alana yazzie, a diné (navajo) fancy meals and way of life blogger elevates the recipes of her childhood from new mexico and places a twist on custom with new recipes on her weblog, thefancynavajo. com. Yazzie is thought for her recipes that incorporate blue corn, like her Blue Corn Cookies, Blue Corn Stuffing and extra. she additionally shares native-made merchandise and companies to proceed highlighting and supporting native communities. yazzie solutions a number of questions and shares her recipe for blue corn cupcakes.
denims & indians: why did you begin your meals weblog and what led you to meals and cooking? yazzie: it occurred by chance when i created an instagram in 2014. there was numerous curiosity in what that he was sharing, which largely revolved round meals and style. On the time, Instagram providers had been restricted, and there weren’t many Native American meals bloggers. So, I created thefancynavajo.com as a method to share extra with my viewers.
meals and cooking have at all times been a giant a part of my life. I grew up in a household that likes to cook dinner, bake, and throw events. At a younger age, I spotted how meals unites everybody, and at a younger age, my household concerned me within the cooking course of. As I obtained older, I turned extra eager about studying about native meals and easy methods to cook dinner them after I moved residence for faculty. I’m now targeted on discovering new methods to make indigenous meals and with every new creation, I like so as to add a “fancy Navajo” twist.
c&i: what’s your favourite recipe to make? yazzie: my favourite recipes are the only and most versatile recipes like fancy navajo magic bread, which makes tortillas, fry bread and cookies. it is like magic! It was additionally one of many first recipes I discovered to make as a child, so it is a very nostalgic recipe.
c&i: would you relatively cook dinner or bake?yazzie: I am undoubtedly extra of a baker than a cook dinner. baking is one in every of my favourite issues to do. I really like making muffins, scones and cupcakes. I really like baking as a result of you may change the components because the seasons change.
c&i: what’s your course of for creating a brand new recipe: cooking and baking? yazzie: it actually is determined by the kind of recipe you might be creating. if I am sharing a brand new native recipe, that requires numerous testing as a result of I am creating a brand new recipe from scratch. subsequently, numerous trial and error is required to find the correct components in a format that’s simple to duplicate. different instances, the recipes are basic staples that I’ve made many instances, and sometimes are recipes the place I by no means write down the measurements. for these recipes, they seem to be a bit simpler to create since I’ve made them many instances earlier than.
c&i: what are some recipes that come out of your Navajo upbringing? Why is blue corn so prevalent in your recipes? Yazzie: Most of the recipes I share are household recipes I grew up consuming like Navajo Fancy Lamb Stew and Navajo Fancy Magic Bread. nonetheless, lots of the blue corn recipes are new recipes that I created. blue corn is a outstanding ingredient in lots of native and indigenous cultures. I grew up consuming pureed blue cornmeal or pancakes that we ate for breakfast. there have been solely a few methods I might seen it ready. Most of the recipes for baking blue corn are new recipes that I created to point out different methods to organize this staple. Utilizing blue cornmeal has change into a well-liked ingredient on thefancynavajo.com, and over the previous few years, we have shared a wide range of methods to make use of the ingredient, together with Navajo Blue Corn Muffins and Navajo Blue Cornbread Stuffing. . it is a type of components that everybody will get enthusiastic about and it is an ingredient that may be simply integrated into on a regular basis meals.
c&i: why is it vital to you to focus on different merchandise made by native people, not simply within the culinary trade? yazzie: i personally suppose it is vital to assist native communities. We do not typically hear a lot about merchandise made by Native People, however they do exist. I’ve heard by social media that there’s a lot of curiosity from others who wish to assist Native American companies, however do not know the place to purchase this stuff. there are such a lot of native companies and they’re all creating so many fantastic services. By way of social media, I’m able to function and share genuine Native American-made merchandise that aren’t solely associated to meals, but in addition to on a regular basis gadgets.
c&i: how have you ever tailored your weblog and content material through the years? yazzie: the enjoyable of getting a life-style/meals weblog is that you may adapt the content material to your altering way of life. Through the years I’ve lined a wide range of subjects from style to journey to recipes. there’s numerous flexibility in what I can share. It has been superb to see how thefancynavajo.com has grown from a weblog/instagram to incorporate in-person and on-line occasions akin to cooking/baking demos.
c&i: what do you count on on your weblog within the coming years? yazzie: I sit up for extra face-to-face occasions. we slowed down a bit through the pandemic and put a number of issues on maintain, one being the baking/cooking lessons. I hope to begin quickly and share the elegant Navajo magic with everybody. we additionally at all times hope to share extra recipes that incorporate native meals.
fancy navajo blue corn muffins
makes: 16 cupcakes
blue corn muffins
components: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup toasted blue cornmeal (I take advantage of the model of navajo satisfaction. shima from navajoland and tamaya blue promote this on-line, however I’ve seen flour of blue corn in some specialty supermarkets). 1/4 cup white sugar 5 teaspoons baking powder 1 pinch of salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature 2 eggs, crushed 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
directions:preheat oven to 350 levels f. line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Sift all dry components (flour, blue cornmeal, baking powder, salt) into a big bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the room temperature unsalted butter and sugar till fluffy. then add the eggs, milk, and vanilla till blended. Slowly add the moist combination to the dry components and blend till clean. Scoop batter into cupcake liners 3/4 of the best way from the highest with a spoon or ice cream scoop. bake for 20 to 22 minutes or till high is frivolously golden and a toothpick will be inserted into heart and pulled out clear. let cool for 10 minutes.
vanilla buttercream frosting
components: 1/2 cup chilly unsalted butter 3 cups powdered sugar 2 – 4 tablespoons heavy cream 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract a pinch of salt
instructions:beat butter and salt over medium-high warmth till mild and fluffy. slowly add the powdered sugar till the combination begins to clump. add heavy cream and proceed including powdered sugar till desired frosting consistency is achieved (if frosting is just too thick, add extra heavy cream). Frost your stunning blue corn cupcakes. optionally available, end off with a pinion.
discover extra recipes, way of life blogs and native-made articles at thefancynavajo.com and on instagram at @thefancynavajo
recipe: courtesy of alana yazzie of thefancynavajo.com
picture: (all photographs) courtesy of alana yazzie, jennifer hubbell and hannah manuelito
