For the Love of Masa: Unique Collaboration Dinner Spotlights Single Ingredient

This month, a collaboration dinner at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink will serve to highlight two industry professionals’ shared love for a single ingredient: masa.

The "Exploring Masa" dinner will take place on Tuesday, November 14. While fleeting, it serves to highlight a shared passion between Masienda founder Jorge Gaviria and Michael's Genuine chef/owner Michael Schwartz.

Gaviria — who trained at top restaurants, including Danny Meyer's New York City restaurant Maialino and farm-to-table restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns — will bring his expertise to the table, while Schwartz brings his creative passion to each dish.

Together, both men will explore the history, process, and diversity of masa via a four-course menu meant to showcase the evening's star ingredient.

Schwartz tells New Times he didn't know Gaviria but was inspired by his book Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple.

"I read his book and learned so much from it, so I reached out to him. Turns out he's from Miami and used to frequent Michael's Genuine," shares Schwartz.

For Gaviria, Michael's Genuine was equally inspiring. Upon realizing their mutual admiration and inspiration, a collaborative dinner transpired.

"The use of masa and the depth of flavor and complexity in Mexican food is something I have always been attracted to," adds Schwartz. "For this dinner, our idea is to incorporate as much masa in each dish, using the different colors that translate into different flavor profiles."
Schwartz says Mexico itself inspired him after visiting Oaxaca, where he immersed himself in the region's rich food culture, indulging in the local cuisine supplied by the markets and street vendors to restaurants and bodegas. Take the salsa morita, a bright red salsa made with dried morita chile peppers and roasted garlic, served with his white masa tostada. Or the Oaxacan pizza he prepares with a fragrant mole amarillo base, one that pairs beautifully with the squash blossoms, quesillo, salsa, and pumpkin seed toppings.

For the menu, Schwartz tapped local masa-maniac Steven Santana, chef/owner of Taquiza, best known for his handcrafted tortillas.

"But I went to him for his totopos, one of my favorite bites in all Miami, to better understand the production side of things while using Jorge's Masienda heirloom masa harina mix," says Schwartz, who pairs the puffy, fried tortilla chips with a rich crema sauce and caviar.

Dishes include passed small plates like a crudité served with a whipped chicharrón; blue masa sope (an open-faced corn tortilla street snack) topped with kingfish escabeche, avocado, salsa verde, smoked trout roe, and pickled fresno; a "masa ball" soup with braised chicken, mole amarillo broth, chayote, and queso fresco; a family-style carne asada featuring meat, beans, queso, and handmade tortillas for a build-your-own meal experience; and white masa crostata of fig and cranberries served with bay leaf gelato.

The "Exploring Masa" dinner begins with a welcome cocktail reception and a half-hour discussion and Q&A with both chefs before the meal is served. The dinner includes a four-course meal and the option to add a $40 beverage package that includes a selection of Mexican wines, a dessert cocktail, and a mezcal digestif.

Exploring Masa Dinner at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, at 130 NE 40th St., Miami; 305-676-0894; michaelsgenuine.com. Tickets cost $125 per person (optional $40 beverage package) via opentable.com.