1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Today's episode is all about the corn and flower. My 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: name is Eva Longoria and I am and welcome to 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Hungry for History, a podcast that explores our past and 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: present through food. On every episode, we'll talk about the 5 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: history of some of our favorite dishes, ingredients, and beverages. 6 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: So make yourself at home. So excited. Here we are, 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: here we are. Our first episode needed a really strong topic. 8 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: It's like, how much better can it get? I'm talking 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: about tortillas. That's everything, the soul of Mexican food. It's 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: either at that or it's eaten with right everything. I mean, 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: it's the center of our universe. It's the center of 12 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: the dinner table, lunch table, breakfast table. I always yeah, 13 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: I always have in refrigerant and then also in my 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: freezer just because I can never run out. Yeah, there's 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: so much history to this that we're going to unpack. Yes, 16 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, who made the first? First? The first 17 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: It's impossible to give it a time and a place. 18 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,839 Speaker 1: But corn is every like in Mexico, corn is life 19 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: like humans. According to the Mayan Book of Creation, right, 20 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,839 Speaker 1: humans were molded from massa and you know malis of course, 21 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: and we're definitely gonna do with that mal episode. But 22 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 1: it's this whole idea of just humans were molded from 23 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: massa and corn was was life. Then of course comes 24 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: the Conquest and one of the first things that was 25 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: introduced was wheat, and it was sort of corn was 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: associated with God's wheat was the eucharistic way fer So 27 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, no, this we're converting everybody to Christianity. 28 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: We need flower, like we need to supplant corn with 29 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: flour um. The initial argument, right, the initial conundrum wasn't 30 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: versus flower. It was a quarter theia versus bread. The 31 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: other legends of where the tortilla comes from his Jewish 32 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: unloven bread. And to hide the jewishness of families, they 33 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: didn't eat the corn, you know, so they brought their 34 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: unloven bread with them that they made it flatter um 35 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: and hence hence that flower tortilla was born. And you'll 36 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: see in the map of the Spanish Inquisition where Jews 37 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: landed was not in Betta Cruz. It wasn't the main port. 38 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: It was further north. Because if they knew if they 39 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: would be identified in the port of New Spain, they 40 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:40,679 Speaker 1: could be arrested. So they entered more northern Hence why 41 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: north anels flower tortillas is because there was a huge 42 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: Sephardic hidden Jewish population that landed there and used their 43 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: live and bread. I find that's so fascinating because it's 44 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: a big part of the culture in Mexico that we 45 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: don't really talk about. The crypto Jews right then they 46 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: were they were worshiping in p of it, eating the 47 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: flowers instead of their mozza, like making flower ther fias. 48 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: Granted corn would have worked as well, but you know, 49 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: making the flower and the religious orders, the Jesuits and 50 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: the Franciscans they also were planting them to make the 51 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: eucharistic wafer. So one thing sort of morphed into the other, 52 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: which is so interesting. And then also a lot of 53 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: the Jewish population were hired to work in bakeries. They 54 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: were introducing like orange blossom water and sesame seeds and 55 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: and these you know, flavors that was very similar to 56 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: what they were used to, you know, back home in Europe. 57 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: The flower tortilla has a ton of tons of history 58 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: because if you follow the food, you followed the history 59 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: of a of a country in a nation of all 60 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: of the products that wasn't that were introduced from Europe 61 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: to Mexico. The one the best symbolized European culture was wheat. 62 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: I was just in Wahaka where the earliest evidence of 63 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: corn as a food is there. It's in the caves 64 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: of Wahaka, and we went. It was beautiful, Like you're like, 65 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, the earliest tools and like it's not 66 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: what you were in these caves and it predates anything else. 67 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: So that's how they know corn has been such an 68 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 1: essential part of their life for thousands of years. But 69 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: like you said that, the original inhabitants of this land 70 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: still to this day know how sacred corn is and 71 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: how they want to preserve the seeds of it and 72 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: how there's so many varieties. And that's the thing that's 73 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: so important about with we just like there are in 74 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: Wahaka with corn. It's like, let's protect these lands and 75 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: let's just make sure that this history doesn't go away, 76 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 1: because this is our soul, right, this is our history. 