EventsTamara Palmertortilla, tacos

The Tortilla to Beat in 2020

EventsTamara Palmertortilla, tacos
The Tortilla to Beat in 2020

BY TAMARA PALMER

Last year, I was lucky enough to be in Los Angeles during the closing moments of KCRW & Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament and I got to watch Carlos Salgado of Taco María in Costa Mesa beat out 63 competitors to win the award for the 2019 Golden Tortilla. Made with vibrantly blue maize corn, it’s a hearty, texturally nuanced affair that has no parallel in Southern California.

“Don’t come to my restaurant, it’s expensive and overhyped, according to the Internet,” Salgado joked during his acceptance speech.

“Their Tortilla was all about miraculous contrasts: firm but supple, earthy yet fresh, pliable yet strong,” Gustavo told me after last year’s competition. “Carlos is always great, but this was proof of a master who knew the competition was on, and upped his game, Super Sayian style!”

Before the 2019 event, Gustavo shared his personal judging criteria for corn tortillas.

“For corn, it has to have a deep, earthy corn flavor with only three ingredients: corn, lime, and water,” he told me. “Once you eat enough corn tortillas, you can taste those that have any sort of preservative, because a sour flavor seeps in. I prefer my corn tortillas gorditas (thicker), and the best ones are a yellow so dark it's almost brown.

The 2019 judges offered insight to their process while they tasted the final contenders.

The 2019 judges offered insight to their process while they tasted the final contenders.

Carlos Salgado accepts the 2019 Golden Tortilla

Carlos Salgado accepts the 2019 Golden Tortilla