Corn and flour tortillas are both equally common in Mexican food now, but they have different histories in Mexican cuisine. At most Mexican restaurants, you have a choice when it comes to tortillas. Depending on the meal, it could be an either/or choice, but some dishes call for a particular tortilla. At Los Reyes Street Tacos, we bring authentic Mexican food to our customers in Derry, NH, and that includes choosing the right tortilla for the job.
Which tortillas do you prefer with your Mexican food? Let’s look at the differences between the two options.
Corn: Keeping with Tradition
If you want to stick to really authentic Mexican ingredients, you have to go with corn tortillas. Corn is a “New World crop,” meaning that it is native to the Americas. Flour, on the other hand, is an “Old World crop” and wasn’t grown in the Americas until the Spanish brought it with them at the start of the 16th century. Corn tortillas are the traditional choice for tacos, and we use them for our birria tacos. They are also more flavorful than flour tortillas and have a more interesting texture, bringing extra complexity to simple dishes. Corn tortillas are also gluten-free, so you can happily enjoy Mexican food if you have dietary restrictions.
Flour: A New(er) Addition
Although flour is a newer ingredient in Mexican food, it’s been used in Mexican cooking for about 500 years, so it’s earned a place in traditional Mexican food. For example, it’s the tortilla you want wrapped around your burrito. Corn tortillas tend to be brittle, so it’s hard to stuff them full of ingredients without breaking them. Flour, on the other hand, contains gluten, which makes the tortilla slightly stretchy, so you can load them up with everything you like in a burrito without the tortilla splitting.
Authentic and Delicious Mexican Food at Los Reyes
At Los Reyes, we use authentic ingredients to make delicious Mexican food from our family recipes right here in Derry, NH. No matter what you choose from our menu, you know you are getting an authentic experience as well as a tasty meal.
