Tortilleria Nixtamal's Fernando Ruiz on Common Misconceptions About Mexican Food, Neighborhood Diplomacy, and an Elusive Liquor

AM-NY

A tortilla a day keeps the doctor away

Yesterday, we brought you Tortilleria Nixtamal co-owner Fernanda Ruiz's thoughts on his expansion plans, childhood memories of eating in Mexico, and cooking in the firehouse. Ruiz owns the tortilleria with his girlfriend, Shauna Page. They offer the only New York tortillas made with fresh masa, which they process and grind from dried white corn. The shop sells the tortillas, and also serves tacos, mole, pozole, and tamales.

Today, the firefighter/tortilla-maker talks common misconceptions about Mexican food, neighborhood diplomacy, an elusive liquor he'd like to be able to make, and the travails of delivering tortillas in a convertible.

What's the reaction from neighbors to Tortilleria Nixtamal been like?

I wanted to make a tortilleria for the local community, for Mexicans [in Corona] because I didn't think Americans were going to be the ones to buy. So my target customers were out in Corona...I've tried to keep it all in the community. My meat, I buy from the local butcher...I try to keep it all in the neighborhood so we can help each other...

At first, some in the [wider Corona] community were a little hesitant. I had a little old Italian lady who thought I was going to be bringing in a Mexican restaurant like the ones under the 7 trains, with a bar and $2 dances with the waitresses. She asked: 'What kind of place are you opening?' I said, 'A tortilleria, a Mexican restaurant.' And she said something to the extent of, well, she'd been here 30 years and I better be careful what kind of element I was bringing into the neighborhood.

My Brooklyn was about to come out -- my girlfriend had to hold me back from saying what I wanted to say!

You know Mama's [Leo's], the latticini? Well, my girlfriend came up with the Italian tamale, made with Italian sausage and peppers--it turned out great, I love it. And we're around the corner from this store, so I thought: Why don't we buy the mozzarella from Mama's? So my girlfriend's over there buying the mozzarella, and they asked her why she was buying this. She told them she was going to put it in tamales, and they said: 'Why don't you keep Italian and Mexican food separate.' I would have flipped out! I wouldn't have been able to take it! I don't even need her mozzarella! I was just trying to include her! She owns like four restaurants and has a stand at Citi Field, I'm no threat to her. I just said that's the last day I buy anything in that store.

But the neighborhood reaction has generally been really, really good...I've been there two years and I feel a part of the community in a way that I haven't in 17 years living in Soho...

What's the worst mistake you've made since opening?

...I had an opportunity to buy the building...If I had the mortgage, it would be equal to the $3,000 I'm paying in rent, if I include the rental from above, which is $1500. So when you look at it that way, I kind of kick myself.

That and the car I bought before [opening the tortilleria]. I look absolutely ridiculous delivering tortillas in a convertible.