Authentic ingredients, food available in Waupaca
By James Card
La Tabasquena is a new Hispanic grocery store at 206 N. Main St.in Waupaca.
Owned and operated by Jose Ulin and Cynthia Montejo, the store has a simple but festive interior with piñatas hanging from the high ceiling.
The shelves are lined with foods and condiments from across Latin America. They have snacks such as semillas (roasted pumpkin seeds), dried chilies and herbs, salsas and many kinds of hot sauces.
Besides food they also carry household goods, health care and hygiene items from south of the border.
For fresh produce they carry lemons, habanero peppers and plantanos (plantain, cousin of the banana). For frozen foods, they have chorizo sausages, stacks of tortilla shells, banana leaves,and empanadas (Mexico’s version of American pasties).
On a side table they have tubs of fresh baked pastries: conchas (sweet bread), bolillo (a short baguette variation) and others.
Near the checkout counter they have grab-and-go hot tamales for $2.50 with a choice of chicken or pork.
English is Cynthia Montejo’s second language and if there is a communication problem, she is quick to figure it out with a translation app on her smartphone.
They are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday,