Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Tortillas made from nixtamalized maize meal—masa de maíz— are the oldest variety of tortilla. They originated in Mexico and Central America, and remain popular throughout the Americas. Peoples of the Oaxaca region in Mexico first made tortillas at the end of the Villa Stage (1500 to 500 BCE).
Origin and History of the Tortilla. A tortilla is a type of thin flatbread made from finely ground wheat flour and unleavened, water based dough, pressed and baked. Tortilla is a variant of corn tortilla and its name comes from Spanish and means "small cake".
The term “tortilla” comes from the Spanish word for “little cake.” The Spanish named the tortilla after it was brought over to Europe from Central America. However, in parts of southern Spain, a tortilla is made of chickpea meal and is crips, thin, and fried.
Evolving over thousands of years from ancient traditions through colonial impacts to modern innovations, tortillas symbolize resilience, community, and identity. They are not just food but a connection to heritage, representing the enduring legacy of Mexico's past and its dynamic future.
With a history dating back thousands of years, tortillas have evolved from maize hominy meal to wheat flour, leaving an indelible mark on Mesoamerican cuisine and beyond. Let’s dive into the rich tapestry of tortilla’s history, flavors, and cultural significance.
The story of the tortilla starts on the Iberian Peninsula in the county of Spain. From 711a.d. to 1492 a.d. the peninsula was dominated by Moors and Berbers of northern Africa who made a thin flat cake from ground chickpea and milled wheat flour.
The history of the tortilla dates back over 5,000 years to the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, where maize, or corn, was first cultivated. In ancient civilizations like the Mayans and Aztecs, maize was not merely a staple food; it was deeply interwoven into their cosmology and social structures.
The Tortilla’s Origin. The word tortilla comes from the Spanish word “cake.” While we found the first documentation for it in the mid-1600s, tortillas go farther back to the people of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico, where ancient corn was first domesticated in Central America.
Tortilla, round, thin, flat bread of Mexico made from unleavened cornmeal or, less commonly, wheat flour. Traditionally, the corn (maize) for tortillas was boiled with unslaked lime to soften the kernels and loosen the hulls.
Ancient Origins of Tortillas. Tortillas have a long history that begins in ancient Mesoamerica, where maize (corn) was first domesticated around 9,000 years ago. Maize quickly became the staple crop of the region, essential to the diet of the indigenous peoples.