Commons Café

Maize continues to be a staple food across Latin America and the diaspora, showing up in diverse cuisines that reveal the impressive versatility of maize. Here`s a breakdown of eight ways corn is used across Latin America:
1️⃣ Tortillas de Maíz (Corn Tortillas)
History: Originated over 12,000 years ago in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico
Description: Flattened, nixtamalized corn-based dough commonly used for tacos or fried as tortilla chips

2️⃣ Arepas
History: Traceable back to the indigenous peoples of modern-day Venezuela and Colombia
Description: A round cornmeal patty stuffed with everything from beans and plantains to cheeses and meats

3️⃣ Pupusas
History: Originated around 2,000 years ago in the Pipil tribe occupying modern-day El Salvador and Honduras
Description: Various cheeses, beans, and meats are added to masa, flattened, and griddled; commonly served with curtido de repollo and a tomato-based salsa

4️⃣ Atol de Elote
Popular Central American street market fare consisting of pulverized corn heated up with milk, sugar, and various spices

5️⃣ Pastel de Choclo
History: Traditional Chilean dish found throughout South American that likely originated from the Mapuche in Southern Chile
Description: A casserole with layers of creamy corn, ground beef, raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs

6️⃣ Pozole
A Mexican soup made with hominy (nixtamalized whole corn kernels made from dent or flint corn), meats, chiles, and other aromatics

7️⃣ Majarete
History: A traditional Caribbean dessert
Description: A creamy corn pudding consisting of corn, coconut milk, spices, milk, sugar, and cornstarch; commonly served chilled with cinnamon

8️⃣ Sopa Paraguaya
History: Some trace its origins to the Cario-Guaraní indigenous people while others insist it was a cooking accident in the mid-1800s
Description: A cheesy cornbread traditionally served with grilled meats

#AmazingMaize #LatinAmericanCuisine #MaizeDishes #CornRecipes #TraditionalFood #IndigenousCuisine ...

Ever wondered how that sweet corn got into your chili and cornbread? Look no further than the history of Indigenous civilizations in the Americas.

Thousands of years ago, corn was a wild grass with a dozen tough kernels. Native Peoples in Mesoamerica considered corn a sacred grain, a gift from the gods, and a source of life.

Because corn informed a rich spiritual and cultural identity, Indigenous communities often evolved together with corn. As they hand-selected more suitable traits for maize, their oral histories, spiritual practices, and social structures changed.

How did these Indigenous communities use maize in their food? 👉 All corn products shared a key process called nixtamalization, which can be traced back to the Aztec, Inca, Maya, and other Native American civilizations.
1️⃣ Ripe kernels are soaked in water mixed with mineral lime or calcium hydroxide
2️⃣ The outer skin of kernels breaks down, enhancing flavor and nutritional value. Hominy is nixtamalized flint or dent corn.
3️⃣ Kernels are ground into masa, a corn flour used to make everything from tortillas to tamales.

There are over 150 distinct varieties of corn in Central and South America, but the biodiversity of heirloom corn varieties is at risk due to industrialization of the food system. We are honored to continue to enjoy the rich history of corn thanks to the devotions of Indigenous communities and organizations working to protect maize diversity.

#AmazingMaize #Nixtamalization #HeirloomCorn #CornHistory #TraditionalFoods #CulturalHeritage #HispanicHeritageMonth ...

In addition to recognizing and uplifting the voices of our team members who identify with the Hispanic and Latinx community of culinarians, we`re shining a light on corn as a cultural staple across Central and South America. 🌽

Among the many distinct culinary histories throughout Latin America and the diaspora, both fresh corn and ground corn masa serve as the backbone of many food traditions, from the Mexican highlands to the Peruvian lowlands and beyond.

Later this week, we`re diving into the history of the domestication of corn and its significance to Indigenous communities in the Americas and sharing examples of corn as a dynamic agricultural and culinary staple.

#HispanicHeritageMonth #HispanicHeritage #IndigenousFoodways #CornHistory #AgriculturalHeritage #CulinaryTraditions ...

🌾🍅 EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE 🍅 🌾 Smoked pork over vegetable stew featuring local meat & produce from @campfirefarms @sauvieislandfarms @flamingoridgefarms @peacock_produce ...

Celebrate 20 years of Eat Local Challenge with us! 🥳

This is a momentous milestone in our decades-long commitment to supporting local food systems. Twenty years ago, we began challenging our chefs to cook an entire meal made exclusively with ingredients grown within 150 miles of their cafés.

In a year of exciting milestones, 2024 also marks 25 years since the creation of our Farm to Fork program, our hallmark sustainability initiative that tasks all our teams to spend at least 20% of their food budget on ingredients from small farms, ranches, and artisan food businesses within 150 miles.

In commemoration of this occasion, we’ve published our learnings from 25 years of sourcing locally in a white paper entitled, “Sowing Success: Local Food Purchasing Insights from 25 Years of the Farm to Fork Program” (Check it out at the link in our bio!)

Thank you to our guests, chefs, and farmers for helping us continue our mission to expand and deepen support for our local food communities.


#EatLocalChallenge #LocalFood #SustainableDining #SupportLocalFarms #EatLocal #FarmToFork #SustainableEating ...