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Masa Harina Flour made from dried corn. Used to make hundreds of dishes, including corn tortillas. Masienda brand is a superior quality masa made from single-origin heirloom corn.

Mesquite Flour Mesquite trees are one of the most common trees in the region. Mesquite flour, made from the dried and ground pods, is high in fiber, free of gluten, and has a slightly sweet taste.

White Sonora Flour This is a heritage wheat flour, brought to the region by the Spanish who tried, only somewhat successfully, to use it to replace corn in tortillas. It gives extra-large flour tortillas their stretchiness.

PRODUCE

An abundance of fresh produce—tomatoes, citrus, onions, herbs, and tropical fruits—is the hallmark of Sonoran-style cuisine. Here are a few items that may take some special effort to find in your local area.

Chiles Chiles were the most common spice used regionally and historically by Native people, and they are an important component in Sonoran-stylecuisine to this day. Look for them, fresh and dried, in specialtymarketsand some supermarkets, or purchase dried versions from online sources. You can also find red and green chile puree frozen in some supermarkets. I go into detail about specific chiles and their uses on pages 23–27.

LemonsGrown in Sonora since the 1730s, lemons were used medicinally by the Spanish as an antidote for poison.

Mexican Limes Also called key limes, these are about one-quarter the size, slightly sweeter, and more acidic than their Persian counterparts. For the recipes in this book, you can use either type of lime. Typically substitute four Mexican limes for one large Persian lime.

Nopales/Nopalitos It’s super cool that you can eat the pads and fruit of the prickly pear cactus because it’s one of the most commonly found plants in Tucson. Nopales contributed to the survival of native people in this region, not to mention the native wildlife who rely on the cactus for sustenance.

Tomatillos The name is misleading because it translates to “little tomato,” and they do look like green tomatoes, but they are not. The fruit is denser, more acidic, and less sweet than tomatoes. To use tomatillos, first peel off the papery husks, then rinse the fruit to remove the skin’s sticky coating.

SPICES

If you live in Tucson and are making traditional recipes, your spice cabinet might look a bit different from that of other parts of the country. Here’s a glimpse of what you might find there.

Adobo Seasoning This is made from garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and turmeric. Some blends also have chile powder and/or cumin. Adobo is often used for grilled or braised meats and poultry. There’s a recipe for a homemade Adobo Spice Rub on page 29 that’s even better than the store-bought version.

Dried Onion FlakesDehydrated minced onions add complexity to soups and sauces.

Knorr Granulated Chicken- and Beef-Flavor Bouillon A post-war addition to Sonoran cuisine. Use the variety available as loose granules (not a cube) for precise measuring and ease of dissolving.

Lawry’s Seasoned SaltIntroduced to the general public in 1938, this seasoning blend is a “secret ingredient” used by many Sonoran chefs, contributing to the unique flavor of the regional cuisine.

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Sonoran-Style Staples

Nopales—prickly pear cactus paddles.