Wholesome Comfort Food – Vermont Tortilla Company

Feb 1, 2022 by Chef David

By Chef David

Food is thought to be the cure for everything, just think of the phrase, Ess Gezint, eat in good health.  We now know that eating familiar foods can restore our sense of belonging, which can shift our emotional state from negative to positive. Meals can have sentimental value, reminding us of our childhood, when life was simpler and manageable.  Unfortunately, many of the foods we seek out also have a high caloric level, we forget about Bubby’s brisket or matzo ball soup and instead seek out junk food. The media has manipulated us to subconsciously connect cravings with comfort foods, especially as we hunker down for winter. Movies go with buttered popcorn, break-ups with ice cream.  By linking our cravings to mass-produced products, we are encouraged to make unhealthy selections.

Become conscious of your food selections by reading the labels and making healthier choices. If your comfort food is bread, opt for whole grains. This increases nutrition and fiber without detracting from the overall eating experience.  Consider healthier brands like the Vermont Tortilla Company. They are entirely different from the mass-produced tortilla commonly found on supermarket shelves, (some are flour-based, and others contain whole grain corn, but both use preservatives). Vermont Tortilla uses stone-ground corn and is additive-free. They are certified kosher by MK.

These artesian tortillas contain only 3 ingredients, 100% organic stone ground corn, water, and lime.

It’s a love story

Vermont Tortilla Company was founded by husband-and-wife team, April, and Azur Moulaert, who followed their dreams to make tortillas with regionally sourced corn. They created a business to fill a gap in their local food offerings while supporting the local economy by creating a market for locally grown organic corn.  The mission at the Vermont Tortilla Company is to use locally sourced organic corn, so they can support local farmers and create sustainable agriculture.

April was born and raised in the New York City area, while Azur was born in Belgium and raised in Costa Rica. They met in 1992 at a research station in the tropical rainforest in Costa Rica, where they were graduate students at North Carolina State University studying Soil Science and Crop Science. They shared a dream to make a difference. In 2000 they moved to Vermont, and in 2015 created the Vermont Tortilla Company.

Made According to Ancient Tradition

Their tortillas are made using an ancient process traditional to Mesoamerica called nixtamalization. The process starts by soaking and steeping the dried corn kernels in a water-lime solution. This removes the hard skin of the kernel and releases the pectin.  The mixture is stone ground, which produces a dough, masa.  Their masa is softer and binds better than traditional unprocessed ground corn and has a more intense color, flavor, and aroma. Articles suggest that nixtamalization is healthier, converting bound niacin (vitamin B3) in the corn to free niacin that the body can absorb.

Very few companies in the United States make stone-ground corn tortillas, which contribute a different texture.  “A great taco isn’t just the fillings but the quality of the tortilla,” says April.

Can You Taste the Difference?

Vermont Tortillas have a subtle, yet distinctive flavor profile with a nutty, earthy, corn flavor and a grainy texture. For the consumer used to eating tacos in a mass-produced shell, Vermont Tortilla requires some getting used to. I tried a few ways to prepare the tortilla, warming it in a dry cast iron pan over medium heat for 15-30 seconds on each side, zapping it in the microwave between two damp paper towels for 20 seconds, or creating a stiff shell by allowing the tortillas to hang folded over the oven grates until they hardened as a healthy alternative to deep-frying.

You can literally put anything in your tortilla (the Vermont Tortilla shares many vegetarian recipes on their site).  We prepared ours with vegan-meat crumble, salsa, jalapeno peppers, carnalized onions, and mushrooms.

For a simple treat, place a tortilla in a pan. Cover the tortilla with cheese and tomato sauce.  Heat until the cheese is melted and you have a mini pizza. Or try Corn Tortilla Toast begin by toasting the tortillas until they are slightly browned. Place the tortillas on a large plate and decorate them with sliced avocado, sliced hard-boiled egg, carnalized onions, mushrooms, or other roasted vegetables (consider using Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes). You can also use some seasonal fruit (such as strawberries, kiwi, or cherries) Top with a sprinkle of sumac, or use a drop of hot sauce, or a sprig of fresh mint.

Vermont organic stone-ground corn tortillas come in two sizes, 4-inch and 6-inch sizes, as well as 6-inch turmeric flavored stone-ground corn tortillas.  They can be ordered online.  Being preservative-free, their tortillas must be refrigerated or frozen. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 12-14 days. I tested freezing Vermont Tortillas and found the taste to be consistent with fresh out of the refrigerator tortillas.

The choice is yours! Eat happy and healthy!