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Local Products
Pack your fridge with these locally made Mexican food favorites.

The Tamale Store

The Tamale Store
Martha Pimienta gets her masa dough outrageously fluffy without the use of lard or shortening, making her tamales lighter than air. The Tamale Store built a near-cult following at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, and today the family spreads out to 15 different markets each week. You can also pick up the tamales at their store during the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We suggest the red chile with beef or pork, but also the vegetarian flavors such as the mushroom and cream cheese ($14/half dozen, $26/dozen).

Info: 13045 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, 602-435-2604, thetamalestore.com

Mi Salsa
The taste of pure ingredients is in every jar of Mi Salsa. Salsa master Martin Osete doesn’t use preservatives, but he does ripen tomatoes and tomatillos to peak flavor, and he liberally uses chiles and spices. Available in mild, hot and extra hot, we noticed a “medium” was missing, until we tried the mild – with a kick from chile de arbol. The hot gets its heat from serranos, and the extra hot is laced with mouth-tingling habanero ($7 each).

Info: Available at Whole Foods and the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers’ Market, 623-748-4547, misalsa7.com

Paletas Betty

Paletas Betty
Mexican popsicles – paletas – are a sweet way to cool off on a hot, sunny day, and Paletas Betty, a new paletaría in downtown Chandler, makes terrific ones with fresh, never frozen, seasonal fruit. But Betty Alatorre, a native of Michoacán, Mexico, is not just picky about the fruits. She grinds whole spices and toasts the chiles and nuts for all her paletas. Our favorite is the mango con chile with bits of ripe mango and a little heat from toasted red chile ($2.49-$2.79).

Info: 96 W. Boston St., Chandler, 480-779-8080, paletasbetty.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

Crave Artisan Ice Cream – Spicy Mexican Chocolate
Chiles and chocolate were made for each other. No less than three chiles spice up owner Shannon Dufresne’s newest ice cream flavor, spicy Mexican chocolate: rich ancho, smoky chipotle and picante cayenne. The deep, dark chocolate base (made from both extra dark cocoa and bittersweet chocolate) is swirled with cinnamon and nutmeg. It all adds up to a creamy, chocolaty ice cream with a throat-warming kiss. Sample at Spotted Donkey (also home to the best nachos in the Valley) or pick up a pint at Urban Grocery at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market ($7).

Info: 480-295-0812, craveicecream.net

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