On our last trip to San Francisco I bought freshly made hominy. I had never seen the likes of it before although I grew up in the southwest with hominy frequently on the table. The hominy I knew was big fat soft white kernels but this hominy was a vibrant mix of multi-colored heritage firm corn kernels. In case you don’t know what hominy is it is simply dried corn kernels – in my experience either white or yellow – with the germ and hull removed that have been soaked in lye or slaked lime. It is a traditional food of Native Americans frequently served throughout the southwestern states. Growing up those many years ago we had it in casseroles and as a side dish with peppers and onions. It is an important component of posole, the delicious Mexican pork stew which I make from time to time. It was my intention to use the freshly made in posole, but we got busy and it never happened. You might say that I wasted my money, but the beauty of the corn and the thought that this ancient food is being revived by young farmers gave me a good return for my investment.
