Episode Overview
Oaxaca offers an astonishing variety of corn that delights both the senses and the palate. Rick meets Amado Ramirez Leyva, who passionately believes that corn, cultivated in Mexico for nearly 9,000 years, is central to Mexican culture. Amado advocates for the preservation of ancient corn varieties and expertly transforms them into masa for tortillas, establishing himself as Oaxaca's corn expert. At his restaurant, Itanoni, a range of delicious snacks like memelas, tetelas, tostadas, and tacos feature carefully chosen maiz criollo. Meanwhile, Abigail Mendoza, a talented cook from Teotitlan del Valle, creates exquisite tamales with her handmade blue and white masa, cooking them in a traditional olla over wood fire. Inspired by her yellow mole, Rick crafts his own fresh empanadas on a griddle. Against the stunning backdrop of Oaxaca, chef Pilar Cabrera showcases her exquisite squash blossom tamales to Rick.