Keeping It Simple 

There’s something very fresh and happy about Brooke Dodds. Her face is smiley, her voice is upbeat, and her attitude is positive. She’s the spirit, face, and mind behind Empanada Mama’s, her growing business that began at the West Cape May Farmers Market.

“This will be my fifth summer at the West Cape May Farmers Market. Now, I finally have a physical location, too. It was time,” said Brooke.

If you’re unsure what an empanada is, you’re not alone. Brooke describes hers to potential customers as healthier versions of “Hot Pockets.” They are a delicious filling inside a half moon of homemade dough that’s baked to golden brown and served warm.  

“My menu is very simple. I try to keep fresh, local, simple ingredients. I don’t want to complicate things,” said Brooke. “I don’t necessarily consider myself a chef; I’m not assembling all these fancy named ingredients. My culinary training is from working in restaurants.”

Brooke worked at several well-known Cape May restaurants like Louisa’s Café, Gecko’s, and George’s Place while she was selling her empanadas every summer at the farmers market. This year at her new Empanada Mama’s Cantina on Park Boulevard, she’ll be working full time for herself.  

Her shop opened earlier this year, on January 18. It was an ambitious timeline, but Brooke pulled it off with good old-fashioned hard work. At midnight of opening day, she was painting the chalkboard sign that stands tall, displaying the menu for customers. 

“The space came to me,” Brooke said. “It was the perfect time; the space was right – down to the heavy duty plugs being in the right spot. Things don’t normally go that smoothly.” 

Was she a little nervous taking her business to the next level? 

“It was time. I had the advantage of having the business already established in town. I am finally giving people somewhere to find me. There was more excitement than fear, but there’s always a healthy amount of fear,” said Brooke. 

Brooke’s empanadas aren’t the traditional ones found in South America that are deep fried and greasy, though they were inspired by them. 

“I lived in Vermont for a few winters. At Killington mountain, there’s a little empanada hut in between the gondolas. This woman is Argentinian, authentic. It’s the best; you grab them, get back on the gondola and go to the top,” said Brooke. “But they are nothing like mine. Mine are baked, not fried. Mine are a lot healthier. That hut inspired me. When I came home there was nothing like that here. Then I saw a sign for the farmers market and I had this light bulb that went off. I experimented with different dough and came up with one that was workable. I make my own dough and roll it out by hand.”

Brooke rolls out about 20,000 empanadas a summer. But there are two that always stay with her. She wears a pair of custom empanada earrings every day. She also wears a flower in her hair.

“It makes people smile when they look at you,” Brooke said. “It makes them happy. Happy people are what I want. Comfortable, happy people.”

 And people will be happy when they try the empanadas. With flavor combinations like Carrot, Ginger and Dill, Beef and Caramelized Onion, Pork and Provolone, Pineapple and Guava, and Creamy Spinach and Artichoke, there is an empanada to suit everyone’s taste. Brooke also serves sides like cantina slaw, rice and beans and corn con queso. There are frittatas and casa bowls, too, for people who are staying away from carbs. Empanada Mama’s also has a gluten free empanada on the menu.

Brooke’s six-year-old son Conner loves the Chicken and Cheese. In the brightly decorated cantina, there’s a kids’ table and games, underscoring the kid-friendly vibe of the shop. Conner hangs with his mama there after his school day at West Cape May Elementary. 

“That was a big part of why this store works. I basically raised Conner by myself; his dad is around, but he’s a chef and he’s busy. So I have Conner most of the time,” said Brooke. “He goes to the farmers market with me. He can get the produce; he’s picking out limes for me. He’s super supportive.” 

The community of West Cape May has also been very supportive of Brooke and her new Cantina. 

“I’m a West Cape May native. I’m still here. If you get out and see other things, then choose to live here because it’s beautiful, then that’s okay,” said Brooke. “West Cape May is a bubble. My son is skipping in to school in the morning. Everyone is so happy. It’s like Sesame Street. The community is tight knit and there are core good people. I’ve been so supported here – everyone wants to see me do well.”