorite. The noodles are toasted until golden brown before onions, tomato sauce, broth, and seasonings are added. Some days the recipe changes slightly depending on what is in the kitchen or who is gathering around the table. That flexibility is what makes the dish feel personal.
Rather than relying on exact measurements, Irene cooks the way she learned from her own mother: by tasting, adjusting, and measuring with your heart. Over time, Rita has come to understand that the phrase means more than seasoning. When Rita asks her mother for exact amounts while cooking, Irene’s answer rarely changes.
“It’s to taste,” said Irene.
As the noodles continue to toast on the stove, the conversation naturally drifts toward family memories. Irene remembers her mother growing cilantro and calabacitas in the backyard, picking fresh herbs in the morning to add to meals throughout the day. Those memories now live on Rita’s kitchen counter.
Rita recalls how her grandmother preferred staying behind the scenes, even refusing to be photographed unless only her hands were shown.
“She always wanted to be in the back,” Rita says, “but front and center when it came to serving.”
One of the lessons Irene hopes to pass down is that recipes are meant to evolve. After losing her mother, Irene admits she was initially afraid to change anything about the dishes she grew up with. Eventually, she became more comfortable adding her own touches while still honoring the foundation she learned at home.
“Don’t be afraid to do your own thing,” she says. “Just keeping the same basic recipe, but venturing out to add extra things.”
That spirit is reflected throughout Rita’s kitchen today. The meals may look slightly different from generation to generation, but the purpose remains the same: bringing people together.
Perhaps that is the real meaning behind cooking “to taste.” It is not about perfect measurements, but rather intuition and creating something meaningful for the people you love.
Looking for more family recipes and stories that bring generations together? Learn more here.
AARP Membership — $15 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
More From AARP
$2 Tuesdays with San Antonio Missions Baseball are Back
Calling all San Antonio Missions fans—Tuesday nights at the ballpark just got even better!
Right Now at the Capitol
AARP Texas is still at the Capitol laying the groundwork for 2027.
Enter Two Sweepstakes to Honor Hispanic Heritage
Two chances to win Astros tickets for the September 15 game to kickoff Hispanic Heritage Month