Most travelers know popular drinks in Mexico, such as tequila, mezcal, margaritas, paloma, Carajillo, michelada, and Agua de jamaica. However, there are hundreds of traditional drinks with corn, flowers, fruits, seeds and more from nature.
Each ingredient sourced from earth are transformed into different tea’s or agua frescas (fresh water) and more. The story of how I discovered the vastness of traditional drinks in Oaxaca is a perfect example of why I never make plans when traveling.,
Long story short, it was too hot to beach camp, so I treated myself to a brand new, beautiful Airbnb in the mountains.
After check-in, my eye immediately caught the attention of a black and gold book. A thick, heavy book in landscape format. My brain immediately said pick it up, its going to have beautiful photos inside! For the next two nights, I sat poolside, reading with sounds of the jungle humming in the background.
I was in love. On the second night, I found the author on Instagram and sent a message, ‘hey I found this book in my airbnb and it is incredible, thank you for creating this. There is a wooden bowl in this book that my friend from Baja gifted me”. And send. Thinking nothing of it I went on and shockingly received a message back. Turns out the author, Shave was not only friends with the owner, but also took photos for the listing. We had a nice chat and I asked where I could buy the book. Luckily, the english version was for sale at a quaint cafe in Oaxaca.
A week later, I drove to Oaxaca to stay with friends for Dia de los Muertos and purchased Shava’s book on the way. A few days later my friend from Switzerland, his dog, my dog, and my new friend Shava met in the heart of Oaxaca at La Atoleria try some special drinks.
Atole
Pictured above are three different types of atole. It is a traditional hot masa (corn) based beverage. A variety of flavors from vanilla to cinnamon, guava, chocolate, coffee and more. The one photographed in the middle is a special. It is popular for Dia de los Muertos, the yellow flowers are cempasúchil otherwise known as the marigold flower.
From there we went to the market, where I had a drink I will never forget and always desire.
Tejate
Tejate is a fundamental pre-Hispanic beverage of Oaxaca. Its ingredients are cocoa, corn, mamey sapote seed, and rosita de cacao—a flower commonly utilized in chocolate seasoning.
This drink started with the workers in the fields as a cool pick-me-up drink and has slowly, but surely transitioned into a daily staple for many Oaxacans.
Tejate is served in a hollowed-out jícara (drinking gourd) with a wooden stick to scoop and savor the sweet foam. This drink is refreshing, full of life, and flavor.
How is it made? In one little town about 45 minutes outside of the city, the ingredients are toasted and ground by hand until a paste forms. The handmade paste is then combined with water and hand-whipped for an hour or more until the delicious foam emerges. The end result a delicate, chocolate-infused concoction with a gentle floral undertones and a luscious, frothy finish reminiscent of a milkshake.
Thank you Shava for sharing bebidas de Oaxaca with us and thank you for creating this book, it truly is a work of art.
For your own copy you can purchase the digital version of the book in English or Español
To purchase your own hard copy click here for the spanish version.
If you speak Spanish I invite you to listen to Bebidas de Mexico with Shava on his Podcast or watch on YouTube
Salud!
Enjoy your time in Mexico.
Hey there! My name is Ashley and I am the adventurer behind the wheel of a Toyota Tacoma Overland rig, driving around the world with my four-legged bestie, Porter da explorer.
This once-in-a-lifetime adventure is not only fulfilling my dreams, but also paying homage to my late father. His free spirit of exploration continues to guide me every mile of the way.
Check out current videos on Instagram
Join the adventure!
Once you sign up, I will email you a free gift and from the road, I will send you monthly updates. Excited for you to explore the world with me, no matter where you are.
about Ash
Hey there! My name is Ashley and I have a wild plan to overland around the world with my four-legged bestie, Porter da explorer.
This once-in-a-lifetime adventure is not only fulfilling my dreams, but also paying homage to my late father. His free spirit of exploration continues to guide me every mile of the way.