Pebre

This recipe comes from the mid-19th-century Mexican manuscript 'Coleccion de Recetas para Guisos y Dulces', a handwritten treasury penned in 1860 and dedicated to Rita G. de Garcia. The manuscript reflects home and possibly aristocratic kitchens of the time, where European and native Mexican culinary traditions combined. 'Pebre' is a savory condiment or side, revealing the taste preferences for aromatic, bread-thickened sauces and the early presence of Mediterranean ingredients—olives, spices—earned through global trade. Sauces such as this were typical accompaniments in Mexican cuisine of that era, blending Spanish, indigenous, and even French techniques. The use of bread as a thickener and the avoidance of saffron here suggest practical adaptation to available resources.

In its original form, the recipe would have been prepared over a wood or charcoal burning stove. The cook would use a heavy clay or cast-iron cazuela (pan), a wooden spoon for stirring, and perhaps a stone mortar and pestle to grind the garlic and bread with spices. Cutting was done on wooden boards with sturdy knives, and all ingredients were measured by eye—hence the lack of precise quantities in the original instructions.