77 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: The United States is obviously the largest concer humor of 78 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: most things, but specifically corn, and they have only ordered 79 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: white corn, white corn tortillas, white corn massa and and 80 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: because there's such a high demand for just white corn. 81 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: The other varieties are dining off because they have no 82 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: buyers for it, if you will, except for the local communities. 83 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: You know, the real corn. And I'm sure you saw 84 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: this in your travels through Wahaka. The nick stemalization, that 85 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: process of nick you know. And this is like the 86 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: boil the corn kernels with this calcium hydroxide and it 87 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: softens the corn and pulls out the necessary nutrients, makes 88 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: it easier to grind. And that's like the really good 89 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: that tastes like the earth. This is this nick stemalization process. 90 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: And then around you know Nafta, which is not that 91 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: long ago. It's like the nineties, right there is this 92 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: man known as the King. He created Masseca. So that's 93 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: a big brand. That's the big brand. That's so rather 94 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: than doing this whole niximalization process that takes too long, 95 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: let me just take the corn dehydrated and make corn flour. 96 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: And this is massaca. But you're skipping these rituals. What 97 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: you experience when you were in Whaka and all these 98 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,799 Speaker 1: different corns and the people knowing that it's sacred. Forget 99 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 1: about that. Let's do this. You could make a ton 100 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: more that doesn't taste like or you get these real 101 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: you know, that's the difference, is that process. That's the 102 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: processes is everything, the ancient process. It's like the French 103 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: government saying, you know what, we're going to replace the 104 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: baguette with sliced white bread. That's what happened in Mexico. 105 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: We're going to replace it. That's corn. It's completely sacrilegious. Okay, 106 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: we are at Acapulco, Mexico, Tessan in East l A. 107 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: We just arrived and it is this super cool spot 108 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: where they make massa from scratch, the nix samal wave 109 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: of evens forever. I've read about this nixtamization process forever, 110 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: but I've actually never seen it in action, and it's 111 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: super cool to see it on on a large scale. Basically, 112 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: it looks like a lab. Everything's stainless steel. Everybody's wearing hairnet, 113 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: everybody's wearing white lab coats and boots. And we were 114 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: with the owner, Gruben Ivara, and the Maserro Sa Mordan, 115 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: and what he did was amazing. It's a cooking tink 116 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: pretty much. It's a cooking thing, cooking thank good, giant 117 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: cooking sink that he's filling halfway with very very very 118 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: hot water. And the next steps two, I'll put the gut, 119 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: which is kind of like toxic. So it's better to 120 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: like back up a little bit because cal goes in 121 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: the air and um. And now he's getting the gun, 122 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: which is a calcium harry drop side that is for 123 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: the next time I process. So it was just at 124 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: all of this white god which is a white powder 125 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: to the hot water. He used this giant metal paddle 126 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: just swish it all around to make sure all of 127 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: this lime was dissolved, and it looked like a giant 128 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: tub of hot milk. He's about to shoot seven hundred 129 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: pounds of dried corn in Because the corn is so 130 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: loud when it's shot into the hot water, they have 131 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: to wait to do this until after nine o'clock in 132 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: the morning. UM. Otherwise the neighbors complain that is how 133 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: loud it is. This is the coolert brain ever. And 134 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: the corn was a very pale yellow, almost white, and 135 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: as soon as it hits the calcium hydroxide, it turned 136 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:56,199 Speaker 1: bright yellow. And he kept swishing it around to make 137 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: sure that all of the corn kernels who are covered 138 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: with this guy. And then after he finished this process, 139 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: he lit a fire underneath the giant sink, and so 140 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: the nialized corn was gonna lay with this direct flame 141 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: in the hot water, but now with direct flame for 142 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes. Then they're going to pass it to another 143 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: barrel and then after it rests are about twenty four hours. 