About Tortillas

Tortillas in Oaxaca are virtually always corn tortillas from masa, not from wheat flour. Once you have tasted them, it’s hard to be satisfied with most of the commercial U.S. tortillas. Commercial tortillas can be all right for some purposes, but for others they’re no good at all. Think of trying to make one of those rustic Italian bread soups or salads out of pre-packaged supermarket white bread.

Even when U.S. cooks take the time to make their own tortillas, the same problem exists because—as I’ve already explained—we don’t have some of the important corn varieties grown in Oaxaca. “Tortillas” there aren’t just one standardized product. You can produce dramatically varied kinds for different purposes. The common accompaniment to meals are the huge, soft-textured, beautifully white blandas. On the other hand, the famous clayudas or tlayudas can be a meal in themselves (though they, too, occasionally serve as an accompaniment). They are large, chewy tortillas formed into a slightly thicker shape than blandas, Clayudas are griddle-baked until very dense and robust and usually eaten with toppings, like thin pizzas.