La Potosina is a small stand, located across from the central market, in Cd. Mante, seems to have one mission in life, and that is to sell an almost bewildering array of locally produced dried chiles, seeds, beans, garlic, and other dried foods.  The stand is open to the street, and staffed by two guys, who seem quite eager to please, and who seem to really like what they do.  

Photo:  Rodolfo asks the guy behind the counter how much chipotle peppers cost, as your author and webmaster stands to the extreme right of the photo, camera at the ready.

As you approach the stand, you'll notice in front of you are large metal tubs that are filled with many varieties of dried beans, garlic, onions, sunflower seeds, and more.  I noticed all of the common varieties of dried beans, including red, black, pinto, garbanzo, kidney, northern, small lima beans, and others that I couldn't identify.  In back of the tubs are wooden bins of dried chiles, lots of 'em, which I'd venture to guess include every variety available in the state of Tamulipas.  An yes, they had smoky, dried jalapeño peppers, known as chipotles, which is what I was looking for.  All of their merchandise is sold by the kilogram, scooped out of the tub or bin by using a hand scooper, placed in a plastic bag, and weighed on one of their hanging scales.  Each bin and some of the tubs are labeled with not only what is in them, but the price.

Photo:  Rodolfo points out to Jerry some of the bagged products stored above the bins of chile peppers, as a staff member waits on a local customer.

I asked one of the guys behind the counter for a plastic bag, and with a wide grin, he handed me a plastic bag.  I located a bin of chipotle peppers, scooped out enough to fill a plastic bag, and sealed it shut with a rubber band.  I handed it to the guy behind the counter, and he placed it on a scale, and weighed it, and it weighed at a little over a kilo, and at the price of MEX $60.00 per kilogram, to me represented a bargain.

Photo:  Jerry and Rodolfo seem to be having a hard time making up their mind.  Photo clearly illustrates dried onions, chiles and beans displayed in metal tubs.

While I was performing my transaction, I asked the guy behind the counter where they got their merchandise.  He told me that La Potosina is proud that they purchase their products from local merchants, and most of the products they sell are produced in the state of Tamulipas, and the neighboring state of San Luis Potosi.  The guy said they like to purchase locally, as they believe in supporting the local merchant, their produce is fresher (does freshness matter with dried chies?) and they can buy their goods cheaper, and pass on the discount prices to their customers.  To me, that sounds like a winning formula.

Photo:  Bins of chile peppers.  The chipotle chile peppers are in the bin to the left.

Purchasing a bag of chipotles at La Potosina not only netted me a bag of dried chipotles that are hard to find in the 'states, but it gave me a unique insight into the local culture of Cd. Mante.  Call it multi-tasking, or whatever, purchasing chipotles at La Potosina was a fun, and unique experience.

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