And An Unexpected Hike Off the Mountain!
For two days, he drove us into the canyon, up and down steep dirt roads,
to see many fascinating things. One of the most interesting was a Tarahumara
farm in a remote area. We learned firsthand from the Tarahumara couple and our guides what pinole and tesgüino are, how
they are made, and their cultural significance.
The Tarahumara are also known as Rarámuri, an indigenous
people who live in the Copper Canyon in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. In
their language, rarámuri means foot runners or those
who run fast. Some families live in caves on the steep canyon walls, and many
live on farms near springs, growing food for themselves. In the past, they
hunted animals, running after them for long distances until their prey
collapsed. The foot runners are known today for their ultramarathon champions,
running in traditional clothing and sandals. See the Ultra Caballo Blanco Facebook page for more information and videos about today’s Tarahumara runners
and the ultramarathons in the Copper Canyon.
When we arrived at the farm, high in the mountains surrounding the Copper Canyon, this Tarahumara woman was ready in her colorful traditional dress and head scarf. She was already roasting corn kernels over a small fire and eager to continue her demonstration of preparing pinole, a staple in their diet high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other nutrients.
I tried stirring the corn over the fire, but some burned—I must not have stirred consistently and thoroughly. The woman casually picked the blackened kernels out of the hot pot with her fingers before continuing to stir until we heard corn popping. It was time for the next step.
The pinole was ready when she had ground the corn to a fine powder. We all tasted it to learn about this significant Tarahumara staple. As a powder, it was very dry, fairly tasteless, and hard to swallow. I mixed it with water and tried drinking it, but that wasn’t much better. After adding a sweetener, it was okay, but I think it’s an acquired taste.
Endurance runners rely on pinole for energy, mixing the powder with fruit or other food before races. They eat pinole powder dry or sometimes sweetened with raw Mexican sugar or mixed with water during races as a power food.
We were tasting tesgüino and looking around the farm when Michael
Miller ran in to see what was happening. Michael and his wife, Kimberly, are
marathon runners and organize the annual Caballo Blanco Ultramarathons in the
Copper Canyon. They are knowledgeable about the Tarahumara culture, and Michael
told me how these indigenous people make tesgüino.
Michael said, “They geminate the corn (yes, blue here) and
then hand grind it on a metate. They cook/boil it; it then sits to ferment for
a couple of days before it develops some alcohol content (maybe 2-3%), and by the
fifth and last day of still, it’s stronger (around 6-7% alcohol).”
Rarámuri people celebrate holidays with many hours of dancing and drinking tesgüino, often the day and night before a race. They consider this drink sacred
and part of the ceremonies.
Surprise Ending to the Day
Jon and I generously tipped each of our hosts after they finished the demonstration and farm tour. They smiled shyly and thanked us.
Then, there was a surprising turn of events! Our tour guide said his truck tires got stuck in the soft soil when he turned it around. He told us to start walking down the mountain, and he would have another ranch truck pick us up. Jon and I had worn flip-flops, as we weren't expecting any hikes on this tour!
What a memorable day! Luckily, we'd had a snack of pinole and tesgüino to fuel us on this hike. But we were hungry when we arrived back at the ranch house for dinner—boy, home-cooking tasted wonderful that night❣
I invite you to read some of our early adventures in my eBook, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2. Download it FREE with KindleUnlimited.
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