Estela’s Frescas rolling out a food truck

As a teenager in Mexico, Estela Ituarte was called upon daily to make beverages for her family’s dinners. Using fresh fruit from the trees that grew in her yard and what her stepmother found at the market, she’d spend her afternoons and early evenings prepping aguas frescas and lemonades from scratch, so her family could have delicious, refreshing drinks with their meals. It was an important job, one that she got good at doing—and she hated every minute of it. “It was almost daily; after school, I’d come home, get whatever fruit we had, and then make the aguas frescas,” recalls Ituarte. “I’m not going to lie: I was a kid, and I’d think to myself, Do I really have to make this again? After I moved back [to the United States,] I didn’t make them for a long time because I was just done.”

Now, Ituarte can’t help but laugh that she’s made a career out of that long-lamented chore with her business, Estela’s Frescas. A beloved mainstay at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, the natural fruit water stand draws in guests thanks to its vibrant array of concoctions, as well as Ituarte’s personal touch. Ituarte recently shared what she thinks has been the secret to her success and chatted about her forthcoming food truck, which will offer delectable handmade Mexican cuisine, in addition to the waters that have garnered a regular following.

You quit your corporate job of almost two decades to start Estela’s Frescas. How did you come to that decision and get the courage to take such a big leap?

I used to walk my dogs a lot at the park, and on Saturdays, I’d always see the market. I am also an artist; I paint and do photography and used to do art-and-craft fairs, so I got to thinking about opening up at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market for my crafts. I went around and wrote down every single vendor they had and realized that they didn’t have anybody really doing nonalcoholic drinks. It got me wondering about that, so I started making the fruit water concoctions we used to make in Mexico. The coordinator accepted me because she only had coffee and three or four vendors who served alcohol. I started out with four flavors, then went to six, and I just kept adding more. At the time, I was working at Wells Fargo while also doing the waters at the market. I did that for two years, but I realized that if I really wanted to do this, I would have to be very consistent and put in the work. I did a lot of research and planning to see if I could make a go of this, and once I saw that it was growing and I could survive off this business, I realized I had to do it. There was no other way. I finally left my job, and it’s been wonderful.

You draw upon your Mexican heritage for your waters. What is your story? 

My family moved here from Mexico when I was 12, and then in eighth grade they decided to go back for a few years. I went to school in Mexico through high school, then came back to the United States my last year of high school. After graduation, I enrolled in some college courses and was a waitress, but my family again went back to Mexico. I was there with them for a bit but then moved to Boston, then Texas, and finally back to St. Louis, where I went to nursing school. I loved the work, but it was too emotional for me, because I couldn’t take it when my patients wouldn’t get better, so I applied for a job as a translator with what was then AG Edwards and worked in that corporate world for about 15 years until I left to do this.

You talk about making aquas frescas as a teenager in Mexico and how you dreaded the chore. Yet you found your way back to it. How did that happen?

My stepmother was strict, so we didn’t have a lot of sweets growing up at home. However, we did have pomegranate, lemon, and fig trees, and there would always be fresh fruit around that she got at the market. I’d make lemonade and combine it with strawberries she’d get at the market. I’m from Chihuahua, where there are large fields of watermelon and cantaloupe, as well as apple orchards, so I’d use a lot of those fruits to make aguas frescas after school for us to have for dinner. It was something I had to do almost daily, and I dreaded it, especially when we’d have mangoes, and I’d have to cut and peel them. I stopped making them for a long time, but when I got to working at Wells Fargo, I would do little hobbies as a way to destress from work. I began loving aguas frescas again as I got older, so I’d make them and give them out to friends. They loved them and told me I should start selling them, and here I am.

For those who are unfamiliar with them, what are aguas frescas?

All they are is fruit, sugarcane, and water. It can’t be regular sugar; it has to be sugarcane. I don’t use that much water because the fruit, depending on the time of season, really dissolves to make a liquid, and I don’t want to dilute the flavor. We do flavors like watermelon, guava, mango, and hibiscus. Our most popular is the horchata, which has coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, rice water, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. I always give samples to people, because I want to make sure they are getting what they want for their money, and everyone’s tastes are different. 

You have big plans for Estela’s Frescas, including a forthcoming food truck. Tell us about that.

I’ve always hosted friends for dinner, and I remember the first time they came over, I think they were expecting tacos from Taco Bell or something. They saw I had all of these different salsas and guacamole and special tacos, and they just loved everything. They could tell that I put love in everything I cook, and they told me that if I sell water, I should also sell my Mexican food. So I decided I would open a food truck based on the food my aunt used to make. My mom died when I was born, so my aunt was like a mom to me. She cooked all the time, and I remember the smell of flour tortillas that she’d make before we went to school. I always helped her in the kitchen and learned so much from her, so I want to introduce her food to St. Louis. She made everything from scratch: tamales, chilaquiles, birria, tacos, taquitos, a cactus salad. I’m going to serve that food on the truck and make everything from scratch. I know that’s going to be more work, but I want people to taste how fresh it is. It’s been a lot getting the truck up and running, but I hope to be open by August 30 for the Paint Louis festival. 

People are already asking you about your food even before you’ve launched the truck. They also regularly come by for your waters and even bring jugs to fill them for the week. What do you think has been the key to your success?

I think you have to find what people like, do it as well as you can, and stick with that. I also think that personal touch and customer service are very important. I’ve found that people are hungry for customer service. When you go out and spend your money, you want the people who are serving you to be happy and genuinely care if what you order is good or if you need something else. They want a smile and to just talk to you. I feel that has been lost, and that’s what I try to give to everyone.

Photography courtesy of Estela's Frescas

Photography courtesy of Estela's Frescas

RECIPE

Estela Ituarte’s Strawberry Guava Agua Fresca 

From a young age, Ituarte has been perfecting her aguas frescas–making craft, first out of duty for her family and eventually out of a passion for the refreshing beverage. The key to the beverage, she says, is to not add too much water, so the natural fruit flavor remains intense. She also suggests adjusting the amount of sugarcane depending on the ripeness of the fruit. As a rule of thumb: Earlier in the season, less-ripe fruit requires more sugarcane, whereas peak-of-the-season produce calls for minimal sugarcane.

Ingredients

• 1 lb strawberries
• 1.5 lb. guavas
• 1 cup sugarcane
• 2 liters/ 68 oz water

Directions

1. In a container, mix sugarcane with water until dissolved and set aside. 
2. Wash guavas and strawberries thoroughly. Cut guavas in half, and take out the seeds. Set aside three or four strawberries for later. Mix guavas and strawberries in blender, adding some of the sugar water that’s already prepared.
3. Add the blended strawberries and guava to the rest of the sugar water, and mix well. 
4. Chop the strawberries, set aside, and add to the drink. 
5. Pour some of the strawberry guava agua fresca over ice. Enjoy!