Beer - A Stone Age Brew

A Vienna Style Dark Lager Beer
Photograph by Leticia Alaniz © 2012  All Rights Reserved

Prehistory

Ever since the emergence of "anatomically modern" humans, or Homo sapiens, in Africa around 150,000 years ago, water had been humankind's basic drink.  A fluid of primordial importance, no life on Earth can exist without it.  But with the switch from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled way of life, humans came to rely on a new beverage derived from barley and wheat, the cereal grains that were the first plants to be deliberately cultivated.  This drink became central to social, religious, and economic life and was the staple beverage of the earliest civilizations.  It was the drink that first helped humanity along the path to the modern world: beer.  

Exactly when the first beer was brewed is not known.  There was almost certainly no beer before 10,000 BCE, but it was widespread in the Near East by 4,000 BCE, when it appears in a pictogram from Mesopotamia, a region that corresponds with modern day Iraq, depicting two figures drinking beer through reed straws from a large pottery jar.  (Ancient beer had grains, chaff, and other debris floating on its surface, so a straw was necessary to avoid swallowing them.)  Beer is a liquid relic from human prehistory, and its origins are closely intertwined with the origins of civilization itself.

The Discovery

Beer was not invented but discovered.  Once the gathering of wild grains became widespread, in a region known as the Fertile Crescent, people began to settle and build cities.  The area stretches from modern day Egypt, up the Mediterranean coast to the southeast corner of Turkey, and then down again to the border between Iraq and Iran.  When the ice age ended, the uplands of the region provided an ideal environment for wild sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs - and it permitted the wild growth of wheat and barley.  Such grains provided a reliable source of food.  They were unsuitable for consumption when raw, but they were pounded and crushed and soaked in water and cooked by placing the mash in a tightly woven basket and then heated stones were placed in the basket to make a sort of thick porridge or soup.  Throughout the Fertile Crescent there is archaeological evidence from around 10,000 BCE of flint bladed sickles for harvesting cereal grains, woven baskets, stone hearths, underground pits, and grindstones for processing the grains.  

Cereal grains took on greater significance following the discovery that they had two more unusual properties.  The first was that grain soaked in water, so that it starts to sprout, tastes sweet.  It was difficult to make storage pits perfectly water tight, so this property would have become apparent as soon as humans first began to store grain.  The cause of sweetness is now understood: moistened grain produces diastase enzymes, which convert starch within the grain into maltose sugar, or malt.  

The second discovery was even more momentous.  Gruel or mash that was left sitting around for a couple of days underwent a mysterious transformation, particularly if it had been made with malted grain:  It became slightly fizzy and pleasantly intoxicating, as the action of wild yeasts from the air fermented the sugar in the gruel into alcohol.  The gruel, in short, turned into beer.  

Once the crucial discovery of beer had been made, its quality was improved through trial and error.  The more malted grain there is in the original gruel, for example, and the longer it is left to ferment, the stronger the beer.  More malt means more sugar, and a longer fermentation means more of the sugar is turned into alcohol.  Thoroughly cooking the gruel also contributes to the beers strength.  The malting process converts only around 15 percent of the starch found in barley grains into sugar, but when malted barley is mixed with water and brought to the boil, starch-converting enzymes, which become active at higher temperatures, turn more of the sugar into sugar, so there is more of the sugar for the yeast to transform into alcohol.  

Ancient brewers also noticed that using the same container repeatedly for brewing produced more reliable results.  Repeated use of the same mash tub promoted successful fermentation because yeast cultures took up residence in the container's cracks and crevices, so that there was no need to rely on the more capricious wild yeast.  Finally, adding berries, honey, spices, herbs, and other flavorings to the gruel altered the taste of the resulting beer in various ways.  Over the next few thousand years, people discovered how to make a variety of beers of different strengths and flavors.  

Since writing had not been invented at the time, there are no written records to attest to the social and ritual importance of beer in the Fertile Crescent during the new stone age, or neolithic period.  But the first literate civilizations, the Sumerians of Mesopotamia and the ancient Egyptians considered beer very important for social and religious purposes.  The ancients considered beer to have  supernatural properties.  Neolithic drinkers entertained the notion that beer had magical powers since it had the ability to intoxicate and induce a state of altered consciousness.  Beer was considered a gift from the gods, and it was only logical to present the drink as a religious offering.  The mysterious process of fermentation which transformed ordinary gruel into beer was attributed to the hand of god at work.  Accordingly, many cultures have myths that explain how the gods invented beer and then showed humankind how to make it.  The Egyptians believed that beer was accidentally discovered by Osiris, the god of agriculture and king of the afterlife.  One day he prepared a mixture of water and sprouted grain, but forgot about it and left it in the sun.  He later returned to find the gruel had fermented, decided to drink, and was so pleased with the result that he passed his knowledge on to humankind.  

