How Masa Harina Changed the Course of Human History — And Gave Us Better Tacos

Author and “Masienda” founder Jorge Gaviria speaks about the far-reaching significance of masa

For some, a tortilla is a easy convenience. You grab a bag from the store, pop it open, use a tortilla or two as your taco vessel — and that’s it. The focus may be on the taco filling, the garnish, the salsa, the guacamole, with very little thought going into the tortilla itself.

But for others, tortillas represent a lot more, tethering families to previous generations, as well as to the land that sustained them.

In order to better ascertain the true depth of masa harina and tortillas at large, Salon Food spoke with Jorge Gaviria, author of “MASA: Techniques, Recipes and Reflections on a Timeless Staple” and the founder of Masienda, otherwise known as the “better masa company.” Here, Gaviria tells us why.