Cold water and a pinch of baking soda (standing in for juniper ash, the ash's alkali helps the corn release niacin and keeps the colour blue rather than grey) come to a simmer. Blue cornmeal whisks in steadily as the heat continues. The mush thickens over 10 minutes of stirring; salt seasons; it cooks another 3 minutes to lose any raw-flour edge. Served in bowls with honey or maple, toasted piñon nuts (or pumpkin seeds), dried cranberries or blueberries, and a splash of cream.
Dried hulled white corn (nixtamalised, also called posole or hominy corn, distinct from tinned hominy) soaks overnight. Pork hocks (or venison neck, or smoked turkey legs) simmer in salted water 2 hours to make a rich broth. Soaked corn joins; cooks for 45 minutes more until tender. Tinned red kidney beans go in; the soup simmers for 15 minutes to integrate. Salt to taste. Served plain, possibly with a side of frybread.
Dried navy beans soak overnight, then drain. They go into a deep heavy lidded pot (a bean crock is traditional) with chopped onion, salt pork or bacon, maple syrup, mustard, salt and just enough water to cover. The pot bakes at 130°C for 5 hours, lid on for the first 4 hours, lid off for the last hour to reduce the liquor and develop the dark glaze on the surface beans. Real maple syrup is non-negotiable.
Two whole staghorn sumac drupes (or 3 tablespoons of dried, ground culinary sumac as a substitute) go into cold water for 20 minutes, never hot water, which extracts bitter tannins from the woody stems. The water steeps to a pale rose-pink with a tart citrus aroma. Strained twice through a coffee filter or fine muslin to remove the fine sumac hairs. Sweetened to taste with maple syrup; served over ice with a lemon wheel.
Fine blue cornmeal whisks with hot water, a pinch of baking soda (substituting for juniper ash), salt and a small amount of plain flour for handleability. The batter rests for 10 minutes to hydrate. A wide non-stick pan or flat griddle heats over medium-high without oil. Tablespoon portions of batter spread thinly across the pan with a wet hand or thin spatula into 18 cm rounds. Each cooks for 1 minute per side, lifts off the pan, and stacks under a cloth to stay soft.