Beer was certainly used in religious ceremonies, agricultural fertility rites, and funerals, therefore the religious significance of beer seems to be common to every beer- drinking culture, whether in the Americas, Africa, or Eurasia.  The Incas offered their beer called chicha, to the rising sun in a golden cup, and poured it on the ground or spat out their first mouthful a an offering to the gods of the Earth; the Aztecs offered their beer, called pulque, to Mayahuel, the goddess of fertility.  In China, beers made from millet and rice were used in funerals and other ceremonies.  

The best evidence of the importance of beer in prehistoric times is its extraordinary significance to the people of the first great civilizations.

References:
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
© 2005 Walker & Company New York

Pomegranates - The Ruby Jewels From The Ancient East

A Pomegranate split open showing its juicy red seeds
Photograph by Leticia Alaniz © 2005  All Rights Reserved

One of the most ancient fruits known to man has long been associated in religion and mythology as a symbol so powerful that it has long endured thousands of years.  Considered to be the fruit of love and passion, it is no wonder it is associated with desire, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity, life and death, rebirth and eternal life.  The ruby red interior fruits of the pomegranate have been appreciated and valued as the fruit of perfection, the product of a woman's womb and the red of her lips.  

Pomegranates are a fruit known by their scientific name as Punica granatum.  They are native to the land known in ancient times as Persia, now modern Iran.  The name "pomegranate" derives from Latin pōmum apple and grānātus  "seeded" or grain.  By the spanish it is called granada, by the French, grenade.  The ancient Persians called it dulim or dulima.   In classic Sanskrit the word was taken from the Persians dadima or dalim.  They grow from a deciduous shrub or small tree that reaches a height between five to eight meters.  The shrub is much-branched, more or less spiny, and extremely long lived, some specimens have been known to have survived two centuries.  

A Pomegranate Bloom

Nearly round but crowned at the base by the prominent calyx, the fruit which can measure anywhere between 2 1/2 to 5 inches (6.25-12.5cm) wide, has a tough, leathery skin or rind, yellow more or less overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red.  The interior is separated by membranous walls and white spongy tissue into compartments packed tight with transparent sacs filled with tart, flavorful, fleshy, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp.  

Pomegranates are a fruit long steeped in history and romance.  For centuries it has been admired as a fruit of passion for its luscious bright red color.  It has been featured in Egyptian mythology and art, praised in the Old Testament of the Bible, written and described poetically in the Quran and in the Babylonian Talmud, and it was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its thirst-quenching juice.  During the Moorish conquest of 711, the ancient Andalusan city of Granada, Spain was renamed after the fruit.   Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Latin America.  It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D. and was reported growing in Indonesia in 1416.  It has been cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and Tropical Africa.  

It is rather commonly planted and has become naturalized in Bermuda, West Indies and warm areas of South and Central America.  In Mexico it is a cherished and much admired plant and has become a much celebrated fruit associated with harvests and religious festivals.  During pomegranate season, the markets are filled with mountains of these fruits beautifully displayed half open with the jewels sparkling and enticing the eyes of passersby.  

Pomegranate juice is rich in vitamin C and is a good source of potassium, polyphenols such as tannins and flavonoids and is an excellent source of vitamin B_5.  

Believed to be rich in fiber and antioxidants, for thousands of years it has been used medicinally in the reduction of heart disease and in eradicating free radicals which cause cancer.  It is known to reduce high blood pressure, inhibit viral infections, and its extracts have antibacterial effects against dental plaque.  

Since medieval times, pomegranates were used to cure blood diseases, following the principle of similarity that was identified because of its juice being a blood red color.  It has long been valued because of its magnificent astringent properties.  In Ayurvedic medicine every part of the plant (root, bark, flowers, fruit, leaves) is used for medicinal purposes.   

Due to its form and structure, the most important meaning of the pomegranate fruit, is the adjustment of the diverse and multiple all in one unit.  In many cultures it symbolizes the unity of the universe and fertility.  

