From the classroom to the kitchen: students turn corn into a cultural project

Diana Alonso

It was while eating some tacos, accompanied by her obligatory mango Boing, that Mariana Alujas found the protagonist of her next project. It was right in front of her, in the tortillas that sustained that dinner: corn.

From the beginning, Alujas and her classmates Sofía Kageyama, Anna Zepeda, and Renata Esparza, students of the Bachelor's Degree in Cultural Management , knew they wanted to develop an initiative related to gastronomy. The opportunity arose in the course Cultural Project Production I, in which students must develop a cultural initiative, from the initial concept to its execution.

Aware that food is a source of energy and satisfaction, but also a repository of identity, culture, history, and memory, the young women sought an ingredient capable of encompassing all these dimensions. They chose corn for its versatility and its presence in the cuisine of different regions of the country.
Thus was born Maíz que Nada, a project focused on recovering the knowledge of traditional Mexican cuisine through hands-on experience and community. Its first edition took the form of a workshop in which participants learned to prepare different dishes using masa (corn dough).

The activity took place at Casa Abierta, with 20 participants in attendance. The class was taught with the support of Román Acosta, chef, and Adelita Pérez, pastry chef, both originally from Autlán.

“The idea is that it could be something that people could actually implement in their daily lives,” Kageyama explained, combating the idea that these recipes are complicated.

Sopes, gorditas, tetelas, tortillas, and tamales took shape around a long table. Most people didn't know each other at first, but as they cooked, they began to chat, share memories, and enjoy the food, as often happens in any kitchen. "The kitchen becomes a space for both togetherness and chaos," Zepeda said.

The table setting and the shared work helped create a family atmosphere. The stars of the day were the tamales filled with mole, rajas, beans, or meat in red sauce.

A recipe book to keep and share

The experience of that afternoon couldn't end with the tasting. Therefore, the students designed a recipe book that would allow attendees to refer back to the workshop preparations.

The booklet compiles basic recipes, stews, sauces, and other dishes made with corn. It also includes blank pages so that each person can add notes or write new recipes. “It was designed so that attendees could take it home and have a space to reflect on what they experienced and continue to build upon it,” Zepeda explained.

From its first pages, the recipe book makes it clear that it is not intended to be a perfect or distant object, but a close and practical tool, designed to be used, to get dirty and to be modified.

While it might seem unnecessary to document recipes as well-known as tamales, tortillas, or sopes, these dishes could fall into disuse if they cease to be cooked and shared. This warning appears in the prologue written by Juan Carlos Núñez, journalist and secretary of the Rector's Office at ITESO, who provides a historical and cultural overview in the booklet's opening pages.

“I’ve witnessed how, in just a couple of generations, many traditional recipes fall into disuse and even disappear,” the text states. It mentions Mariagorda, huachales, and tamales colados as examples.

In addition to the dishes prepared during the workshop, the participants incorporated recipes shared by their own families. To gather these recipes, they consulted primarily with women. “They are the ones who carry the knowledge because they have been there for a long time,” Zepeda noted.

The development of Maíz que Nada allowed them to put into practice the tasks inherent to cultural management: researching, justifying and problematizing a proposal; obtaining funds and sponsorships; establishing alliances; coordinating chefs, collaborators and suppliers; designing the recipe book, and producing the meeting.

Their learning went beyond the academic exercise. The experience led them to reflect on their cooking skills, the origin of food, and the connection between everyday dishes and family history. “It made me want to go sit with my grandmother and have her tell me how things are done, how her mother taught her,” Alujas shared.

The members would like to manage future editions. There's no date set yet, but they haven't abandoned the initiative. "We know it's a project we want to grow, and it has very solid foundations," Esparza stated. Although future editions may explore other themes, she believes the name will remain relevant because corn will continue to be the core element: "Corn will always be in our hearts."