Mexican woman with Oaxacan toasted tortilla, a "tostada" (Photo: Masienda)
A kernel of an idea can lead to something great. So it is with Jorge Gaviria, who started a company called Masienda in 2014 that is helping Mexican farmers resurrect their country’s ancient culinary traditions. He did it by creating a market for corn: not the corn we’re familiar with in this country, but ancient varieties of brilliantly colored ears that are specially ground and processed using slake lime or wood ash—a practice called nixtamalizing—that has been the custom in Mexico for centuries. Cheap commodified corn brought down from the North took over. But the old seeds were simply dormant. And now farmers are encouraged to grow corn their own way again, knowing there’s a market eager for the terrific flavor stored in each heirloom kernel, ready to burst in everything from tortillas and tacos to tamales and chips.
Today, more and more small growers and farmers in Mexico are selling to top chefs in the United States and abroad, including several based in D.C. who have begun sourcing heirloom varieties directly from places like Oaxaca. This is happening as consumer interest continues to soar in responsible sourcing, ingredient transparency, and healthy eating. Restaurants are responding by investing in better ingredients and incorporating time-intensive traditional methods.
This evening, Gaviria, Chef Omar Rodriguez of Oyamel Cocina Mexicana by Jose Andres, Chef Alex Samayoa of Espita Mezcaleria, and Joe Yonan, Washington Post food and dining editor, join in a spirited discussion of the importance of keeping alive food’s cultural identity.
A tasting follows the discussion.
