Did you know that virtually every Ori’Zaba’s menu item is prepared using fresh ingredients? It’s true, but why? Because you deserve the best. ¡A tu gusto!
But with all the greenwashing going on these days, you might be wondering,
“What exactly do you mean by fresh ingredients!?”
That is a great question. And answering it is the exact purpose of Part 1 of our Fresh Mexican Food Series.
Fun fact, at Ori’Zaba’s we are so serious about the fresh factor, we don’t even have freezers! We use whole ingredients – always – and prepare everything by hand daily.
Follow up question…
Why exactly are whole fresh ingredients better than frozen (unwhole) ingredients?
Fresh Protein Ingredients Means More Flavor
Ready for some big SAT-style science words? Frozen meats are usually degraded by a process called lipid oxidation.
Basically, this means oxygen starts to mess with the cells of the food. This can rob the food of its flavors. Bummer right?!
While this isn’t always the case, we figure, why risk it!? If you want off-flavor food that tastes like your freezer, stay home.
Fresh Veggie Ingredients Means Better Texture
Freezing veggies changes the water inside the food to change from liquid to solid (ice). Frozen water expands and ruptures the cell walls of the veggies.
Once thawed foods will be much softer, less crisp.
For example, frozen lettuce turns limp and wilts. Yuck! But honestly, does anyone actually freeze lettuce? Probably not.
Peppers, onions, etc. on the other hand, are often stored in freezers.
And sure, cooking thawed veggies can mask this texture loss, but lots of our veggies are served raw (#RawFoodRevolution).
Who wants sauteed pico? Equal yuck!
So fresh it is.
Now for the whole ingredients…
Whole Ingredients Means No Chemicals
No, our ingredients aren’t literally served whole.
Yes, we do chop, chiffonade (shred), julienne (match stick cuts), macedoine (large dice), brunoise (fine dice), slice, mince, and crush our ingredients.
(Btw, how about all those fancy culinary words, huh?)
Whole ingredients means unprocessed, no preservatives or harsh chemicals.
Real talk…
While all this foodie science is fascinating indeed, the most exciting thing about our whole fresh ingredients made by hand daily Mexican food menu is undoubtedly the moment our delicious combinations enter your mouth!
The first fresh bite is undeniably layered with whole ingredients, perfect textures and addicting flavors.
Keep an eye out for the other articles in the Fresh Mexican Food Series. We’ll be highlighting unique ingredients, delicious refreshments, and much more!