Substitute for achiote?

[medtran49]

Suggestion for where masa harina and many ingredients are specialities and are hard to come by if at all, like annatto for e.g.

All are available on line, in Latin supermarkets, and sometimes in international sections of regular groceries or in international supermarkets.

Pickling ash or equivalent or lye for the nixtamalization process aren't exactly lying around a regular grocery store in most places either.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Masa Harina works for corn tortillas and you can also get blue corn flour.

True.
Here's a cautionary tale, though...
I walked into a Mexican grocery in Atlanta last June, bought some dried chiles, etc, and then asked for masa harina. Blank looks. Noóne knew what I was talking about, and I was speaking Spanish. They showed me where all the flour was, and I immediately picked up the bag of (blue) corn flour.
"Ahhh, pero ud quería MASECA, señor!" (Ohhh, but you wanted MASECA, sir!) That's the brand name

 

[Z-Cook]

As for me, I don't usually make corn tortillas from total scratch as every single grocery store here has them fresh and sells masa harina but would def want them with Cochinita Pibil or similar dishes

All are available on line, in Latin supermarkets, and sometimes in international sections of regular groceries or in international supermarkets.

Medtran49 you might want to check out badjak's location and post on the online shopping thread

Most of the totally-from-scratch cooking I've done/do is for a reason - usually quality and/or availability

 

[medtran49]

As for me, I don't usually make corn tortillas from total scratch as every single grocery store here has them fresh and sells masa harina but would def want them with Cochinita Pibil or similar dishes



Medtran49 you might want to check out badjak's location and post on the online shopping thread

Most of the totally-from-scratch cooking I've done/do is for a reason - usually quality and/or availability

I've been on this forum for a very, very long time. I am aware of Badjak's location and the fact that trips into the city take place from time to time.

 

[Z-Cook]

I've been on this forum for a very, very long time. I am aware of Badjak's location and the fact that trips into the city take place from time to time.

Of course, silly newbie me medtran49 ! I just picked up from the posts that Latin shops and ingredients are just not available, so went the all-from-scratch direction, also knowing that the region uses/grows corn/maize as a major food crop, so likely available. I've lived in a lot of far flung places and places where cetain ingredients common elsewhere aren't around or not in the same forms. Sometimes there's a desire or wish to make something in spite of that!

No aspersions intended medtran49.
Enjoy your posts a lot