Photos by Caitlin Abrams
Heirloom corn tortillas with a variety of toppings
The riches of our local corn harvest are all around us during this time of year. Farmers’ markets are stocked, and corn stands can still be found off rural roads offering ears from burlap sacks. And even though we may miss the State Fair corn roast, plenty of us still plan to slather up a few bursting-kerneled cobs in our own backyards. Minnesotans love their sweet corn.
But chef Gustavo Romero would like to take this passion for corn and shift it a bit, maybe give it a new dimension. He’s just opened Nixta, a storefront tortilleria in Northeast Minneapolis that focuses on heirloom corn, which has been cultivated as a crop in his homeland of Mexico for at least 8,700 years. Romero’s childhood in the state of Hidalgo, north of Mexico City, was as steeped in corn as our Septembers seems to be, but his memories are laced with the colorful images of the native heirloom Oaxacan corn that his family grew. This is the corn he wants us to know.
Chef Gustavo Romero
When Travail offered him its Lowry Hill space in 2019 to collaborate on an extended residency named Kua, it became clear he saw corn through a beautiful lens. “We have to save this corn,” he told me one night at the pop-up. “There are so many more varieties in Mexico than most Americans can imagine. People up here grow heirloom corn for show, for the State Fair, but I think we can help them see the real value through tacos and tortillas.”
Nixta is named for the nixtamalization process that soaks corn in an alkaline solution to loosen the outer hull, changing the proteins to make it healthier and more digestible. This corn becomes something slightly coarser than flour and is used to make superior, pliant yet sturdy tortillas. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, Nixta is featuring these tortillas in family meal kits two times a week. With enough food to feed a family of four, the kits come stocked with proteins, rice, beans, adornments, and a pack of tortillas for $55.
From the kit I ordered in July, I easily made green mole pork tacos with cabbage slaw and pickled onions. Then I made refried bean quesadillas to go with the shrimp ceviche, not to mention nachos with an extra bag of chips and a chili-laced happy hour treat from an unexpected bag of popped heirloom corn kernels. Everything, except my own spices and a squeeze of lime here and there, came with the kit. And you can order packs of just the tortillas if you have your own plans.
As Romero brings more heirloom corn into the cities, he’s hoping to expand his offerings with tamales, empanadas, and other Mexican dishes that will eventually, undoubtedly, sow this ancient maize in our hearts.
1222 NE 2nd St., Mpls., nixtampls.com
This article originally appeared in the September 2020 issue.
