Grandma Mai’s Homemade Flour Tortillas
Some recipes are written down to remember measurements. Others are written down to remember people. These tortillas fall firmly into the second category. This recipe comes from Elvira, known to our family as Grandma Mai, and it has been passed from her hands to Vida’s and now to our adult kids. It was never about chasing uniformity or perfection. It was about feeding people well and making sure they felt cared for when they sat down at the table.
The flavor of these tortillas is simple and honest. Soft wheat aroma, a gentle richness from the lard, and just enough salt to make them craveable without ever calling attention to itself. The texture is tender with a slight chew, flexible enough to wrap around anything you put inside, but sturdy enough to stand on its own. There is a warmth to them that you cannot replicate with anything store-bought.
Rolling them out is half the joy. Some come out round, some come out shaped like Texas, and all of them tell you exactly who made them. Grandma Mai understood something important long before it was fashionable. Food does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. It just has to be made with love and intention.
