Appetites®

TV show takes Minnesota chef to Guatemala, where women are preserving tortilla tradition

Three people pose for a photo
Chef and Appetites regular Amalia Moreno-Damgaard recently went to Guatemala for National Geographic's "World Eats Bread" and met with women there about their effort to uplift and preserve the country's tortilla traditions.
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We’ve been hearing more and more about corn in the food world — most recently when Minneapolis restaurant Oro by Nixta, which is focused on heirloom corn and its role in Mexican cuisine, was a semifinalist for a national James Beard award.

Amalia Moreno Damgaard, chef and Appetites regular, says there’s more to the story.

She was recently featured in a series called “World Eats Bread” from National Geographic discussing the women-led movement in her native Guatemala to save the country’s heirloom corn and tortilla traditions “from commercial practices.”

A tortilla on a table
Guatemalan tortillas are hand-made and require a lot of effort, according to Moreno-Damgaard.
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A woman stands by tortillas
Amalia Moreno-Damgaard on set in Guatemala for "World Eats Kitchen" showcasing tortilla and various dishes.
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She shared more of her experience and learnings with MPR News host Tom Crann.

To hear the full interview, click play on the player above.