144 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: And so this is when the magic happens. This is 145 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: when all of the nutrients are pulled out. This is 146 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: when the husk becomes really you know soft, And this 147 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: is something that's been around four centuries. The earliest evidence 148 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: of this has been discovered in Guatemala, dating to about BC, 149 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: which is something that's I think amazing. For over four 150 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 1: thousand years this process has been done in Mexico and 151 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: in Central America, and this is what brings out all 152 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: of the necessary nutrients in the corn, the you know, acids, 153 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: and it also it softens the corn, making it easier 154 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:08,719 Speaker 1: to grind. So in Mesoamerica, even in Mexico today, when 155 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: it's done this way, the massa together with beans and 156 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: vegetables is essentially the perfect diet. And the pre colonial 157 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: diet of the America's was mainly vegetarian, very very very 158 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: little animal protein and here at Acapulco, Mexican, doesn't they 159 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: do it this old school way, which is something that 160 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: is so amazing. Up next, even I do a taste test, 161 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: including the flower dirty Yes, she makes every day with 162 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: her son. We are here at my house. I make 163 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: flower dirty as daily. Corn versus flower is one of 164 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: the most controversial topics. It's like the Cia conundrum. I 165 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: grew up eating both. I love, but did you grew 166 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: up being But I only grew up eating flower because 167 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: I'm a Texican. You are, but I grew up in Texas. 168 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 1: But I I grew up with both. And there's certain 169 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: things that has to be flower, certain foods that have 170 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: to be eaten with corinthia. I just pulled out a 171 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: hot tortilla from my torthia holder, which, by the way, 172 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: if you make flower tortillas, you know they have to 173 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: rest in a cloth torthea holder. You know that it 174 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: helps them steam and like puff up. Well, let me 175 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: just describe the certhia Eva made. It is perfectly round. 176 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: But this is it looks like you're pro Even I'm 177 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: pretty much made these daily and I eat them with butter. 178 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: My son, my son well wet bean tacos in the 179 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: morning with flower tortillas and my son loves it, just 180 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,079 Speaker 1: like this with Montichia butter. Yeah, they're delicious, but I 181 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: love them with butter and a little bit of sugar 182 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: and corn tothilla's I love with butter and abri salt. 183 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: Oh anesting. I'm going to push sure it's really good. 184 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 1: So not only is there the conundrum of flower versus corn, 185 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: there's the conundrum of thin flower tortillas more translucent one 186 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: which is in the north, like in Monterrey they were 187 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: like a thinner flower tortilla, and in Texas we have 188 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: almost what looks like peter bread. That's how thick it is. 189 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: It's very, very thick. And I brought some just to taste, 190 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: to compare to to compare to the Texas one that 191 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: are thick. I love both, but I have to say 192 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 1: prefer the thin because Grido and revel Rito where I'm 193 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: front like, they have the thin ones. But I do 194 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: love both, but yes, the thin are like my favorite. 195 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: So I ended up going to Sonora town here in 196 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: l A that has it's an amazing thia. They just 197 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: opened one near my house and they make really thin, 198 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: tiny tiny these are really small and they soar their 199 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: flower from Sonora and so not in wheat is supposed 200 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: to be some of you know, the original heritage wheat 201 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: and some of the best wheat in Mexico from Sonorda. 202 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: Is that we're tasting the second totia can. I have 203 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: a little bit of butter as well, salty butter. This 204 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: I'm not on flour. It has less gluten and it 205 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: has this sort of sweet nutty flavor. It's like the 206 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: best flower. This is sweeter. This is sweeter, thinner, super thin. 207 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: You can see if you hold it up, paper thin, 208 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: paper thin. Where my tortilla that I just my flower 209 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: tortilla is pretty thick and larger. Yeah, it's bigger and larger. 