September 8, 2019
Day One of Corn Symposium is Presented in Partnership with The New School at the Tishman Auditorium
9:00am
Welcome to Corn Symposium 2019
9:15am
Corn Politics 2019: From Indigenous Grain to Icon of Industrial Agriculture, Marion Nestle Corn (maize) is an annual grass first consumed by indigenous people in Mexico; it spread beyond the Americas during the Columbian Exchange and is now the most widely grown food crop in the world. But only a small portion of current corn production is consumed by humans; most is fed to animals or, in the United States, used to produce ethanol and other corn-based products. The cultural history of corn includes its role in ceremonies, art, public health, and, of course, cuisine. Its scientific history includes prize-winning studies of genetics and developmental biology. The current politics of corn involve controversies over its genetic modification and role in monoculture agriculture, animal agriculture, environmental degradation, and an ingredient in to-be-avoided ultra-processed foods. Professor Nestle’s presentation provides an overview of these issues in the context of the place of corn in a food system that best promotes human and environmental health.
9:55am
Welcome remarks from Bea Banu, Professor of Philosophy and Food Studies. Chair, Food Studies at the The New School
10:00am
Domino Effect of Modern Corn, Alyshia Galvez What’s so bad about efficiency? Producing the maximum amount of food is an obvious goal of a food system, but is efficiency the main goal? Should our food systems be judged mainly, or entirely by the amount of food they produce? That’s the idea behind a massive overhaul of the food system that links Mexico and the United States since the early 1990s, with nothing more important to that shared food system than corn. The idea that the US grows more corn per hectare was wielded as a weapon to undo Mexico’s millennial small scale corn farming tradition and shift to a model of food security in which the vast majority of corn would come from industrial farms in the Midwestern United States. This talk will examine the myriad of consequences, the line of dominoes that fell with this one decision, including the loss of milpa-based cuisine, the rise in diabetes, and the displacement of millions of farmers, at the same time that global foodies are eating more and better tacos than ever.
10:30am
Flavor and Culinary Purpose: Farmer Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farm in Conversation with Chef Victoria Blamey of Gotham Bar & Grill about the pursuit of flavorful corn and corn’s culinary use.
10:50am
The Daily Grind I: Breaking Down the Nixtamal Process with Jorge Gaviria of Masienda Jorge, founder and CEO of Masienda will methodically walk us through the process of nixtamal – from seed to hulling, soaking to cooking and grinding. He will demistify how masa (nixtamalized corn dough) is made as there are a multiplicity of factors and considerations to take into account such variety of maiz, terroir and ultimate use and application of the final product: masa.
11:35am
Fundacion Tortilla: corn and tortilla appreciation with Rafael Mier Corn and tortillas are essential elements to Mexican culture. However, in the past 30 years corn and tortilla consumption within Mexico have had dramatic reductions. In addition, the nutritional value and quality of corn products offered in Mexico have worsened. In this talk, Rafael Mier will give us a glance of his work at Fundacion Tortilla, a nonprofit initiative which goal is to promote corn culture and the recovery of a good quality tortilla for the Mexican people. He will also explain the program he is leading to preserve Mexican ancient popcorns.
LUNCH
1:30pm
Nixtamal in New York: challenges and rewards of running of in-house masa program Journalist and Cookbook author Lesley Tellez leads a conversation with Shauna Page of Nixtamal, Jorge Gaviria of Masienda and Marc Meyer of Rosie’s about the realities of running a masa program in New York City.
2:05pm
The Politics of Corn in Mexico Jose Luis Chicoma Mexico is the center of the origin and diversification of corn. A significant portion of the 65 races and 20,000 varieties of corn have been cultivated using the agroecological practice of milpa. For thousands of years, this biodiversity has adapted to different climates and soils. However, this great wealth has been attacked for decades. Subsidized American cheap corn floods the Mexican markets, specially with ultra-processed food and animal feed. In a country where GMO corn is forbidden, a study found that it was found in 82 percent of maize-derived foodstuffs. Nixtamalized tortillas that use heirloom corn and go through a process that results in a healthier product, face strong competition from industrialized tortillas, which are cheaper and easier to produce. “Sin maíz no hay país” (“without corn, there is no country”) has been a rallying cry to promote pro-corn politics. We will present how governments have not translated these demands in real public policies to protect corn’s biodiversity, traditions and culture.
