I was just 3 when my parents would push a chair up to the counter and let me grind the spices in the molcajete. The Molcajete is a volcanic stone passed down from generation to generation, seasoned by generations of use. Many Mexican/Hispanic dishes are made this way and many commercial kitchens can’t keep up with tradition. This is why some people joke that many places aren’t “Real” Mexican food establishments, but I digress. To me, cooking was the epitome of heritage and sacred practices of creating memories for the entire family. If you have ever said, “This doesn’t taste as good as Grandma’s enchiladas,” or more commonly, “Mama made the best [insert favorite dish you secretly know you made near perfect to how she makes it but she won’t admit that yours tastes good… Ok my Grandma would tell me this about any dish I made that was almost as close to how she made it and how it should taste.] My father was my cook at home, my Grandmother Ramos was my cook challenger and heritage preserver, and my Grandfather Trejo was my tradition holder.
It was my father that had a love for food that he shared with me that ignited the spark within me. I started when I was a child because it looked like so much fun! I would just run to the kitchen if I knew I would be allowed to help. Quickly (sometimes clumsily) pushing the chair into place and climbing on top just waiting to help. I loved it. As I grew older, my father would give me other tasks. Cutting here and there, spicing stuff, stirring (which always felt like witchcraft to me; potion creating) sauces or meats, and then baking!
I have always been fascinated with Baking. In the Food Industry, we consider Baking like a science. My mom would get the mix for cupcakes whenever I needed baked goods for Band or whatever group function I could tangle myself in that grade. I was always making it a point to help. I would help ice as best as I could. Sometimes it was just as simple as making some oatmeal cookies with Pecans (without Raisins, the worst was seeing a cookie thinking it was chocolate chip and it had raisins in it. Don’t get me wrong, I like Raisins, just at the time, I didn’t in my cookies). My family began to see my love for baking as a kid. Showing an interest in food caught my Grandmother’s eye. However Baking wasn’t her forte, cooking was. First and foremost, the rules of her kitchen:
To Grandma, she wished to passed down her recipes. I love how she made it seem like I was holding gold if I knew how to make her dishes exactly like she made them. In a way, I did. After her death, I quickly realized that making the recipes my Grandmother taught me gave my family and I a way to reconnect with her. Just smelling the spices triggers so many pleasant memories of learning and trying to perfect the techniques she showed me. I know deep down I will never make her dishes exactly how she made them, however I can take what she has given to me as a gift I can give to the rest of the family especially during the holidays when we miss her most.
Now when I talk about the holidays, I can never ignore the Trejo side of me. My Grandfather Trejo every December will get prepared to make the Pan de Polvo (Bread of Dust) mix; he makes pounds and pounds for the family. Now this is by far not a solo recipe, you need at least 2 people to make the volume the recipe calls for and there are multiple things happening at the same time. It is like Tamale making, it is just easier if you have more in numbers. It is a group effort; it is a tradition we hold even to this day. During this Co-vid19 season, I will be making these little Mexican sugar cookies however, we are just facetiming with Grandpa while we make our batch in Bishop. I got to; this man is 90. This is one of those recipes that when you make it, you must pay attention to every detail. We use only fresh yeast I must special order. It is very difficult to find fresh yeast however the yeast matters when it comes to the mouth feel and how fluffy it will come out. We make it in the traditional way, most of the time when you see Pan de Polvo in the stores, you may see small flower shapes, circles, or hearts. These are different recipes from what I have found because ultimately, Pan de Polvo is also called Wedding Cookies. We make our Pan de Polvo in small rings to signify the wedding ring. In the end it looks like cheerios, however these cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar cookies just melt in your mouth and you can’t just eat 1. When I was a teenager, I made a point to ask Grandpa how he made these. I may have not been able to do it every year myself, however, as the years have gone by, I enjoy the time I get to spend with my Father, my Grandpa, and my Grandma Trejo.
To me, Sugar Botany is my child. I get to express myself in creative ways, at the same time, I get to create memories for others. The old saying is true, “Find something you love and you will never work another day of your life.” I love baking. I love cooking. I love making people happy. I love creating memories. Cooking is one of the most intimate things you could ever to for someone. I am constantly baking with my a conscious effort. I am paying close attention to what I am doing, the quality of ingredients I’m using because giving you the best possible product is what you deserve. Offering a unique glimpse into my world is also something I enjoy doing.
Going back to the Food Network, the shows have definitely opened a window to my world; however, when it comes to my products I make, I like to takes pictures as I am building a cake, or making the decorations and send to my client. It’s personal. There is a ton of effort that goes into some of my stuff and I like sharing this process.
Ultimately, I truly love what I do. I know how important special events are, for memories you share with your family, special friends’ birthdays, or just that right guilty sugary pleasure. I want to provide that for you.
