Cooking Class Photos

Cooking Class Photos from February 23, 2008

Flavors of the Sun International Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Class: International Cuisine for Mexican Cooks

Owner/Teacher: Victoria Challancin
Contact Information: Flavorsofthesun@gmail.com

A few of the dishes we prepared this week:


Black Olive-Pepper-Rosemary Grissini
Chicken Breasts Over a Bed of Spinach with Gorgonzola Sauce
and Tomato-Caper Relish
Green Salad with Herbs
Carrots with Lemon Gremolata
Italian Carrot Cake

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient

Avocado Leaves: A Secret Mexican Ingredient
by Victoria Challancin


Love at First Bite

I can still remember my first encounter with the exotic flavor of avocado leaves from almost twenty years ago when a friend brought a black bean dip, which she had learned to make from her husband’s family in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, to a potluck dinner. Like any motivated foodie, I almost made myself sick sampling, musing, and guessing what unknown ingredient I was tasting in what appeared to be an ordinary black bean dip. Finally, I capitulated to a curiosity that I couldn't quench on my own, tracked down the dip’s creator, and discovered that the mysterious, anise flavor of the black beans came from the addition of avocado leaf. Years later, after multiple trips to South and Central Mexico where avocado leaf is popular in regional dishes, and after countless cooking classes where I delighted and surprised my students with a new seasoning, I still thrill when people ask me, “What gives these black beans such an unusual taste?”

Harvested from the native Mexican avocado (Persea drymifolia), the leaves are used in both dried and fresh form to contribute an unusual anise flavor to a variety of dishes. In parts of Mexico, specifically the southern states of Oaxaca and Puebla, toasted and fresh leaves are added to (black) beans, tamales, soups, moles, pipianes, and stews. There are also layered into casseroles, used as a bed for roasting meats, and wrapped around fish, chicken, and meat when grilling. And yet here in San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guanajuato, my Mexican cooking students are totally unfamiliar with avocado leaves as a flavoring. Last week I showed a class a cluster of avocado leaves on a stem and asked them if they knew what they were. Only one could identify them; none knew how to use them in cooking.




Are Avocado Leaves Safe to Eat?

Although the leaves of certain avocado cultivars from Guatemala (Persea Americana)
are considered toxic, the Mexican variety (var.drymifolia) isn’t. Diana Kennedy addresses this in her book From My Mexican Kitchen, "Because there has been some concern about toxicity of avocado leaves among some Californian aficionados, I think it is time to set the record straight. The toxicity reports relate back to a study done in 1984 at the University of California at Davis, which showed that dairy goats suffered some toxic effects from ingesting very large amounts of avocado leaves (the toxic agent remains unknown). The crucial point, according to Dr. Arthur L. Craigmill, toxicology specialist at Davis and one of the authors of the study, is that the toxic effects were traced to the Guatemalan avocado (Persea American). When the goats were fed Mexican avocado leaves (Persea dryminfolia), a different variety, there was no problem.” [These Latin spellings, which are given by Diana Kennedy, slightly differ from the ones I found in my research].

In addition to toxicity worries, aesthetics also may play a part in keeping this wonderful herbal accent in obscurity. Some fresh avocado leaves have small “galls” on the underside, which may look ugly, but are considered safe to eat. Chef and restauranteur Reed Hearon suggests that they actually enhance the flavor.

Are There Substitutes?

Although several very knowledgeable Mexican cooks suggest either a combination of bay leaves and anise or hoja santa leaf as a substitute for avocado leaves, I don’t really recommend these substitutions. Their flavors, though interesting, lack the authenticity of the oh-so-subtle hint of licorice imparted by the true leaves. Look for avocado leaves in Hispanic markets or order them online if you are not lucky enough to have fresh ones available. And if you do have access to a tree, be sure to crush a leaf and check for that indescribable anise aroma before throwing it into the pot.

How to Use Avocado Leaves

Most recipes call for toasting fresh or dried avocado leaves before using. After toasting, they can be added whole, ground, or crumbled to your dish, depending on how you are using them. Some leaves are more pungent that others, so start with a conservative amount, anywhere from one teaspoon of ground leaf to 1 whole leaf for an entire pot of beans. If you want a stronger flavor, simply add more.

