If you are looking to add a little spice to your life you’ll definitely want to head over to Albalisa’s All Natural Mexican Food and heat up your taste buds with some of her organic and truly authentic products. Every tortilla chip is prepared and packaged with great care – the same level of commitment goes into everything Alba Lisa produces. This little gem brings some cultural diversity to the ‘rurban’ streets of Alliston Downtown, delivering all natural home made Mexican soups, sauces, tortilla chips and more.
Alba Lisa herself is a talented businesswoman with a real zest for life and culture. She has a zealous gift for bringing flavours alive in her food and enjoys not only hosting, but truly entertaining each of her guests. Alba Lisa acquired her excitement and passion for food from her father, who used to prepare a meal and then get great pleasure in watching his family take that first bite and asking, “can you taste this?” and “can you taste that?” Born and raised in Mexico, the art of authentic Mexican cooking was instilled in Alba Lisa at a very young age. Getting her first tortilla press was like getting that teddy bear you yearned for as a child – she took it with her everywhere!
Despite her interest in recipe development and catering, Alba Lisa took to teaching in Mexico early on in her career. She was an elementary school teacher with a focus on Spanish and music. Ironically, she would bring her tortilla press to class hosting Mexican themed parties right there in her classroom. Eventually, Alba Lisa and her husband decided to experience life a little further away from home, choosing to move to Canada. They set up home in Toronto where Alba Lisa decided to take some time away from teaching to relax, cook and entertain family and friends.
Cooking and catering were never considered work to Alba Lisa. Her sister in law, who owned a store in the Toronto area, had asked Alba Lisa to sell her homemade soups at lunch time, and after just one taste of her perfected recipes people were hooked, fervently asking who the amazing talent behind the pot was. When Alba Lisa and her husband moved to Cookstown, they decided they wanted the Albalisa brand to have it’s own local identity, and they chose Alliston Downtown to set up shop because of its community, culture and economic up side. Alba Lisa is beyond grateful for the support of the local community and proudly boasts that even the mayor comes in for lunch on some Fridays. She has plans to expand the store and grow Albalisa’s to more than just a niche production company. Her vision is to open a casual restaurant connected to the factory so customers can not only indulge in some fantastic Mexican food but also experience how it is made.
All of her recipes are made with organic flour, and she has partnered with local farmers who supply many of the ingredients for her soups and sauces. Alba Lisa ensures all of her food is made free of preservatives, and everything she serves is an Alba Lisa original recipe. True to form, her Jalapeno Cream was nominated for the most innovative product in Canada.
Alba Lisa loves developing recipes, sampling new foods, and cooking for people. Even with her hectic schedule and plans to further develop the Albalisa brand, she still makes time to cater to and entertain others. You’ll want to make a stop in Alliston to pick up a bag of freshly made tortilla chips and dip, and make sure you say hello to Alba Lisa – she is sure to brighten your day with her larger than life personality.