Beyond the Burrito

I cook general 'Mexican food' and have been for two years. I want to be more specific and regional but I don't know what the pantry differences are. If I wanted to cook Oaxacan vs Yucatecan vs northern Mexican food at home, what different ingredients would I need?

I keep seeing epazote listed in bean recipes and I cannot find it locally. Some recipes say it is essential and others do not mention it at all. What does it actually contribute and is there a substitute?

I see this instruction in every dried chile recipe — toast briefly before soaking. But I skipped it once and my salsa tasted fine. Is this step actually essential or is it one of those instructions that got passed down without anyone checking if it matters?

I know the burrito has a complicated regional history. Beyond the obvious Tex-Mex vs Mexican distinction, are there regional variations within Mexico or within the US that use distinctly different approaches to the same format?

I keep seeing these three chiles in recipes and they are described as interchangeable in some sources and completely different in others. I cannot figure out which is correct or when the differences matter.

When I cut open my tamales the filling is always off-centre or clumped in one spot. I want the filling distributed through the cross-section so each bite has masa and filling together. Am I placing it wrong or is this a masa thickness issue?

I want to start nixtamalising and grinding my own masa. I know commercial mills can do this but for home use I am not sure what equipment is practical, what price range to expect, and whether there is a grain mill that works for both corn masa and other grains.

I have been making large batches of tortillas and then not finishing them before they go dry. Is there a minimum useful batch size where the effort is worth it and the quantity is right for one or two people eating at one meal?

I know nixtamalisation produces fresh masa but I'm wondering whether I can then dry and grind that masa to produce a masa harina-equivalent that I could store. Is the process practical, does it work, and what equipment is needed?

Every recipe I find uses different ratios and the resulting masa texture varies wildly. Is there a standard starting ratio for tamale masa from masa harina, or does it vary too much by brand to have a single answer?

I am making tamales for the first time. My masa is spreading okay but the edges crack as I spread outward toward the edge of the husk. It looks good in the centre but ragged and cracked at the margins. I am using masa harina with added lard and broth. What is wrong?

When I cook for more than four people the tortillas are always cold or dry by the time the last person gets their plate. I've tried foil, a warm oven, dry cloth — nothing keeps them warm and pliable for more than 10 minutes. What do restaurants and good home cooks do?

I make quesadillas with chicken or just cheese. Both are good but I want to expand. What proteins or fillings work particularly well in a quesadilla that are maybe less obvious?

Tostadas go soft within about 3 minutes of adding wet toppings. I've tried patting everything dry, adding toppings at the last second, even trying different base tortillas. Nothing keeps them crispy past the point where I want to eat them. Is there a technique that actually works?

My quesadillas are always either burnt outside with cheese not fully melted, or perfectly golden outside but the cheese is still solid in the centre. I cannot find a heat level and timing combination that gets both right simultaneously.

I see the double corn tortilla setup everywhere in traditional taco contexts. But some taquerias use one tortilla and I cannot always tell if that is a style choice or a sign of corner-cutting. Is the double tortilla structural or aesthetic?

I always overfill tacos and they fall apart. But when I try to use less filling they feel like a waste of a tortilla. Is there a weight or a visual reference for the right amount of filling in a standard double corn tortilla taco?