¡QUE RICO, TEPACHITO! Tepache Sazon is Here!
Cuisineist enjoys sharing our experience with new destinations, wine, spirits, and products on a global scale and now we are sharing A NEW category of spirit that makes its debut just in time for the season when we need it most. Tepache Sazón, the first commercially produced alcoholic tepache in the US, is the new sweet solution to a grueling hot summer palette.
¡QUE RICO, TEPACHITO!
Produced in San Pancho, Nayarit, on the Pacific Coast is a story full of traditions and natural flavors that represent a refreshing, effervescent handmade drink that symbolizes a truly unique Mexican product: Sazón.
It has been an integral beverage to Mexican culture with its origins dating back to the Aztecs, and now Tepache is beginning to make waves in modern-day America. Made with a mix of ripe pineapple, piloncillo (raw cane sugar) and canela (a complex, flavorful cinnamon commonly used in Mexican cooking), It offers a perfectly balanced tartness courtesy of the tropical fruit, with subtle hints of spice and toasted caramel underneath the effervescent fizz.
PINEAPPLE PIÑA ANANAS
Pineapple is an endemic fruit from the Americas and has a long history in Mexico. This king of fruits was grown and traded by the Mayan people before the arrival of the Spanish with ancient mosaics depicting its use in Mayan rituals. The exact origin of the seedless pineapple we know today has never been confirmed, but here in Mexico there exists a vast array of endemic Bromeliaceae species, of which the pineapple is a member. Pineapples are known as piña in Spanish and ananas throughout most of the world.
It all starts with Memo Topete, whose family has established itself as a top multi-generational pineapple cultivator in the region. Their experience in all things related to pineapples is invaluable in planting, tending, and selecting fruit of the finest quality. Although there are around 38 different varieties of pineapple in existence, Tepache Sazón is made from a specific type of pineapple called piña miel, translated as honey pineapple. This variety is a hybrid that is valued throughout the tropical Americas for its balanced sweetness and acidity.
This traditional ingredient is made by crushing fresh sugar cane and boiling it slowly until you get a thick syrup. It is finally dried in wooden molds to capture the rich flavor of this natural sugar cane juice. In trapiche, the sugarcane is crushed, cooked, and dried the same day it is cut, to create the piloncillo “Sazón” – or piloncillo that is of the highest quality.
From Southeast Asia, canela offers softer, warmer spice notes and is less common and more expensive than cassia cinnamon. In Mexican cuisine, canela is often used in moles, marinades, and bean dishes, as well as in a wide variety of desserts and beverages: arroz con leche, dulce de leche, horchata, a variety of Mexican chocolate drinks, and of course, our favorite: tepache.
On a visit to the tepacheria, they boil canela into a syrup made from piloncillo, then add a small amount prior to the secondary fermentation of the tepache. There is a multigenerational dedicated team of tepacheros who instill their passion and love for this bebida rica.
The town of San Pancho and the coastal region is a truly unique place that instills the pillars of sustainability, community, and authenticity that guide every decision they make from the ground to the bottle. From the rainforest-covered mountain peaks to the wild surf and pristine sands of the Pacific Ocean, this region is filled with natural wonders surrounded by an abundance of tropical fruit.
Explore, expand your palate, and take a spirited journey with Tepache Sazón, and stay cool this summer!