Tamales and Candlemas

Tamales and Candlemas

Back in 2021, I published a post explaining the origins of Candlemas (Día de la Candelaria in Spanish), why is celebrated on February 2, and why, in Mexico, food containing corn, and particularly tamales, are traditionally shared on this day.  Roaming through more recent posts, I found a couple more recipes for tamales, so in this post, I am sharing the original text, with an updated list ... click on title for more

Atole – A Corn-Based Beverage

Atole – A Corn-Based Beverage

Specifically as a hot beverage, pre-Hispanic atole was originally nixtamalized corn dough (masa) dissolved in water and sweetened with honey or agave syrup; sometimes flavouring agents such as fruit, chiles or cocoa were also used. After the Spanish conquest, atole became another product of culinary fusion, with cinnamon, exotic fruits, and often milk, being added to the mix … click on title for more