Cooking in the Campo: Learn to make tortillas and salsa from scratch!
Come spend the day with us in the beautiful campo of San Agustín Yatareni as we learn to make tortillas and salsa completely from scratch. This process, called “nixtamalización”, is just one of the ancestral culinary treasures that we tend to replace with mechanized processes in the bustle of the restaurant scene around the world. But guess what? It´s not the same.
If you´ve tasted a tortilla made from corn ground via mortar and pestle, mixed by hand, patted with love and cooked to perfection on a comal, you know that the final product is nothing like the machine-made version.
Doña Juana, who has impressed all of our guests with her delectable tamales and memorable salsas, is teaming up with Tlayudona to offer this experience to learn the art behind Oaxaca´s gastronomic pillar: the tortilla.
The Logistics
What: An in-depth exploration of the tortilla making process, from start to finish. You’ll get a chance to grind the corn by hand, and we’ll also take a short walk to a local mill to grind some corn there, so you get a feel for both processes. You’ll prepare your own tortillas by hand, and then will get the chance to convert them into delicious quesadillas on the comal. Doña Juana will teach us the tricks behind her delicious homemade salsas, which we´ll make to accompany our quesadillas. The entire experience will culminate in an unforgettable lunch that we´ve all had a hand in preparing. We’ll provide water, “agua de sabor”, and typical snacks throughout the experience.
Time Frame: Approximately 4-5 hours
Where: In the beautiful campo of Yatareni, under open skies, on the same land where the “milpa” (corn, beans, and squash) is grown to be converted into tortillas and other regional foods. Leaving from /returning to Tlayudona (210 C , M. Bravo Street, Inside the Plaza San Cristobal in the heart of Oaxaca’s Centro District)
Cost: 1,800 MXN per person
(*2 people can attend this experience by paying an additional fee of 700 MXN to cover costs)
Discounted rate for 5+ people 1,700 per person
Other information: This experience takes place in the countryside and Doña Juana and her family are opening their home to us. There are children and animals on-site, so guests who are not fond of one or the other are encouraged to reserve an alternate experience. Bathroom facilities are available, though rustic. This experience takes us to the heart of authentic country life in Oaxaca.