Limited Edition Six Nations Blue Hominy

Six Nations Blue Hominy is an extraordinary and rare offering, crafted from one of the most special heirloom corn varieties still in existence. Grown in limited quantities, this strain of Six Nations Blue has been carefully stewarded by generations of seed keepers and carries a profound cultural and historical significance.

Chef Dave Smoke McCluskey of Corn Mafia honors this legacy by transforming Six Nations Blue Corn into hominy using the traditional nixtamalization techniques of his Mohawk ancestors. Washed in hardwood ash, the hominy becomes more nutrient-rich, while its natural sweetness is enhanced with a delicate smokiness.

"It’s probably my most favorite of seeds, as I can feel something in it," says Chef Dave. "This may sound weird, but corn also has spirit. Some of us still believe such things anyway. This blue? She makes me happy."

When you open a bag of Six Nations Blue Hominy, the aroma alone will invite you into its story. Whether simmered in Pozole, hearty stews, or as the foundation for a bold and rustic dish, this hominy delivers unparalleled depth of flavor.

The kernels of Six Nations Blue Corn are smaller and more compact than those of Fat Red or Becky Blanca, but they deliver an intensely rich and complex corn flavor that stands out in any dish. This variety embodies resilience, history, and the deep relationship between people and the land.

MOTHER CORN AND HER GUARDIANS

This rare corn originated within the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. The late Andrew Bomberry, a respected guardian of this ancestral seed, shared it with Steven McComber, a Mohawk farmer and seed saver, who honored its legacy by naming it Six Nations Blue to reflect its origins within the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

McComber shared this seed with the late Iowne Anderson, a Cayuga woman and fierce advocate for Indigenous foodways. She devoted decades to preserving and cultivating these traditions as part of her work with the Iroquois Red Hats, Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario, and Six Nations Agricultural Society. Her deep connection to this corn ensured that its story would continue. This corn comes from the stock she lovingly cared for. 

Available in very limited quantities, this hominy is more than just an ingredient—it’s a taste of history, tradition, and the passion of those who have protected it across generations.

1lb bag

ABOUT CORN MAFIA

Once upon a pandemic a Mohawk chef found a new calling and the results are irresistible. Chef Dave Smoke McCluskey, founder of Corn Mafia closed his restaurant to pursue his passion for the most important of all indigenous ingredients, corn. These corns or O:nenhste as they say in Mohawk, are sourced from landrace, Indigenous farmed or organic sources.

He fire roasts his hominy after washing it to give it a signature taste of the past. Some people think Indigenous foods are or were bland. These products are meant to act as a foil to such unadventurous thoughts. What’s old is new, what’s old will never leave us.