Jews celebrate the beginning of a new year in September and pomegranates are eaten in many houses; because of their abundant little juice filled sacs, they also represent the number of good deeds that a person must try to accomplish reflecting equally the number of wishes that may be granted. 

A favorite dish from Mexico: Chile en Nogada traditionally
embellished with pomegranate seeds most popularly served during the month of September.

In the month of September, pomegranates appear in one of the most impressive manifestations of the mexican culinary arts: the Chiles en Nogada.  The famous dish that consists of a stuffed grilled poblano chile, covered in a walnut sauce and adorned with pomegranate jewels that glisten like rubies.  The blanket of creamy and fragrant walnut sauce over the green chile with the little jewels, apart from being a delight to admire visually, announces the most patriotic month of the year in Mexico. 

In the Middle East, pomegranate juice is very popular sold streetside in thousands of stalls when in season.  In India, fresh seeds are used in preparation of a curd rice.  Prior to the arrival of the tomato in the Middle East, granadine, which is a thick red syrup made from the fruit is commonly used in a variety of persian foods.

Anardana, a spice which is made from drying the pomegranate seeds for 10 to 15 days is used in India and Pakistani cuisines.  Literally the word comes from (anar) seeds and (dana) in Persian.  The seeds are used as an acidic agent for a variety of chutneys and curries.  

Lotus Temple of New Delhi, India

The Lotus Temple located in New Delhi, India
Photograph by Leticia Alaniz ©2008
All Rights Reserved

Among the world's most ancient surviving civilizations is India. And as such contains some of the worlds most amazing structures devoted to worship. It is a land defined by both tremendous spirituality and an extraordinarily rich intellectual tradition. In the capitol city of New Delhi, as the sun rises, an amazing structure glistening white of marble can be seen from many directions. It was constructed in the shape of the most venerated and appreciated flower of India. It is the glorious Lotus Temple of the Bahá'í Faith. As dawn approaches it opens its doors allowing visitors to enter into a space of tranquility and peacefulness, much appreciated in the bustling city.  It is quiet, calm, and serene and its visitors indulge in its beauty and spiritual atmosphere.

The Lotus Flower
To appreciate the architectural grandness of the building, one must understand the importance and significance of the lotus flower. It is considered as one of the most ancient and deepest symbols of great beauty and purity. The flower grows in soft soil water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. Once it has glistened in the rays of the sun for the entire day, at night it closes its delicate petals and sinks underwater as if blanketing itself for the night's slumber. At dawn it rises from its water garden bed and opens again. Untouched by impurity, the lotus flower symbolizes the purity of heart, mind, and soul. It has long been regarded as the representative of long life, good health, honor and good fortune.

In many cultures, the lotus flower is considered a symbol of spiritual unfoldment. The Egyptians called it Sesen, and in their mythology it is the symbol of the sun, of creation and rebirth.

In the East, to the Tibetans it is considered sacred and represents their holy mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum, meaning, "Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus".

The Indian lotus flower symbolizes divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment. In Hinduism, it is associated with the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi whom brings prosperity. She sits on a fully blossomed lotus flower. It is also revered and represented with Vishnu. Used as an example of divine beauty, Vishnu is described as the Lotus-Eyed One. It's unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. Most deities of Asian religions are depicted as seated on a lotus flower. The white and pink lotuses are national flowers of India.

The Lotus Temple
Taking into consideration the cultural and spiritual beliefs of the lotus flower, the international Bahá'í Faith adopted this symbolism in the architectural design of The Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India. The magnificent structure is considered internationally as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent.

It is located in the Kalkaji sector of the capital city, and its monumental structure can be appreciated from afar, given its large size and easily recognizable shape. The temple was carefully planned and designed to have the appearance of the revered lotus flower.

Since its completion in 1986, the temple has received recognition from all over the world. It is listed among the most visited monuments of India. The mastermind for building the beautiful and impressive temple of peace was the Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada.

The purpose and intention of the building of the temple was to provide a sacred place for people from all religions and faith, a space for meditation, worship, wisdom, peace and love.

The design is in the shape of a half open lotus flower with 27 freestanding petals constructed out of marble. The architect took into account the importance both culturally and spiritually of the flower and labored diligently with a team of 800 engineers, technicians, workers and artisans. It took ten years for completion of the temple. It is considered to be one of the most complex edifices of the world, integrating awe inspiring aesthetic and technological values.

