Have you ever had one of those perfectly warmed corn tortillas? Full of flavor? We have and they’re from Mi Tierra Tortillas. Co-owners, Jorge Sosa and Michael Docter, met an interesting way: Michael, a farmer, was a patron at the Mi Tierra restaurant in Hadley, MA that Jorge and Dora ran. Jorge and Michael came together in 2013 to bring high-quality tortillas that used fresh, local corn to the community. Michael took some time to share more about the business with us. Read more!
What makes your produce/products unique?
We bake our tortillas fresh from local and organic corn that is raised here in the Connecticut River Valley. We utilize the ancient Nixtamalization technique that has been used by the early inhabitants of North and Central America for the last few thousand years. Our recipe has been in Dora and Jorge's family for generations.
What is your favorite recipe to eat with your tortillas? Anything out of the ordinary?
At our house, we put just about anything on a tortilla and call it "Flex-Mex". Butternut squash, sauteed mushrooms, quick-pickled daikon radish. If there is something good in the fridge, it is going to be better on a toasted tortilla. Here is my son Jesse Docter's Chicken Tinga recipe. It's incredible!
Why is selling locally and the local food movement is important to you?
I started the Food Bank Farm in 1990. Since that time, the Hadley farm has donated over 200,000 lbs of organic produce to those in need every year. By localizing the food supply, we help make sure that everybody has access to good, healthy food. Local food also reduces our carbon footprint because it uses only a fraction of the fuel compared to the global food supply chain.
How does working with Food Connects help your business?
Food Connects has been an incredible partner by helping us find customers that love good tortillas and want to support local businesses. Food Connects has gone above and beyond to mesh their distribution system so that customers can get fresh tortillas on the day they are baked. The fact that the Vermont Food Bank is right next door to Food Connects means we can fulfill our mission of getting food to those in need at the same time.
