At the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, home and restaurant chefs alike flock to Tierra Vegetables’ stand, adorned with decorative dried chiles and a rainbow of dried corn ears, for their unique corn meals, corn flours, hominy, handmade tortillas, and more. Almost 45 years after siblings Lee and Wayne started Tierra Vegetables in 1980, they grow a dozen varieties of corn, including many types of Mexican heirloom maize, and they also operate a commercial kitchen where their team makes products with their harvests.
We spoke with Lee to break down the vast diversity of corn beyond the fresh-on-the-cob varieties, the difference between store-bought and freshly made tortillas, and why you should start making your own. |