Museum class blends cooking, history

It takes much practice, and flour, to make the perfect tortilla.

About a dozen people received a history lesson and cooking class from local chef and cookbook writer Melissa Guerra at the Museum of South Texas History Sunday.

Guerra walked her students through the process, first showing how the indigenous people of the area crushed corn with a molcajete, then showing the different types of flour.

Corn tortillas, the original tortilla, have been around for two millennia. Wheat flour tortillas arrived after European settlers came to the Americas, Guerra said.

Her first attempts at forming corn tortillas with a press were not as successful as she liked. So she rolled up the dough into another ball and tried again and encouraged her students to keep at it if their flat breads didn’t come out perfect on the first try.

“If I can do this you all can do this,” she said.

After her demonstration, Guerra had the group try making tortillas of their own.

Those who attended the class said they enjoyed learning about the area’s history and encouragement they received from Guerra.

“Melissa knows a lot about the area,” said Ana Salinas, a friend of Guerra’s from San Manuel who attended the class. “I always like to listen to her. We have such a strong history and roots.”

Weslaco resident Gail Ortiz said she enjoys taking Guerra’s cooking classes and has tried her recipes at home from time to time.

“She makes it less intimidating,” Ortiz said.

Guerra said earlier in a telephone interview she offers classes at the museum about once or twice a year to show her support for the institution. And in each class she has her students cook their own dishes so they will learn better.

“It’s about the only thing left that we learn by oral tradition,” Guerra said.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at
(956) 683-4462.