The Lowly Tortilla

The tortilla is the soul of Mexico. Whenever I arrive back in Mexico after a trip abroad, the first thing I long for is the fragrant aroma of freshly made tortillas. According to culinary historian José Iturriaga, it is the only pre-conquest food still eaten in unadulterated form today–all other dishes are a fusion of outside ingredients and cooking techniques.
The tortilla, originally called by the Mexicas tlaxcalli, or "cooked thing", is traditionally made by soaking corn in water and lime, a process called nixtamalización. Originally ground on a metate of volcanic stone and patted out by hand, nowadays most tortillas are produced by machine, but the end product is the same – or almost. Tortillas made of locally grown and prepared masa (dough) pressed by hand are far superior to those spit out by machines. The qualities to look for in a good tortilla are elasticity (the ability to fold without breaking), aroma, and of course, taste: not too strong as to overwhelm other food flavors. Although yellow corn is more nutritious, white corn is superior in texture and flavor.
Nowadays, many tortillas in Mexico contain factory produced corn flour from large scale industrial farms, using inferior, genetically modified varieties of corn–much of it imported from the United States. George W. Bush's government has recently approved legislation allowing free import of these products, underpricing Mexican farmers and threatening production of traditional "criollo", or heirloom varieties of seed.
Fortunately, in Mexico, good handmade tortillas are still available in street and indoor markets, as well as in many restaurants. When I eat in a Mexican restaurant, the first thing I try is the tortilla, and my judgment of the place goes from there. An exquisitely flavorful tortilla, exuding an earthy bouquet of corn with a residue of smoky aroma from the comal (griddle) where it was roasted and a slightly elastic texture, is what I look for. Like bread in France, a well-made tortilla is a sign of good things to come.

See Nicholas Gilman's award winning blog for more information on Mexican food:
www.goodfoodmexicocity.com