Lots of conversation of me going to Harvard this fall. I want to attend a Harvard Extension School course, Food Writing with Alison Arnett. Some of the required reading I read in March of 2016 after listening to a podcast hosted by Pinch of Yum.com. Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob. This blog, my writing and photography could be better. Much better. Besides, I have always wanted to go to Harvard. Study. Get smart. Graduate.
The course is online and available via Zoom. One weekend intensive requires me to be on campus. I would love to go. Even seems to be synchronistic, in my favor. Me taking the course didn’t work out. Someone even offers to pay for the course. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the “right” kind of gifting. This “gifting” comes with many strings attached. So, I skip school and accept an invitation via my email to attend an event. Instead of Cambridge, MA, I find myself off exit Ave 29 eating tacos and smoked milk popsicles washing it all down with bottled water and sips of Mezcal at the Los Angles River Center and Gardens. A tortilla tournament. Gustavo’s Tortilla Tournament. Ooohlalal! Yes!!! One of my most favorites. The tortilla. I love the Mexican food culture. Christmas time in my house, (my Father’s) we make tomales. Corn husks, pressure cooker, filling and all. Salsa from scratch. Guacamole too. Not the tortilla though. The best tortilla, I have had to date, until the KCRW event has been at La Supe-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara. The line around the block. Horchata in vats.
I call an Uber an hour later than I want. No guarantee of entry at the event. First come, first inside. Entry is free of charge. I almost have the driver turn around. I have a headache. Probably as a result of my irregular sleep patterns as of late. My friend also in the hospital. I am not sure they will let me inside. What if there are too many people? The driver and I chat about food trucks and his wanting to buy one, Foodtrucker.com and investors. Before I know it, I am on my way and too far for the turn around.
Festivities are well underway when I arrive. The announcement of the corn tortilla winner is about to happen. Littles running around. Music. Tastings happening. Arts and Crafts. Tortilla art is a thing. I had no idea. A bar serving specialty cocktails and Mezcal. KCRW has done an outstanding job. Quite the showcase. Glad to be here.
Brown spots never looked so good. Bubbled flour with a sheen. The ingredients can’t help visibility. A byproduct of the heat. Flour mostly. Then comes a different texture. Rough, bumpy. Then he colors. Blue, white or yellow. That’s indication of corn. I am now hangry and my thoughts swirling. This size, bigger. This size for pliable. This corn is sweeter? This has a more of a full flavor profile and wait no, wait this one is more sweet. Smell this. Flour versus corn. Which one is thicker. White versus blue. This one thinner. This one crispy! Holy moly. Thank goodness there is an opportunity for me to take a mental break from thinking of tortilla to watch a demo on how to make gaucamole. Choosing a favorite between flour and corn? This I am incapable of doing. Sometimes I even stack the corn on the flour and them top with other ingredients of choice. I can’t vote on this. I won’t vote. I will eat. After eating, I find myself seated at a demo station. New guacamole recipe!
Please enjoy some photos and video highlights from Gustavo’s Tortilla Tournament. The golden tortilla results and some related links from KCRW’s blog. And a tortilla recipe from Mark Bittman featured in The New York Times Magazine. All photos and videos taken with my iPhone.
A little about the finalists from he KCRW blog…
Gustavo’s Great Tortilla, week 4 recap: Behold SoCal’s four best tortillas!
The tasting lines are too long. I wait and watch a demo. Some of the best Guacamole EVER!!!
Guacamole!! Recipe in the video.
Food Court
Both tacos delicious. Very filling. Both fillings hold up very well in these flour tortilla. Wow. Smoked milk popsicle after.. Wow..So delicious..
Who Got the Golden Tortilla?
Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament, Grand Finale: And SoCal’s Best Tortilla Is…
El Machete Tasting
Available for purchase at elmachete.com Oscar Ochoa the founder. Great flavor profiles. Pineapple! Spicy! Smokey. That red heat!
Tortilla Art
From the Bar
Tortillas, Almost From Scratch The shortcut: Masa harina from The New York Times Magazine by Mark Bittman
Corn Tortillas
Time: About 1 hour
1 ½ cups masa harina
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, lard or butter
About 1 cup of hot water, or more as needed
Flour for kneading
- Combine the masa and salt in a bowl; stir in the oil, Slowly stream in the water while mixed with your hand or wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a ball.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is smooth and elastic—just a minute or two. Wrap in plastic, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours.
- Break off pieces of the dough (you’re shooting for 12-16 tortillas total), and lightly flour them. Put them between two sheets of plastic wrap, and press them into a tortilla, press them in a tortilla press, or roll them out or press them with your hands to a diameter of 4 to 6 inches. Begin to cook the tortilla as you finish pressing or rolling them.
- Put a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Cook the tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, until brown spots appear on the bottom, about a minute. Flip and do the same on the other side. Wrap the cooked tortillas in a towel to keep them warm; serve immediately, or cool and store tightly wrapped in the fridge for a few days.
Until Next Time…
outtakes..
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