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smacarol

Dec 19, 2002, 9:04 PM

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What is "negro ponch?" (a black punch at a Posada)

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I went to my first Posada and four kinds of drink were served--regular brown hot chocolate, a white hot chocolate, a black drink the server called "negro ponch" and a mulled cider kind of punch into which some people put liquor.

I just did a search of this forum and all of MexConnect and couldn't find anything called "negro ponch"--can anybody tell me what's in it and how it tastes?

Thanks,

Carol Schmidt

jennifer rose

Dec 19, 2002, 9:15 PM

Post #2 of 15 (2157 views)

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Re: [smacarol] What is "Ponche Negro?"

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Ponche Negro is a variation on theme of hot mulled wine. And like hot mulled wine, the recipes can vary, but the basic core is:

Wine (red or white), lemon juice, lemon zest, a little sugar, mixed with hot black tea. Sometimes people add a shot of rum for additional fortification.

(This post was edited by jennifer rose on Dec 19, 2002, 9:16 PM)

esperanza

Dec 20, 2002, 6:01 AM

Post #3 of 15 (2139 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Ponche Negro?"

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And then there is atole negro...ahhhhh, delicious. Wish I had a cup right now, this cold morning. The last one I drank was at the mercado de antojitos in Uruápan. Jennifer, do you have the recipe for it? I haven't found it anywhere.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

jennifer rose

Dec 20, 2002, 7:05 AM

Post #4 of 15 (2132 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is "Atole Negro?"

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I think you're referring to the so-called "shell of the cacao" atole which has, in fact, none of this ingredient, but derives its black color and cacao-like flavor from toasted cornsilks mixed with an unrefined sugar called "piloncillo." http://www.mexconnect.com/...secturpurepecha.html

I've always maintained that some foods simply are not meant to be prepared at home, which is a good enough reason to venture out where the foods are prepared at the hands of experts. And for atole, there is an Atole Fair held each year, I think the Sunday preceding Palm Sunday, in San Francisco Tarecuato, Michoacan, where the townsfolk prepare an astounding variety of atoles in centuries-old tradition.

(This post was edited by jennifer rose on Dec 20, 2002, 7:06 AM)

esperanza

Dec 20, 2002, 7:34 AM

Post #5 of 15 (2123 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Atole Negro?"

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You're right about the 'shell of the cacao'...now that you mention it, that's exactly what the woman serving the atole negro said it was, with piloncillo. She didn't mention cornsilk, though. And she did indeed call it atole negro, but that might have been her name for it. So many things are known by different names, often depending on the region where one finds oneself. Bugambilia here in Jalisco is frequently camelina in Michoacán, for example, and nochebuenas are catarinas as well. And how often do you hear morisqueta? In my experience, outside Michoacán, it's rare.

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Brad.

Dec 20, 2002, 10:44 AM

Post #6 of 15 (2110 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is "Atole Negro?"

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My wife and suegra use the term morisqueta and were both born and raised on the Jalisco coast. So you'll hear it in Jalisco also.

What about piloncillo vs. panocha?

jennifer rose

Dec 20, 2002, 11:41 AM

Post #7 of 15 (2099 views)

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Re: [Brad Smith] What is "Atole Negro?"

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In Reply To

What about piloncillo vs. panocha?

The former is not slang for female genitalia? <g>

FWIW, and don't quote me on this, I've always considered piloncillo to be the raw sugar frequently found in the form of cones, and the latter a candy made from piloncillo.

Brad.

Dec 20, 2002, 12:29 PM

Post #8 of 15 (2097 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Atole Negro?"

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In Reply To

What about piloncillo vs. panocha?

The former is not slang for female genitalia? <g>

In Reply To

FWIW, and don't quote me on this, I've always considered piloncillo to be the raw sugar frequently found in the form of cones, and the latter a candy made from piloncillo.

