Talía and Gustavo share several things: a life together for the past 6 years, coincidentally the same last name (Fernández) and, most importantly according to them, a love for croquettes.
“I see croquettes in everything, they are a little piece of heaven capable of assimilating millions of flavors. I imagine rice pudding croquettes, paella croquettes, bell pepper croquettes, and much more,” Talía confesses to Negolution.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this couple from the capital decided to start a business offering homemade croquettes with what they had at hand at that time in their home: a packet of chicken thighs and a little flour, “with that I started to make magic, as I always say,” she recalls.
“I asked my daughter if she would sell them and she assured me she would. I never thought that, with so few resources, we would get to where we are now. I knew how to make the béchamel, no one taught me. Believe me, I was born with that knowledge.”
Thus were the beginnings, a little more than two years ago, of Croquetas Fernández, a family business in which Talía and Gustavo “invent” flavors and textures of croquettes capable of satisfying the most dissimilar palates.
“As time went by, I realized that I was not the only one who had the innate knowledge of making bechamel sauce. Gustavo, my husband, was capable of creating by hand the béchamel base for more than 150 croquettes, with the strength and determination that characterizes him. A long time ago, I delegated to him the most important aspect of Croquetas Fernández, because that is where the quality, creaminess and success of a croquette begins,” Talia stresses.
They offer more than 12 varieties of gourmet-style croquettes: ham, ham and chard, ham and egg, grilled chicken, chicken and spinach, grilled pork loin, chorizo, carrot, pumpkin, spinach, roasted red peppers, mozzarella cheese, gouda cheese, blue cheese, ham and cheese, cheese and spinach, cheese with corn and spinach; and croquetillas, a potato omelet croquette that does not contain bechamel.
Gustavo explains that all the products are offered frozen, “which allows them to be used whenever the customer needs or wants them.” In addition, they are currently expanding their market, so bars, restaurants and hostels will soon be able to enjoy their croquettes, as well as other products such as empanaditas, San Jacobos, breaded steaks and onion rings.
Although they currently do not have a physical store and promote themselves through social networks (you can find them as Croquetas Fernández on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and Twitter), they are committed to opening a store in the near future.
“We would like to open a physical store where we can do croquette tastings, offer them as snacks, ready to eat, as well as maintain the service of frozen products to take away,” Gustavo notes.
Until that moment arrives, they continue to receive orders through WhatsApp (52724641), the Mandao platform, and others allowing payments from abroad, such as Katapulk, Cuballama, Alamesa and YaVoy.
Talía confesses that maintaining stability in the business at this time is “very difficult.”
“We have been reinventing ourselves, so the cheese balls do not have the same type of cheese, it can be gouda, cheddar, mozzarella, blue cheese, etcetera. Like ham croquettes, they can be Vicky, bar, york, etc.”
That is why they always label the raw material used on the product, for the customer’s knowledge.
“There are very, very difficult days, where you feel super discouraged and helpless, but I remember that I have the choice to decide whether to give up or not. So far I have chosen not to give up and always focus on everything I need to until I achieve it. I owe a lot to my family,” she says.
They say that since the first day they announced the sale of croquettes they have not stopped, their production has increased week after week and currently they deliver between 150 and 200 orders every month, “that’s why we feel super grateful to the community of croquette lovers we have.”
“Two years after the creation of Croquetas Fernández, I realize that all my life I dreamed of croquettes,” Talía jokingly admits.
“They are undoubtedly connected to me, like a whole mystery that is scientifically proven.”
