Asi preparamos el tejate

In the central valleys lies San Miguel del Valle, a land of customs and traditions where the native language is still spoken. During mayordomía celebrations, such as weddings and baptisms, the rich tejate is prepared. Tejate is a refreshing ancestral Oaxacan beverage made with toasted corn, fermented cacao, mamey pit, and cacao flower (cacao rose). Known as the "drink of the gods," it is hand-beaten until it forms a thick, creamy foam and is traditionally served in a gourd bowl. More than just a drink, tejate is a gastronomic experience offered by this town in Oaxaca. Today we'll see how it's prepared. It all begins by cleaning the corn, then roasting it with ash for a few minutes until it reaches the desired consistency. It's then removed from the heat and thoroughly washed with plenty of water to remove all the ash from the cooking process. They put corn husks on it to clean the corn thoroughly and remove any dirt. The hardworking women arrive early this morning because today is the day tejate will be served to everyone who comes to help with the celebration. After washing the corn, it's taken to the mill to make masa. They also take the cacao to be ground. The cacao has already been prepared on the comal and is golden brown, as is the cacao flower, since this ingredient will give it the unique flavor it needs. After taking these ingredients to the mill, they are ground again on the metate, where they mix the masa with the cacao to achieve the perfect consistency for making tejate.