CORN TORTILLAS IN THE MEXICAN DIET

Consumed by rich and poor and adored from North to South, corn tortillas are the undisputed queens of Mexico's rich gastronomy. Its origins date back to the Mesoamerican culture - back in the year 1000 BC- when the indigenous people domesticated corn, since that vegetable was the basis of their diet during pre-Hispanic times and continues to be so today in the majority of modern nations that occupy that area. As for Mexico, Huastecs, Mayas, Mazahuas, Mexicas, Olmecas, Purépechas and other peoples had their own agricultural, social and culinary particularities, they could be bitter enemies, but if there was something they shared, it was that they all had corn as a unifying base ingredient. 

Indigenous peoples developed a culinary tradition around corn, introducing vegetables and hunt meat from small animals to their diet, and developing culinary techniques such as grilling, fermentation, earth oven cooking, nixtamalization or tatemado, in addition to drying and salting as methods of preserving. 

The arrival of the Spanish to Mexican territory in the 16th century marked the beginning of a long process of colonization and miscegenation that drastically modified the traditions and customs of the native peoples, but contact with Europeans did not did more than enrich the culinary tradition already present in Mesoamerica. Fortunately, the Mesoamerican culinary system was never lost, but rather was enriched with the tools and innovations of mestizaje. Thus, generation after generation, corn has been present on the Mexican table without distinguishing geographic region or social class, reigning for more than a thousand years.

Nowadays, the Mexican corn tortilla is consumed daily in the form of taco, quesadilla, sope, flautas and burritos; It is cut and fried to make tortilla chips for chilaquiles and guacamole, it is cooked in enfrijoladas, entomatadas or enmoladas, and it is even acceptable to use your corn tortilla as a plate, spoon or napkin. In the towns, the tortillerias of yesteryear continue to be an important meeting point at meal time and although in the big cities these outlets have been disappearing, in certain urban centers local tortillerias are emerging to recover the tradition of eating organic corn tortillas, freshly made and without preservatives (some in the form of little fancy places, to be honest).  The prestigious Mexican chef Enrique Olvera (the brain behind famous Pujol restaurant) runs one of these cool tortillerias where one can also find pot beans, huitlacoche tamales, atole and corn water.

The tortilla is the Patron Saint of Mexicans. The star guest of every binge, party or funeral. Our faithful companion. Musicians, thinkers, artists and poets around the world have been seduced by its spell. Writer Antonio Calera, in his Ode to a wonder: The tortilla defines it like this: “Sun of agriculture, bowl of sweat and blood, marking of identity deep for the eclipse of hunger.” 

So now you know, if you want to buy or eat corn tortillas in Spain or Europe, look for those that are 100% nixtamalized and have as few preservatives as possible. At La Pachuqueña you will find tortillas for quesadillas and tacos made from natural nixtamalized corn. You just need good ingredients and use your imagination to prepare a delicious meal with Mexican corn tortillas!