Gastropod The Colorful Tale of Mexico's A-maize-ing Grain
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Jul 22, 2025 Join Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, and Alberto Chesaine, guardian of the world's largest corn collection, as they unravel the captivating history of maize. Discover how this once inedible weed transformed into a cultural cornerstone through the invention of tortillas. Delve into the fascinating process of nixtamalization, its nutritional benefits, and the cultural ties it has to Aztec tradition. The duo also explores corn's vital role in culinary heritage and the ongoing challenges of preserving heirloom varieties amidst climate change.
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Jorge's Personal Tortilla Routine
- Jorge Gaviria created a personal tortilla routine involving munster cheese and tortillas toasted with hot sauce.
- This snack helped him feel grounded and marked his first conscious relationship with tortillas.
Maize's Dependence on Humans
- Maize (corn) evolved from the wild grass teosinte into the corn we know today through a long domestication process.
- Corn lost its ability to reproduce naturally and relies on humans for survival and spread.
Teosinte as Corn's Ancestor
- Teosinte looks very different from modern corn and was long doubted as its ancestor.
- Advances in science confirmed teosinte as the source of all corn varieties today.