My name is Luis Eduardo but most people just call me Teddy. I’m half Nicaraguan and half Estadounidense, born and raised in the SF Bay Area. Growing up in a mixed household, food has always been a way for me to connect to my Nicaraguan roots — even before I fully understood what those roots were.

I remember my mom telling me to practice my Spanish as a little kid and that I would regret it if I couldn't speak. Boy did she turn out to be right on that one.

After the relative chaos of my early 20s was over I decided to start taking night classes during the week after my 9–5 to try and learn Spanish. This first little step towards my roots would eventually lead me to quit my job and totally change career paths, move to Mexico for a few months, have the first of many conversations in Spanish with family, and eventually to start Que Pique Goods.

It's truly amazing how one seemingly insignificant decision can put into motion massive changes in one's life.

As I cooked more food from Central America and the Caribbean it didn’t take me long to figure out the flavors I was searching for just weren’t available at the store.

My fellow Nicaragüenses will know chilero — a delicious and oftentimes homemade vinegar, pepper, onion combo. Puertorriqueños will know traditional pique that comes with whole peppers soaking in vinegar.

After dozens of variations and feeling sick from drinking too much hot chile vinegar, I landed on something. Variation #16.

Our Pique #16 is a bright, tangy, spicy chile vinegar that is somewhere between a Nicaraguan-style chilero and a Puerto Rican-style pique.

Que Pique Goods started out as a way for me to learn more about my own cultural identity through language, travel, and food and I am so excited to be able to share it with you. This sauce is a little bit of that and a little bit of this. Just like my family.

Bienvenidos, we are so glad you are here.