Masa Today, Masa Forever

Welcome to Epi's new collection of stories and recipes celebrating masa: an ingredient that’s at the very core of Mexican cuisine, and many other food traditions of the Americas. We’re so excited to invite you to dive in, whether you start with Andrea Aliseda’s evocative article on the history and process of nixtamalization—the transformation that turns dried ears of maíz into something you can use for making supple, tender tortillas, light and fluffy tamales, and so much more—or Javier Cabral’s riveting account of how exactly great masa has made its way into the U.S in recent years. Ready to get cooking? In the coming days, we’ll be debuting a 5-part series of videos starring chef Fany Gerson, walking you through the steps for cooking classic masa-based dishes, including crispy gorditas, bean-stuffed tlacoyos, and sopes and memelas, too. But once you get your hands on some masa (here’s a guide to finding it near you), you’ll find that it can enhance many dishes beyond the classics, too. Case in point: This brilliant brunch recipe from chef Alan Delgado, which will transform your weekend pancakes. Get the syrup ready.