Reymundo Jimenez wakes up every morning at 4 a.m. to make churros.
As soon as he takes the cinnamon-and-sugar sticks out of the oven, he sits down and drinks his morning coffee while he takes in the smells permeating his kitchen, aromas that have been part of his life for more than 70 years.
Jimenez grew up in San Martin Texmelucan in the south central state of Puebla in Mexico. He worked the land with his family, growing corn and barley and also helping at the bakery run by his parents. It was there that he learned how to bake the one thing that has fed his family for years and is still feeding him today: Churros.
Jimenez makes 30 to 50 churros a day that he sells for $3 around the streets of San Francisco.
“It’s all about the weather. When it’s not too hot or too cold, the sales are good, but today I’ve only made $25, so far,” said Jimenez on a hot afternoon in the Mission District.
At nearly 4 p.m on a recent weekday, he still had about 15 more churros to go.
The 78-year-old Jimenez leaves his house in Daly City every morning and takes BART to Market Street. He then walks his churro cart over to the Mission District. He said he works every day of the week and every day of the year, but would work even more if possible.
“I would work eight days if I could,” said Jimenez. “This is what I do to feed myself. I love working.”
Jimenez has been in the United States for 15 years, selling churros since Day One, he said. He first lived in Arizona, but escaped the desert heat after a year for the Bay Area. Despite being away from home for so long, he still remembers with love the small village where he grew up — a poor but beautiful place to live.
“I’ve had a hard life. I don’t know how to read or write, and I’ve been working since I was born,” said Jimenez. “But I’m happy and, while the rich get rich, I get happy.”
When asked how easy it was to make his churros, Jimenez said not as easy as one would think.
“You gotta make sure that you add all the ingredients, because they’re trickier than they look,” said Jimenez, laughing and explaining that he’s had time to perfect his recipe. “This is my life now. My routine. To wake up and sell my churros, just like you do what you do with that notebook.”
Jimenez’s churros are better with coffee or tea, he said, but even on their own, he said, they are unmatched.
“No better churros in San Francisco than mine,” said Jimenez. “I encourage people to buy some whenever they see me walking around.”
Protect vendors like Reymundo by aggressively getting rid the unpermitted ones!!
Jimenez shouldn’t even need a permit unless it’s free. Vendors like him give life to the neighborhood. The issue is people selling clearly stolen goods, most of who are meth heads by the BaRT station after hours.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if the City encouraged such tipico food vendors along the Mission Street commercial corridor?
Imagine having the option to grab a quick bite of street food like savory quesadillas, tlacoyos, huaraches and dulces like churros, aguas frescas and OJ.
Yes, that would be a great way to put store front restaurants out of business. You know, the ones that pay rent and taxes to support the services we all need.
I cannot wait to find Reymundo and get me a churro or two! So grateful to ML for introducing the residents who make this City worth living in.
It’s prepared in uninspected and unlicensed kitchen. He doesn’t pay taxes or rent for the public space. What’s not to love?