Heiritage corn makes for good eating

I travelled a little bit this summer and all of it included good food. One trip found me heading north to visit my mom in Santa Rosa and meet her new friend Evie at Tierra Vegetable Farm Stand. TVFS is committed to growing sustainably and everything they sell at the stand they grow. I was impressed by the diversity of the foods available. They’re also local heroes. Recently a 90-year-old barn that was slated for demolition to make room for a new hospital was moved from the site to the Tierra Farm, an expensive project but a worthwhile one that has received a lot of support from local residents. A recent post on TVFS’s Facebook page noted that they’ve started moving the retail space into the lower half of the barn. Can’t wait for my next trip up to Santa Rosa to see the progress they’ve made.

Not only did I buy some of their fruits and veggies, I bought some of the heirloom corn they grow, dry and grind into cornmeal. There were several varieties to choose from but I bought two different kinds: Oaxacan Green cornmeal and Bloody Butcher cornmeal. Oaxacan green is an ancient variety grown for centuries by the Zapotec Indians of southern Mexico traditionally used in making green flour tamales. Bloody Butcher (love the name!) was developed in 1845 in Virginia. Chances are if I saw either of these corns in the market I would think “decorative” rather than “good eats”. So I was eager to experience these corns in a culinary way. Cornbread is a staple in our household so it was fun to see how the different cornmeals measured up to the everyday cornmeal I usually use. The Oaxacan green was very mild in flavor and didn’t produce a particularly yummy bread but all-in-all tasty. The Bloody Butcher, on the other hand, had a nutty malty flavor (reminded me of the Malt-o-Meal muffins my grandma used to make back in the day) that was absolutely deelish! It was great for dinner with a bowl of beans but even better the next morning toasted with jam.

Oaxacan Green Cornbread

Bloody Butcher Cornbread

More importantly than the yummy cornbread is the fact that using heritage corn promotes the preservation of our nation’s rich heritage of agricultural diversity. If Monsanto had their way (and believe you me, they are trying their darndest!) they would have a complete monopoly on all the seeds in America controlling all the food we eat. There are organizations who work to protect the diversity in agriculture. As a consumer, the more I educate myself on the varieties of foods that are available and use these foods in my daily life, I, in turn, support those organizations who are protecting our heritage. Check out Seed Savers Exchange to learn more. For a CA seed source check out Sustainable Seed Co. in Petaluma.

I’ll be heading up to Santa Rosa again the end of September and can get some more cornmeal. It’ll be fun to say “hey” to Evie again, now my new friend at Tierra Vegetable Farm Stand.