# Are Corn Tortillas Common in your Supermarket? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2012, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651 "2012-12-31T10:49:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/21 "2012-12-31T15:37:41Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > This is Texas. All kinds of tortillas are available in most stores. Many stores make them on the premises… What she said. It would be odd to find a store that _didn’t_ have them, unless they sold out. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/22 "2012-12-31T15:40:07Z")
In Pittsburgh, they’re in the refrigerated section with the flour tortillas at Giant Eagle, or with the bread at Trader Joe’s. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/23 "2012-12-31T15:43:13Z")
NE Dallas, and corn tortillas are as common as dirt. Any random grocery will have at least one brand of yellow corn tortillas, and most of the major grocery brands (Kroger, Tom Thumb(Safeway), and Wal-Mart) usually have 2-3 brands each of yellow and white corn, with Mission and La Banderita being two that I can recall off the top of my head. If you live in a predominantly Mexican area, or go to a Mexican grocery, you’ll have much more than that- most of them not only stock a wide variety of brands in each style, but also make their own fresh in-house. The same thing applies to Austin, Houston and San Antonio for sure, and probably elsewhere in the state as well. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/24 "2012-12-31T15:44:33Z")
> [@Elyanna](#): > > I live in California. The tortilla section takes up about 1/3 of a side of an aisle. I get corn tortillas pretty often for taco-making. Same here (I’m in Washington). Pretty reasonable too. I can pick up a stack of thirty for a couple of bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/25 "2012-12-31T15:44:55Z")
They’re easily available in Oregon, but since a small start-up has begun making fresh masa dough, I can’t go back to store-bought. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/26 "2012-12-31T15:50:20Z")
I’m in NH. I can’t think of a grocery store in NH or MA I’ve been in that doesn’t have corn tortillas. Even tiny independent grocery stores have them. Flour is slightly less ubiquitous, but I’d still expect to find them in at least 75% of the grocery stores I might wander into. None are in the bread aisle and (I’ve only ever seen flour refrigerated, not often at that): it doesn’t matter which store, for the most part they’re in an aisle dedicated to ethnic or world foods, a few rows down from fixings for Chinese food. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/27 "2012-12-31T15:52:44Z")
Northern Nevada…every grocery store…or so it seems. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/28 "2012-12-31T16:41:11Z")
I found them once. I’m in Calgary. There are a few recipies I’ve given up making due to not being able to find corn tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/29 "2012-12-31T16:42:06Z")
There is a tortilla factory about a block and a half from my house. No problems at all. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/30 "2012-12-31T16:55:14Z")
Chicago. I’d say it’s about 80% corn to 20% flour at my local supermarket. There are also a good number of tortillerias within a couple miles of where I live (closest one is about 1/3 mile away), so when they get to the store, much of the packaging is still warm to the touch. I always check the packages to get a warm one. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/31 "2012-12-31T17:00:32Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > My biggest gripe about moving to New Jersey has been the lack of access to Mexican food. It’s not that it doesn’t exist, it’s just that it takes searching (I am assuming it’s because it isn’t popular). For a long time I believe it was due to a local shortage of Mexicans and Central Americans 😉 ( no longer the case now of course ). It had to hit a certain level before the food started expanding into the mainstream and became financially viable. My folks moved from the SF Bay Area to Jersey City around 1990 and for years neither corn tortillas nor decent Mexican food could be found at all. Throughout much of the 1990’s they had to bring back tortillas from CA or have them mailed ( they also insisted on importing Peets Coffee back in those days ). According to them it only started to really improve in the late 90’s/early 2000’s - corn tortillas started appearing in a few select places and a “genuine CA-style Mexican” restaurant opened up within striking distance of their place. They subsequently moved back to CA. So at least the situation is improving from what it was. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/32 "2012-12-31T17:00:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Chicago. I’d say it’s about 80% corn to 20% flour at my local supermarket. There are also a good number of tortillerias within a couple miles of where I live (closest one is about 1/3 mile away), so when they get to the store, much of the packaging is still warm to the touch. I always check the packages to get a warm one. Yeah, the grocery I shop at, I have to order from the butcher in Spanish. Good selection of corn tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/33 "2012-12-31T17:58:08Z")
Well, I wish more Mexicans would immigrate here then. The salsa is terrible, and we have no corn tortillas. God knows what other delicacies I’m missing out on. Stupid Ottawa. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/34 "2012-12-31T18:10:43Z")
NE Indiana, large Hispanic population, pretty good selection of corn tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/35 "2012-12-31T18:19:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, I wish more Mexicans would immigrate here then. The salsa is terrible, and we have no corn tortillas. God knows what other delicacies I’m missing out on. Stupid Ottawa. You can make them yourself, but it requires being able to find masa harina. Strangely enough, when I lived in Budapest, there were a couple local international specialty stores that did sell masa harina (along with dried chiles like anchos and guajillos and, believe it or not, huitlacoche), so I have some hope for finding it in Ottawa. That said, making them is a little bit of a pain in the ass. It’s not difficult, but it helps if you have a tortilla press. We’d just use a cast iron pan and smash the dough balls in between two pieces of wax paper. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/36 "2012-12-31T18:28:06Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Depends on what you mean by corn. Out of curiosity, in non-North American varieties of English, would “corn tortilla” not be understood to mean “maize”? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/37 "2012-12-31T18:32:40Z")
Ottawa’s quite a cosmopolitan city really, but the supermarkets are pretty dull. I’m sure I could find a shop somewhere in town with corn tortillas, but to not have them available in main grocery stores is disappointing. And the salsa… my God. We have a dozen varieties of mild and medium, and one or two that say “hot” but aren’t. Jarred salsa has a shelf life of, what a year? Would it kill you to stock some actual spicy variants? In other news, the variety of available jarred Indian sauces has increased over the decades. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/38 "2012-12-31T18:39:24Z")
One hour West of Seattle. I can find them at any store without any effort. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/39 "2012-12-31T18:41:06Z")
If it makes you feel any better, poutine is nearly nonexistent here. I’d never even really heard of it until people talked about it on the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651/40 "2012-12-31T18:47:50Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Out of curiosity, in non-North American varieties of English, would “corn tortilla” not be understood to mean “maize”? Well, if those English speakers had only visited Spain, they would think a _tortilla_ is a sort of potato omelet. And wonder why anybody would add wheat to it… For clarity on the other side of the Atlantic, I’d say “maize” And then explain about New World Tortillas. Except that what [Wahaca](http://www.wahaca.co.uk/flash/main.html) calls “corn tortillas” are probably fairly similar to our corn tortillas. I’d love to visit London, but eating Mexican food there would be rather far down on my list of priorities… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-tortillas-common-in-your-supermarket/645651.md?page=3)