2:20pm
Past, Present and Future of Native Corn in Oaxaca Yira Vallejo and Jonathan Barbieri in conversation with Gustavo Vazquez-Orozco and CONABIO director Susana Alexandre
3:00pm
Symbolic Value of Chicha de Jora (Corn Beer) Consumption in The Highlands of Peru Francesco D’Angelo In this presentation, Anthropologist Francesco D'Angelo will discuss the symbolic value of chicha de jora. He'll discuss its 'currency' in the realms of work, farming and socialization in the Andes of Perú. Starting with the fundamentals of 'what is chicha', Francesco will explain from what and how it is made; when and where is it imbibed; why and how it is shared. Considering all this, we will review the relevancy of an alcoholic beverage made out of corn, in contemporary societies, in the Andes. Additionally, he'll lead us in considering cultural behaviors from the perspective of literature review on the consumption of chicha as well as his own personal experience of living in rural communities in Cusco for the last three years; and participating in the local tradition which included the sharing of chicha. Francesco will also discuss how cellphones have become an essential ethnographic tool and even a way to – immediately – communicate what researchers are living in their fieldwork. By focusing on the social aspects of this corn beer, Francesco will make a case for how vital the practices are of drinking chicha are to produce a sense of commonality in these societies.
3:30pm
Traditional and Novel Asian Fermentation and Preservation Techniques for Corn with Ken Fornataro All cultures depend on the ability to metabolize potential food sources. None of this would be possible without the enzymes created by the yeast, fungus and bacteria present in and on corn. Like the Aztecs considered ashes in their corn pots as a blessing, so did the Chinese recognize and make use of the microbial gifts that natured blessed them with. Microbial enzymes make corn’s nutrients available while disarming anti-nutritional factors. Just as we have learned how to use Potassium or Calcium Hydroxide with corn, Chef Ken Fornataro will describe how corn treated with microbial enzymes from Aspergillus, Rhizopus, and Lactobacteria can make tasty pickles, vinegar, beer, miso, beans, sauces, meat and fish.
3:50pm
Corn in the Native American Narrative with Angie Ferguson
Hear about the Iroquois Creation Story and how the oral tradition still plays a role in modern day agriculture; the spiritual essence of corn and the relationship between its people are alive and well today. By continuing the mutual respect and lessons among these two relatives Corn and People, thousands of heirloom varieties have survived through many adversities. This discussion will share the history, along with present and future relationships that are happening throughout all Iroquois Nations. A seed exhibition will also be present for viewing at the end of the presentation.
4:10pm
The Art of Corn with Darra Goldstein Have you ever seen Beyoncé depicted in corn flakes? Did you know that General Douglas MacArthur smoked a corncob pipe, or that Mitchell, South Dakota, boasts a palace made of corn? From ancient Aztec statues to high-fashion clothing, art that depicts corn or uses it as a medium goes beyond the aesthetic to reveal larger societal and cultural concerns; corn becomes metaphor and not just material. This talk explores the sociocultural meanings of corn as represented in paintings, photographs, and other art forms, including handicrafts like corncob dolls.
4:45pm
Preserving Culture: Joshua David Stein in Conversation with Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills Ever wonder how a French horn playing, long-haul trucking, seven seas sailing former Air Force pilot became a champion for heritage corn? Learn about Anson Mills and their milling practices and how its interwoven with the unlikely journey that brought Anson Mills’ Glenn Roberts to the forefront of the battle to protect corn and rice and, no joke, to save humanity. (Phew! That was a mouthful.)
September 9, 2019
Tickets for Monday’s classes are sold separately from Day One’s tickets at the Tishman Auditorium.
