Tequezquite.

[Bruce Paine]

Traditionally used by mesoamerican peoples to leaven masa, tequezquite is relatively unknown to most macrobiotic people.

Also useful for leavening cornbread, it might be the ticket for your summer/hot climate corn cooking.

I mentioned it recently at another discussion group
( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/macro/message/6488 ) and I'm interested in finding a source as well as more information on it.

What do you know?

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[rubenx]

Originally Posted by Bruce Paine

Traditionally used by mesoamerican peoples to leaven masa, tequezquite is relatively unknown to most macrobiotic people.

Also useful for leavening cornbread, it might be the ticket for your summer/hot climate corn cooking.

I mentioned it recently at another discussion group
( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/macro/message/6488 ) and I'm interested in finding a source as well as more information on it.

What do you know?

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

I know that it's a naturally ocurring calcium carbonate ("caliche"); used in several tamale recipes along with "tomatillo" shells and cornmeal, to prepare the masa. Haven't tried it yet but I will soon. I'll keep you posted. Try this link: http://sepiensa.org.mx/contenidos/f_basura/basu_2.htm It's in Spanish, but there's an explanation on how to use it for tamales.

Ruben Vallejo

[garymill]

Today I had someone email me looking for a source to obtain Tequezquite, turns out that if you do a Google search, this thread is the first thing you see.

Anway, someone that I know did some checking and came up with this information. In the future we may be able to offer this for sale, but it seems it would have to be brought back into the states from Mexico.

TEQUESQUITE, TEQUIXQUITL. Sodium chloride and carbonate

Saltpeter or efflorescent salt appears in dry seasons on abandoned ground by lake waters of the Mexican Valley. The natives of Ixtapalapa controlled this salt's business, who according to its quality, classified it in espumilla, confitillo, cascarilla and polvillo. Poor natives used tequesquite instead of salt and some of them still consider it essential in the preparation of some dishes, especially to soften beans and cook nopales and vegetables, so they keep their natural color.

Tequesquite can be used as a yeast. This condiment is prepared for thatmatter: ten transparent green tomato skins and one stone of tequezquite are boiled in one cup of water; once the stone has been dissolved and the water has boiled once, it is retired from the fire and allowed to settle. When it is cold it is strained and is incorporated to any dough to be fluffed up.

To make vinegar, tequesquite is added to pulque (fermented juice of maguey plant), putting it on the fire but making sure it does not boil. It is taken off from the fire and is left to be fermented for two or three days.

http://www.uv.mx/popularte/ingles/scriptphplen.php?&sid=246&len=In

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Tequesquite is an alkaline mineral deposit that is used when making tamales and bunuelos. (Some people boilit with tomatillo husks and use the water when mixing both doughs to obtain the same effect.) Tequesquite is widely available in spice counters of most Mexican grocery stores and through mail order.(See Sources on the web site.)

http://www.zarela.com/ask/archive/Tequesquite.html

http://www.zarela.com/resources.html

FYI- to my knowledge, saltpeter is used to quell the sex drive and was/is often used by priests and those abstaining from sex.

[Bruce Paine]

"unregistered" and Gary,

The author at http://www.uv.mx/popularte/ingles/sc...sid=246&len=In appears to have incorrect information.

I looked up saltpeter on Google and this is what I found: SALTPETER .

TEQUESQUITE (Sodium chloride and carbonate) and Saltpeter (Potassium nitrate and Sodium nitrate) appear to be completely different substances/chemicals.

Summer is approaching!

Who wants to make tamales and other masa based foods?

Thank you, very much.

_||_

Bruce Paine

Hi guys, Just surfing the web, i found that you are looking for tequezquite, i was looking someting from my boat in morelos (tequesquitengo) mexico, and i found your conversation. I have a pice of land (real estate property) that have a lots of tequesquite, if u wish i can send you some tequesquite by mailing them... just for cooking its amazing. mi name is Sergio an you can found me at martcasgas@yahoo.com

Saludos!