210 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: This is so good. We're just gonna shot her and 211 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: eat so you guys can hear this. My mom's from 212 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: Mexico seating growing up. It's like they're like, that's not 213 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: Mexican food. Is text mex but it is. It's like 214 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: also northern Mexico. The burtos, apparently, this guy Juan Mandees, 215 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: I mean, these are these legends right that he was 216 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: making these facos wrapped in these huge torta is basically 217 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 1: wrapping the fillings to keep it warm, and he was 218 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: transporting them in a burro in a donkey, hence the 219 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: name the urritos. And this was in Chihuahua, in the 220 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: northern state of Chihuahua. So they're popular in northern Mexico 221 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: and then also cal Max food and tex mex food. 222 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: But it's basically it's it's a flower always, right, So 223 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: more like northern Mexico, South Texas where we're from. You know, flower, 224 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: the flower in the south, you don't find it. You 225 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: don't find it's only in the north. It's only in 226 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: the north. Yeah, the whole idea of wheat. I mean, 227 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: when we think of, you know, Mexico, that sort of 228 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: soul of Mexico is corn. It's the it's the massa. 229 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: And I grew up eating you know, both of them 230 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 1: because that's where my parents are from. That's what we 231 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: always had. Do you have a favorite type of tackle? 232 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: That's a good question. My favorite taco. Okay, it's probably 233 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: a chicken tuco. I make these all the time. I 234 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: might smite these twice a week because they're Pepper's favorite. 235 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: But it's um a corn tortilla with rotisserie torn chicken 236 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: with a salsa verde, but I half fry it the tortilla, 237 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: so it's not like a taco bell crunch, but it's 238 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: not a soft taco, so it's in between, so you 239 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: just lightly. It's a little bit chrish, yeah, but it's 240 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: still soft, yes, but it's still chewy. And I put chicken, 241 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: sour cream, lettuce, tomato, salsa verde, and it's just peppers. 242 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: Like this is the best taco. Hover that sounds it's 243 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: chicken tacoes, but just fried corn tortilla just like panted. Yeah, 244 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: pan fried and a little olive oil. They're the best. 245 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: I love. And I'll do the same thing with beef. 246 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: So that's my favorite taco. Alpas thought is up there 247 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: for me to a past? Is up there? Past that 248 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: might be my favorite. Also, growing up on the ranch, 249 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: we would do just on the grill and we would 250 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: do sausage like barbecue sausage, and we just grab it 251 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: literally off the grill with the tortilla, and that was 252 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: our dinner. Like it was like you just grabbed the sausage. 253 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: That sounds really, which is like it's like a polar 254 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: sausage and you just grabbed, you know, whenever that you 255 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: saw your sausage ready, you grabbed it with the tortilla 256 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: and you ate it, and that was a flower tortilla. Yeah, 257 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: so that's my favorite. Like a flower tortilla with a 258 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: barbecue sausage inside. Don't amazing And I probably sorry. The 259 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: best taco. My favorite taco is a breakfast taco, okay, 260 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: like the Texas breakfast tacos with like cheese, cheese, wibble, 261 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: so potato and eggs, egg and bean and it's in 262 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: a fat, fat tortilla, right, flower tortilla. What's your favorite 263 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: taco though, I that's your favorite, that's my favorite. With 264 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: my favorite lamb no no, no, with pork with with 265 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: park Yeah, no, you have to. You have to go 266 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: to a truck and it's like greasy, and that's my 267 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: favorite that I also like just kind of sound like 268 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,959 Speaker 1: heat us just I guess simple just yeah. I love 269 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: a skirt steak. I prefer corn for that, but I 270 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: always have both. I like to have the option of 271 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: both just in case, and when I heat them up, 272 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: I like for them to get really nice and pouffy. Yeah, 273 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: after the breaks and that you will tell us his 274 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: thoughts on the conundrum and for sharing a recipe with 275 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: you welcome back to Hungry for History. We are so 276 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: excited for you to hear from Ja. He is a 277 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: founder of Massi and That, an online marketplace that celebrates 278 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: the Mexican kitchen. He has a new book out called 279 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 1: Massa Techniques, Recipes and Reflections on a Time the Staple, 280 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: and he's here to tell us his thoughts on thet conundrum. 