As Midtown restaurant Sagche’s Coffee House nears its seven-year anniversary, Guatemala-native and 28-year Santa Fe resident Erwin Sagche remains committed to sharing the flavors of his country. And though Guatemalan culinary offerings are often overshadowed by Mexico’s, Sagche’s home carries distinct culinary traditions that date back thousands of years. After years of hard work, it’s safe to say Sagche’s has built a cult following with locals who swear by its breakfast, lunch and dinner options. We sat down with Sagche to hear more about Guatemalan cuisine, plans for the upcoming anniversary and how Sagche’s Coffee House is so much more than just a coffee shop.
This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.
How would you describe Guatemalan cuisine to someone who has never tried it before?
Adam Ferguson
Erwin Sagche
Guatemalan cuisine has distinct flavors, and we use lots of spices, chiles and herbs. We have one spice called adobo de achioti, which is the seed of the achiote tree ground into a powder using a big stone mortar and pestle. This spice gives dishes a deep red color and unique flavor. Guatemalan food isn’t necessarily spicy, but we love to use different spices and heirloom herbs for flavor. It also has a lot to do with using fresh ingredients and the fertile land.
The climate zones in Guatemala range from tropical to highlands, so we have a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables like avocados, sapote and heirloom tomatoes. It's so fresh there.
Growing up, my family used to plant beans, corn, chayote squash, yuca root and herbs. We also had papaya and orange trees. We even had coffee trees at our house. The fertile land really makes a big difference in the quality of the food. Another important part of Guatemalan cuisine is our tamales, which is a traditional holiday food—usually on Christmas or Holy Week. When tamales are being made, you know it's party time. Tamales represent a celebration of Guatemalan culture and our traditions. But most importantly, it's the simple, distinct flavors and fresh ingredients that make Guatemalan dishes what they are. And, of course, our handmade tortillas. In Guatemala, we only make our tortillas by hand, which we are doing here in-house, along with tamales, every Tuesday and Thursday.
What would you say is the one dish that best represents Guatemala?
It would have to be pepián. It’s somewhere between a sauce and a soup, served with chicken. Depending on which region of Guatemala you’re in, the flavor and consistency will change, I personally like when it’s thicker. Since I was little, my mom used to cook pepián. It’s a dish that goes back to the pre-Columbian Maya times. Chiles are an important staple ingredient in Maya cuisine and pepián incorporates at least two dried chiles: guajillo and pasilla. Traditionally, they are roasted on the comal. Then we add pumpkin and sesame seeds, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic, herbs, spices and we roast everything to give it that deep flavor and blend it into a sauce. Then we add chicken, and traditionally it's served with tamalitos (mini tamales), rice and handmade tortillas, but here it’s served with rice mixed with vegetables and our handmade tortillas.
I want to start working with farmers here in town with chickens and roosters. The idea is to eventually use local chicken to make the classic homemade-tasting pepián. One of our cooks, Ingrid, growing up in Guatemala, she would always work with her mom where she learned all the tricks and the spices they put in pepián. I'm so glad she's with us today to share those traditions with Santa Fe. She's the one who does the pepián, the estofado and everything.
How does it feel to be celebrating seven years of business and do you have plans to celebrate?
Being in business for seven years is something I am so grateful for. It’s our loyal customers and the hardworking staff who have made us successful. We're going to pass out 100 invitations to customers on a first-come-first served kind of deal, asking them to come and celebrate with us on May 23. I love serving people. I worked at Tomasita’s for 22 years as a server, manager…everything. I finally decided to create my own place. But it's a lot of work. The journey has been hard. I didn't realize everything that is involved in running a restaurant, but it’s been worth it when you see customers enjoying our food. Right now the focus is Santa Fe, but I want to keep reaching to all corners of New Mexico. The main goal is to share Guatemalan culture and to keep our traditions and heritage alive by sharing our food.
