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By Kathleen Furore
When your customers think about tortillas, traditional flour and yellow and white corn varieties are what likely come to mind. Those are, after all, the options they’re almost always given when ordering tacos, fajitas, and other tortilla-based dishes at most Mexican restaurants they patronize.
But more and more restaurants are putting a colorful spin on tortillas, turning to ingredients like purees and masa made from heirloom corn to craft tortillas that are pressed in-house and sometimes packaged and sold for at-home consumption, too. The process they’re employing is about more than the hue; it’s about incorporating sustainability and culinary history in the art of tortilla-making.
Verde Tells a Multi-Color Story
At Verde in Lihue, Hawaii on the island of Kauai, diners find a rainbow of tortillas at any given time throughout the year. The restaurant is so proud of and eager to promote the lineup that its Facebook cover features a picture of five tortillas and invites visitors to “Follow the Rainbow.”
It’s all part of Verde’s mission “to celebrate the essence of local food and a vibrant community valuing the support of local farmers and businesses” — something it does by turning to the land to create the unique tortillas that color its menu, according to owner Maria Scarbo.
“We currently have flour, 'ulu (Hawaiian breadfruit), sweet purple potato haupia, furikake, Kalo (taro),” Scarbo says, noting that the ‘ulu and Kalo — both made from locally grown, sustainable crops — vie for the title of “most popular” with Verde’s customers. Seasonal flavors round out the ever-changing rainbow: Kabocha Squash Tortillas join the lineup in October and November, Beet Ginger Tortillas in December. All are made from scratch on site, and packs can be purchased in the restaurant and online.
While all of the tortillas are flour-based, using fresh purees made from local crops imparts a slightly different texture than what a ‘normal’ tortilla has.
“The crops do tend to give us a tougher dough, but for us, that’s a minor price to pay if we are pushing sustainable, locally grown crops in our tortillas,” Scarbo says.
When it comes to choosing which tortillas to use in which dishes, Scarbo says the base flavor profile is the determining factor.
“For example, we use furikake tortillas on our Furikake Mahi Mahi Tacos. We use our seasonal Kabocha Squash tortillas on our Ground Turkey Taco specials and Beet Ginger Tortillas on our Holiday Steak Tacos, “ she says. “We make sure they all work together flavor-wise — which they do!”
Customers can opt to “upgrade” from basic flour to one of the flavored tortillas on any taco for an up-charge, she adds.
Creating tortillas that keep customers happy, of course, is key. But the goal, says Scarbo, is so much more.
“We’d like Verde to be another platform to showcase what we can grow locally and sustainably here in Hawaii,” she concludes. “Tortillas are the perfect canvas to get creative with what Hawaii can offer — which makes it fun!”
Chicheria Mexican Kitchen Embraces Blue
Tacos made with blue corn tortillas at Chicheria
At Chicheria Mexican Kitchen, the Baja-inspired Mexican restaurant that debuted in Atlanta’s The Works complex last September, customers don’t have to worry about the kind of tortilla to order. That’s because every tortilla starts as organic, non-GMO blue corn masa, which the restaurant’s skilled tortilleras press by hand daily. Flour tortillas are an option — but one typically reserved for the kids’ menu.
“We always try to steer customers toward the blue corn tortillas — they work with any dish,” says Chef Alejandro Tamez, who notes that it is the waitstaff’s role to explain just what those blue corn tortillas are all about. “As soon as our guests sit down, the servers talk about what makes the tortillas special.”
Chicheria embraces a masa-to-table approach to tortilla-making by using house-made masa and offering guests the chance to see the process in real-time through a viewing window.
Blue corn — a staple in Mexican cuisine that traces its roots back to the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica and was revered by the Aztecs and Maya for its nutritional properties and deep flavor profile — is the star of the process, and the single ingredient that makes the tortillas so special.
Making blue masa at Chicheria
Not only does it produce tortillas known for their distinctive color and rich taste, it also delivers better nutritional value than yellow and white corn, the restaurant’s website explains.
“Blue corn tortillas boast a higher protein content and lower glycemic index, and they're a rich source of anthocyanins—a type of flavonoid with antioxidant effects. They boast a higher protein content and lower glycemic index, and they're a rich source of anthocyanins—a type of flavonoid with antioxidant effects,” the website says.
“This nutritional advantage aligns with Chicheria’s commitment to offer dishes that are as wholesome as they are flavorful,” the website says. “At Chicheria, we embrace this age-old tradition, offering a taste of history with every bite.”
Kathleen Furore is the editor of el Restaurante
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