This last week I have tried several new things: This is esquite and elote. It is esquite when it is corn on the cob and elote when the corn has been cut off the cob. It is easier to see that on the cob it is covered with cheese and then chile but first it is smeared in mayonnaise. There are two street vendors selling it on my way home from school. Now that I don’t finish at school until 7:30 I am hungry so it is a great snack to have and sometimes it is my dinner. This is very similar to the one my family makes, only we use sour cream in place of the mayonaisse.
Pulque is a beverage that has been consumed since ancient times in Mexico, making it apart of the culture. It is a somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to certain classes of people. After the Spanish Conquest of Mexico, the drink became secular and its consumption rose. The consumption of pulque reached its peak in the late 19th century. In the 20th century, the drink fell into decline, mostly because of competition from beer, which became more prevalent with the arrival of European immigrants. So I drank some of this, maybe 15 oz. and if it had any alcohol in it, I couldn’t tell.
Atole
The drink typically includes masa (corn hominy flour), water, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, vanilla and optional chocolate or fruit. The mixture is blended and heated before serving. Atole is made by toasting masa on a comal (griddle), then adding water which was boiled with cinnamon sticks. The resulting blends vary in texture, ranging from a porridge to a very thin liquid consistency. Atole can also be prepared with rice flour or oatmeal in place of masa. In northern Mexico, there is also a variation using pinole (sweetened toasted corn meal). Although atole is one of the traditional drinks of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, it is very common during breakfast and dinnertime at any time of year. It is usually sold as street food.
Ok so did I love this? NO, I did not. The first time I had it, it was super thick and was made with rice, milk, oatmeal, and maybe flour. It was like really hot thick cooked oatmeal. After reading that I know my family knows how I feel as I can eat oatmeal raw/cold in milk but when you cook it I gag. I did my very best to drink half of the cup while trying not to breathe while I drank it. I finally told my mom here that I do not to well with hot oatmeal so she told me to leave it on the counter for the morning and mix it with a little more milk and banana. The second time, both this week, it was made with flour, milk and cinnamon. I drank it but did not care for it.
The last Sunday we made home made flour tortillas. It was the first time we have had flour tortillas at home. We eat corn tortillas everyday. They are hot and fresh. The tortilleria is just around the corner.
