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Interpretation of Mission Concepcion and its acequia. Illustration by Eva Vazquez.

Corn (maize) was an important part of indigenous people's diets in the Americas, but the Spanish who colonized the area preferred wheat to corn. The Mission San José grist mill, powered by acequias (irrigation ditches), was built in 1794 to grind wheat using water from the San Antonio River.

Recipes used today in San Antonio are made with ingredients native to Texas by people descended from the original inhabitants. We can learn about people's diet through archeology by studying plant remains – called “phytoliths” – in cooking pans or soil. Park archeologists found the remains of wheat, corn, squash, and pumpkin.

Watch three videos of foods cooked at the missions by clicking the name of recipes. Which ingredients were brought over from Spain? Which are native to Texas?