Fall is here, which means changing leaves, apple cider, and… squash tacos? The State College farmers market is home to a variety of farmers and artisans who come to sell their wares every Tuesday and Friday on Locust Lane. Amidst the golden sunflowers, fresh tomatoes, and kale is a unique food truck that brings south of the border flavors to Centre County.
The truck, “El Gringo: Latin Kitchen and Bodega,” is owned an operated by Ben Stanley. Stanley has been running the truck for three years now, but his love for Mexican food goes much further back.
“Well, I was probably born with a love of Mexican food,” said Stanley.
El Gringo offers authentic Mexican cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients. Stanley takes iconic Mexican dishes like tacos, tamales, and guacamole, and infuses them with the produce of Centre County. Each week, there’s a different rendition of the classics.
“If I want to do something new, then we say, ‘okay what flavors have we done before that would work really well,’ keeping with the Mexican tradition,” said Stanley.
The Mexican tradition hits home for Stanley, whose grandmother was Mexican.
“When I was growing up and she was around, I loved eating her food, not so much cooking it,” said Stanley.
He has come a long way since then. He has turned cooking Mexican food into a fulltime gig, and has revisited many of his grandmother’s old recipes. Lucky for Stanley, his grandmother was working on a cookbook. Stanley says he uses her recipes to create new items for the truck.
Since the menu changes every week, Stanley has built quite a fan base for his Mexican fare. His loyal customers expect a new creation every week, and Stanley does not disappoint.
Stanley’s relationship with Mexican cooking doesn’t end when the farmer’s market closes later this year. He uses his time away from State College to gain even more experience with the cuisine.
“I’ll be doing this till November," said Stanley. "And then I like to travel and work at other restaurants across the country, and I’ve also worked at restaurants in Mexico too, which is just a huge learning experience.”
Until then, Stanley spends his days bringing Mexican cuisine to Locust Lane.