Tortilla time

Tortillería gives a fresh, local touch to an old classic

By Cristina García
Adelante staff writer

Alvaro Galve combines the dry corn mixture with water in a commercial-sized mixer until dough forms. A brand-new, room-sized, silver tortilla machine, bustling with pulleys, conveyers and other moving parts, separates the dough into small balls and drops them onto a belt. The balls of masa, or dough, are pressed into flat, imperfect circles and eased into three ovens. The end result is an authentic corn tortilla, reminiscent of tortilla stands in Mexico. Denice Galve, Álvaro’s wife, packages the tortillas by hand. The bags pipe with a little steam as they are sealed. Still warm, the tortillas are prepared for distribution in Columbia and the surrounding area.

EMILY SCHWARZE/Adelante Álvaro Galve places tortillas on a machine that cools them. Galve and his wife, Denice Galve, moved from Mexico City to Columbia in September and in November opened Tortillería La Linda, the only tortillería in mid-Missouri.

The next stop for the tortillas is the kitchen of La Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant. In the kitchen, Enrique Gutiérrez-Sánchez fries up a batch of chips while José Galicia prepares a plate of enchiladas. The tortillas always arrive fresh and are sometimes only hours old when they make their way onto the plates of restaurant diners.
“I like their chips,” said La Casa Grande regular Holly Ford. “They are the best we’ve had in town.”
Ä lvaro and Denice Galve came to Columbia last September from their native Mexico City because of their family ties in the area: Álvaro’s sister, Karina Galve-Peritore, teaches Spanish at Lange Middle School. They left behind corporate jobs — he as a logistics manager at Red Bull, the energy drink company, and she at ILN Logistics Company, where she worked in marketing. They brought with them dreams of answering to no one but themselves.
The Tortillería La Linda was born out of their desire for self-employment. By the end of November, production of corn tortillas was underway. They named the business after Álvaro’s mother. In Spanish, the name “Linda” means pretty.
“When we arrived here we thought to put in a tortillería because there isn’t one in Columbia or in mid-Missouri,” Álvaro said. “The only ones are in Kansas City and St. Louis.”

recipe Click here for a recipe for Enchiladas Super Ranchera www.adelanteonline.com

The decision to open a tortilla factory was not one the Galves made lightly. A year before moving, Álvaro visited a tortillería in Kansas City and also did market research in Columbia. The couple took a course in Guadalajara from the maker of the tortilla machine they purchased. There they learned how to prepare the dough and how to assemble their machine.
Once in Columbia, the Galves felt they were ready to open shop.
“We came here with expectations, but we saw that some expectations were illusions,” Álvaro said.

Álvaro galve “We want to present the tortilla as fresh as we can.” Álvaro Galve owner of the TortillerÍa La Linda www.adelanteonline.com

It took them a month to find a building, and dealing with the Health Department was a new concept. When it came time to sell the tortillas, another problem arose. The managers at restaurants such as El Maguey, who according to Alvaro had shown an interest the year before, said they were not certain their customers would accept the new tortilla — although employees at El Maguey buy the tortillas for themselves. At El Charro, the price of the tortillas kept owner Maria Valdivia from using them in her restaurant.
The tortillas the Galves produce are different from the others available in the area. The machine they use is from Mexico, while most machines used in other tortilla factories are manufactured in the United States. Their tortillas also have fewer preservatives.
“We want to present the tortilla as fresh as we can,” Álvaro said. “It’s also the type of cut to the tortilla; ours has two layers.”
Whatever it is, Maria Bravo, the owner of La Casa Grande I and II in Columbia, is certain they are the best available.
“I told Álvaro, I want to be your first customer,” Bravo said. She uses Tortillería La Linda’s tortillas for everything. She says they make great chips and have more yield when making enchiladas. Bravo’s customers have been receptive to the change.
“I’ve been using them since November,” Bravo said. “I’ve talked with my customers and they really like them.”
The owners of Los Cuates Latin Market in Columbia, Sergio and Marcela Barona, buy both the corn and flour tortillas from the Tortillería La Linda.
“Our customers like them a lot; they are like tortillas from home,” Sergio said.
Tortillería La Linda tortillas are also available at Tres Hermanos Mexican grocery store.
The Galves hope to buy another machine in the near future and would also like to start producing their own flour tortillas. Right now they sell flour tortillas from a company in Chicago named after the Mexican volcano Popocatépetl.
Á lvaro is not tired of eating his tortillas, even though he spends his weeks making and distributing them.
“For enchiladas, these tortillas are the best,” Álvaro said. His favorite is enchiladas de mole. No matter what they are used for, Columbia residents are eating them up.

Enchiladas Super Ranchera

Kathrin Spirk/Adelante

Serves 8

Sauce
Yields: 8 cups of sauce. Store any excess in refrigerator or freezer.

• 1 tablespoon pickling spices
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 guajillo peppers, chopped
• 3 small ancho chiles, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large arbol chile, chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add all ingredients except flour and shortening. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour through a strainer into another large pot.
In a large saucepan, heat the shortening. Slowly stir in the flour, making a roux. When well blended and light brown, stir into pot with chicken broth mixture. Bring to a full boil for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Enchiladas

• 24 fresh corn tortillas
• 3 lbs. ground beef, seasoned and cooked to your liking
• 1 cup vegetable oil – use more if needed
• 4 cup shredded cheese (something mild will work best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a saucepan. Dip tortillas in hot oil with tongs to soften them. Add about 4 Tablespoons of the ground beef per tortilla; roll up and place in 11”x16” pan. When pan is filled, coat liberally with the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts and enchiladas are warm throughout.

The restaurant garnishes plates with guacamole, sour cream and shredded lettuce. For an authentic experience, Bravo suggests topping with sliced black olives and jalapeños.

— Recipe courtesy of La Casa Grande’s María Bravo