Surrounding the beautiful structure are nine reflecting pools, representative of the flower growing from the water garden. Converting the geometry of the design that did not have any straight line to the actual structure needed a lot of effort and precise engineering.

There are nine doors all the way around that open to a central hall accommodating nearly 2500 people. It is about 40 meters high and it appears to be floating in water. Since its inception, it has been continually visited by people from many countries.

The Bahá'í Faith
Recognized as an independent world religion, the Bahá'í Faith, its leaders and followers are to be credited with ordering the glorious temple to be built. The religion has existed over 150 years and according to the Encyclopedia Britannica Yearbook, it is the second most widely spread religion in the world, with five million members residing in 232 countries and dependent territories.

The Bahá'í Faith began in ancient Persia, now known as Iran. Its history is intimately connected with the lives of it's leading figures:

'Alí-Muhammad, Titled the Báb.
Born in southern Iran in 1819, in 1844 he announced that he was the promised one or Mahdi expected by Muslims. He wrote scriptures in which he promulgated a new calendar, new religious laws, and new social norms. Opposed by Iran's Muslim clergy and ultimately by its government, thousands of the Báb's followers were killed; in 1850 the Báb himself was put to death.

Mirzá Husayn 'Alí, Titled Bahá'u'lláh.
Born in northern Iran in 1817, Bahá'u'lláh became a follower of the Báb in 1844 and was imprisoned for his beliefs. In 1853 he had a vision that he was the divine teacher the Báb had promised; he publicly declared himself a messenger of God in 1863. He spent the rest of his life in exile and prison, where he wrote over 100 volumes of scripture.

'Abbas Effendi, Titled 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Son of Bahá'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was born in 1844 and accompanied his father on his exile to Palestine. Bahá'u'llah appointed 'Abdu'l-Bahá his successor, the exemplar of his teachings, and the interpreter of his revelation. Under 'Abdu'l-Bahá the Bahá'í Faith spread beyond the Middle East, India, Burma to Europe, the Americas, southern Africa, and Australia. He died in 1921.

Portrait of Abdu'l- Bahá

Central Baháí teachings are the "oneness of God," that there is only one God and that God is actively concerned about the development of humanity; the "oneness of religion," that God sends messengers such as Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá'u'lláh to humanity to educate it in morals and in social values; and the "oneness of humanity," that all humans come from the same stock and deserve equal opportunities and treatment.

The Bahá'í Temple in New Delhi, occupies a unique position. Not only does it embody the spiritual aspirations and basic beliefs of the world-wide Bahá'í community, but significantly in a land of myriad religions, it has begun to be seen as providing a unifying link, bringing divergent thoughts into harmony by virtue of its principle of oneness. This, perhaps, is the reason for its unabated popularity among its visitors.

Hyderabadi Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani
Photograph by Leticia Alaniz © 2011 All Rights Reserved

When most people whom love South Indian cuisine  think of one dish that by heart and sentiment stands out, without exaggeration, it is Biryani.  Hyderabadi Biryani,  to be more exact.  It is a dish most popular in the great state of Andhra Pradesh.

Rice, the staple of indian cuisine has been dressed in gala.  Nothing was overlooked in the creation of one of the most fragrant and elegant rice dishes in the world.  

The dish consists of the most prized rice of them all: basmati, and it includes a meat such as mutton, lamb, or chicken, and even fish or prawns, onions, eggs, chiles, and an exotic array of spices that perfume the dish to a level of intoxicating fragrance, that will make any person that comes in contact with the dish,  come back for more.  

The spices may include of the highest quality nutmeg, mace, cumin, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, and garlic.  And to cook it all and to add more to its richness, a drizzle of ghee (clarified butter), that makes all of the ingredients come together in heavenly perfection.  

Its history is impressive and rich as it comes from a long line of royalty.  Its origins can be traced back to the great kings of Andhra: the Nizams (meaning Administrator of the Realm), the title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State.    The style of cooking is believed to have arrived to India from Persia, during the Mogul empire.  The word biryani is derived from Farsi "birian" which means fried before cooking.  The cooking method itself is called "dum".  

In the 1700's, during the Mogul empire, Lucknow was known as Awadh, and from there people cooked biryani and called it Awadh biryani.  In 1856, during the British rule,  Asafa Jahi was crowned as the Nizam-ul-mulk and only ruler of Hyderabad.  

