GLENDALE, Ariz. — Empanadas are a common food staple for many Latin American countries across the world and one Valley bakery is continuing to share it's tradition.
Irma Arellano, manager at La Purisima Bakery, said her in-laws Juan and Marcella Arellano opened the bakery back in the early 1980s to help support their family.
The bakery now employs more than 40 people across several locations throughout the Valley selling all types of desserts, sweet breads and tamales.
Arellano said this time of year, empanadas are a favorite treat for many.
"If you go anywhere in Mexico you're going to find either pumpkin or sweet potato," Arellano said. "It's very traditional that every bakery either has to have pumpkin or sweet potato."
Arellano said they make 300 pumpkin empanadas a day for their Glendale location.
Arellano said making the empanadas carries special memories that can be tied to family traditions.
"Ever since I was little I remember every Mexican bakery or even making the empanadas with your grandparents with your family members," Arellano recalled. "Especially around October, November, December, when the pumpkins are ripe."
When it comes to the pumpkin empanadas, Arellano said the bakery prepares their own filling with a mix of sugar, bread crumbs and starch.
"I want to say 5 or 6 years ago there was no pumpkin out in the market for some reason," Arellano said. "Since it's such a popular empanada, we even thought about cooking our own pumpkins but it's a lot of work."
Arellano said when the bakery first opened they started with three flavors and have expanded their menu "little by little" due to customer request.