It is complex to determine the origin of the tortilla, some sources point out that Tlaxcala could be the territory of origin of the tortilla, since the name of this state comes from the transformation of the term Texcallac, which modified its meaning from «cliff» to «place of tortillas». However, there are other sources that point out differently, according to the magazine Gusto por México Sabor de Amadres, the tortilla has been with us since at least 500 B.C., and it is in the region of the Mexican Amazon that the tortilla was first introduced. C, and it is in the region of Oaxaca where vestiges of clay plates for preparing tortillas have been found that date back to that time.
On the other hand, according to México Desconocido, in 1542, the Spaniards who were part of the first expeditions to northern Mexico took grain to Sonora hoping to prepare bread in those regions, but at one point in history they stopped doing so and instead produced zaruki, a mixture of broken wheat, water, lard and salt. With this dough, the Spaniards settled in Sonora copied the discs of the Mexica, thus giving rise to the flour tortilla.
Have you ever wondered how many varieties of tortillas exist in the country? The answer is: more than you can imagine. Gourmet de Mexico magazine did an exploration on Tortillas in central Mexico:
«In Puebla tortillas are different by region: in the northern highlands they are large and white (because they contain less lime) just like in the Huastecas. In the south they are made of wide corn or white corn and with the Oaxacan nixtamalization technique, which produces a more elastic and white result. In the State of Mexico, Morelos, Mazahua communities and in the cold and mountainous area of the CDMX, blue corn tortillas are customary. They are very moist and have a characteristic softness. The nixtamal usually takes less time to cook and grinding requires very little water.
In Hidalgo, Querétaro and the semi-desert areas (San Luis Potosí, some parts of Guanajuato, Aguascalientes and Zacatecas) the nixtamal is usually rinsed a little before grinding and left to drain very well. The tortillas are large and sweeter in flavor than those of other regions, as well as less elastic, but with a smooth texture. Important types of tortillas are made here, such as the ceremonial Otomí tortillas (stamped with cochineal stamps). Also, since the 20th century, colored tortillas in ranges of reds to greens and blues have been prepared around Dolores Hidalgo.»
The gourmet philosopher Alex Medina left us the following reflections on the tortilla:
If you put food on a tortilla, it’s a taco, and if you put it in hot oil, it’s a golden taco. Ah, but if you put it rolled up in the oil, it’s called a flauta. And if you dip it in guajillo chile, it’s an Enchilada. Now, if you put cheese inside the taco, it becomes a quesadilla. And if you put the sauce and grilled cheese on the outside, it magically becomes a Swiss enchilada. And when you cut that tortilla into small pieces, dip them in oil and then add cheese and chili, it becomes a chilaquiles. However, when you put it in the frying pan and cover it with beans, you have Enfrijoladas, but if instead of beans you add tomato sauce, you have turned it into entomatadas!
If you cut strips and put them in a tomato broth with pasilla cream, cheese and avocado, then it’s a delicious tortilla soup! If you roll them up and bathe them in cream and put poblano slices and chorizo on top, you get wonderful enjococadas... if you cut them in triangles and put them in boiling oil, they will be totopos… But you can also fry them until they harden, put anything you can think of on top of them to enjoy delicious toasts…
If you add carnitas, potatoes with slit, or a little bit of callo de hacha to the tortilla, you get a splendid garnacha. If you give the tortilla a giant size and someone with the stew helps you, you will have a delicious tlayuda. If you fill the tortillas with boiled egg (like tacos) and bathed with a green sauce of pumpkin seeds and tomato sauce with habanero chili, you will have a dish for those who think they are kings but are just lazy, you will have papadzules. And if you accompany the tortilla with shredded chicken, chopped lettuce, chopped onion, chopped tomato, sliced avocado, chili bell pepper strips, and turkey or cochinita le embutes, then you will have delicious salbutes.
LONG LIVE THE TORTILLA!