Seven Nizams ruled Hyderabad for two centuries.  And the Nizams (Azaf Jahi) rulers were great patrons of literature, art, architecture, culture, jewelry and Rich Food.  Since then biryani spread all over Andhra and the rest of the subcontinent, with each region making its own variation. 

For the most exotic and rich biryani experience, a leg of telangana goat is cut into pieces and marinated in a paste that consists of papaya, yoghurt and spices.  Afterwards, the meat is cooked in ghee.  The rice is also fried in ghee which brings out the addictive nutty flavor and also roasts the outside starch layer gelatinizing it.  The rice is then boiled until half done in spices.  In the next step, the meat and the rice are layered first with rice then meat and so forth in an earthen pot called a handi.  An interlayer of onions, condiments, spices, and rose water are added which give it a flowery and herbal aroma.   The handi is then sealed with a cover made of dough and then cooked slowly over coals.  The seal is broken only when ready to enjoy.

For practicality, there are two types of cooking methods: Kutchi (raw) biryani, and Pukki (cooked) biryani.  For kutchi biryani, raw marinated meat is layered with raw rice.  For pukki biryani, cooked meat and cooked rice are layered and then finished cooking for a short while in the handi pot.  Hyderabadi biryani is meticulously prepared in the kutchi style which takes a lot longer but is well worth the long wait  in gold.  

Lucknow and Hyderabad compete for the biryani crown.  But only the Hyderabadi biryani, can walk away with the gold as it is now without dispute known all over the world.  Food critics in many countries vow their testimonies and defend the Hyderabadi biryani without rest.  

Due to its proximity to India, Hyderabadi biryani is exported by flight to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates  among other countries.  The biryani is cooked in Hyderabad and shipped overnight so that the people in those countries can satisfy their cravings of biryani.  

If you are traveling to Hyderabad, there are many restaurants that specialize in  biryani, but as in every city there are a few that stand out as the best.  Make sure you visit the all famous Paradise in Secunderabad, Hyderabad House in Hyderabad or Sri Kanya in the Panjagutta neighborhood. 

To sample dishes of a country is to appreciate and know the splendor and history of its culture.  And Hyderabad has many gems of cuisine that stand out.  Biryani is only one among hundreds.  

Peyote - Call Of The Shaman

For over three thousand years, hikuri has been consumed by Mexico's native tribes.  Most notably the Huichol and the Tarahumara or Rarámuri.  Hikuri is the name of a cacti that is known more by its Nahuatl name peyotl or peyote.  Its scientific name is Lophophora williamsii, and the use of the plant is a pillar in the Tarahumara and Huichol tradition.  

Deep along the Sierra Madre mountains in the Chihuahuan desert, in the sacred land of Copper Canyon or La Barranca del Cobre, the peyote cati grow wild among the scrub, especially where there is limestone.  It flowers pink blossoms from March through May, and sometimes as late as September.  The cati take up to four years before a small "button" can be seen just below the dirt's surface.

Most societies today prohibit the use of this cacti that when ingested, produces a hallucinogenic effect, and the plant contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline.  But the native indians of Mexico have been drinking the very potent wine made from the plant.  As per their belief,  it is the way to enter the spirit world and summon the gods.

The Tarahumara believe in everlasting life after death and in the existence of benevolent and malevolent beings.  Among the benevolent are the sun, the moon, the shaman, the serpents and the rocks that provoke rain and control the animals which they hunt.  Included in the malevolent are the beings which they consider from the underworld that cause all death and natural disasters.  Their communal rituals are an essential part of their culture.  They celebrate victories, animal hunting, and their harvesting and they praise the sun and the moon.  

In the Huichol tradition the peyote is identified as the spirit of the blue deer and they make an annual  pilgrimage on a long and difficult trek in search for the venerated plant.  To return to Wirikuta is to return to paradise.  To obtain the Peyote is to obtain Hikuri, which if translated to Spanish or English it would be "heart of the Deer God".  The Deer God is known as Tatewari and it represents the God of fire, the Grandfather God.  

One such ritual is the ingestion of the peyote.  For the Tarahumara the peyote was the Hikuri, the spiritual being seated to the right of Father Sun.  It was a plant so potent that it had four faces, and it percieved life in seven dimensions, and the plant could never be allowed to rest inside the houses of the living.

According to legend, the elders, met in the Sierra Mountains to discuss the situation in which they were.  Their people were sick, there was no food, no water, no rains came and the land was dry.  They decided to send four of their strongest men in the hunting community into the desert, with a mission to find food.  Each one represented a life element: earth, wind, fire, and water.  

