We're visiting our corn tortilla supplier. The tortillas are made the same way as in Mexico, but here in Quebec, using the nixtamalization process. They contain only three ingredients: corn, water, and lime. Lili is chatting with Roberto at the tortilleria in Sherbrooke.
Tortillas just like in Mexico, made in Quebec!
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Hello everyone!
Today we are in La Quebequita with our tortilla supplier.
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So, Roberto, please tell us about the tortilla-making process.
- In fact, our goal was to make real tortillas, like they are made in Mexico.
So, we buy some corn kernels.
They are cooked with a little food-grade lime and water.
We leave them to soak overnight.
This is called the nixtamalization process.
Afterwards, it gives a grain that is not completely cooked, but a little more tender.
This is where we start to take all of this to the stone mill.
The stone mill will make us a paste with moisture.
which is used to make tortillas.
- Okay, and if we keep them in the fridge, how long can we keep them?
- In the fridge, it can easily last a week or 10 days.
Alternatively, it freezes well too.
You just need to keep the tortillas in a plastic bag to retain moisture, otherwise they will dry out.
It's a bit like the same thing as chopsticks.
- Okay, perfect.
You make the tortillas from the "masa", but could we make something else with the same dough?
- Yes, in fact, we sell fresh dough here at the "tortilleria".
Many people use it to make "tamales".
You can make "gorditas" and "sopes".
There are even drinks, like a kind of hot chocolate, but it's made with the dough.
Yes, there are several options.
We also have corn for sale here, for the "pozole".
We sell fresh dough, frozen dough.
People can use it to make "sopes", "quesadillas", "gorditas"...
The "pupusas", too, are made with the dough.
Don't worry, we'll soon be posting recipes using cornmeal on our website.
You can watch the videos to transform the same dough that Roberto uses to make tortillas.
Also, don't forget that if you come here to La Quebequita to buy your tortillas, we also have our product.
We have our product available individually, which you can also buy with fresh tortillas for a Mexican taco weekend.
Is there anything you would like to say to all the tortilla customers?
- We hope you will be able to come and taste the real tortillas.
What you can currently find everywhere in Quebec are tortillas made from corn flour.
It's a flour that contains preservatives and many other chemicals.
However, our tortillas only have three ingredients:
water, corn and a trace of calcium.
These are the ingredients we use.
The goal was this: to show Quebecers a real tortilla, like the ones usually eaten in Mexico.
- That, really, the taste of La Quebequita's tortilla, that's the true taste of Mexico.
Exactly like Mexicans eat them every day when they go to get tortillas at the "tortilleria" in Mexico.
Thank you so much!
- Okay, and if we keep them in the fridge, how long can we keep them?
- In the fridge, it can easily last a week or 10 days.
Alternatively, it freezes well too.
You just need to keep the tortillas in a plastic bag to retain moisture, otherwise they will dry out.
It's a bit like the same thing as chopsticks.
- Okay, perfect.
You make the tortillas from the "masa", but could we make something else with the same dough?
- Yes, in fact, we sell fresh dough here at the "tortilleria".
Many people use it to make "tamales".
You can make "gorditas" and "sopes".
There are even drinks, like a kind of hot chocolate, but it's made with the dough.
Yes, there are several options.
We also have corn for sale here, for the "pozole".
We sell fresh dough, frozen dough.
People can use it to make "sopes", "quesadillas", "gorditas"...
The "pupusas", too, are made with the dough.
Don't worry, we'll soon be posting recipes using cornmeal on our website.
You can watch the videos to transform the same dough that Roberto uses to make tortillas.
Also, don't forget that if you come here to La Quebequita to buy your tortillas, we also have our product.
We have our product available individually, which you can also buy with fresh tortillas for a Mexican taco weekend.
Is there anything you would like to say to all the tortilla customers?
- We hope you will be able to come and taste the real tortillas.
What you can currently find everywhere in Quebec are tortillas made from corn flour.
It's a flour that contains preservatives and many other chemicals.
However, our tortillas only have three ingredients:
water, corn and a trace of calcium.
These are the ingredients we use.
The goal was this: to show Quebecers a real tortilla, like the ones usually eaten in Mexico.
- That, really, the taste of La Quebequita's tortilla, that's the true taste of Mexico.
Exactly like Mexicans eat them every day when they go to get tortillas at the "tortilleria" in Mexico.
Thank you so much!