Ask HN: What are you learning?
I&#x27;m learning how to make tacos starting with the tortilla. I&#x27;m originally from San Diego and have always missed Mexican food whenever I moved abroad. On a recent trip back to San Diego, I went to over a dozen Mexican shops to find particular flours to create tortillas from. I also went to Mexico twice just to find a specific brand of soft wheat flour. In total I think I experimented with atleast 5-6 different flours thus far. Since then I&#x27;ve made over 150 tortillas, learning things like the importance of the ratio of fat&#x2F;water&#x2F;flour, the proper heat, feel, and cook time. Rolling it with flour and without, hand patting vs mechanical tortilla presses. Simple mistakes are like the difference between making a cracker and a tortilla. There&#x27;s also things like the elasticity of the dough the longer it sits so things like heated tortilla presses become important to help it keep its shape, since the heat slightly cooks the tortilla as it&#x27;s being pressed into shape. Compared to pure mechanical ones where the tortilla will retract back due to no heat forcing it to sit in place. I&#x27;m still hoping to invest in a heated press once I return to the States since I can&#x27;t find them in Amsterdam.<p>Overall I&#x27;m enjoying the craft of it all and will be soon moving towards learning the details that go into making sauces and carne asada.