ESQUITE: ORIGIN, RECIPES, FOODS IN LATIN AMERICA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The esquite is a typical food of Mexico, particularly in the central region, but is consumed in almost the whole country and even outside Mexico 's borders. It is made from boiled or fried corn.

This food has some variations in its recipe, according to which it is also known as: chaska, trolleys, corn in a glass, corn cocktail, trolls, vasolotes, tostiesquite, and so on. These variants in the name also depend on the area of ​​Mexico where it is prepared and consumed.

The basis for the elaboration of esquite is shelled corn. Source: pixabay.com.

It is common to find them in street stalls and consume them as aperitifs or to snack between meals, especially in public squares, at popular fairs or during the celebration of a town festival.

Normally, the preparation of the esquites consists of boiling or frying loose corn kernels in butter or oil, then placing them in a glass or other concave container and season them with salt, lemon, chili, mayonnaise, sour cream, grated cheese, epazote and other spices..

Origin

The word esquite comes from the Nahuatl language. In the famous text Historia general de las cosas de la Nueva España, written by the Spanish missionary Bernardino de Sahagún in the 16th century, it is related that the Mexica or Aztecs prepared large quantities of roasted corn in a comalli.

In the work it is described that the comalli was a kind of pan or griddle for cooking. Modern versions of this utensil are known as a comal.

This preparation was called izquitl and consumed in large quantities during their religious festivities. The action of roasting the corn was called icehqui. From these words it is believed that the word esquite comes from. The spelling ezquite is also accepted.

Depending on the region of Mexico where it is made, the preparation of the esquite may vary, as well as its name.

The word esquite is used mostly in Mexico City, where, in addition to being a street snack, it is even served in restaurants, where it is presented in ceramic bowls and seasoned with butter, salt, lemon, epazote and chili.

Principal ingredient

In the different varieties of this dish, the main ingredient is shelled corn. It must be borne in mind that from the pre-Columbian era to the present, corn has been one of the bases of Latin American cuisine.

In Mexico corn is called freshly harvested corn, already shelled or unshelled, and that, therefore, still retains its natural moisture.

In Venezuela it is commonly called jojoto, in Colombia it is called mazorca and elsewhere in Latin America it is called corn (for example, in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay and Paraguay).

The taste is naturally sweet, a little more or a little less depending on the species of corn. With this ingredient, different sweets and snacks are made (such as esquite) or meals are complemented throughout Latin America, depending on the variety of corn and where you are.

They are consumed in a large part of the countries that make up the region simply boiled in salted water, or grilled and spread with butter.

Foods related to corn in Latin America

Outside the borders of Mexico, esquite is also prepared and consumed as a popular snack.

For example, in Venezuela it is known simply as “shelled corn” or “jojoto shelled” and it is served in a glass accompanied by cream and cheese in the traditional way.

In this country, they usually add bacon and melted cheese in the American style; or with different varieties of Italian-style cheese. However, chili and epazote are dispensed with, condiments more akin to Mexican cuisine than to that of the Caribbean country.

Some of the typical foods of the different countries of Latin America that include corn are:

- Los esquites (Mexico).

- The puddings (the whole continent).

- The cachapas (Venezuela).

- The sancochos (Colombia and Venezuela).

- The corn cake (Argentina, Peru, Chile and Bolivia).

- Different atoles (all over the continent).

- Tamales (Mexico).

- Casserole tamales (Mexico)

- To name a few. They are also boiled in pieces together with other legumes and served as an accompaniment to meat or other dishes.

Recipes

The sweet flavor of the corn contrasts very well with the salty of the cheese and butter, the sour of the cream and the spiciness of the chili (if it has it) or other spices and condiments. The dish is rich in flavor and nutritional value, since its main ingredient, corn, is high in carbohydrates, fibers and different vitamins.

Esquite can be made from various varieties of corn kernels. Source: pixabay.com.

The following explains how some typical recipes are prepared:

Trolleys

The so-called "trolleys", or simply "trolls", are prepared in the cities and towns of the Mexican northeast such as Tampico, San Luis Potosí and Monterrey.

These are made with boiled corn that is then placed in a plastic cup and seasoned with mayonnaise, margarine, lemon juice, epazote, chili sauce or chili powder and typical fresh cheese of the town, previously grated. Everything is added to the taste of whoever prepares.

It is a fairly rustic way to prepare esquite. Also in this region it is called "American-style corn."

Chaskas

In Aguascalientes and other locations in central Mexico, esquite is known as chaskas or chascas (a word from Quechua that roughly means "tangled").

The preparation in this case consists of boiling the corn kernels or the whole corn in salt water and then shelling it. Then it is served in a container and sour cream, butter or mayonnaise, ground cheese and chili are added.

Traditionally in this region epazote is not added to the preparation. However, it is common to combine it with other ingredients such as ground beef or pork, mushrooms, bacon, and tatemada sauce.

Esquite blocks

Within Mexican gastronomy, the traditional recipe for esquite has different varieties. Tortillas stuffed with corn kernels and typical esquite dressings can also be prepared. This would be an esquite block.

To prepare the esquite, the same steps explained in the previous recipes are followed, all to the taste of the cook. The only change is that it is served inside an omelette that is then rolled up.

Esquite tamales

Elote tamales are well known throughout the Mexican territory. They are prepared in the traditional way, with ground corn, which is mixed with water to make a dough, then wrapped in corn husks and boiled.

After being cooked, the tamales are opened and filled with the esquite preparation to the taste of the cook.

Tostiesquite

This is a popular Mexican treat. It consists of fried and crunchy corn kernels accompanied with fried tortillas or toast, to which sour cream, chili, cheese and different spices are added.

References

1. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
3. Delicious chaskas. (2014). Mexico: Hidrocalidodigital.com. Recovered from: com.
4. Elotes and Esquites. (2018). Mexico: Visitméxico.com. Recovered from: com.
5. (2019). N / A: Educalingo.com. Recovered from: educalingo.com.