The “about” page – really, what is the “About” page about? And what do you want to know “about” Barrio Bites and me, Brendan Jude Liszanckie? And why are you so inquisitive? Who do you work for? Can I see some identification, please?
OK, OK, Barrio Bites is salsa, food of the gods (or at least it should be). A condiment. An appetizer. A salad. A soup. An entrée. A dessert. Hell, a beverage! Salsa can be anything you want it to be. It’s that versatile. It’s the Justin Timberlake of foods (and you KNOW you like JT, even if you’d never admit it to your hipster friends – or is he post-hipster now, so that to acknowledge your awe of JT really acknowledges your superior hipsterness?). But I digress. And what Barrio Bites salsa will always be is delicious, healthy, and guaranteed to get you laid (not true by any means, but it is an aphrodisiac . . . Again, not true, but let’s run with it).
Who is the man, the myth, the legend behind Barrio Bites? I’m an ex-English teacher/rabid Celtics fan/raging film fanatic/obsessive lover of music /jack-of-a-few trades/all-around semi-decent guy. I was compelled to leave Boston and move to Southern California due to Dre and Tupac’s ode, and I got my Dangerous Minds on as part of the Teach for America program. After several years living in the LBC, I lived and taught in beautiful San Diego. But let’s be honest: the kids taught me just as much as I taught them. The biggest and best lesson I learned? Mexican culture (specifically Mexican cuisine) kicks ass! Hell, I even married into an amazing Mexican family (biggie ups to the Ruiz familia!) and I got to experience posadas, bull fighting in Juarez, Dia de los Muertos’ altares, and, most importantly (not really, but really), kick-ass salsa. 
Barrio Bites didn’t start off that way, mind you. If you’ve previously read anything on this site, it started as a cooking club for my students. Many kids have a poor diet and suffer from some serious health issues; young Latinos and Latinas especially (have you eaten Tostilocos? You probably can acquire diabetes just by looking at it!) Plus, kids like hands-on learning and I wanted them to learn about something that incorporated math, history, science, reading, and you could effin’ eat the end result (you can’t do that with the CST! Well, you could, but then you’d be diagnosed with a whole battery of other issues). It was awesome! Don’t believe me – check out the photo below. I”m the beardo in the second one.
But since I’ve moved back to Boston AND I’m not teaching AND I think Boston deserves some kick-ass salsa, Barrio Bites is focused exclusively on salsa. For now. The best news? 5% of all sales will go into a scholarship fund for students from low socio-economic neighborhoods in order to help them pursue their passions (college, culinary school, tattooing, you name it). It’s my way to say thank you to those who have inspired me.
And I as I embark on this journey, I quote one of my heroes: “I’ve got plenty of common sense…. I just choose to ignore it.” So hop aboard the Barrio Bites train, invite friends and family along, and let’s do this!
Barrio Bites - Great Things Growing! 