Meet Mirta

Mirta was born in Mendoza, Argentina, a mountainous region she will proudly tell you is known for its wines (Malbec!), gorgeous landscapes, and fabulous barbecues. She moved to New York City with her husband in 1975, but has retained a passion for her country that impresses every student who attends a class in her home, which is filled wall to wall with Argentinian art, crafts, and artisan-made cookware. 

Mirta, who had a long career planning elaborate events for world leaders, politicians, musicians, and actors, went on to start her own business, Mendulcina, and developed her own line of artisanal membrillo and Argentinian sweets. Whether student, family, or friend, Mirta greets everyone who visits her with mate, the traditional herbal tea of Argentina. 

Like many Argentinian families, Mirta’s has Italian, Spanish, and Indigenous roots. She grew up learning to cook with her mother, aunts and grandmother, who were all very good cooks. Each one had their own specialty. Her grandparents were also pioneers and owned a small hotel in the 1920's in an area south of Mendoza where her grandmother cooked all the meals for the guests. Mirta now lives in Queens, as does her daughter, Paola.

Mirta’s delicious recipes and fascinating stories have been featured in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Epicenter NYC, Oprah Magazine, Heritage Radio Network, CBS New York, Business Insider, The Greene Space, Edible Queens and other publications.