WOODSTOCK – To understand why Claudia Kriesemint won’t splash store-bought sweet and sour into a margarita or prepare, at one time, enough barbacoa to last more than a day, it’s important to realize the owner of Mixteca Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar never got into the business to incessantly track the bottom line.

Kriesemint has prioritized bringing the home-cooking she grew up eating to the public without sacrificing the quality. When she serves a plate, it’s from a recipe passed down from her mom, Alicia – who was raised in Mexico City and today helps Kriesemint at Mixteca – and often all the way from her grandmother.

Until her father, Evaristo, died a couple years ago, he worked in the kitchen. The restaurant is a family affair, and Kriesemint simply won’t serve something she’s not proud of.