ABOUT

My name is Maria del Carmen Gracida Garza: I am a Cornish Mexican! This is my story about the journey that has led me to creating Casa Maria.

I was brought up in a little town called Santa Anita near Guadalajara, in the region of Jalisco, Mexico. My family lived in an orchard, and from an early age I discovered the joy of freshly picked fruit and vegetables and their smell, taste and textures. As I grew older my attention turned to learning the traditional ways of cooking those ingredients into lovely meals that maximised those flavours.

In my mother's kitchen we prepared typical Mexican dishes without the use of any artificial ingredients or additives. These methods enhance the ripe natural flavours and are most apparent in the strongly flavoured and spiced sauces, or Salsas as we call them in Mexico. They have always been present at the dinner table as condiments and are the inspiration for Casa Maria's Salsa and Salsita .

Having arrived to Cornwall by my father's mining industry connection 20 years ago, I embraced the local dishes, the landscape and friendly people. I also recognised Cornish Pasties being just larger versions of Mexican empanadas that were taken by Cornish miners who made their way to Mexico many years ago. These local foods could be given a taste of my home using seasonal salsas and when these started to be sought after by my friends and family the idea of Casa Maria was born.

Salsa is the collective term for many different types of sauces, for example: Salsa cruda means uncooked; Salsa fresca picada means chopped fresh salsa. In the UK salsa is perceived as a chunky dipping sauce but Maria's Salsa and Salsita meaning little Salsa are based on more traditional cooked Salsa that are blended into smaller bits and used in small amounts due to its full heat and flavour. The amount you use governs the amount of heat so can be used sparingly by some, and liberally by others, within the same meal.

Casa Maria's products are made with the love and joy I remember of my childhood in Mexico. They are made by hand with no artificial additives, sugars or thickeners. I endeavour to use locally grown fresh ingredients whenever possible to maximise the delicious ripe flavours and seal them proudly with my name knowing they are a true taste of Mexico. Open and enjoy them

I hope they spice up your life.