When Philip Curro Ariza and Álvaro Miranda decided to open Back to Roots Market in mid-November, their primary goal was, as the name of their business states, to go back to the roots of great, local food and ingredients.

“Back to Roots is about going back to how food was before it became so industrialized,” Ariza said. “We can both still remember every morning going to the local rancher to buy our milk we knew who the rancher was and how he cared for his animals. We knew where our food came from. It’s not the same when something is made by a machine rather than human hands.”

So Back to Roots Market does precisely that: Most of the products offered come from local sources, many of them Latinos.

There’s El Campito Farm, which is run by Ariza and his brother Jan in Descanso and offers heirloom variety fruits and vegetables; Chef Martin Gonzalez from Taste Enoteca and Acqua al 2, which specialises in handcrafter pastas and Italian sauces made exclusively for Back to Roots; Fernando Gaxiola of Baja Food + Wines sales wines from Baja California’s Guadalupe Valley; among others.

“We offer a great variety of local products,” Ariza said. “These are products that you typically find at farmers markets all over San Diego. This includes jams, teas, honey, oils and sauces, and many other great products.”

But in addition to local products, Back to Roots Market also sales imported cheeses from Mediterranean countries, such as Spain, Italy, and Portugal. It also offers Iberico and Serrano ham, through Miranda’s own Iberico Taste.

“My business partner Alvaro Miranda grew up in Spain learning about raising the Iberico pig, and about making cheese from their sheep. When he came to San Diego he had the idea of offereing these products, making sure they’re made by true artisans.”

Ariza said that Back to Roots Market will also cater to the explosion of interest in San Diego for Baja California cuisine.

“Baja cuisine has grown tremendously recently and being so close to San Diego it offers a great opportunity for people to experience all that is happening just south of the border,” he said.

Back to Roots Market, which is located in Banker’s Hills, opened in mid-November, right in time for the holiday season.

“We seem to fill a need in the area and our neighbors have been very supportive of us. We are very blessed to be part of such a great community,” Ariza said. “We offer a wide variety of products that are sure to heighten your festivities. It’s definitely a place to shopping for that foodie friend. We even have a special edition olive oil from Spain made from 1000 year old olive trees.”

Also, Back to Roots Market is offering gourmet, glouten-free tamales, for those who prefer a traditional Mexican Christmas taste.

Ariza, who was born in Switzerland to a Dutch father and a Mexican mother and grew up in San Diego, said that in his own family as well as his business partner’s family, meals was a time of sharing, of joy, of good food.

“In both of our families food was something that always brought us together. Often times our meals would last for hours on end, most of the time laughing and sharing stories,” he said.

Back to Roots Market is located at 3318 5th Ave., San Diego. It is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit them online at www.facebook.com/backtorootsmarket.