New-York tribune., 1907-03-03
COCOANUT PULQUE.
Delicious Drinks Made by NatiUes
of the Tropics.

Peach brandy and applejack are characteristics
drinks Of sections Of the United States for
every country Of the world has its native drinks
more or less appreciated by foreigners. Mexico Is
exception. and her pulque. tequila mezcal and
aguardiente well known, at least in name, to
most of her visitors, says Modern Mexico" But
Just as peach brandy and applejack not the
only American drinks. those mentioned just above
are far from completing the list of typical Mexican
The whole list is not. perhaps large but pulque
stands alone the great territory in which it is
known and also for the very well known limits OF
climate by which it is confined. The Juice Of the
maguey is a universal fayorite wherever 1t ls
known to Mexicans, and at the proper point OK
But there is a vast territory Of Mexico, off the
great central plateau where pulque is unknown,
cannot c9T fe be Slipped In this this terTory It is
thought that tequla and aguardiente furnish the the
only drink of the natives, a belief which has the
sanction Of very general observation; now conn
try which is so soon 10 be opened up by the Mexi-
can Central extension, another kind OF ''pulque;
but it is the state of Colima that the making
Of delicious drink from the juice of the cocoa
The pulque de coco has but two stages for the
processes of fermentation noted in the maguey
pulQue. The first stage is the sweet juice OF the
as aqua miel, and the second stage, the next day
only being the regular pulque. The drink Is TOO
sour to after two days
The pulque of the highlands IS made, as is gen
which was destined, by the plans of nature, to 90
into the production of the great blossom ana iru{,
year. the heart is cut out and into the cup thus nus
formed
which would have gone into the prodlgious stock
and blossom. This is taken out each day, and is
subjected TO special treatment. from which result
the various stages of maguey pulque esteemed by
the native Mexican and those foreigners who nave
allowed themselves to learn and TO appreciate it.
Similarly the cocoanut pulque is made from the
sap OF the cocoauut palm. which was destined by
It's nature to nourshing the blossom and nut Care
full watchers in the cocoanut groves about the city
of Colima ami the smaller towns OF the state and
section find the trees which are about to bud, and
when the shoot has been put out TO sufficient
length the bud is cut off and gourd is fastened
to catch the sap, which flows freely from the cut
of the end stem. Gatherers climb the palm trees
twice day. and about three gallons or sap are
taken out each tWenty-fOur hours.
This fresh sap, also called aqua miel, is one of
the most delicious drinks imaginable. When the
band concert begins in the main square natives
with gourds their shoulders pass through the
crowd selling this sweet sap for pttance of three
centavos cup. II is Of the most refreshing
and delicious of drinks the very essence Of cocoa
nut stronger than the milk the meat OF the nut,
and delicious. The next day the juice Will
have fermented sufficiently to be intoxicating, In
which condition it is much appreciated.
The method of gathering, the simple system of
fermentation by leaving IT out over night, and the
really ingenious method of extracting the very
essence OF the delicious nut all interesting
silent comment on the intelligence of the Indians
and their ability to adapt not so much themselves
to conditions as conditions to themselves.