PHOTO: INGREDIENTS TO PREPARE TEJATE
March 19, 2024
Sales Department
Oaxaca is a state full of traditions, culture, gastronomy and above all, history. Within these last two is the star of today’s blog: the tejate. This drink also known as “the drink of the gods,” has a pre-hispanic origin and has its roots in the Valley of Oaxaca where it was used in planting and harvesting rituals.
Its name comes from Nahuatl and means “floured water”: “textli” which means dough and “atl” which means water. The base of this refreshing drink used to quench thirst is corn, cocoa, mamey kernel and cocoa flower or cocoa rose. When preparing it, a white, lumpy foam that is generated by the cocoa flower is easily observed on its surface.
This recipe, which has been passed down for many generations, has been prepared by thousands of Oaxacan families as a tradition. It is also a delicious and healthy drink, since it is a source of calcium, iron, potassium and zinc.
It is common to find stalls in the streets of Oaxaca with large green clay pots that sell this delicious drink, however it is in the town of San Andrés Huayapam where the Tejate Fair takes place year after year.
If you wonder why San Andrés Huayapam is the land of the “drink of the gods”, it is because the rose tree grows there, which produces a very particular flower that is an essential ingredient for its preparation.
Regarding the preparation of this delicious drink, the process is as follows: the ingredients are ground to form a paste, which is mixed gradually in a clay pot with cold water. Once ready, the cocoa rose is what provides the density to the white foam that forms on the surface. It is commonly said that the thicker the layer of cocoa rose, the better the tejate tastes, which is served very cold and in traditional red gourds.
If you would like to try this beverage, next Sunday, March 24, starting at 10:00 a.m. the 14th edition of the San Andrés Huayapam Tejate Fair will take place. This Fair has been held since 1999 in an effort to highlight and disseminate the historical importance of this drink.