281 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: So maybe it's just the times we're in, but tortilla 282 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 1: preferences can be polarizing, believe it or not. Um, And 283 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: of course I'm referring specifically to corn and flower tortillas here. 284 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: It can get pretty divisive. Corn critics typically tend to 285 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: lament the lack of pliability and a corn tortilla. I mean, 286 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: clearly they just haven't had a good one, while flower 287 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: tortilla haters or flowers say that they're just not as 288 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: authentic flower tortilla as that is, so are fifty fifty 289 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 1: tortillas are kind of the ultimate compromise. I would say 290 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: they take the best of corn and the best of 291 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: flower and put them together. Um, you know, for a 292 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: corn tortilla, that extra bit of actual wheat flour gives 293 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: it that kind of glutinous stretch that you might create 294 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: from a flower tortilla, while you know, the corn itself 295 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: is giving an extra layer of complexity to you know, 296 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:07,959 Speaker 1: and otherwise you know. Single note of interesting fact. I 297 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: didn't know this when I read this. I didn't know 298 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 1: that either flower tortillas or one of the United States 299 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: astronauts favorite foods. I don't know how they did this 300 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 1: pole But it's not just because they're delicious, But in 301 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:26,479 Speaker 1: NASA used tortillas as a solution to a bread and 302 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: gravity issue. How crazy is that? Crazy Mexican exactly, always, always, always, 303 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: so the tortilla is so versatile. I mean you can 304 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: use it for so many things. And you can see 305 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,160 Speaker 1: how the American culture has just made it their own. 306 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: I mean, everybody has a wrap for lunch. You know. 307 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 1: They really Gringo sized it, americanized it. But not only America, 308 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: but all these other cultures. What some creative dishes you've 309 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: seen with gosh, well, the cog, the Korean taco t 310 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 1: I think that was like the big one a few 311 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: years ago that everyone's like, oh my god, where is he? 312 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: Where is he? I want to taste? This is like that, 313 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: go with gran barbecue, with green barbecue, and it's like 314 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: the lines, it's like to taste this, and there was 315 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:15,439 Speaker 1: this talk it was like, oh, it's not authentic, and 316 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, well, this is what I grew 317 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: up with. I grew up in the Mexican neighborhood and 318 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: I would, you know, put our barbecue, and so yeah, 319 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:27,239 Speaker 1: this is authentic to me, right, So that's really the 320 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: one that that And gosh, there's like with Polish sausage 321 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 1: and all sorts of different you know, variations, but even 322 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 1: like the text Mexac is the original and with yellow cheese. 323 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: But the Korean barbecue barbecue I saw in a Chinese 324 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: restaurant of the day spring rolls, but it was it 325 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,439 Speaker 1: was filled with all your normal vegetables Asian variety, but 326 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: it was wrapped in a tortia. Oh really yeah and 327 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: deep right, like like an egg roll, like an egg roll, 328 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: but it was a tortilla. But it was interesting. It 329 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 1: was so good. I think, you know, every culture has 330 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: their form of uh rap tortilla. France as the crepe, 331 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: and yeah, Greece has the pida exactly, and which brings 332 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: us to the right. It's not Greece, but Lebanese immigrants. 333 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: They brought the tacos raves and then they're you know, 334 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: second third generation turned those into tact flower till using 335 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: poor land. It wasn't lamb, it's poor. It's pork instead 336 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: of land. And then they added the pineapple to it, 337 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: the pineapple and cilantro and the cilantro, a little bit 338 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: of lime and a lot of limes, a lot of yeah. 339 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: And I think the soul of the taco is Yeah. 340 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: I think that's what makes a really good. That's true. 341 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: Let me tell you. Robert Rodriguez gave me. Robert Rodriguez, 342 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: the director who's also text mex like us, gave me 343 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: a great tortillo recipe. He uses butter. I use Criscoe shortening, 344 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: but the butter, the yellow one. Yeah, but I do 345 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: two cups flour, I do a teaspoon salt. I do 346 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: to teaspoons baking powder, and then a fourth cup of shortening. 347 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: So you can use monthicka or a fourth cup fat. 348 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: You can use monthicica, you can use Crisco, you can 349 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: use olive oil, you could use butter. It's just what's 350 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 1: your fat, So just a fourth cup fat. And you 351 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: don't want to overdo the fat because that will cause 352 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: it to get cracky. It's almost like it becomes too crackery, 353 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: too much like a cracker. Uh. And then a cup 354 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: hot water and that's the trick is hot water, like 355 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:49,959 Speaker 1: boiling hot water, and you have to need it and 356 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: then you let it sit for thirty minutes. That's what 357 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: makes it go poof because you got to let the 358 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 1: gluten settle. You gotta let the baking powder do its thing. 359 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: And then the other trick, so you leave that alone. 