Xinachtli (sheen-ach-tlee / ʃinaːtʃtɬi) means seed in the ancient Nahuatl language.
It was inspired by my grandmothers’ hard work and resilience and is an attempt to honor their legacy by transforming maize and cacao into various foods and carrying on practicing traditional organic agriculture like my ancestors did.
The project sprouted in 2020 in the beautiful territory of the Coast Salish Peoples from a seed that came from central Mexico. Guided by the legacy and memory of ancient civilizations made of corn.
It aims to rescue and share authentic flavours and traditions in a time and place in which it is increasingly difficult to find authenticity due to globalization, industrialization and colonization.
Aware of the damage that hybrid and GMO seeds are doing to the earth, our well-being, culture and freedom, I refuse to use any processed ingredients that use them such as Maseca, Minsa, chocolate abuelita, etc.. in any of my creations.
Instead, I work with different varieties of native Mexican maize and cacao, grown by farmers in a sustainable way without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. These get transformed in small batches using traditional techniques that result in great, tasty and healthy foods.