It seemed like they must have been together forever. Carlos and Clara were crazy in love and middle aged, yet they had only met a couple years before at Clancy’s Fancies, a café that they both frequented in New York City. Carlos loved Clancy’s unsweetened coconut matcha latte, while Clara was overly fond of what she called a CCC in her cute way, referring to their delectable cinnamon-cardamom cookies that had the perfect balance of bold flavor and subtle sweetness in a crispy form that was just the right size for her. Paired with an oolong tea, Clara felt like she was living beyond the dream she imagined of adults when she was a little girl in Mexico. Carlos’s dream had been to meet someone as sweet and kind as Clara and his life cup was fulfilled, with or without his frothy and delicious matcha latte.

Carlos was from Cuernavaca and living in Brooklyn, while Clara was from Oaxaca and living in Queens, but they met in Manhattan where they both worked. He was a social worker, she an accountant, both grateful for their jobs and finding meaning in what they did. They sometimes missed their families, the local culture, the food—ah, the food, they both shared a pathological love for authentic mole—though they adapted well to and appreciated their new home. Both completely bilingual, they often switched back and forth, even within sentences, even in their dreams, peppering their conversations with Spanglish.

As much as they appreciated the simplicity and quietude of visiting the countryside or staying in small New England towns, at least for a while, they loved living in a big city where they could absorb and contribute to its energy. And they loved the many opportunities they had to meet and befriend people from all over the world.

When they decided to get married—the first time for both of them, which surprised people—they also decided to spend the first week of their honeymoon at Oceanside Meadows Inn, a quaint place near Acadia National Park in Maine that they had read about, and the next two weeks visiting their families in Mexico. Maine was beautiful and relaxing, while Mexico was invigorating.

Newlywed and giddy in love, they were deeply touched by being back home with their families and inspired by the amazing variety of delicious foods, the deep flavors of the food coming from their deep cultural roots. They both felt that these foods were so satisfying, while transmitting their culture with every bite. They decided to open a restaurant called Comunidades.

Not being young and impetuous, they kept their jobs, while they expanded their cooking repertoire at home, saved more money, and scouted a location. What they knew for sure, however, was that Comunidades would serve mostly Mexican food with some fusion elements. And they would feature their beloved mole, so they could share their passion and joy with others. They would also serve cookies. Their biggest dream, however, was that a couple would meet there and eventually get married.