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A History of Mexican Tortillas

By: KC Kudra

Tortillas got its name from the Spaniards. The word "tortillas" comes from the Spanish word "torta" with the meaning being round cake. Tortillas are eaten everyday not just in Mexico but also in America. Americans put just about anything they can in the tortilla from meat and beans to apples and brown sugar. Ever try peanut butter and jelly in a tortilla? Many eat it that way; also, the tortillas are used with hot dogs, casseroles, and sandwiches.

Tortillas have been used for thousands of years but without the exotic, imaginative flavors and fillings of today.

Aztecs made tortillas more than 10,000 years before Christ. Aztecs ate a lot of corn, some right from the cob, and others they would save and use later. They would ground it into corn meal and later make into masa, which is corn dough. The masa is added with water. If the water is not the right temperature, the consistency will not be enough to make the tortilla. Once the masa is ready, it is placed in a ball size in the maker's hands. It takes awhile to go through the process of making the masa flat. It is patted into what looks like a think pancake. Once it is the right size, it is placed on a hot griddle. It does not take long to cook.

Modern tortillas are made the same way as those in tortillas history. A lot of tortillas are mass-produced in factories with machinery these days since the demand for them is very high. You can get tortillas in various flavors or even make your own homemade version and experiment with the flavors. Various Mexican foods use tortillas. One example is enchiladas, where the tortilla is filled and rolled up and then cooked. Tacos use tortillas for the shell. Tortillas are used as turnovers when making quesadillas, before being filled and fried.

Tortillas are not just for eating. "Tortilla art" is when tortillas are used as a canvas. They are baked and then covered in acrylic, before they are painted. The culture of Latino artists is represented by tortilla art so this is an important part of tortilla history.

Tortilla chips are made from flour tortillas. The tortilla is cut into wedges and these wedges are fried. Corn tortillas are made from vegetable oil, corn, water, and salt. These chips became popular in Los Angeles, California, in the 1940s because they were mass-produced there, but they are still thought of as a Mexican food.

Americans like to use tortillas in a lot of different foods and recipes. Tortillas are used in burritos, which originated in northern Mexico. Native Mexican tribes in the southwestern United States and people from the northern states of Mexico enjoy tortillas as a staple food. A lot of Mexican and non-Mexican restaurants have tortillas on the menu or use them as an ingredient in their dishes. You can buy them at the grocery store and even make homemade tortillas.

There are a lot of different tortilla recipes if you want to try this exciting food in various ways and create your own delicious dishes with flour tortillas!

Article Source: http://directoryjam.com

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