Recipes for Living Mario Perez

LA PEQUENA MEXICAN STORE By Fern Underwood assisted by Vicenta Arellanoi, Clarke Elementary Tutor/Interpreter

Mario Perez, owner of La Pequena, serves the Hispanic community and welcomes everyone who would like to experience the use of the products offered at the store. On holidays celebrated in Osceola, he has cooked and sold Mexican dishes in a booth on the square, and those who have tried them have enjoyed the opportunity.

Mario was born and educated in Mexico. In 1994, he went to Washington State where he met his wife, Sonia Perez. She was born in Baja, in north Californiamexico..

Mario has had a variety of work experiences, which began in California, then in Idaho he planted pine trees. In Washington he worked in the fields, and picked cherries and apples. From 1998 until 2002, he was a fisherman of Pollock fish in Alaska.

In the course of it all, he made a trip to Iowa to visit his friend, Serafin, and relatives in Perry. Serafin had an idea for them to go into business together. They agreed on food — groceries or a restaurant, and they became business associates. For some time, Mario went back to Alaska but returned regularly to check on the business. In 2002, he decided to stay in Iowa, and chose Osceola. Sonia and their first child joined him in 2003.

He first opened a grocery store at 130 South Fillmore, in what had been the Garner Hotel. In 2007, when the opportunity opened at 112 North Main, he chose to move to that location. He and Sonia had one child, Cesar, when they came but since have had 3 more: Diego, Kevin, and Mario.

In April 2011, he added a taqueria, which is a café-type room where customers can sit and be served Mexican Tacos or any other craving they might have.

The store has, in addition to the usual items ordinarily found in grocery stores — meat, groceries, cleaning supplies — everything from blankets, to sports jackets, pinatas, and other favorites of our Mexican community — spices, juices, bottled drinks, fresh vegetables such as chopped cactus, which has an okra taste, challote, similar to zucchini, bulk rice, cinnamon and others. Mario also has Central American foods: flour, white Mexican cheese and cream cheese.

Recently, on August 28, 2011, there was a special event in the courtyard. If it could have been arranged, it would have been closer to September 16, which is the Mexican Independence Day, observed in Mexico. Mario participated, having his own booth where he prepared Mexican tortas, tacos, quesadillas, and burritos, He also offered drinks like Orchata, Jamaica, Mexican pop — Jarritos in various flavors. He is pleased to be in America, which has been his home since 1994, and he enjoys living and working in Osceola.