Published in the Pacific Pearl February 2020 issue
Have you ever felt overheated after a day on the beach? Have you ever eaten too much food and felt indigestion? Have you ever had a rough night after too many tequilas? Did you know locals have a cure for all these ailments. The answer might surprise you: they drink a fermented corn beverage called ‘Tejuino’ (Tay-hoEE-No). And no... it’s not going to make you drunk. When you think of fermented food and drinks, the first things that comes to mind are probably German Sauerkraut, Korean Kimchi or Eastern European Keffir. The idea of fermenting food and drink has existed for thousands of years as a way of preserving food and its nutrients. Most cultures around the world have some form of fermented drinks, including Mexico. In the arid highlands of central Mexico you can find a fermented agave beverage called Pulque. On the Pacific coast in Sinaloa, Nayarit and Jalisco you can find Tejuino. The name Tejuino comes from the native Náhuatl word tequin which means heart beat. In former days this beverage was used for sacred rituals. Nowadays there are only few artisans who continue this ancient tradition, with fascinating nicknames like El Tucán, El Perico or El Champion. Meet Sergio Maestre Villarreal, also known as El Tucán. He is the third generation of Tejuino makers and he’s proud to mention that his kids, the fourth generation, are ready to take over. Originally from Jalisco state mister Tucán arrived to Mazatlan in the 1970’s when he met his wife. They have been successfully making Tejuino ever since. You can find his shop on Aquiles Serdan street downtown or around the Juan Carrasco market. Making Tejuino isn’t an easy job. The day starts early to prepare the ingredients to sell to thirsty customers and in the afternoon the next batch has to be prepared. What is the secret for a good Tejuino? Mister Tucán says it all starts with the basic ingredients. “First I put to soak the dry white corn in water with lime stone for three days, changing the water daily. Once the corn bursts open, I grind it into masa corn dough. Then I cook the corn dough with water for about two hours. I add raw canesugar and salt to this mixture. It is very important during this process to keep stirring to avoid lumps. I strain this corn custard and leave it to rest in closed containers for several days. In summertime it takes 10 days to ferment and in wintertime up to 14 days. I only make a limited amount of Tejuino per day. So if I sell out today, customers have to wait until tomorrow.” Once the Tejuino corn custard is ready, El Tucán prepares the beverage with a pinch of salt, sodium bicarbonate, lime juice and shaved ice. But the mixture is not exactly the same for every customer. “If a client is complaining about a head ache, I add more salt and lime juice. If a client has an upset stomach, I add more sodium bicarbonate. I’m like a doctor curing illnesses!” The preparation is a wonderful mixology-like show where the ingredients are incorporated until it has the perfect consistency. If you’re ready to open your heart to Mexico´s traditional flavors, Tejuino should be on your must-drink list in Mazatlan!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Flavor TellerMaaike Hoekstra has lived in Mexico for over 15 years. She is passionate about Mexican culture and food. Here are the stories and recipes she finds along the way. Archives
September 2024
Categories |