Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-04-10
The Mexican Beverage,

A correspondent of the New York
Times, after describing Chapultepec,
gives the following description of a Mex
lean pulque shop and the beverage there
in sold: Opposite the main entrance
gate, across the narrow street, is little
stone hut in which various cheap wares
are retailed, and still more various cheap
drinks, chief among which is pulque.
It is what is known among the Mexicans
as pulque-shop, for the other wares are
only to catch the eye. The real business
Of the place is selling pulque, a native
compound that looks very much like
New York milk, or any other milk that
is composed of one-half water, and looks
thin and blush. It is the great national
drink, and every body drinks it. In
these little pulque shops it is kept in
great, red earthen jars, which, stored
away in some dark, shady corner, look
deliciously cool and inviting. Pulqde
is an easy drink to describe to Amer
leans, because it is so much like two
well-known American Dishes. 1t looks
like skinned milk and tastes like rotten
eggs. 1t was a remarkably hot after
noon, even for Mexico, when your cor
respondent first visited Chapultepec.
The road was dusty, and the dust filled
mouth, lungs, throat, nose and eyes.
When the entrance to Chapultepec was
reached, the entire party were ready to
drink liquid enough to run down the
throat, except few, who had previously
tasted pulque. The big pulque- jars
across the street lay comfortably back
in their shady hooks as if inviting all
thirsty people to come and drink of their
cool contents. One of the party, thirsty
enough to drink anything, determined
to venture glass of the great national
drink. He crossed the street and laid
silver "media," 81 cents, on tae
counter. The salesman took down from
shelf little earthen pitcher that
would hold fully three pints, filled it
with rulque, and set it before his GUS
toner. Fifty or more soldiers tur1ed
out from the little guard house by the
gate and watched the Americans, smell
ing the stale eggs from am. To see a
stranger drink pulque was novel sight
to them, and they were prepared to
enjoy it. When the visitor took a
mouthful, tasted it, and quickly spit it
out, they set up loud laugh. 1t must
have been very funny, for it takes a
good deal to make q Mexican laugh.
Seeing the mirth of the spectators, the
experimenter braced himself for grand
! effort, drew long breath, and emptied
the pitcher without further ado. The
other Americans applauded, and the
drinker looked very proud and grand,
but he confessed afterward that he would
rather have drank SO much kerosene oil.
By the time he reached the top of the
hill the pulque had made its way up to
his head, and it staid there all the rest
Of the afternoon, much to the amuse.
ment of the rest of the party. A native
will toss of pint after pint with ease,
and without showing that it has any
effect upon him. Half the fights, how.
ever, are in the pulque-shops. And,
speaking of this milky drink, some OF
the pulque- shops have outrageous names
One, in the centre of the city, is called
"The Glory Of God" Another is " The
Mother of Christ" Nearly all the
business houses have names, but none
are SO highly religious as the pulque.
shops.