Chilate Goddess Guadalupe

For years I thought Zihuatanejo had one of the most pitiful markets for a city its size. That was until I discovered the REAL market in the farthest reaches of Zihua's sprawling web of market streets. The real market is where all the bits and pieces of what's in season or being freshly prepared in the hills of Guerrero are gathered to sell. What took us there and continues to bring us back to this special street is Guadalupe the Goddess of Chilate.

There are countless ancient beverages prepared all over Mexico and bit by bit we are learning about the subtle nuances of each one. Chilate is a popular refreshing beverage prepared along Mexico's Costa Chica which lies to the south of Acapulco. Thanks to Guadalupe we became acquainted with this rich and nourishing drink in the back alleys of Zihuatanejo. Her chilate is made of ground rice, cacao beans, cinnamon, and sugar. The key to a good chilate is producing a lovely fatty foam of the cocoa butter which really comes out when repeatedly pouring it from on high. The end result: icy cold and dee-lish!

Gracias Guadalupe Goddess of Chilate!