Tejuino

Tejuino

Tejumin post

The tejuino or tesgüino (from the Nahuatl tecuin, "to beat the heart") is a fermented corn drink native to the state of Colima and consumed by various ethnic groups from Jalisco, Mexico to a lesser extent, in the south (Zapotecs from Oaxaca).

For the Tarahumara, as well as for other ethnic groups such as the Huichols, tesgüino is the drink of choice at their social events, religious and sports festivities, and at the so-called tesgüinada, which are meetings in which political decisions are made and economic activities that are important to the community, or in which difficult jobs or tasks are carried out that require the community participation of men. Thus, the tesguino is used as a form of payment; intoxicating drink and vehicle for the administration of various medicinal plants; In addition, mixed with breast milk or diluted in water, it is consumed by infants and children, so it can be considered as an important supplement in their diet.

Elaboration process

The process of making the drink varies from one ethnic group to another, although it is generally made with corn grains germinated in the dark, which are ground on a metate and cooked in enough water for several hours until obtaining a yellowish atole that, once cold, it strains. The recovered liquid is emptied into a tesgüinera pot, the catalyst or fortifier is added and it is left to ferment for 1 to 10 days or more. It is important to point out that the tesgüinera pots are never washed because of what they present, adhered to their walls, residues of previous fermentations. The tesguino is not filtered or pasteurized, so it contains the living microorganisms that produce the fermentation, the substances metabolized by them and the residues of the vegetables used.

On the other hand, the tejuino is mestizo and is a refreshing drink that is also found in Guadalajara, Mazatlán and La Paz among other cities. Although it is also made with sprouted corn, piloncillo or sugar is added to it.

It is drunk with lemon, salt and piquín chile to taste or without adding anything, it has a sweet and sour flavor and a low degree of alcohol. Street vendors offer tejuino in the towns and cities of the region, and it is very rare to find it in ice cream parlors or ice cream parlors.

There are two recognized types: tejuino and tesgüino; The tejuino may or may not have some fermentation not stronger than the tepache, the tesgüino is fermented to the maximum so that it produces liquor.

There are also two types of tejuino: white tejuino and dark tejuino, made with piloncillo.

In Nochistlan the festivities of San Sebastián take place. In this festival, the tejuino is traditional, made from corn, with the recipe of the ancient caxcanes that inhabited this region. Every night from January 17 to 20, tejuino is distributed in pitchers to those attending the party, which is held at the house of the celebrants. It is made with a special type of corn. It has a strong bitter taste, is thick and brown in color. The original recipe is not modified, it is taken natural, that is, ice, salt or lemon are not added.

Some people make tejuino by fermenting masa (corn in nixtamal, ground to form a paste with which tortillas are made).

Some people add lemon snow instead of ice and lemon. Some also add shaved ice (used for "shaves" or "shaved snow") instead of crushed ice.

The Huicholes use it mainly in their festivities and activities, carrying out a fermentation process (alcoholic beverage).