Wednesday, November 30, 2005

The history of posole

El Defensor Chieftain Reports

Posole (also spelled Pozole) is a Mexican soup. The soup is made with a special type of corn, which has been slaked (soaked) in a solution of lime (cal). The traditional corn that is used is called maiz blanco or "cachuazintle" (kaw-kaw-WAH-SEEN-til). This is a very large-kernelled white corn.

The main pleasure that Mercado food gives, naturally, is in the eating. Nonetheless, Mexican gastronomy has another angle that is almost as much fun: That of knowing its historical roots.

First of all, let's properly establish the fact that the whole panoply of Mexican cuisine is astonishingly varied and rich. This must be emphasized because Northerners often write off Mexican food as inevitably and monotonously too spicy and too greasy. That's a shame, because many who study the matter insist that Mexican food, when viewed as a whole in terms of diversity of appealing tastes and textures, imagination used in combining ingredients, and being appetizingly presented, compares favorably with any cuisine in the world, including that of the French.

During the 1520s, the Spaniards imported into Mexico, plants and animals that no Mexican had ever seen. These included horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and chickens. Among the condiments that were also introduced were olive oil, cinnamon, parsley, coriander, oregano, and black pepper. The Spaniards likewise introduced nuts and grains such as almonds, rice, wheat and barley; and fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, grapes, lettuce, carrots, cauliflowers, potatoes (these brought from Peru) and sugarcane (whence comes sugar).

Treating corn with lime to remove the tough skins was probably a technique the early Meso-American cultures passed on the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico. This corn, called posole, is the basis of a dish by the same name. A tradition during the holiday season, it is considered to bring good luck through the year if eaten on New Year's Eve. Serve the posole with additional chile sauce on the side for guests to add with their own discretion.

Traditionally, this hearty pork and hominy stew was made with a pig's head. Pork hocks are decidedly easier! Each region has its own version of posole. It comes, in fact, in the colors of the Mexican flag — red, white and green — depending on the kinds of chiles that are used to season it.

In certain parts of Mexico, one day a week is designated as "posole day." Shops close early, work comes to a stop and people retire to posole restaurants — which are temporary arrangements of tables and chairs — so everyone may partake of the rich stew served steaming in earthenware bowls. Yet, there is still a rainbow of traditional Mexican cuisine out there, if you look for it. And there's no better place to find it than in and around traditional mercados.

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