As with any business, one of the things we had an issue deciding on was what to call it. We thought of naming the truck, “Senor Juan,” or some other variations that would quickly send off a Hispanic/Mexican vibe. In the end, we needed a symbol that is both ubiquitous and subtle. Hence, Catarina’s.
From the day we started the foodtruck, we have gotten questions regarding our name. I got asked a lot if I was Catarina, to which I have to reply with an unfortunate no. The queries were not completely unexpected. We chose the name for its mystery and this is the part we need to elaborate. Like we mentioned in our About page, the name Catarina’s is a play on La Calavera Catrina (The skull, Catrina). For us, she is the quintessential Mexican icon, representing the quintessential Mexican tradition- El Dia de los Muertos.
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is not like Halloween. No tricks, no treats, no candy corn, no chocolates. What we get instead is a colorful combination of the Aztec & other pre-Hispanic traditions and Christian reverence on November 1st & 2nd. For Mexicans observing this holiday, over a three-day period, their dead loved ones come back to earth not to be grieved but to be remembered and celebrated. The celebrations include food, parades, shows and people going around, their faces painted to look like a calavera. It’s such a treasured and unique tradition that UNESCO declared it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Come join us this Thursday, November 2nd from 11am-2pm as we take part in this holiday. In celebration, we will be offering a free dessert with every order.
Feliz dia de los muertos!