There are star ingredients—the ones that headline a dish—and then there are those that work quietly in the background, appearing time and again without ever getting a mention when the meal is described. Handmade *criollo* corn tortillas clearly fall into the latter category.
Present in more dishes than you’d think
They appear alongside the *New York Asadito a la Piedra*, accompany the *Sábana de Res*, cradle Doña Anita’s meatballs, and are integral to the experience of the grilled marinated *arrachera* (skirt steak). They aren’t a standalone dish, yet without them, much of the menu would lose its meaning.
Why “handmade” is more than just a phrase
Making tortillas by hand involves a process no machine can replicate exactly: the slightly irregular texture, the flavor of freshly nixtamalized corn, and the ability to fold without breaking when holding a hearty piece of meat or stew. It is a detail noticed more in its absence than in its presence—specifically, when you taste a tortilla that wasn’t made with the same care.
The role they play in every dish
Beyond merely serving as a side, tortillas play an active role: they absorb juices, act as a base for assembling bites to one’s own liking, and offer the kind of customization that allows two people eating the same dish to end up with entirely different flavor combinations.
An ingredient that deserves more credit
The next time a dish arrives accompanied by these tortillas, it’s worth paying them a little more attention. They aren’t just a vehicle for getting food into your mouth; to a large extent, they are part of the reason so many dishes on the menu work so well.
