Atole

OTHER THAN WATER, atole (pronounced ah-TOH-leh) is one of the two oldest beverages enjoyed here in the Wild Horse Desert (the other being herbal tea). Atole is a thin porridge made from a starchy grain such as corn, rice, oats, or mesquite beans. It is drunk hot, traditionally from an earthenware mug. The original inhabitants of this area, the nomadic tribes of Karankawas (who in the early nineteenth century were declared by pirate Jean Lafitte, when he was stranded in Galveston Island, as “demons from Hell”) and Coahuiltecans (a more peaceful nation of small tribes, with whom Cabeza de Vaca lived in 1533), made atole by grinding mature dried mesquite beans (long sweetish pods produced by the mesquite tree) in large stone mortars called molcajetes, along with dried berries, prickly pear pulp, chiles, herbs, and even dirt (which was very filling in times of poor hunting or harvest). Many of these stone mortars have been found along the tribes’ travel routes, suggesting that the heavy objects were left there for future use. The powder would be mixed with water, possibly sweetened with wild honey, and heated over a mesquite fire. Atole of mesquite beans is still consumed by the indigenous Coahuiltecan tribes of northern Mexico. Atole was truly a food of convenience. As it was made of dried ingredients, the powder could easily be carried by travelers. The amount of water could be increased to stretch the most meager ration as far as possible. The ingredients changed depending on the season and what was found en route, such as wild grains or fruits. Atole made a nourishing pap for babies, as well. Ground corn generally served as the base for atoles, and was used even more frequently after the arrival of early Spanish settlers from Mexico, as these settlers were more proficient farmers than the nomadic hunters of the local tribes. In the mornings, when corn was being ground into masa for making tortillas, a bit would be reserved for making atole, which was then sweetened with piloncillo (unrefined sugar; see page 26) or wild honey. If the corn was first toasted and then ground, the resulting atole was known as pinole, and had a toasted corn flavor; this form was convenient for travelers—toasting dried out the corn and gave it a long shelf life. The addition of ground chocolate to the corn atole produced champurrado, a satisfying chocolate and corn porridge. Atole, pinole, and champurrado are still enjoyed today, although they are mostly found south of the border. Using cornstarch instead of corn produces a different atole. In this case, milk is thickened with a mixture of cornstarch and water, then sweetened with sugar; different flavorings are added, such as strawberries, blackberries, cinnamon, and the like. This type of atole is frequently called by the brand name of the cornstarch used in Mexico: Maizena. Later, as oats and rice made their way to the Americas, they too became popular grain bases for atole. Atole is still consumed in the homes of the Wild Horse Desert, albeit rarely. With the array of bottled sodas, teas and coffees, and prepared beverage mixes available to the modern consumer, the humble atole is a recipe from yesteryear, enjoyed mostly by an older generation.

Atole de Arroz R I C E A T O L E
SERVES 4
Comforting and warm, this drink is especially nice on blustery December afternoons. Like a warm rice pudding you can drink, atole de arroz has a creamy cinnamon flavor that makes it a favorite with kids and adults alike. BRING 4 cups of water and the cinnamon to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the uncooked rice, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the cinnamon. REMOVE the cooked rice from the saucepan using a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid; place the rice in the container of a blender or food processor, add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid, and process the rice for 1 full minute, until very smooth, adding more liquid if needed. Return the purée to the saucepan with the cooking liquid. Stir until well combined. Add the milk and sugar, and warm over medium heat. Once the atole is piping hot, serve immediately in big mugs.
1 stick cinnamon (Mexican if possible; see page 29) 1
⁄4 cup white rice
1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup sugar

