June 22, 2005
Source: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via HispanicOnline.com
Flat discs are about to overtake squishy squares in the battle to be America’s favorite bread.
Tortillas which according to Mayan legend were invented by a peasant with a hungry child reflect today’s grab-and-go lifestyle and love for ethnic foods just as white bread satisfied a generation enamored with processed foods.
If tortilla sales for 2004 turn out to be as strong as expected totaling an estimated $6 billion then tortillas will be the new king of breads, said Irwin Steinberg, spokesman for the Tortilla Industry Association. Final figures are expected later this month.
As of 2003, tortilla sales made up 32% of the U.S. bread market, while white bread sales totaled 34%, specialty breads 10%, whole- grain breads 9%, and rolls and buns 9%. Bagels trailed with 3%. Tortilla sales have been growing steadily, 9% each year from 2000 to 2003, Steinberg said.
Kids love that they can slap peanut butter or another favorite filling on a tortilla, roll it up and take it anywhere, said Ken Levitt, president of Mexican Accents Inc.
The Hormel-owned company manufactures Manny’s brand tortillas, among other private label products, in New Berlin.
It is the largest shelf-stable tortilla manufacturer east of Kansas City, according to Levitt.
Campers and backpackers find tortillas to be more convenient than bread, Levitt said, because they are compact and don’t get squished as easily in a backpack or picnic basket.
Tortillas also have a longer shelf life than bread. Manny’s shelf- stable tortillas keep for 90 days unopened, then about 2 weeks opened in the refrigerator.
It doesn’t hurt that Mexican food is a hot culinary trend, and that a growing number of Hispanic immigrants are bringing their love for tortillas to the United States, Steinberg said.
Sandwiches made with tortillas the ubiquitous wrap get credit for boosting sales and inspiring new gourmet tortilla flavors, Steinberg said.
Tumaro’s Gourmet Tortillas, made by a California-based company, has more than 20 flavors of tortillas on the market, including sun- dried tomato, jalapeo, roasted red pepper, pesto and roasted garlic, black bean, and Southwest chipotle chili and peppers.
Tumaro’s dessert tortilla flavors include chocolate, blueberry, apple cinnamon and pineapple-banana. A new "low-in-carbs" line of Tumaro’s also is available in several flavors.
Among Manny’s flavored tortillas are tomato-basil and jalapeo- cilantro.
Flour tortillas are the most popular in the non-Hispanic market because they’re most similar to white bread, Levitt said.
Flour tortillas constitute 80% of the tortilla retail market, while other tortilla varieties, such as corn, make up the remaining 20%.
Corn tortillas, indigenous to Mexico and points south, drive the Hispanic market, Levitt said.
Corn tortillas may soon grab a bigger piece of the mainstream market, however, as many corn tortillas qualify as whole-grain products and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines call for increased intake of whole grains, Steinberg said.
Corn tortillas are gluten-free, he said.
Whole-wheat tortillas showed the biggest percentage growth last year of all tortillas produced by Mexican Accents, Levitt said.
As for popular tortilla preparations, tacos, quesadillas and wraps have been mainstays for years.
Breakfast quesadillas and dessert recipes using flavored tortillas are newer offerings.
Home quesadilla-makers allow consumers to more easily replicate the appetizer they’ve enjoyed in restaurants.
But appliances aren’t necessary. Levitt said that when his daughter was little, she would put a pat of butter and then cinnamon and sugar on a tortilla, roll it up and put it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to create her own version of a cinnamon roll-up.
"Pizza, hamburgers and tacos are what kids today grow up with," Levitt said. "And fajitas are so easy now, too, with meat departments selling the meat with peppers, all ready to go."
It’s only natural that tortilla variations would spring from a young consumer base, considering that kids drive the convenience foods market, he said.
Donna Kelly, who co-authored the book "101 Things to do With a Tortilla" with Stephanie Ashcraft (Gibbs Smith, $9.95), grew up in southern Arizona, a few miles from the Mexican border.
Kelly said in a phone interview that she’s always thought of tortillas as a meal-time staple.
"My mother and I made tortillas (from scratch) and tamales," said Kelly, who now lives in Provo, Utah, with her husband and four children. "I ate tortillas every day."
As a kid, she ate bean burros (bigger than burritos) instead of peanut butter sandwiches.
She found a tortilla could do anything that bread could, and more.
During her childhood, she and her mother together developed recipes such as French toast using tortillas, and strawberry shortcake using tortillas.
They created French toast tortillas one Sunday morning when they were hungry for French toast but had no bread in the house, Kelly recalled.
Tortillas can be made into garnishes, as well, Kelly said. Her book includes four: matchsticks, crisps, confetti and crumbs.
To make the matchsticks, which can be used to garnish soup, slice two medium flour tortillas into very thin matchstick pieces with a pizza cutter.
Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees 5 to 6 minutes. Stir, then return to the oven for 3 to 5 more minutes, until crisp and golden brown.
Triangular tortilla crisps are cooked in canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Using a pizza cutter, cut three corn or two medium flour tortillas into small triangles, add a few triangles at a time to the hot oil, then cook quickly. Cool on a plate covered with a paper towel and blot carefully to remove excess oil.
Confetti, a smaller version of "crisps" and "crumbs," is what’s left at the bottom of the bag of tortilla chips, perfect for sprinkling over main dishes, salads or soups.
While tortillas have been part of Hispanic culture for many years, they are "the new bread" in America, Kelly said.
"They are a convenience item you can use in place of pasta for lasagna, in place of bread for sandwiches. But unlike bread, they don’t get soggy with sandwiches, or squashed in lunch boxes."
Kelly believes that because of their convenience, flexibility and shelf life, the tortilla will only become more popular.
The recipes in her book are designed for convenience, Kelly said, with short ingredient lists and minimal preparation.
There’s no shortage of creativity. If you’re bored with bean burritos and chicken enchiladas, try such desserts as Upside-Down Apple Pie, Chocolate Raspberry Burritos and Cherry Enchiladas.
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