Masa Shapes: Totopos (Tortilla Chips)
In our humble opinion, totopos, aka tortilla chips, are one of the simplest masa recipes to produce with arguably the highest return on investment. They've got all the right stuff--crunch, fat, salt, scoopability. We owe it to ourselves to take 5 minutes to prepare our own, sooner than later. In...
The World’s Best Tortilla Press
Deep in the labyrinthine heart of Oaxaca’s Central de Abastos, Doña Rosa has been selling quality-made tortilla presses to locals for longer than she can recall. Unlike other presses you may have encountered on display in a restaurant or for sale at an artisan market or shop, a Doña...
How to make masa using a food processor
It's time to set the record straight, friends: food processors absolutely work for turning nixtamal into masa. This has always been the case. It's just that we (here at Masienda) weren't as keen as we are now on promoting them to get the job done. You weren't? How come? Having served and...
Masa Shapes: Huarache
Once upon a time, I routinely struggled to summon enough effort to put a meal together on Monday evenings. Most often, I'd simply get out of work too late to justify a full-blown culinary production. This would inevitably lead to some combination of dry corn flakes, scrambled eggs and/or...
Heirloom Corn FAQ
What does heirloom mean? An heirloom is something of value that has been passed down across multiple generations. In this case, heirloom corn comes from farmer-preserved seeds that have been hand selected for the best flavor and maintained for hundreds (even thousands) of years. Each generation does its own part...
Masa Shapes: Pozole
I don't know about you, but we here at Masienda HQ have been waking up to some mighty chilly days. OK, OK, chilly for Los Angeles! Though winter doesn't officially start for a few more weeks, we're deep in pozole mode right now, nonetheless. Pozole is both a comforting dish and one...
Masa Shapes: Champurrado
When temperatures drop, we’re more than ready to swap our typical agua fresca (made with heirloom hibiscus of course) for a drink that’s slightly more decadent, warming, and, well, seasonal. Cue the champurrado. Champurrado is enjoyed year-round for breakfast throughout Mexico, specifically Oaxaca, including special occasions like Dia de los...
Comal Care: A seasoning guide to Made In x Masienda Comal
What's up with seasoning? Seasoning is the process of treating the surface of Comal with a non-stick coating formed from polymerized oil, which fill the small pores of its surface. A healthy layer of seasoning, also known as patina, will protect your Comal from rust and create a one-of-a-kind non-stick...
Masa Feature : Heirloom Blue Masa Harina (the wait is finally over!)
Have you ever tried to perfect something for months, maybe even years, but you could never get it just right? And then, when you finally did, you had a complete eureka (!) moment and you couldn’t be more excited about sharing it with others? That is exactly how we feel...
How corn kernel structure affects masa
Do these blue kernels look the same to you? What about taste? If you had to guess--just by looks--would you say they cooked and tasted the same? (Hint: nope!) This varietal juxtaposition is a humbling reminder to us of just how much nuance there is to even the simplest-seeming of ingredients....
Masa Feature : Bolita Belatove with Justin Crawford
We're joined this week by our friend, Justin Crawford, a return contributor to our Masa Feature column. Justin is an avid home cook who, pre-pandemic, helmed the bar program at San Francisco's famed Nopa restaurant. Justin and I separately tackled Masienda's bolita belatove for tlacoyos and tortillas, respectively. As always,...
Masa Feature : Pozole with Chef Sarah Thompson (Elio & Cosme)
Pozole is a celebratory dish. And while its highest holiday associations may indeed be New Year's Eve, Christmas or Mexican Independence Day--all Winter and Fall holidays to be sure--it nevertheless felt fitting to channel a celebration, in honor of our next guest. Chef Sarah Thompson is a consummate badass. Since...
