A foundation of Mexican cooking
Corn, beans, and chili form the foundation of the traditional Mexican food system. Tortillas are one expression of a larger culture of growing, preparing, and sharing food.
History · Culture · The tortilla
A grain.
A tradition.
A living heritage.
Explore the Aztec world, the importance of maize, and the knowledge that turns corn into masa.
01 · People and place
Who were the Aztecs?
“Aztec” is a broad historical term associated with peoples of central Mexico. The Mexica of Mexico-Tenochtitlan formed a powerful alliance with Texcoco and Tlacopan, known as the Triple Alliance. Nahuatl was the dominant language among these allies.
Their world included farmers, artisans, traders, and complex cities. Maize, beans, squash, and chilies supported the food economy, while rain, agriculture, and the earth were deeply connected to religious life.
Aztec culture was part of a much wider Mesoamerican world. Its art and ideas drew on earlier societies, and its neighbors had their own languages, histories, and traditions. Mexican heritage cannot be reduced to one people or one period.
Source: The Aztec Empire · Guggenheim Bilbao / INAH ↗02 · More than an ingredient
Maize is at the heart
of the table.
Knowledge shared across generations
Traditional cuisine connects farming, culinary techniques, ritual practices, and community customs. Its value lives in the people who preserve and pass on this knowledge.
A heritage that is still alive
UNESCO recognized traditional Mexican cuisine as intangible cultural heritage in 2010. Cooks and farming communities across Mexico continue to sustain and develop it today.
03 · From kernel to tortilla
What is nixtamalization?
A traditional process used across Mexico and Central America: dried maize is cooked and steeped in water with food-grade lime, then rinsed and ground into masa.
Lime means cal. Here, “lime” is food-grade calcium hydroxide, not the citrus fruit.
- 01
Begin with dried maize
The process starts with dried corn kernels.
- 02
Cook with water and cal
Heat and an alkaline solution begin changing the kernels’ structure.
- 03
Let the kernels steep
The corn rests in the cooking liquid. Methods and soaking times vary among communities.
- 04
Rinse the nixtamal
The treated kernels are drained and rinsed, removing loosened outer skins.
- 05
Grind into masa
The nixtamal is milled into dough for tortillas, tamales, and other foods.
Why the process matters
Nixtamalization changes corn’s flavor and processing properties. It can increase calcium content and make niacin, vitamin B3, more available to the body. It is both culinary knowledge and practical food science.
Source: CIMMYT · What is nixtamalization? ↗From our family to your table
The story continues
with every tortilla.
For Dos Aztecas, our grandmother’s inspiration and our Puebla roots are a personal connection to Mexican food traditions.
Shop Nixtamal Corn Tortillas →Read our family story