“I’d never do it that way again,” he said. Yet, even though their early struggles, “there was never any doubt that this is what we wanted to do.” As patrons palates have become educated to the varieties and subtleties of Mexican food, the Rays have changed and expanded their menu. “In the beginning, you had beef, cheese, beans, and rice, and that was it,” Michael Ray said. “For nachos, you had peppers and cheese; now we have seven or eight different varieties. We’d buy a 5-pound container of sour cream and throw half of it away at the end of the week; now we use 100 pounds a week.”
The current menu is wide-ranging: nine varieties of enchiladas, nine kinds of regular burritos, eight chimichangas, a dozen appetizers, plus tacos, tamales, tostadas, salads, desserts, combination plates, and sizzling fajitas. There’s also American fare- a list of sandwiches.
Michael did most of the cooking (for the family) at home, and he also develop the recipes at home. He says most Mexican food served in this country is Americanized. For one thing, he points out, it would be greasier in Mexico. “We use oils and Olive Oil- no lard at all. It would be all lard in Mexico. Or take our chicken mole. We make the sauce and serve it over a boneless, skinless chicken breast. In Mexico, the chicken is pre-broiled and the pieces are put whole in a pot of sauce and served.” ” People used to have the idea that all Mexican food was spicy hot,” Juanita adds, “but it’s not. You can make it as spicy as you want.”
El Azteca has built a loyal following. Some people have dined regularly since the beginning. Even people who move away don’t forget. “Not long ago, a fellow stopped in for the ingredients for two burritos. He was flying to Florida to visit some former Fort Wayne residents and taking them as a surprise. And people often pick up our chips and sauce for people who’ve moved away.” Michael Ray said.
