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| Course | Beverage |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Mexico |
| Serving temperature | cold |
| Main ingredients | pineapple,piloncillo |
| Variations | addedbeer andcinnamon |
Tepache is afermented beverage made from the peel and the rind ofpineapples, and is sweetened either withpiloncillo orbrown sugar. It is sometimes seasoned withchili powder and served cold. Tepache is usually sold as a chilled drink by street vendors inMexico, stored in barrels to expedite the fermentation process. It is served either in a clay mug or in a clear plastic bag with a straw inserted for easier travel. In the U.S., it is sold in juice bars or traditional Mexican restaurants withinMexican American communities of theSouthwestern United States.
Thefermentation process for making tepache is simple and quick, making it a drink readily produced at home. Though tepache is fermented for several days, the resulting drink does not contain much alcohol. The fermentation process relies on naturally occurringyeast andbacteria present on the pineapple peels and in the environment. The sugar serves as a nutrient source for these microbes, which producelactic acid andcarbon dioxide, contributing to tepache's slight effervescence and tart flavor.
Tepache is fermented by different microorganisms. Bacteria, such asLactobacillus pentosus,L. paracasei,L. plantarum,L. lactis and yeast from the genusSaccharomyces have been found in tepache.[1] For optimal fermentation, it is recommended to use unrefined sugar such as piloncillo, which enhances the flavor and color of the drink. Tap water should be filtered to remove chlorine, which can inhibit the fermentation process. InMexican culinary practice, the alcoholic content of tepache may be increased with a small amount ofbeer.
Tepache dates fromPre-Columbian Mexico, as a popular drink among theNahua people of central Mexico; it derives from theNahuatltepiātl, which originally referred to "a drink made from raw corn, given to those who are fainting."[2] Originally, corn (maize) was the base of tepache, but the contemporary recipe for tepache uses pineapple rinds as the foodstuff fermented to produce the tart drink that istepache. Some varieties of tepache, known astepache de tibicos, are fermented using symbiotic cultures oftibicos.[3]
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Because of the popularity of tepache in Mexico, the drink is now being produced commercially as a non-alcoholic drink. There are a few different brands of tepache includingTepache from the Frumex Corporation. The original Frumex Tepache contained 12% juice and was made from fermented skins and pulp along with some sugar, spices, and barley. That version was replaced with a newer version that contained only 10% juice and no barley. That one was made from only fermented pineapple juice, no skins or pulp. The latest version, now rebranded as Tepachito, still contains only 10% juice but it is made from fermented juice and skin, no barley. It does include white and brown sugar and spices.
The drink tepache is mentioned in the popular Spanish-languagequebradita song "La Niña Fresa" ('The Spoiled Girl'), by Banda Zeta, in which the spoiled-girl character is offered several types of drink—including tepache—yet she refuses them all, for being beneath her social status.[4]The drink tepache is also mentioned inCornelio Reyna's song "Botellitas" about different bottles of alcohol.
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