Chicha
"Chicha"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Chicha
"Se muele una piña y se pone en una olla con seis cuartillos de agua, unos tamarindos, dos clavos, una raja gorda de canela doce pimientas y las cáscaras de una piña machucadas. Se tapa bien la olla y se pone al Sol y al sereno tres días. Se cuela y se endulza al gusto el día que se ha de tomar, y se deja al fresco."
English Translation
"A pineapple is ground and put in a pot with six quarts of water, some tamarinds, two cloves, a thick stick of cinnamon, twelve peppercorns, and the crushed peels of a pineapple. The pot is covered tightly and left in the sun and dew for three days. It is strained and sweetened to taste on the day it is to be served, and then kept in a cool place."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe employs terse, conversational directions typical of early 20th-century Mexican cookbooks, written under the assumption that the home cook already knows basic techniques and ingredient handling. Measurements are approximate: 'cuartillos' (about 1.14 liters each) and handfuls predominate, as precision was less critical for folk beverages than for pastries or sweets. Spelling and ingredient terms also reflect their era—'pimienta' in this context likely means allspice rather than black pepper, and 'sereno' refers poetically to leaving the pot out at night. The style speaks to a practical, oral tradition, bridging the old and the new in a rapidly modernizing Mexico.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3 (1913)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1913
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful volume from the iconic 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series, this 1913 cookbook serves up a charming array of recipes, inviting readers to explore classic and creative dishes—ready to fit in your pocket and spice up any kitchen adventure.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This lively recipe comes from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3', published in 1913 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, an influential figure in popularizing affordable, pocket-sized cookbooks in Mexico. These booklets brought practical recipes and household advice to a broad audience at a time when printed culinary guides were often reserved for the elite. Chicha itself is a pre-Columbian beverage—often made with fermented fruits or grains—enjoyed widely across Latin America. In early 20th-century Mexico City, this pineapple chicha would have offered a refreshing and lightly effervescent alternative to more alcoholic brews, prized for its flavor and thirst-quenching qualities.
Cooks in 1913 would have used a large clay or enamel pot (olla) for fermentation, along with a wooden pestle or stone to crush the pineapple. The pot would be covered with a cloth or wooden lid to keep out debris, and left outdoors to catch both the sun's warmth and cool night air, promoting gentle fermentation. For straining, a woven cloth (manta de cielo) or fine mesh sieve would be used.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Servings
12
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 ripe pineapple (about 2.6 pounds)
- 1.6 gallons of water
- 4-5 tamarind pods (or 0.7 ounces tamarind pulp, shelled and seeds removed)
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 thick stick cinnamon (3–4 inches, or 0.3 ounces)
- 12 whole allspice berries (or substitute 12 black peppercorns if unavailable)
- Cane sugar or piloncillo, to taste (1.8–7 ounces recommended)
Instructions
- To make this vibrant historical chicha, begin by crushing the flesh of one ripe pineapple.
- Place it in a large pot along with about 1.6 gallons of water.
- Add a handful (approximately 4-5 pods, shelled) of tamarind, two whole cloves, one thick stick of cinnamon (about 3–4 inches long), twelve whole allspice berries (as 'pimienta' often referred to allspice in Latin America), and the crushed peels of the same pineapple.
- Cover the pot securely and set it outdoors, allowing it to sit for three days—alternating between sunshine by day and cool air by night.
- On the third or fourth day, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
- Sweeten to your taste with cane sugar or piloncillo, and chill before serving.
- Enjoy your refreshing, lightly fermented pineapple chicha!
Estimated Calories
90 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It will take just a few minutes to prepare and combine the ingredients. Then you'll let it ferment for about three days, which doesn't require any work. Each serving is refreshing and naturally sweetened, with about 90 calories per glass. This recipe yields about 12 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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