Our research focuses on unearthing ingredients and dishes from around Oaxaca, a state which, due to its privileged location, allows us to have access to almost unexplored corners of each region and its microclimates.
Some roads leading deep into the mountains are difficult to travel, but it fills us with pride to be able to share what we find out about the crops, culinary habits, long-held customs and forms of local commerce of these places.
Each of the eight regions treasures its own ancestral ways of planting, eating, sharing in celebrations and indigenous languages. Within them we have found a great diversity of ingredients from small harvests that we did not know about, ceremonial dishes reserved for distinct celebrations, and deep smoky flavors that are only shared during funeral rituals.
There may be some similarities between each Oaxacan region’s dishes and ingredients, but when you delve further into the roots of these foods, you will find that each community employs its own unique preparation techniques. Often the techniques and flavors even vary from family to family according to their ancestral heritage and family traditions.
On the outskirts of the city of Oaxaca there are many towns with small established markets that hold a “día de plaza” once a week where the surrounding communities bring crops from their fields, livestock and other products.
Some towns still preserve indigenous customs such as the famous “trueque” when people trade their products for other goods without exchanging money.
In these markets you can find seasonal fruits, vegetables, herbs, seeds, mushrooms and traditional bakery, local crafts, tools and other utensils for everyday use.
Harvest 2023, San Mateo Yucutindoó.
Mrs Celedonia serving fiesta mole with chicken for celebration in the town of San Mateo Yucutindoó.
Harvest at our cornfield in Pueblo Viejo, San Mateo Yucutindoó.
Mrs Sixta Sarmiento form San Mateo Yucutindoó making 40-centimeter toast with the blue corn she harvests in her cornfield. These tostadas are served at Levadura de Olla.
A particular leaf that gives a lot of flavor and aroma to traditional dishes and recipes (comal eggs, beans, green mole, tamales, quesadillas, etc.). Over time, different ancient civilizations have used it for both medicinal and gastronomic purposes. It is also known as hoja santa leaf and its scientific name is -Piper auritum-.
Tostada made with maíz nuevo (new corn) dough; a stage of corn where it is located between the corn and the cob, which has a sweeter flavor.
A variety of beans with very green pods that we plant every year in our cornfield.
Thalía Barrios with ears of tender yellow corn from the cornfields of Paraje El Macahuite.
Selection of the largest ears of the 2023 harvest that will be used for planting seeds next year and to separate the totomoxtle leaves with which tamales will be made this season. San Mateo Yucutindoó.
Before harvesting, the pod is left to dry in the cornfield and then collected and stored for consumption..
Harvest from our cornfield.
Before making tamales, the base of the totomoxtle is cut and soaked in a pot to soften the leaves and not break when spreading them to apply the corn dough. This technique also serves to eliminate the small prickles that totomoxtle naturally have.
Preparation of tamales from the San Mateo Yucutindoó region. This peculiar tamal is made by spreading the cut totomoxtle on the base and then spreading the dough in a thin layer.
This type of flower is consumed in large quantities in Mexican cuisine, it provides a lot of flavor and due to its high water content it doesn't provide calories. Once harvested they must be consumed immediately as they cannot be stored for more than 24 hours. Before being harvested, the flowers are identified which are the males for consumption and the females remain in the cornfield to grow squash.
Peasants going to the cornfield where the work day will be for weeding.
Thalía Barrios serving everyone after a day of hard work in the cornfield. A small kitchen is improvised with a comal to prepare breakfast and rest under the shade of a tree.
Jesús Ramos holding a cob with huitlacoche (corn smut) that was harvested in the cornfields of Paraje El Macahuite.
Variety typical of the San Mateo Yucutindoó region. Harvest 2023.
Pan del bueno, baked at Mrs Rosa Sarmiento'r house in San Mateo Yucutindoó.
Mrs Celedonia proudly displaying her three different types of corn collected in his cornfield.
The day after any celebration, the leftover tamales are heated on the comal to be served for lunch.
This mole sauce is served with a piece of chicken in special celebrations and ceremonies in San Mateo Yucutindoó. It is accompanied with dried pozole that is cooked with hierba santa.
In the fields of the community of Pueblo Viejo in San Mateo Yucutindoó, we have our milpa system where we also plant Ixtle maguey with which mecate is made, different varieties of beans, squash and Castilla paddle cactus that help to enrich the crops with nutrients.
Mrs Isabel enjoying a quesadilla after cooking and feeding the entire group that worked in the cornfield.
A variety of flower that can be consumed in soups, empanadas, with eggs and other dishes from the Sierra Sur.
A variety of fungus that infects corn kernels and is consumed in various dishes in Mexican cuisine. The ancestral knowledge of the milpa and corn has given great value since ancient times to this coveted and exotic ingredient.