Small Business Focus: Quebracho Empanadas
Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 3:31AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Belén RodríguezWho doesn’t love an empanada? If you haven’t tried them yet – there’s a world of flavor waiting for you! An empanada is a Spanish or Latin American pastry turnover filled with a variety of savory ingredients and baked or fried. Now that you know, meet Belén Rodríguez, Founder and CEO of Quebracho Empanadas. Quebracho Empanadas recently introduced their full line of frozen empanadas into 28 grocery stores as well as six farmers markets. We talked to Belén about earliest influences and why she is focusing on empanadas.
Q: What is your earliest food memory?
A: I can't pinpoint a specific event, but I do have a lot of early childhood memories of grilling with my dad – either him grilling and me playing in our backyard with my sister and our dog, or trying to learn from him. I was born and raised in Rosario. It's a pretty big city north of Buenos Aires. There was always something so special about those days in Rosario, especially if it was during spring, with the sun kissing our cheeks and experiencing that nice cozy feeling of the first warm days of the year.
Q: Please tell us about your journey from Argentina to Minneapolis.
A: My husband Rob is from northern Minnesota. We originally met in Colorado in 2006. I was travelling after college and he happened to be living there at the time. We both worked at a ski resort in the Vail Valley and lived in the same employee housing complex. After a couple of years moving back and forth, we moved to Argentina in 2008 and got married two years later. I moved to Minnesota in 2012, after living back home in Argentina with Rob for four years.
Sunday asado (barbecue) with friends
Q: Who are your culinary influencers?
A: I think my cooking is very much influenced by people who have used cooking as a way of bringing people together. My two grandmothers and my dad really shaped the way I cook and the way I like to work with ingredients, and my path through the culinary industry formalized that approach. I worked at Honey & Rye Bakehouse, Campiello, The Bachelor Farmer and also did an internship at 1884 Restaurante Francis Mallmann – all of these places, their founders/chefs highlighted individual ingredients, which is a core concept of Argentinian cuisine. I suppose that somehow created an emotional response in me and made me feel closer to home.
Q: How did you end up focusing on empanadas? What should we know about your empanadas?
A: Empanadas have a very special place in my heart. My grandma Iaia (YAH-yah) taught me how to make them and we always ate them at family gatherings. Our empanadas have been in my family for almost 80 years, and have remained virtually unchanged. I really do mean it when I say they are just like my Grandma used to make, and I'm so happy to share them with my Minnesota community.
Q: Where may we purchase these delicious treats?
A: Our empanadas are available online at www.quebrachomn.com, with delivery to 120 zip codes. You can also find us at six local farmers markets, as well as in 28 stores across the Twin Cities Metro area. The flavors people can expect to find in stores are:
- Beef with green olives and hard-boiled eggs, with earthy notes of paprika and cumin.
- Chicken with soffritto and béchamel sauce, with bright notes of rosemary, thyme and lemon.
- Spinach with ricotta cheese and garlic, with warm notes of nutmeg and black pepper.
Q: Ok, I’m sold. How may we follow your news?
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