WORDS BY OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN (AKA OLIVIER THE WINE GUY)
Drink In “The Culture” with Puro Tepache
Photo by Puro Tepache
Born in Mexico City, Emmanuel Casasola and business partner Kevin Rodriguez became acquainted while working together in a pharmaceutical- related arena. As their friendship blossomed, so did the idea to start making tepache commercially, and they happily launched Puro Tepache in January of this year.
What is tepache, you ask? It’s a traditional fermented beverage sold in working class barrios in Mexico. Made from the rinds, peels and cores of pineapple, it’s a low alcohol product, typically 1–3 percent ABV. However, in this case, the yeast is eliminated during the fermentation process by use of a lactobacillus, resulting in a product that is below 0.5 percent ABV. The origins of this beverage date back to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican Nahua populations. Originally made from corn (maize), several variations of the recipe have survived.
Puro Tepache contains piloncillo, monk fruit extract, cinnamon and cloves. It’s a slightly sweet probiotic, with a soft hint of effervescence that’s meant to be consumed cold. The enterprising duo is extremely enthusiastic about their creation. “Not only do we feel that there’s a growing niche market at the national level for non-alcoholic beverages, it’s also a great cocktail mixer,” shares Casasola. “For us, this is a passion project. It reminds people about their origins, and we’re proud to bring them joy while helping to keep San Antonio connected to its Mexican heritage.”
PURO TEPACHE is currently available at Sprouts grocery stores. For more information, visit purotepache.com.
Chorizo Paste Wins the Gold
Photo by Hess Street Foods
This year, San Antonio-based Hess Street Foods’ Original Chorizo Seasoning Paste claimed first prize in H-E-B’s annual Quest for Texas Best competition. Being selected from 470 applicants across the state earns owner Maria Flores Texas-sized bragging rights for her wholesome product which can be used to make your own authentic chorizo or give any dish a tasty kick. Flores, who moved here from Coahuila, Mexico with her husband Luis, started her company in 2023. The genesis was the heirloom recipes she inherited from her grandmother.
“Before he returned to Mexico, my grandfather who had moved here in 1955, lived on Hess Street,” says Flores. “I named my company in his memory. My grandmother, Abuela Licha, started making chorizo from a traditional recipe to support her family after my grandfather died.”
Besides being awarded a tidy sum for their efforts, the real plum for all winners is getting product placements on H-E-B store shelves. In the meantime, you can procure Hess Street Foods Abuela’s Original Chorizo Seasoning Paste and Mexican Chorizo Seasoning online at hessstreetfoods.com and at select farmers markets.
Addictive Snacks: Air-Fried Chocolate Covered Pork Rinds
Coco Chops photo by Kimberly Suta
If you live in South Texas long enough, you will eventually be exposed to chicharrones, or fried pork rinds. This popular snack is also a staple in many other regions around the world, including Latin America, Spain, Guam and the Philippines. But what you may not have tried yet are the sinfully delicious Coco Chops. Produced just south of San Antonio, in Pleasanton, these air-fried, chocolate- covered chicharrones are the brainchild of Enrique Treviño, who some might call a mad genius. Coco Chops come in several different flavors, including milk, white or dark chocolate, as well as a spicy dark chocolate with chile version that’s so addictive they have custom- ers clamoring for more week-after-week. To snatch yours, visit The Pullman Market or find at several other area locations, listed online at thoughtfulsnacksstore.com/locations.
Lucky Dog Bakery and Boutique Knocks it Out of the Dog Park
Photo by Lucky Dog Bakery
Touting themselves as “the kind of store your dog would build,” Lucky Dog Bakery and Boutique is a one-stop shop for homemade dog treats and other pet products. “When we started the business ten years ago, my partner Mike De La O and I had envisioned that we would eventually open an actual brick-and-mortar location. But then, when COVID happened, we decided to stick with just featuring our products at local farmers markets,” recalls owner Terry McCarty. “Mike passed away, and now it’s just me. All our products are homemade. I have a building behind my home that we use to bake our dog treats. Bones and chews are sourced from local farmers and ranchers and dehydrated in-house.”
Choose from a wide selection of bones, chews as well as home-baked treats available in 15 different “wonder-wooful” flavors, including Carrot- Banana, Beef Stew, Bacon & Cheese, Banana-Honey, Salmon-Garbanzo, and Chicken-Lentil Veggie. Also, a must have for the season, the Apple- Bacon Pup Cakes and the Peanut Butter-Pumpkin “Woofle.”
Track them down at the following Farmers Markets: Alamo Heights Farmers Market at the Quarry, SoFlo and Arbor Park or order online at luckydogsa.com.
About the Contributor
Olivier J. Bourgoin has been a wine broker and consultant, as well as a freelance writer, who has been involved in these industries in and around the greater San Antonio area for more than 25 years. A native of France with family roots deep in the wine producting region of Burgundy, he is known as “Olivier the Wine Guy” and featured as such on a local weekly radio segment for 20 years.