Also FWIW my wife has always thought them to be interchangeable and that panela is also used in some areas. I have never heard panela used for anything other than the wonderful fresh cheese-like product.

smacarol

Dec 20, 2002, 9:07 PM

Post #9 of 15 (2083 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is "Atole Negro?"

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Thanks for all the help on Atole Negro. Now that you mention it, that is the term that was used, not ponche, which was the mulled cider drink. Now to do a search for how to make pulque--not to do it myself but to learn what goes into it.

Carol Schmidt

jennifer rose

Dec 20, 2002, 9:26 PM

Post #10 of 15 (2080 views)

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Re: [smacarol] What is "Atole Negro?"

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In Reply To

Now to do a search for how to make pulque--not to do it myself but to learn what goes into it.

You're on a roll! First, you get yourself a maguey plant.....http://www.zihua-ixtapa.com/..._2001/mar/pulque.htm

I've got a better idea. Why don't you start with making tepache, which is a whole lot easier? All you need are pineapple rinds and piloncillo.

esperanza

Dec 20, 2002, 9:44 PM

Post #11 of 15 (2077 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Atole Negro?"

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Mmmmmm tepache...with a little bicarbonato to make it foam up, and to settle the stomach. Riquísimo.

Piloncillo...once upon a time I thought I could grind it up in my blender. The sugar won; there's a big crack up the side of my blender jar.

Pulque...years ago friends took me to their old home place in Huixquilucan, Edo de México, and I drank pulque for the first and last time. This particular pulque was flavored with strawberries; the taste was all right but the slimey texture left me cold...even though the pulque itself warmed me up. I remember blue corn quesadillas toasting over a wood fire in the street, and the wonderful winding woodsy road leading to my friends' tierra. So much has changed over the years, so many beloved voices stilled forever.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

jennifer rose

Dec 20, 2002, 10:05 PM

Post #12 of 15 (2076 views)

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Re: [esperanza] What is "Tepache?"

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Tepache -- the mixture which keeps on giving. After the second day, it's a refreshing beverage. A week or so later, it's a fermented beverage (just add some sugar and more water). And finally, it's vinegar.

And since someone's gonna ask, here's the recipe:

1. Get a large glass jar.
2. Chop up a large, mature pineapple, rind and all.
3. Place the chopped pineapple, with a cone and a half of pilloncillo, and about 3 cups of water in the jar.
4. Cover the jar with clean dishtowel or piece of cheesecloth, and place it in a warm, dark cupboard near the stove.

After the first 36-48 hours, drain some of the liquid and use it as the base for an agua, adding water and sugar to taste.

After the second week, it's sort of scary to observe. Try not to look at it when you drain off some of the liquid. Using it as a concentrate to mix with water and a little sugar, it's the most refreshing drink.

And in case you're wondering what's become of your culinary science experiment, you've just grown: Bacillus subtilis, B. graveolus and the yeasts, Torulopsis insconspicna, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida queretana.

smacarol

Dec 21, 2002, 9:08 PM

Post #13 of 15 (2065 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Atole Negro?"

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Thanks for all the info. I now know more than I ever thought was possible to know about pulque and will studiously avoid drinking any at any time in the future--even the thought of something slimy going down my throat makes me nauseous. But I can now appreciate the history behind the drink, and its cultural and nutritional contributions to Mexico.

Carol Schmidt

Mereja

Dec 21, 2002, 11:11 PM

Post #14 of 15 (2061 views)

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Re: [smacarol] What is "Atole Negro?"

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The pulque that I drank wasn't slimy. You cut up onion, tomato, chiles, cilantro and a couple skins from tomatillos. When I go to Mexico I have to have some at least once while I am there.

(This post was edited by Mereja on Dec 22, 2002, 11:31 PM)

MacMike

Dec 22, 2002, 7:59 AM

Post #15 of 15 (2078 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] What is "Tepache?"

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Jennifer; Any odd digestive effects to beware? Behavioral effects?