Two Valley families will be showcasing their culinary skills after making it into the top 10 finalists competing to get their items on the shelves of all H-E-Bs.
For the ninth year in a row, H-E-B is holding its Quest for Texas Best competition in which the grocer searches for creative, Texas-made goods like food, beverages, beauty products, home goods and more.
Over 564 products were reviewed as part of this year’s entries, but only 10 finalists were selected from the over 500 Texan entrepreneurs who participated.
Among the finalists are residents from McAllen and Brownsville.
Annie Leal of McAllen made it into the top 10 list with a chamoy that has no added sugar. She developed the sweet and spicy recipe, named ‘I Love Chamoy,’ while considering her father’s needs.
“When her dad was diagnosed with diabetes and could no longer enjoy this delicious Mexican sauce, she made it her mission to make this traditional staple of Mexican candy more accessible to people with different dietary needs,” a H-E-B news release said.
Leal spent months testing ingredients and different combinations until she created the sweet, tangy and spicy chamoy that is sweetened only with monk fruit, according to the release. The recipe also uses no artificial dyes and is made with 40-80% less sodium than other similar products on the market. The chamoy is typically enjoyed on fruits, vegetables, aguas frescas, seltzers, and more.
In Brownsville, a couple’s craving for a special confectionery sweet prompted them to come up with a version that secured their place on the finalist list.
Nadia Escalante and Manual Alvarez were on a search for the famous Japanese cotton cheesecake.
When their search came up empty, the couple opened their own place, The Sweet Blvd, and began creating their version of it with a Texas twist. The Sweet Blvd’s cheesecake combined a French souffle and the American cheesecake, H-E-B said. The airy texture, moist cake and soft cotton-candy confection won them a loyal customer base, which they hope they can expand if they win the contest.
Leal, Escalante and Alavarez will now have to bring their products before a panel of judges on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 for an opportunity to win $70,000 in cash prizes and the sought-after space on H-E-B shelves companywide.