The next morning they began their mission into the desert, each carrying his bow and arrow.  They walked for days until one afternoon a big and fat blue deer jumped from the shrub.  The young men were tired and hungry, but when they saw the deer, they started running behind him without loosing sight.  The deer saw the young men and felt pity for them.  He let them rest for the night and the next day he woke them early to continue with the chase.  

Weeks passed, and the young men were still chasing the young deer, until they reached Wirikuta (desert of San Luis Potosi and the sacred road of the Huichol).  They were right outside on the hillside of the region of Las Narices, where  a spirit of the land dwells.  They followed the deer and noticed the deer run in that direction.  They swore that he had gone there, but when they looked for him he was nowhere to be found.  

Suddenly one shot an arrow that landed in a large deer figure formed in the dirt where peyote plants grew.  The plants glistened in the sun like emeralds all facing the same direction.  The young men were confused by what they had seen and proceeded to cut the plants that formed the figure of the deer (marratutuyari) so that they could take them back to their village.  

After days of walking, they reached the Huichol Sierra where the people were waiting.  They presented the plants to the elders and told them of their experience.  They shared the peyote (hikuri) among the people, especially among the sick.  The villagers noticed that the rains came and calmed their thirst, their hunger was satisfied and they were cured from their ills.  

Since then on, the Huicholes and Tarahumara people venerate the peyote that at the same time is considered deer and corn, their guiding spirit.  Every year the people of these desert mountains make their pilgrimage into the high altitudes following the same route in search of the peyote cacti, maintaining this tradition from the Huichola Sierra all the way to Wirikuta.  Their mission is spiritual in commune with the gods. 

Carl Lumholtz, a Norwegian ethnologist studied the Indian tribes of Chihuahua and discovered that a symbol employed in the Tarahumara Indian peyote ceremony appeared in ancient ritualistic carvings preserved in Mesoamerican lava rocks dated over 3,000 years ago.   

In his writings Unknown México: Explorations in the Sierra Madre and Other Regions, 1890-1898 he recorded one account:  

"According to legend, they could find the plant as they heard its song thru the desert.  The hikuri never stops singing, even after being collected.  A native of the region told a story, as it happened one day, while returning to the desert he tried to use the sack of the hikuri he had collected, as a pillow to rest on for the night, but the singing of the hikuri was so loud that he could not sleep."

"Once the hikuri was collected, they were dried on jute, and then ground on a metate (a flat stone used for grinding corn and seeds) into a thick liquid the color of ochre.  A large fire was lit, with the firewood pointing to the east and the west.  Seated to the west of the fire, a shaman would trace a circle on the dirt and inside the circle he would draw the symbol of the world.  He would place on the cross a peyote button  and then it would be covered with an inverted squash which would amplify the song of the peyote that pleased the spirit of the plant.  The shaman would wear an adornment on his head made of plumes, which would reveal the wisdom of the birds to him and prevent the malevolent winds to enter into the circle of fire."

"Afterwards, the peyote was shared from hand to hand between men and women that were dressed in white cloths and bare footed.  After ingesting the peyote a ritualistic dance was performed that lasted until morning.  At the first sign of sunlight, the shaman and his people would stand up facing east and they bid farewell to the spirit with the arms of the hikuri, the spirit that had descended carried on wings of a green dove."


Para Español

Chapulines - An ancestral tradition in Oaxaca

Chapulines at the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Oaxaca, Mexico
Photograph by Leticia Alaniz © 2008 All Rights Reserved

There is a local myth that says:  If you eat chapulines from Oaxaca, then you never leave.   It translates to:  If you eat Oaxaca's extraordinary cuisine, then you take a piece of Oaxaca with you and you will return again. 

Situated in Southwestern Mexico, Oaxaca is bordered by the states of Guerrero to the west, Puebla to the northwest, Veracruz to the north,  and Chiapas to the east and as a bonus:  the Pacific Ocean as its backyard,  drawing tourists from all over the world.  It is indeed a paradise that meets all the senses.

The state is best known for its indigenous peoples and cultures, and for its exotic indigenous cuisine.  In 2010, Mexican cuisine was added by UNESCO to its lists of the world's "intangible cultural heritage".  