Atole de Maiz and Champurrado I C O R N A T O L E A N D C H O CO L AT E - F L A V O R E D C O R N AT O L E ( F R O M F R E S H LY G R O U N D D R I E D CO R N )
SERVE S 4
This recipe is for the hard-core history buffs out there. Granted, it calls for grinding the corn using a blender instead of a metate, the stone table-like mortar used in Latin America since pre-Hispanic times. Regardless, this is an excellent approximation of the food that kept people alive for millennia throughout the Americas. Its deep corn flavor is made even better when chocolate is added, which converts the atole into champurrado.
11⁄2 cups dried corn (see Note)
1 stick cinnamon (Mexican if possible; see page 29)
3 ounces piloncillo (unrefined sugar; see page 26) or 2 tablespoons brown sugar, tightly packed

COMBINE the dried corn with 4 cups of water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the corn is al dente, or tender when bitten. Drain the corn. PURÉE the corn with 4 cups of fresh water in a blender or food processor until very smooth, about 1 full minute. Using a mesh or chinois strainer placed over a bowl, strain the liquid, pressing to extract any remaining liquid; this liquid is the atole. Strain the atole two or three more times, cleaning out the chinois/strainer between strainings. Discard the remains of the ground corn. RETURN the atole to the saucepan, add the cinnamon and piloncillo, and simmer for about 15 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring to keep the atole from burning on the bottom of the pan. The atole is ready when it has reached the degree of thickness you desire. Serve warm. CHAMPURRADO: When simmering the atole, add 3 ounces of Mexican chocolate or semisweet baking chocolate and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. NOTE: Look for dried corn at Latin American or health food stores. Any dried corn except popcorn will work.

Atole de Maiz and Champurrado II
C O R N A T O L E A N D C H O CO L A T E - F L A V O R E D C O R N AT O L E ( F R O M I N S TA N T TOR T I L L A M I X )
SERVES 4
If you can’t find dried corn, you can always use instant corn tortilla mix for making atole and champurrado.
3 ounces piloncillo (unrefined sugar; see page 26) or 2 tablespoons brown sugar, tightly packed
1 stick cinnamon (Mexican if possible; see page 29)
1 cup instant corn tortilla mix
2 cups milk or water

COMBINE 2 cups of water with the piloncillo and cinnamon in a 1-quart saucepan. Simmer until the piloncillo is completely dissolved. Do not remove the cinnamon sticks yet. COMBINE the corn tortilla mix and 2 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir well to dissolve any lumps. Add the piloncillo syrup with the cinnamon sticks. Simmer over medium-low heat until the atole is thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk; add extra water if the atole is too thick. Remove the cinnamon sticks before serving. Serve warm. CHAMPURRADO: When simmering the atole, and add 3 ounces of Mexican chocolate or semisweet baking chocolate and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Atole de Zarzamora B L A C K B E R RY A T O L E
SERVES 6

The color of this atole is dazzling and always catches the attention of my kids. It’s a great way to get them to drink their milk. Fruity and creamy, this is a terrifically nutritious breakfast, with no artificial ingredients. You can also make this drink with strawberries. COMBINE the blackberries and 2 cups of the milk in the container of a blender. Blend until smooth, then strain through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds. Pour the strained mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and stir in the cornstarch. Add the vanilla bean, if using (do not add vanilla extract yet, if using). Simmer the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and remaining 2 cups milk, and continue to stir constantly until atole is slightly thick and well heated, about 10 more minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape in the seeds (or add vanilla extract, if using). Stir to combine well. Serve immediately in big mugs.
1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 vanilla bean (optional) or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup sugar

BLACKBERRY CANES grow wild in many parts of the world, rambling around the countryside. Although they do not grow wild in the Wild Horse Desert, the flavor of the blackberry is a good approximation of the berries that do grow in the brush country of South Texas with names like granjeno, coma, filigrana, duraznillo, clepe, manzanita, anacahuita, chapote, agarita, and brasil. These berries would have been gathered, ground into a paste, and incorporated into atoles. Prickly pears and the fruit of the strawberry pincushion cactus (or pitaya) are other natural sweet fruits that would have been foraged in the wild, and may have been used in a recipe similar to this one.

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