Join us for a tour of the sweet bread of Mexico, Latin and South America as we take a new pastry each week to discuss and share history, our favorites, and other fun facts! Call store for availability.
In week 1 we went into detail about the empanada with our pumpkin empanada (year-of-pan-dulce) you can catch up on our website at artisanbakeryinc.com/year-of-pan-dulce. (Basically any filling with dough wrapped around that is portable!).
The pineapple started its journey as a native plant in South America and made its way northward to Mexico where it was cultivated by the Mayans and Aztecs as a rich nutritional addition to their corn based diet. Today nearly 100,000 Mexicans depend on the pineapple (canned and fresh) industry for their livelihoods. Mexico mainly grows two varieties, the Cayenne and the Sugar Loaf, which can weigh up to ten pounds. Mexican pineapples are usually picked at 25% maturity, when one fourth of the outer surface has turned yellow.
Mexican cuisine uses the pineapple in both savory (pineapple chicken, tamales, pineapple and cheese on the grill), sweet foods (candied fruit), and beverages such as agua de piña (pineapple water). During Lent (the time before Easter which started yesterday), it is cooked with lentils and spices to make a savory dish and fermented to make the slightly alcoholic and very refreshing drink called tepache.
¡Buen provecho!
