Moving to California led Claudia to search for those aromas and textures that made her feel close to home.
The smell of a freshly baked bolillo, the sweet aroma of bread such as shells, stuffed empanadas, polvorones, and cookies, and the taste of a piece of bread for breakfast or a snack were things that Claudia had every day in her home, with her parents, in Chicago, years later she runs her bakery in Chula Vista.
"Growing up in my father's bakery in Chicago seemed like a part of everyday life. I remember my father coming home with a brown paper bag full of bolillos for our dinner and the delicious smell of freshly baked bread. When I left Chicago, I didn't realize what a treasure that was."
"One long for the comforts of home; for me, it was my father's bakery. It was choosing a piece in a Mexican bakery, grabbing a tray and tongs, and having a wide variety of sweet bread options. Although there are many Mexican bakeries in San Diego, for one reason or another, they never lived up to my expectations." Even so, the idea of starting her own bakery had not yet crossed Claudia's mind, it was not until her parents visited her that, without imagining it, she ended up running a business.
“I had planned to take them to all the well-known tourist spots in the city, but that never happened, my father had his own agenda. In typical fashion, every vacation and new exploration of the city began with a visit to the local bakeries. My father would study, take a break and look for empty spaces to rent. Now I realize that my father was plotting. This time he went a step further. It was at her father's instructions that Claudia requested information about a place for rent, they went to see it together and although Claudia imagined that the plan was a new family business, in reality the idea was for her to have her own business.
“In a whirlwind of conversation, everyone around me thought it would be great for me to open a bakery. After that, I was alone. With limited experience, I've had a multitude of challenges and mixed feelings, but now I'm here. It has been a learning experience and I continue to try to offer my clients the cakes I grew up with, to recreate the cakes they grew up with in Mexico and to create new ones.”
La Concha Bakery, from where Claudia recreates the flavors, smells and textures of her childhood, in addition to betting on new recipes,Continues to keep its doors open at 334 E Street, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