360 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:02,919 Speaker 1: Then you roll them out and you put them on 361 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: the on the comal on your a griddle, and then 362 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: you have to put it in this. This is the 363 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: holder torthea holder, but it's cloth because those plastic ones. 364 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: You gotta put a towel inside. You've gotta have it 365 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,959 Speaker 1: warm so that once it's super hot coming off the griddle, 366 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: off the comal, and then the steam almost cooks it 367 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: more and that's what makes it super soft. So that's 368 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 1: my flower tortia. Respe Let's talk about technique of the tortilla, 369 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: because the flower tortia is a very different technique with 370 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: the rolling pin um as compared to the corn tortilla, 371 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: which you need a you need a press press. You 372 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: roll a little tortia, like a little like a little 373 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: golf ball or pink pok ball something I like. I 374 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: like them little put it in the center and then 375 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: squeeze it, close it and then you put the plastic 376 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: sort of so that it doesn't stick to the press. 377 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: It's easy to remove, and then you just put it 378 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: on a dry coma and then just heat it. I 379 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: like to heat it until it puffs up. And that 380 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: it's like, how does it puff up? It puffs because 381 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: it's I guess it's different. Doesn't have because the flower 382 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,919 Speaker 1: has the gluten and the corn. It's basically because it 383 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: has water in it. It's basically the water. Once it 384 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: touches the heat, it's like, oh my god, what is that? 385 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: And then the steam just explodes. Okay. And that's because 386 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: I like when corn tortillas puff up, and that's not common. 387 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 1: That don't all do that. They don't always do that. Yeah, 388 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: And when they don't, I think it's they're just a 389 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: little dry the bin of our existence. I hate when 390 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: my tortillas don't pop up. And then so the flower tortilla, 391 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: you roll it out like like you want a pastry dough. Right, 392 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: But my aunt taught me this one to turn, one 393 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: to turn, so you don't want to overwork your flower 394 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: because of the gluten. And so my son does it 395 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,719 Speaker 1: all the time with me. My son loves making flower 396 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: tortias with me. It was just down there when to 397 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: turn one to turn. And also I don't know how 398 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 1: it because I don't make quarantrteas you would know this. 399 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 1: You don't flip them a lot. And so for flour, 400 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: you're only supposed to flip it once, so you let 401 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: it cook on one side, flip it on the other 402 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: and take it off. My mom is a flipper. My 403 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: mom flip flip it. My mom leave alone. I hate 404 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: when she comes over and and takes over them because 405 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 1: I'm like, you're flipping it too much. It's not cooking. 406 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 1: It needs to rise, it needs to be one with 407 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: the heat. And my mom will be flipping, flipping, flipping, flipping. Mama, 408 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: let it rest, flip it once, just flip it one. 409 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: That's so funny. But it's two different, two different. It's 410 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: very different techniques. And usually when I heat them up, 411 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: like if I have them cooked already and then I 412 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: reheat them, I always put the I don't do this 413 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: with flour, but with corn. I put it directly on 414 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 1: the open flame, on the open gas plant, so it 415 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: has a little little char Yeah. So what was the verdict, 416 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: corner Flower, it's both. Oh, you can't I can't decide. 417 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: I love buf, I do love. I do love both 418 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: for different things. But yes, I do love both. I 419 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,360 Speaker 1: you know I'm a flower TORTI your team Flower, I'm 420 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: team Flower. I need a shirt deep Flower. Team corn. 421 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: Dem I think your deem corn, and you just don't 422 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: want to admit it to the lovers. I do love corn. 423 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: I I'm fascinated by corn. I love the history of 424 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: the soul of corn. I grew up with both. I 425 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: don't know. You can't decide. I can't decide because I 426 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,919 Speaker 1: love them both for different things. Most things I like 427 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,439 Speaker 1: to eat with corn, but there are a few things 428 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: that you just have to go Flower. So I'll let 429 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: you off and say both. Thanks so much for listening. 430 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: Don't forget to subscribe. Thank you by Everybody. Hungry for 431 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: History is an unbelievable entertainment production in partnership with I 432 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 1: Hearts my podcast network. For more of your favorite shows, 433 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever 434 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, H