Not Your Ordinary Artisan Salsa
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There’s no need for a further introduction when it comes to chips and salsa in the Texan community — especially after being hailed as the state’s Official State Snack back in 2003. The appetite for the duo has always been increasing since then. Much more so the number of salsa and sauce producers in Texas and the innovation they are acquainted with.
A whole lot of flavors, a whole lot of varieties, and a whole lot of options to choose from. Among other local shops and salsa producers, Octavio Orozco came up with CHILESQUILES as he drew inspiration from Chilaquiles in 2016.
What, Exactly, is Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles is a Nahuatl word that means “chilis and greens”. It is a traditional Mexican dish, enough to be considered as comfort food in Mexico. It consists of fried corn tortilla pieces and the sauce could be red or green. Toppings to be included are optional as the dish is very versatile in flavor. Though commonly, Chilaquiles toppings come with chicken, eggs, sour cream, queso fresco, onions, and cilantro.
The traditional dish made its way to the United States in the late 19th century through Encarnación Pinedo’s The Spanish Cookbook. As popular as it is, there was no existing ready-made salsa specifically for Chilaquiles — until CHILESQUILES came about.
Founding CHILESQUILES
CHILESQUILES is led by Octavio himself. He has always wanted to develop a project that could teach his kids the fundamentals of starting an income-generating business. It was one afternoon just a few years ago that he came up with his eureka moment of creating a sauce to specifically cook Chilaquiles with.
The idea came up and about because his family has always had a tradition of enjoying a weekend breakfast or brunch of Chilaquiles. It usually takes time to prepare the dish since everything was made from scratch to make it taste authentic. Sometimes settling with an enchilada sauce or a taco salsa does the trick to help in cutting prep time although quality and authenticity are compensated.
With a little help from the friendly internet and a surge of interest, Octavio then decided to make a homemade Chilaquiles cooking sauce of their own to put into the market.
Fresh and Locally Sourced Ingredients
All ingredients used in their CHILESQUILES production were sustainably sourced from farmers markets in Houston. Everything is made sure to be fresh and natural.
To stay true to this while following an artisanal process, they buy ingredients the same day the vegetables will be cooked and produced in small batches. CHILESQUILES take massive pride in being able to control their products’ quality and homemade flavors through their small-batch productions every week.
Breaking the Stereotype
Much more than a salsa eaten only with chips and arguably being less spicy than a hot sauce (how long does hot sauce last?), CHILESQUILES is a handcrafted cooking sauce.
CHILESQUILES can generally be used to marinate chicken, to enjoy eggs and breakfast tacos, and to make essential Mexican recipes like Chilaquiles, enchiladas, huevos rancheros, or migas.
Octavio personally uses their products to cook for his family, just as how everything started. The Roasted Green sauce goes well with steamed white rice (how long does rice last?), baked potatoes, or chicken casserole. Homemade Chipotle is great for seafood such as grilled salmon (What wine goes well with grilled salmon?), fish tacos, or migas for breakfast. Signature Red is great to make a tenderloin in the oven or classic red enchiladas.
His personal favorite, Molcajete Salsa is always at their breakfast table with eggs or fried beans. There are currently 40+ recipes available on their website to fully maximize CHILESQUILES sauces.
Where to Grab CHILESQUILES Products?
With COVID-19 in place, customers can purchase CHILESQUILES products on their online store. They are currently offering free shipping throughout the country with purchases of packaged 2-3 sauces.
CHILESQUILES products are also available onsite at local farmers markets in the Houston area. Also in some specialty shops, and general stores within the city limits for easier traveling mobility. At the moment, there is no plan for a brick and mortar store — sorry, die-hard fans!
Looking Ahead
Octavio is currently focusing and working on several things at the same time to ensure the business’ expansion, so as to reach more customers. A conscious effort has always been made for CHILESQUILES products to be available in several more specialty stores in Texas and eventually in other states.
And the most important thing we should all be ecstatic about is there’s a new flavor coming up for the last quarter of this year! I know nothing about the specifics yet — but it’s sure to be just as good as their current salsa and sauces, or might even be better!
Know more about CHILESQUILES products by visiting their website and by following their social media channels: Facebook and Instagram.