Oaxaca's regional cuisine is considered exceptional, and a trip to the markets uncovers just how unique and exotic the gastronomical experience is.  To foreigners, there is a peculiar snack that causes second thoughts.  But to the people of Mexico, this snack or "botanita", is a delicious protein packed delicacy: Chapulines.


The word chapulin is specific to Mexico and derives from the native Nahuatl language.  They have been collected and eaten as a food source for thousands of years and are known as comida prehispanica, or prehispanic food.

Chapulines are grasshoppers of the genus Sphenarium. Indeginous to the region, they are collected only at certain times of the year, (from their hatching in early May through the late summer/early autumn). After being thoroughly cleaned and washed, they are roasted on a comal (clay cooking surface) with garlic, chile, lime juice and sal de gusano (salt made from the roasted maguey worm), making them crunchy, sour-spicy-salty, and may I add adictively delicious. 

The chapulin is an important and indispensable food source for the locals.  During the harvest season, it is very common to see large groups of people collecting them in the milpas, or maize fields.  They provide nutrition as well as income for the locals during the traditional Lent season.  

There are two kinds of chapulines that are harvested.  The one that can be collected from within the maize fields, and the one that can be collected from the banks of the fields.  The first is considered best in size and flavor, as they feed on the corn fields.  The second are smaller in size and they feed mostly on grasses and brush, making them a little bitter in taste.  

Many cultures eat insects.  It is termed as entomophagy (from Greek éntomos, "insect(ed)", and phăgein, "to eat") it is the consumption of insects as food.  However, in some societies it is uncommon, even considered taboo.  It is very rare in modern countries, but in Mexico, there is little to no concern over modern taboos.  Chapulines are eaten to the hearts content.  They are an excellent source of protein, calcium, zinc, vitamins and minerals, and they contain no fat.   

A tlayuda with chapulines

They are served alone as a street snack, or in the cantinas with an ice cold beer, or in tacos with guacomole and salsa.   For a more complete and healthy snack,  they are served on tlayudas.  The tlayuda is a large handmade tortilla that is toasted over coals, then covered with a thin layer of refried beans, shredded lettuce or cabbage, guacamole, and topped with roasted chapulines, smoky salsa, and for coolness, a little drizzle of mexican crema.  It is heaven to the adventurous foodies, and for those whom care to venture out into the extraordinary.

Para Español

Mojito - The cocktail that casts a spell

mo·ji·to/mōˈhētō/ or little spell.  

In the 1930's, during the prohibition era in the US, Cuba was enjoying a very cool and refreshing cocktail called Mojito.  The pleasure of this relaxing drink consists of rum, sugar, preferably raw, "hierbabuena" or mint, lime and soda water. 

It is believed it was invented in a restaurant bar called La Bodeguita del Medio, right in the heart of  the colonial port city, La Habana.  At the time, Cuba was one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. 

The name Mojito comes from the African word mojo, which means to place a little spell on all those who drink it.  Some historians contend that African slaves who worked in the Cuban sugar cane fields during the 19th century were instrumental in the cocktail's origin.  The slaves concocted a popular drink made from distilled sugar cane juice called 'guarapo'.  The sweet nectar was drank alone or used in cooking sweets and eventually used in Mojitos.

Another theory referring to the origin of the name relates to mojo, a Cuban marinade made from lime or orange juice, spices and herbs, and used to flavor dishes.

In spanish Mojito is simply a derivative of 'mojadito', which means "a little wet", or simply the dimunitve of "mojado" (wet).

But every great cocktail must have a legendary story to spice up it's origin.  Sir Francis Drake, appears in the weaving of this story.  In 1586, in an effort to control the riches from the America's, Queen Elizabeth I of England, sponsored and encouraged pirates to plunder Spanish cities in the New World.  One such character was Francis Drake, whose job was to sack Cuba where the Spanish crown kept hidden Aztec gold, previously taken out of Mexico.  When King Philip II of Spain, got word of this news, he warned his governor in Cuba of Captain Drakes plan, and the city had time to prepare.  

Fourteen pirate sails appeared off the coast of Cuba and waited there for several days.  Captain Drake did not set foot on the port, he sailed away from the island giving up after firing only a few shots.  

Captain Drake did not plunder La Havana, but his subordinate, Richard Drake, left a legacy of a drink called the Drake or "El Drako" (meaning the dragon).  The invention of the recipe consisted of "aguardiente", the crude predecessor of rum, sugar, lime and mint.  It was mostly consumed for medicinal purposes during one of the worst epidemics of cholera (spread by trade routes by the Europeans) to attack the population of La Havana.  

