APRIL 7, 2024: Nixtamal 101 - Tortillas

Date: Sunday, April 7, 2024

Time: 4pm - 8pm

Cost: $175 per single-entry ticket 

PLEASE READ ALL CLASS POLICIES AT THE BOTTOM OF CLASS DESCRIPTION BEFORE MAKING YOUR PURCHASE.

Join us for the cornerstone workshop in our Nixtamal 101 masterclass series! This 4-hour course will teach you the history, value, technique, and application for one of the world's keystone culinary technologies.

Nixtamalization is the corn preparation method responsible for the tortilla swaddling your taco, the chip ferrying your salsa, the hominy dotting your pozole, and so much more. Many of us have never learned to appreciate the millennia of history behind the process of transforming dry corn kernels - into masa - into a warm tortilla. We invite you to come to this class with masa professionals Art Orozco (savory chef over at Abby Jane Bakeshop) and Julian Maltby (owner & operator of Mercado Sin Nombre) to learn everything you need to know about nixtamalization. Learn the methods, equipment, and cooking techniques essential to crafting the corn tortilla of your dreams COMPLETELY FROM SCRATCH. Learn the pros and cons of three distinct corn-grinding methods  (metate, hand-mill, and Masienda's Molinito), how to properly hydrate, season, and shape your masa, and how to press + cook tortillas like a pro. 

Nixtamalization is a Mesoamerican culinary technique that dates back to at least 1500-1200 BCE. The root word nixtamal is of Nahuatl origin, and stems from the words nextli, meaning "ashes," and tamalli, meaning "unformed corn dough." The process utilizes an alkaline solution to tenderize and hydrate corn and, notably, this process makes the essential B-vitamin niacin and amino acids in corn exponentially more bioavailable to humans. Nowadays, humans across the globe have adopted this process to transform corn into a variety of regional specialties. Without nixtamalization, corn simply wouldn't be the king it is today.

During this class, Art and Julian will:

• Talk about what it's like to use Barton Springs Mill Corn (we've got four colors, by the way) to create soft, pliable masa (corn dough!)

• Demo and let you get hands-on experience with THREE different methods for grinding your nixtamalized corn (the Molinito 1.0 from Masienda, old-school basalt metate, and stainless steel corn mill)

• Discuss and practice shaping techniques with you for tortillas and sopes, to name a few

• Lead you through the proper cook for your tortillas! (We're looking for the iconic puff.)

After you've gone through these steps, we will have a corn-centric feast for you, complete with fresh corn tortillas and some other tricks we've got up our sleeve.

Whether you're new to the history and current applications of nixtamalization, or want to make the switch from instant masa to traditionally prepared nixtamal, we'd love to see you in class. ALL levels are welcome, and we're so excited to see you!

BYOB is fine by us for participants 21+ 🍻

Beginners are welcome, and encouraged to attend this class!

Things to look forward to:

• Have an opportunity to work with our own fresh grains and flours, grown organically and stone-milled onsite!

• Learn about the history, chemistry, and nutritional science of nixtamalization

• Master the art of masa for making tortillas and a number of other specialties!

• Eat well!

• Tour the mill with our Education Director, Kimberly Krebs

• Purchase BSM products at a special one-time 15% discount