To toast avocado leaves: Toast the avocado leaves in a hot, dry skillet or heated comal, pressing lightly with a spatula, or, using tongs, pass them over a live flame for about 10 seconds. Toasting heats up the natural oils in the leaves and brings out the licorice flavor. For this reason it is best only to toast what you will use in a particular recipe, toasting afresh for each use.

A Recipe

I suspect I never really make black beans the same way twice; my "recipe" depends on what I have on hand. Usually, I serve them once as just beans, garnished with avocado, cilantro or basil, grated cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, and some kind of salsa with either a Mexican or Mediterranean inspiration, depending on the rest of the meal. The next time I serve them, they are trotted out in puréed form as a dip or for serving as a sauce over quesadillas, eggs, or enfrijoladas (enchiladas with a bean sauce). This is how I prepared them yesterday:














Mexican Black Beans with Avocado Leaf
(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)
Serves 6.
Note: Most Mexican cooks will soak their dried beans overnight, time permitting. Universally, my Mexican students tell me that it helps prevent inflammation of the stomach and gas. I often fall prey to timing issues myself, but have discovered over the years that with black beans, it doesn’t seem to matter whether they are soaked or not. Some chefs actually say that presoaking breaks down the skins, leaving them mushy and unappeallingly gray. My puréed beans are gray no matter what I do. So soak or not—it’s up to you.

500g black beans, washed and picked over

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño or serrano chile, split in half lengthwise
1 branch of fresh epazote, if available
1 or 2 avocado leaves, fresh or dried, toasted (see above instructions)
Water as needed
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat; add peppers and continue cooking until soft, approximately for 6 minutes more. Add the garlic and chile. Cook for 1 minute. Add cold water to cover the beans by at least one inch. Add the epazote, if using. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat once the water starts to boil, cover, and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until beans are tender, adding additional water as necessary. Add toasted avocado leaves during the last 15 minutes with salt to taste. Discard chiles, epazote, and avocado leaves. Serve with garnishes such as sour cream, grated cheese, avocado, salsa, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Are There Medical Uses?

Of course there are. Of course. For centuries, perhaps millennia, herbalists have said that for every disease known to man, there is a plant-based cure. An extension of this belief is also held be many: for any disease that affects any given human population, the plant that cures it grows near-by. And so it goes with avocado leaves in the world of folk medicine. As a treatment for intestinal parasites, avocado leaf tea and sometimes the peel of the fruit are used in the various countries in the Americas, where the plant originated. The leaf combined with the avocado tree bark has also been used as a cough treatment and for digestive disorders. To increase breast milk, the leaves are sometimes eaten raw, but beware, as the leaves and bark of young stems are also used to induce abortions in pregnant women. Considered a carminative, or gas reducer, the leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhea, gas, and abdominal bloating. The leaves are considered helpful as well in ridding the body of high levels of uric acid, which can lead to gout. And while I can’t attest to its efficacy, I can say that there are many phytochemical research sites that have ongoing studies using avocado leaf extract for treating such varied conditions as high cholesterol, epilepsy, and liver obstructions. For now, I’ll stick to their use as a bit of culinary exotica.

Kohlrabi: Healthy, Versatile, and Overlooked

Kohlrabi
by Victoria Challancin

My first exposure to kohlrabi was as a novelty vegetable grown by my father for the sheer joy of seeing something new emerge from his constantly expanding garden. Somehow it failed to “stick” in my mother’s kitchen, though it is hard to imagine a green leaf or anything remotely resembling a turnip that that wonderful Southern cook wouldn’t pair with some form of pork fat. But because a local organic farm here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, grows and sells it, I decided to rekindle my acquaintance with the versatile vegetable. Originally, I had planned on steaming it with some celery root, carrots, and turnips for my vegetarian husband, but I ate so much of it raw during the chopping process, that I barely had any left to cook. Hence, remembering from Paris days my love of celeriac remoulade, the following recipe was born as a way to try my next kohlrabi purchase raw:

Kohlrabi Remoulade

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)
Serves 4.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
2 to 3 kohlrabi bulbs (about 1 lb total weight), peeled and coarsely grated or julienned
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, and chopped or julienned

Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and parsley in a bowl. Add the kohlrabi and apple, season with salt and pepper. Mix gently, cover, and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with a bit more chopped parsley.

