Story and Photos by
Mark Graven
Staff Reporter
A couple of Albuquerque teens are cooking up a story that may sound a little corny, but could be a good recipe for success.
The 18-year olds–Donald Garule and Amaya Sirena–say they are planning to attend CNM this fall, and will both major in Psychology.
This summer the have been selling corn from a booth they often set up next to Sirena’s parents La Sirenita Authentic Mexican Food (truck).
The idea for the corn booth was Sirena’s parents, but the teens apparently saw it as an “amaizing” opportunity. Now the teens are business partners in Casa de Maiz, in addition to being a couple, they say.
Garule and Sirena say they met at SageBrush Community Church, where they sing in the choir together. Garule graduated from Freedom High School, while Sirena graduated from Atristo High School.
Now they sell tasty sweet corn–on the cob, or in a bowl–spiced with plenty of butter, mayonaise and chili powder.
The recipe has the approval of Sirena’s parents, who have been attracting folks who like Mexican food to their food truck which they set up near campus at Yale Boulevard and Lead Avenue Southeast on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
“Their corn is pretty good,” commented Marco Sirena, Amaya’s father. He and his wife, Anjelica, have been encouraging the teens.
The Sirenas are finding that enough folks are attracted to their food and that they may look at expanding into the restaurant business.
Garule and Amaya Sirena say they are excited to be attending CNM this fall, even if their courses are on line.
“It’s as cheaper option ( than UNM) to start,” said Garule, and the class sizes are not as large.”
Sirena admitted to being “a little nervous” about entering college, because she is not sure what she wants to do.
However she says she may eventually go to UNM, and take up Neurology.
Garule says he is looking at a career in social work. Garule and Sirena say that they plan to look into obtaining a food truck of their own to help pay for their educations–a plan that just might have more than a kernel of common sense. Not too corny.
