Our Corn Walking Series has ended!

After six weeks of amazing classes, our #Cornwalking series has come to an end. Neida Rodriguez (Diné, Hopi, and Mexican), a local Food Educator with Edible Schoolyard, led the community in a series of hybrid classes centered around Maize (Corn) an ancient grain that has sustained both Natives and settlers for generations. In week one, we took a deep dive into Zapotec Science and Indigenous Food Culture, learning about the ways Zapotec people cultivate and process corn as food. In week two, we learned more about harvesting, post-harvest practices, and traditional drying techniques employed by various indigenous communities. In week three, we learned how to make Tamales from scratch and explored the roots of its delicious Masa. In week four we explored the transformative process of "Nixtamalization" in corn,  a technique that maximizes its nutrient benefits. In week five, we used nixtamalized corn to make tortillas (Tlaxcalli) from scratch in different ways. While this program was originally slated to be a five-week series, Neida recommended one more - chilaquiles, a delicious Nahuatl comfort food often eaten for breakfast!

We are so grateful to Neida for sharing her wisdom with the community and to our partners at Mayday Space for hosting our in-person classes. If you missed it, head over to our Facebook to watch the raw recordings from Zoom!