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  Corn, a staple of Mexican food in general, is also a staple in Oaxaca. When dried and ground, it makes a dough that’s used for tortillas, empanadas, and tamales. Tamales—of which we definitely ate our share—come wrapped up in either cornhusks or banana leaves like the ones shown here, which gives them a subtly sweet flavor.

Photography by Marcela Taboada