The Daily Grind II: Stone grinding and tortilla-making with Jorge Gaviria of Masienda at Rosie’s This class is a continuation of Jorge's presentation on nixtamal during Day 1 of Corn Symposium at Tishman Auditorium. We highly recommend you have attended and heard his presentation.
Join us at Rosie's as Jorge guides us through the daily nixtamal process: from dry kernel to swelled nixtamalized corn to finished fragrant tortilla. Class attendees will get to see the nuanced stone grinding process and have some time to practice pressing and finishing masa. Then, sit down to a family-style lunch and enjoy what you've learned. Included in the ticket price is Masienda's tortillas press by Dona Rosa.
Rosie's
29 E 2nd St, New York, NY 10003
9am to 11am, lunch to follow
$95
Flavor Flours: Baking with Corn with Alice Medrich Join Alice Medrich at the Saveur Test Kitchen for a demo, enriched with tastings and conversations. Alice will work through four recipes showing the range and versatility of working with cornmeal and corn flour – bringing to life her most recent book, Gluten Free Flavor Flours: A New Way to Bake with Non-wheat Flours— a ground breaking approach to gluten-free baking, which won the James Beard best Baking Book in 2015.
Menu: Orange Blossom Corn Flour Chiffon Cake with Shredded Halvah and Strawberries; Lemon Tart with Cornflour Crust; Cornflour Scones with Cranberries and Crunchy Corn Fritters.
Gluten free. Beginners and professionals welcome. This will be a demonstration class.
Saveur Test Kitchen
15 E 32nd St #12, New York, NY 10016
2pm-4pm
$85
Tamales de Morelos Workshop with Barbara Sibley at La Palapa Join Mexico City native Barbara Sibley in a 'Tamales de Morelos Workshop', a hands on workshop of tamales made from 'masa cocida' technique. The classes will include lunch with tequila and mezcal pairings.
La Palapa
77 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
11am to 1pm
$60
From Metate to Comal: Working with Masa with Lesley Tellez & Chef TJ Steel Join cookbook author and journalist Lesley Tellez with Chef TJ Steele of Claro, to learn about the different ways of working with masa. Have a go at grinding nixtamal by hand on a metate or with a hand-cranked grinder or electric grinder. Compare fresh nixtamal to masa harina. Then, practice making tortillas and forming tlacoyos filled with refried beans or rajas con crema and topped with crumbled cheese, avocado and salsa.
Claro
284 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
1pm to 3pm
$55
Single Corn Varietal Whisky and Bourbon Tasting Join us for conversation and tastings of corn varietal-specific whiskies at The Washing Square Hotel. For each of these corn-specific whiskies, we will pair a simple corn-based bite made from the same corn that's used in the whisky mash. We will taste whiskies from Mexico, Texas, South Carolina and New York State.
Washington Square Hotel
103 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
2:30 to 4:30pm
$70
Fermenting, Brewing, and Preserving with Corn Treated with Fungus, Bacteria and Yeasts with Ken Fornataro and Kirsten Shockey Corn is a flavorful component of many dishes worldwide. Asian ferments like miso, tempeh, shoyu, pickles, amasake and shio koji, and even sake and vinegar, can be made with corn. Chef Ken Fornataro of culturesgroup and Kirsten Shockey of ferment.works will demonstrate how wild and cultured microbes like koji (miso, sake, shio koji), lactobacteria (pickles) and Rhizopus (tempeh, oncom) make tasty, unique and nutritious foods. Class participants will be tasting everything from soups to salads to breads and even corn nuts during this luncheon class, while learning about how to harness the power of microbes to make these items. We’ll have foods that are vegan, and some that are not to demonstrate the versatility of these techniques, and why you should always have these items on hand. Everyone will receive a container of corn miso, and a corn based sofrito paste to take home with them.
Resobox, Long Island City
41-26 27th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
2pm to 4pm
$45
Anson Mills Tasting with Glenn Roberts Join Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills in a tasting of Anson Mills products. Be able to taste similar but different products for a side-by-side tasting while getting to chat with Glenn about grits and more.
Il Fiorista
17 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10010
11am to 2pm
$45