Local Business Wins National Contest

Written by Jennifer Gayle

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

THERE IS SOMETHING  TO BE SAID FOR GRANDMAS RECIPES.  YOU DON'T WANT TO TAMPER WITH THE INGREDIENTS, JUST MAKE IT THE WAY SHE INSTRUCTS YOU TO AND IT IS SURE TO BE A WINNER.  OR AT LEAST IT WAS FOR SOUTH TEXAS MILLING. WHAT STARTED AS A  WAY TO INCREASE REVENUE HAS TURNED INTO AN AWARD WINNING RECIPE FOR ONE SOUTH TEXAS CORN MILL.   "They sent us an e-mail in September. Said we were one of their top ten picks for spicy corn bread," Michael Maraggia, Owner.    IT'S JUST YOUR SMALL TOWN CORN MILL,  THE SOUTH TEXAS MILLING COMPANY, LOCATED IN INEZ, HAS BEEN PROCESSING CORN FEED SINCE 2001.  BUT IN 2002, THIS CORN MILL  STARTED PROCESSING FOOD PRODUCTS AS WELL.  NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, JUST USING OLD FAMILY RECIPES TO MAKE CORN BREAD, GRITS, POLENTA  AND MORE. THEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED. OWNER MICHAEL MARAGGIA RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM  A NATIONAL MAGAZINE,  BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS.  "They contacted us back in June of this past year and asked us to send samples of our corn bread mixes," says Michael.     IT WAS THE JALAPENO CORN BREAD MIX THAT WON THIS INEZ COMPANY THE NATIONAL AWARD OF BEST SPICY CORN BREAD.  EVEN BEATING OUT LARGE COMPANIES SUCH AS MARTHA WHITE AND BEST NATURAL, WITH THE HELP OF GRANDMA MARAGGIAS RECIPE.  BESIDES AN OLD FAMILY RECIPE, THERE IS SAID TO BE A PROCESS THAT BRINGS OUT THE FLAVOR. WHILE MANY LARGE CORN MEAL PRODUCERS USE HIGH TEMPERATURE GRINDERS ..SOUTH TEXAS MILLING USES AN OLD FASHION GRINDER.  STONES.  "Stone grinding grinds it at a lower temperature so it retains the corn flavor and retains about thirty two nutrients that higher temperature takes out, says Michael.      SO WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, THIS SMALL TOWN COMPANY HAS PROVED, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOUR LOCATED TO BE PUT ON THE MAP,  IT'S HOW GOOD THE FOOD TASTES.    NOW THE STONE GROUND PRODUCTS ARE NOT SOLD IN YOUR TYPICAL GROCERY STORE CHAINS. BUT YOU CAN CHECK THEM OUT ON THEIR WEBSITE. WWW.STXMILLING.COM OR CALL 361-550-3222. THE SOUTH TEXAS MILLING INC. ARE ALSO BIG ADVOCATES TO FUND-RAISING, GIVING ORGANIZATIONS FIFTY PERCENT OF EACH PURCHASE.  AND SELL GIFT BASKETS JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 November 2008 )