When in Mexico City, try pulque, a local tipple
The fermented drink demonstrates the allure of booze made by hand
IT IS FRIDAY morning, and the Mercado de Xochimilco, in southern Mexico City, is bustling. Over the road is a squat building which, from the outside, looks dead, its shutters drawn and doors closed. Pushing them open reveals a utilitarian space: linoleum floors, formica-topped tables, sturdy wooden chairs. Above a counter are posters on which are handwritten apio (celery), cacahuete (peanut), mamey (a soft orange fruit) and avena (oats). These are flavours of pulque, a drink made for millennia that offers both an alcoholic kick and an insight into the ancient culture of booze.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Down the Mexican way”
Culture
March 25th 2023- A museum on a Kenyan island glosses over slavery
- “Ringmaster” is a colourful biography of a wrestling impresario
- When in Mexico City, try pulque, a local tipple
- The narrator of “Chlorine” longs to escape her human body
- “Beyond the Wall” adds depth to caricatures of East Germany
- A bold “Guys & Dolls” holds lessons for the future of theatre
From the March 25th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show is out of touch with the times
In it she positions herself as an elite Martha Stewart
This year’s Oscars were notably apolitical
Hollywood has ditched resistance in favour of toeing the line
AI unleashes a weird new genre of political communication
Donald Trump’s Gaza video offers a taste of what is to come
Why are live albums back in fashion?
Hitmakers including Niall Horan, Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran have released them
Caviar is the internet’s favourite indulgence
Russian tsars loved it. Now TikTok does, too
Finding meaning in people’s first words—and their last
Why there is less significance than society would have you believe