At the age of ten my Mother started to teach me to cook in order to help out and take care of my 6 younger siblings. But the real lessons began with my Mexican Mother-In- Law, Raquel. She was a trained chef who ran her own restaurants for many years. She also would help other restaurant owners set up their kitchens and develop their menus. Over the years I offered to help, I asked all the question
s I could about the food she prepared.So I sort of became her assistant and I was in my glory!! She taught me how to use and mix herbs and spices in a variety of dishes and sauces, and other recipes. I took this knowledge and used it in my own cooking at home for my family. My husband and children enjoyed the food I would prepare for them. When my two children were babies, I began creating a spice mix of own to use with my dishes. Being the gregarious person he was, my Husband enjoyed having family and friends around, so many dinner parties and barbeques came to pass. Because I would use my seasoning mix in many of the dished I prepared, our friends and family began asking for the recipes, asking what I used. After telling about my seasoning mix, they began asking for some to try. When they used it, their friends and family would ask what it was and where could they get some. So I began mixing larger quantities and would give some out to whoever wanted to try it. Several years later, the same family and friends began encouraging me to begin selling my spice mix. As for the Mama J’s name, it wasn’t planned. One day my Daughter-in-Law Sheri, and Grandson Adam were visiting, she mentioned that she ran out of her Mama J’s, and wondered If I had any extra I could give her. I laughed and asked “what’s Mama J’s?” Sheri laughed and said that’s what she called my seasoning mix. The “J” is for my last name “Juarez”. So from then on it became Mama J’s Original Seasoning Mix. I truly hope you enjoy my seasoning mix. And please feel free to tell me what you think of it!! Sincerely,
Mama J
(Eleanor Juarez)