In the mid 1800's, refining the production of rum, Don Facundo Bacardi established the original Bacardi Company.  The original recipe for the Drake was altered, replacing the 'aguardiente' for rum, then becoming a Mojito.  

La Bodeguita De Cuba
La Havana, Cuba

The cocktail reached it's glamourous popularity when people from the US, whom were escaping a prohibition of alcohol, travelled to Cuba for their vacations.  Since the late 1930's, American mobsters had been involved in Cuban gaming.  It was the gathering point for America's top gangsters, as well as celebrities.  

Ernest Hemingway
"My Mojito in La Bodeguita"

Of notable repute, one such celebrity whom enjoyed the Mojito everyday, was Nobel Prize laureate American writer Ernest Hemingway.  He made a permanent home for himself in La Havana and  frequented every afternoon the bar La Bodeguita del Medio.  It is here where he wrote and published in 1952 his last novel The Old Man and the Sea, set in Santiago, Cuba.  

The Mojito, made its way to Key West, and much of the credit for introducing it into the US goes to Ernest Hemingway.  Due to the geographic proximity of only 90 miles, the transportation of beer and rum from Cuba to Key West during the Prohibition, made the drink ever more popular.  

Then came Miami and the South Beach scene, where it became the drink of choice.  Being a major holiday destination, tourists spread the joy of the cocktail to New York where it became trendy in the Soho clubs and from there spreading all over the world.

To enjoy a Mojito: 

• Light Rum
• Lime
• Sugar
• Mint
• Soda Water

Quantities for one drink:

• 2-3 oz Light Rum
• Juice of 1 Lime (1 oz)
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2-4 Mint Sprigs
• Soda Water

Blending Instructions:

• Lightly muddle the mint and sugar with a splash of soda water in a mixing glass until the sugar dissolve and you smell the mint
• Squeeze the lime into the glass, add rum and shake with ice
• Strain over cracked ice in a highball glass
• Top with soda water, garnish with mint sprig and serve

Magical Mehndi - It's transformative powers

Photograph by Glenn Katz © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
Mehndi design by: Surinder Marbha

for the royal and the rich, mehndi was a custom of applying intricate decorative patterns on their bodies, mostly on the hands and feet.  The practice has survived over 5ooo years.  


It is a ritualistic process applied with a paste called henna.  Henna is obtained from the henna plant or lawsonia inermis tree.   Its leaves are dried and crushed into a fine powder, then made into a paste.  The application of the paste results in elaborate patterns that stain the skin a reddish color, which can last anywhere from several days to several weeks.  


The practice is so ancient that no one knows the exact origins of this custom.  The ancient Pharaohs used henna to stain the fingers and toes in the mummification process of their dead.  It is believed that the royal Mughal invaders introduced mehndi to the Asian subcontinent during the 12th century AD.  


It may have been adopted into the Hindu tradition when thousands of Hindus converted to Islam.  Skilled artists applied mehndi in intricate and delicate floral Arabian patterns, then the style slowly started changing to the Indian paisley pattern.  


The henna paste was applied to women and some men during auspicious ceremonies, specifically during marriage.  According to the Kama Sutra, mehndi is one of the sixty four arts of women.  It epitomizes a woman's transformation in which she becomes a temptress to her husband.


Mehndi has also been used for cooling, medicinal purposes, as well as a natural dye for the hair.  As time passed, mehndi began to be used not only for the royal families but for the general populations.  


Mehndi is practiced in many parts of the world.  From the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East, & India.  It is a ritual integral in the adornment in Hindu, Muslim, and Sephardic cultures.  

Photograph by Leticia Alaniz © 2008 All Right Reserved.
Caption: A Hindu woman shows the pattern on her hand, while her son peeks thru with  curiosity.
New Delhi, India

It is taught and practiced largely in the oral tradition, with patterns and recipes passed from one generation to the next.  One of the most common beliefs about mehndi is the color of the henna on a bride's hands.  If the color is deep and red, it is said that the love between the husband and wife will be strong and long-lasting.  


Mehndi is magical, and there is no exaggeration.  It has transformative powers -- the metamorphosis of man and woman into husband and wife.  This became part of the vocabulary of expression of love, a second birth, a ritual of transcendence, religion, language, and beautification as a form of worship.