A traditional early morning or late night favorite in the Sierra de Puebla, this atole makes a warming, nutritious breakfast drink. Kids love the purple color. Ingredients 1 cup blackberries 4 cups milk 2 tablespoons cornstarch ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Place the berries and 2 cups of the milk in a blender and puree. […]
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When we lived in Oaxaca, we had neighbors with a pomegranate tree that seemed to bear fruit much longer than in other places. In Puebla, the pomegranate season is late summer, after which pomegranates disappear until December, when California imports are sold in the supermarkets, as they are north of the border. Bottled pomegranate juice […]
Continue ReadingThis column presented a basic recipe for Rompope: Puebla Style Eggnog in the November 2003 issue of Mexico Connect. This one, which contains almonds, is very close to the original recipe prepared in the Convent of Santa Clara, except that the alcohol is not added until the end, for those who wish to eliminate it or add it […]
Continue ReadingSweet cinnamon coffee is a great early-morning energy booster, as well as a good beverage for those who need to stay awake later in the day. My husband calls it “funeral coffee” because cafe de olla is always served at the velorios — all-night wakes — with large trays of sweet rolls. Ingredients 6 cups water 3 heaping teaspoons […]
Continue ReadingDuring the warm months in Mexico, a variety of tropical fruit-flavored ices are sold by vendors with pushcarts, usually stationed in the parks and in front of schools. In the zócalo – main square – in Puebla, several exotic varieties are available, including those flavored with the local specialty, an egg-nog like liquor called rompope, and of course, the […]
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In 1897, Carl Lumholtz, the famous Norwegian ethnologist, who spent several years living with remote Indian tribes in Mexico, found that the Huichol Indians in eastern Nayarit distilled agave juice using simple pot stills, the pots being quite unlike any other Spanish or pre-Columbian vessels. By 1944, Henry Bruman, a University of California geographer, had […]
Continue ReadingI first tasted this at the Café Enamorada in Cholula. It’s a no-fuss dessert choice, because it’s coffee and dessert in one. Use the best quality chocolate available and whipped heavy cream. Ingredients For each serving: ½ ounce bittersweet chocolate (sold as chocolate semi amargo in Mexico) 1 ½ ounces rum 1 cup freshly brewed coffee ¼ […]
Continue ReadingAh! Nectar of the Gods! Bacchus never had it so good! When I think of tequila, the following things come to mind: a really quaint, clean little Mexican town about 90 minutes from my home; clear liquid in little shot glasses beside red liquid in shot glasses along with a plate of lemon and salt; […]
Continue ReadingHorchata is one of the most common table drinks in Mexico, usually served in pitchers to accompany the main meal, and is classified as an agua, like many Mexican fruit drinks. In some areas, horchata is made with dried melon seeds instead of rice. The following recipe is adapted from Adela Fernandez’ La Cocina Tradicional Mexicana. […]
Continue ReadingThis beverage was first made by the colonial-era nuns at the Convent of Santa Clara in Puebla, and the Santa Clara brand is still one of the most popular. It is fun and very easy to make at home. Unlike north-of-the-border eggnog, rompope already contains alcohol, although in a small proportion, so it does not […]
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