Whole Wheat Tortillas

I’m not sure what it is about the simple act of making tortillas that brings me so much joy. If I valued my time relative to dollars, the way I was trained, DIY tortillas wouldn’t make much sense. But I don’t relate my time to money anymore – I value creativity over convenience now. Making tortillas is simple, there’s not much calculating or thinking involved. There is a commitment of time however, which is probably why most folks just pick up a 12 pack at the local market.

After I began making my own, I noticed that they didn’t keep as long as the store boughts, they would begin to mold fairly quickly, if they weren’t stored in the fridge or the freezer. Have you ever noticed how store bought tortillas never mold. They dry out and become as hard as dinner plates but no mold. It might just be that the homemade tortillas have more moisture, they’re definately more tender and tastier. Maybe the store boughts have stabilizers added.

Roll On

When I first started rolling tortillas, it was because I wanted a tortilla with the color and flavor of corn but the tenderness and pliability of flour. After coming up with the “Cornflower Tortilla,” I just stuck with the recipe for a long time. They were really good, so why change anything was the thought. But there’s a world of possibilities out there when it comes to crafting tortillas. There are a half dozen choices of fat, dozens of grain possibilities and multiple liquid options.

I never expected the simple tortilla would be the canvas where I painted my masterpiece but new concepts even come to me in my dreams. What about a bacon-fat focused tortilla for that breakfast taco or a Stout flavored folding flatbread to wrap around your brisket. See what I mean – Food Art. Perhaps you don’t consider beer and bacon-fat flavored food as art. There’s always the convenient, cardboard flavored tortillas down at Costco, I suppose.

Carbs

There’s always a downside for every up and that includes tortillas. They’re loaded with carbohydrate, you just can’t get around it. If you’re going to run a marathon or bike a century the next day fine, load up, eat a half dozen. The problem is that most of us already eat far too many carbs for our own good. Usually in the form of sugar but that’s a story for another day. Like beer and bacon fat, a little bit goes a long way. Moderation is the key when it comes to carbohydrate consumption.

For this batch the grain bill was equal parts Soft White Spring Wheat and Kamut. Coconut Oil was the fat of choice and dairy milk was the liquid. They got wrapped around some Louisiana Shrimp, along with some cabbage and an Avocado Lime Chutney. The white shrimp, tan tortillas, purple cabbage and green chutney made for a colorful plate and the shrimp tacos titilated the tastebuds. I only had four – that’s all the shrimp there was ;>)

Never Stop Exploring!