Tepache, that drink they are selling in the barrel!

This weekend we purchased a clay Tepache pot in Santiago. The pots generally resemble a pineapple or at least the potter's suggestion of a Pina! Most of the Tepache pots I have seen are green or green with the barro clay glazed & showing through.

Tepache is a drink made out of pineapple core, some piloncillo (brown sugar) & sometimes beer. Tepache doesn't have a high quantity of alcohol, since it is left to ferment around 2-3 day time period. The alcohol in it comes mostly from the addition of beer, being this the most common way of serving it in Mexico. It is a drink better served cold both with or without the beer.

Tepache can be found in taquerias & on street corners in Mexico for a few pesos. Housewives sometimes prepare tepache to take advantage of the pineapple leftovers. In markets, you can usually find a vendor with a barrel full of ice cold tepache. If you are uncertain as to the water source it is a good idea to pass this beverage up! Speaking for myself many of this sort of drink may look great at the time but later the will be a physical price to pay if the water was of local variety! Whatever the case, below are two good summer recipes for both Tepache & Agua de Piña.




Mexican Tepache
1 whole fresh pineapple
12 c. water
21 oz. brown sugar
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
Wash pineapple; remove stalks at each end; cut pineapple into large cubes, including the rind. Place the pineapple cubes in a large lidded container and add 8 cups of water, all the brown sugar, cinnamon and the cloves.
Cover and let rest at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain this resulting liquid, the “Tepache”, into a new, clean container and add the remaining 4 cups of water. Let rest another 12 hours. Strain again, adding 3 cups water. Serve cold with ice cubes and fresh pineapple slices.

I've also included a very fresh non alcoholic variety of Pineapple drink.



Agua de Piña
12 ounces fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
10 cups water
1 pound ice

In a blender, combine pineapple, sugar and water; blend until smooth. Pour mixture over ice in a 1-gallon container or two 2-quart pitchers.