At Masienda, cooking from kernel to masa is truly the approach that permeates all layers of our work. It’s a process that dates back millenia to the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica wherein dough (masa) is made from nixtamalized corn kernels (the hard, field corn kind), and into some of...
Chicatana ants are one of the more obscure delicacies in Mexican cuisine, yet their unique flavor and texture are fundamental to regional salsas and moles commonly eaten throughout Oaxaca's diverse coastal areas, central valleys and mountains. They’re known to impart a crunchy, earthy, smoky flavor to whatever dish they’re...
Hibiscus, or jamaica, is a flower with a wide range of culinary uses - from steeping it into a tea to cooking it into your favorite sweet or savory dishes - you can go wild experimenting with this delicate and versatile flower. Our whole-flower hibiscus comes from the same farmers...
One might assume that we here at Masienda aren't much for flour tortillas. We are a corn masa company, after all, and we live in a polarized world and even more divided times. Why should the makeup of our tortilla allegiance be any different? Well, the truth is that we've always...
Masa harina is an ingredient often cited in recipes and referenced casually in conversation and comments as the trick to making the BEST tortillas with little to no effort. That said, its utility extends well beyond the tortilla. Masa harina will have you on your way to homemade tamales,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
