Cook Globally, Source Locally: The Story Behind the MSAK Memela

Secretary Atticks. Governor Moore, Dr. Bill Schindler & Christina Schindler enjoying a Maryland Memela

This week, we had the incredible opportunity to showcase a dish that embodies everything we stand for at the Modern Stone Age Kitchen: honoring tradition, supporting local, and cooking with the intention to nourish—entirely from scratch. At the 2025 Governor’s Eat Local Cookout—an annual event celebrating Maryland’s rich agricultural heritage by pairing local farmers with chefs—we served our MSAK Memela, and with it, shared our vision for the future of food.

What made our dish stand out wasn’t just the flavor or the nutrition it delivered—it was the story it told. Every element, from the techniques to the ingredients, carried centuries of human ingenuity and thousands of miles of cultural connection.

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Unlocking Local Potential with Global Wisdom

Around the world, traditional food processing techniques evolved to unlock the full potential of ingredients—making food safer, more nutrient dense and bioavailable, and deeply flavorful. These ancestral strategies formed the foundation of the traditional diets that nourished our ancestors and fueled the development of Homo sapiens.

And while each method is culturally specific, the underlying approach is universal. From fermentation to nixtamalization, these techniques reflect a shared human wisdom: transforming raw ingredients through time, intention, and care.

Here’s the beautiful part—these ancestral foodways can be applied to ingredients in our own backyards. That’s exactly what we set out to illustrate with our memela.

Check out this video that shows just how we did it!

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A Mexican Classic, Reimagined with Maryland Ingredients

The memela, a beloved street food from Oaxaca, was the perfect canvas. Traditionally, it starts with a masa cake made from nixtamalized corn and is layered with asiento, refried beans, chorizo, quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese), crema, and fresh garnishes like tomato, onion, and cilantro.

We recreated this dish using 100% local Maryland ingredients—and applied techniques we’ve learned through hands-on research with traditional food experts around the world:

• Masa from heirloom corn grown by Next Step Produce, nixtamalized, stone-ground, and pressed by hand

• Asiento from rendered fat of Langenfelder Farms pigs

• Refried beans made from Next Step Produce heirloom beans

• Chorizo made in-house from Langenfelder Farms pork

• Quesillo (string cheese) crafted from Nice Farms milk using the traditional Oaxacan method we learned in Etla

• Crema cultured from Nice Farms cream

• Fresh vegetables from Lockbriar Farms and Red Acres Farms—onions, tomatoes, tomatillos, and cilantro

• Fermented salsa verde made from Red Acres tomatillos for a probiotic kick

• Edible Flowers from Wildly Native

Every component was prepared by our team at MSAK completely from scratch. No shortcuts. No compromises.

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Our Global Learning Journey

This dish wouldn’t have been possible without the communities who generously shared their knowledge with us. We learned nixtamalization from Juana and Emiliano in San Antonio de la Cal, Oaxaca—an essential technique dating back up to 10,000 years that transforms maize from an energy-dense grain into a fully bioavailable, nourishing food.

We learned to ferment milk and stretch curds into string cheese in Etla, where quesillo was born. All of it comes together in dishes like this—where tradition meets terroir.

Researching Nixtamilization in Oaxaca, Mexico

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Culture, Connection, and One Powerful Bite

Serving this memela at the Governor’s Eat Local Cookout wasn’t just about showcasing flavor. It was about honoring another culture, celebrating our local farmers, and showing what’s possible when we begin with whole ingredients and apply ancestral wisdom.

This is true scratch cooking: every element a reflection of care, knowledge, and deep connection. And what a powerful moment it was to share this one, nutrient-dense, story-filled bite with Governor Wes Moore and our friend Secretary Kevin Atticks.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible MSAK team, who worked tirelessly to prepare over 500 portions from scratch, and to the organizers of the Governor’s Eat Local Cookout for bringing together farmers and chefs to celebrate the best Maryland has to offer. Here’s a picture of some of our team when Secretary Russ Strickland visited us this Friday - we love this team!

Want t learn more about the event, check out this article!