Beyond Turkey: Corn Shaped History, Cuisines

Date: Nov. 11, 1997
Editor: D'Lyn Ford,  (505) 646-6528, dlford@nmsu.edu

LAS CRUCES -- Turkey and pumpkin pie may fill our plates at Thanksgiving, but it was another food that helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter in the New World: corn.

"During the winter of 1620, when they almost starved to death, it was corn that got the Pilgrims through the wintertime and probably resulted in what we call Thanksgiving now," said George Dickerson, horticulture specialist with New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service.

Dickerson has delved into corn's 7,000-year history in his research, field work and writing. Centuries before Europeans ever set foot in the Americas, corn was the foundation of the Incan, Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

In 1540, Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado saw Pueblo Indians irrigating their corn crops.

"I often wonder what Coronado ate when he came through the Southwest," Dickerson said. "I can imagine him sitting down and having atole for breakfast."

Atole, a corn meal mush, is among a handful of unique Southwestern foods based on corn. Another is chaquegue (pronounced chuh-KAY-way), a corn meal drink flavored with chocolate or herbs.

Among Pueblo Indians, colored corns, especially blue corn, have sacred significance, along with foods made from them. Wafer-thin piki bread is cooked on stone griddles that have been handed down for generations or on tin platters.

Another rare technique is roasting ears of corn in the milk stage to make chicos (Spanish for "little ones"). The husked ears are cooked in an horno or adobe oven that's heated to high temperatures and sealed. The ears are then removed and dried on a tin roof or strung from shed rafters. The dried kernels are used in holiday stews and special dishes during the year.

Corn remains a foundation for modern-day Native American and Mexican-American dishes. Posole, a holiday favorite, is made with corn soaked in a lime solution to loosen the skins. The rinsed kernels are cooked with pork, chile and seasonings to create a spicy stew.

Tamales, tortillas and tacos are among the countless other corn dishes Southwesterners enjoy. "All of these foods are made from Indian flour corns, usually white, yellow or blue," Dickerson said.

Thanks to a growing interest in specialty foods, corn is showing up in a variety of new products, including blue corn pancakes, muffins and cornflakes. Dickerson finds blue corn fascinating for both scientific and nutritional reasons.

"The color comes from blue pigment, which is about a cell thick just in the outer endosperm or nutritive tissue," he explained.

Another reason to like blue corn is that it's good for you, Dickerson said.

"We like to promote it because we found out it's higher in lysine, which is one of the essential amino acids. This particular amino acid is lower in other types of corns, which makes blue corn a more complete protein source."

For a seasonal treat, Dickerson likes to make a batch of blue corn muffins, with a dollop of history added for good measure and taste.

"I like to stir in blueberries, which are also native to the United States," he said. "It makes for a unique cuisine for the holiday season."