Part 3/9:
Despite the lack of ancient recipes, historical documents like the Florentine Codex provide insights into the ingredients and methods used by the Mesoamerican civilizations. The chef embarked on the ambitious journey of nixtamalizing corn—a method that involves soaking and cooking the corn with an alkali—then grinding it into masa. This process reflects a tradition believed to have roots back to the Mayans and Aztecs, although it is often simpler today to purchase pre-ground masa.