Jammy Atole and a Manifesto
Jammy Atole and a Manifesto
Inspired by my favorite sweet tamal in all Mexico
Welcome to week 2 of Fresca’s series, BEVY PARA TU SED! Featuring recipes for unique and delicious beverages for that summer to fall energy.
Jammy Blackberry and Coconut Atole
I’m standing at a cemetery built atop the hill on an island illuminated by candles and filled with music. It just struck midnight and the fog surrounds me.
These were the sights of one of the most special cemeteries that I’ve ever visited. In 2017, I spent Dia de Muertos cemetery-hopping all over Michoacán. The cemetery was Panteón de Tzirumútaro, located on the island of Janitzio, one of the largest of five islands in Lake Pátczuaro. The journey starts by catching a boat in Pátzcuaro to the island of Janitzio. Surrounding the boat are fishermen in small wooden boats lowering their butterfly-shaped nets to catch pescado blanco (whitefish) and charal (smelt). These fish are of high cultural significance in Michoacán’s regional cuisine.
Once I arrived in Janitzio, I hiked to the top of the hill where I was taken by candlelight, music playing everywhere, ofrendas, and the most elaborate altars built atop graves. Families surrounded the altars to honor their loved ones who have passed on.
It was a beautiful sight, and then I turned around to find a Purépecha woman selling tamales de zarzamora, (I posted the photo on my Instagram here), a tender and delicate tamal with crushed wild blackberries swirled all over the masa. It’s the most dainty of all tamales I’ve had in my life, with bursts of crunchy blackberry seeds that left me speechless.
This tamal inspired my blackberry tamales ice cream with Salt & Straw! But also, this recipe for a jammy blackberry and coconut atole to consider for your Día de Muertos celebration.
Atole is a pre-Hispanic masa-thickened beverage consumed year-round in Mexico, but especially loved when Fall begins. This atole is water-based, fortified with full-fat coconut milk for a silky texture and nuanced tropical flavor that reminds me of home. I set some of the blackberries aside to be macerated in sugar and vanilla extract to add texture and a burst of high-acid berry flavor to the atole.
At the heart of atole is corn.
Corn is political.
Scroll down past the recipe to my Cooking Notes to read my manifesto on how to responsibly buy and eat maíz nativo (heirloom corn).
“Le doy gracias a la muerte, por enseñarme a vivir”
-Natalia Lafourcade
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