STONE MILLING OF CORN IN COLONIAL MILLS: INTERFACES BETWEEN FOOD CULTURE, PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the meanings attributed to stone milling of corn in colonial mills in Ponte Preta and Barão de Cotegipe, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, discussing its relationships with food culture, flour processing, and the preservation of local food systems. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted through direct observation in three colonial mills and semi-structured interviews with ten participants, including three mill owners or former owners and seven residents or former residents of the region, aged 55 to 80 years. The accounts highlighted the mills as productive, social, and affective spaces associated with family farming, European immigration, and the daily preparation of polenta. Stone-ground corn flour was valued for its known origin, particle size, color, and flavor, although field observation identified partial degermination. Polenta stood out as a preparation associated with rural work, perceived satiety, family memory, and colonial identity. It is concluded that stone milling is part of a territorial food system that articulates food, technique, work, memory, belonging, and the preservation of traditional knowledge.