Although this is really just my standby recipe for celeriac remoulade using kohlrabi instead of celery root, here are some additions I am tempted to add: green onion, celery, capers, horseradish, cayenne, a different herb (basil,dill,or mint), chipotle chile in adobo sauce, or a drop of honey.

Scroll down for information about the vegetable itself, some culinary uses, history, and health benefits.


The Vegetable Itself

The bulb, which grows above the ground, looks rather like a vegetable sputnik, something from another planet. Two varieties, white (actually a pale green) and purple, are quite common, with the purple variety being slightly spicier. Both the bulb and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The flavor, somewhat like a mild turnip tinged with cabbage overtones, reflects its name in German: kolh is cabbage, rabi is turnip or radish. The leaves, which taste like a combination of its cousins kale, cabbage, or collards, can be cooked and young ones can be eaten raw. The bulbs are best when about the size of an average tangerine.


Culinary Uses

How to Use Kohlrabi Raw:
In salads
On a cheese board or relish tray

Boiled, Steamed, or Sautéed:
In a cheese sauce
Sautéed with onion, garlic, and/or red bell pepper, and finished off with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley, basil, or dill
Tossed with sour cream or yogurt, dill, and either raw or cooked garlic
Added to a soup, stew, or casserole
Puréed like mashed potatoes
In a vegetable gratin
Stir-fried
In fritters
Hollowed out and stuffed
Served with toasted garlic breadcrumbs or horseradish breadcrumbs
Served with any herb pesto
Sprinkled with toasted nuts or seeds


A Little History

Kohlrabi, a member of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae, or Cruciferae), which has been cultivated for thousands of years, is a relative newcomer in the culinary world. While its exact beginnings are somewhat sketchy, we do know that Pliny the Elder mentions a “Corinthian turnip” whose growing habits are suspiciously similar to kohlrabi; that some scholars suggest that Apicius, author of what is generally considered the oldest cookbook in the Western world, discusses its preparation; that the Chinese have pickled kohlrabi for centuries; that Charlemagne ordered it to be planted in the lands under his control; that it made its way in the 1600s into India, where it remains very popular today; and that it was first recorded in America in 1806. So why is it considered a newcomer?

Although cabbages have been around in both cultivated and wild forms for at least 3000 years, a gradual process of natural selection exists whereby humans favor certain qualities and characteristics in their foodstuff, and thus choose seeds, plants, and forms that support these preferences. Over a long period of time and successive generations of cultivation, certain plant characteristics develop. So from the original wild cabbage, we eventually get such vegetables in the same botanical family as kale, collard greens, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, mustard, horseradish, arugula, some cresses, various Chinese greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi, to name but a few.

Why Eat Cruciferous Vegetables?

That the members of the Cruciferae family are considered cancer-fighting super vegetables is probably well known. The reasons why may not be. High in vitamin C, potassium, soluble fiber, folate, carotenoids, these non-starchy vegetables are often touted as healthy and are praised for being low in calories (about 19 calories per 1/2 cup raw) and high in dietary fiber (2.5g per 1/2 cup). But it is the nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties such as diindolylmethane, sulforaphane, selenium, and other sulfur-containing compounds known as glucosinolates that seem to account for their status as “super foods.” For more technical and scientific information, just Google The American Institute for Cancer Research for a listing of various clinical studies and detailed phytochemical data.

And in the meantime, look for new ways to introduce this versatile vegetable into your regular diet.

Cooking Class Photos

Cooking Class Photos

by Victoria Challancin

Although visitors to San Miguel de Allende know me mainly for my Mexican cooking classes, many local residents have also taken my classes on Middle Eastern, Thai, Indian, North African, and Mediterranean cuisines. In addition, I teach weekly classes in Spanish to Mexican cooks who work for foreigners hungry for a variety of international cuisines and the dishes they miss from home. Here are a few photos from this week’s class. If I could figure out how to control the placement of photos and captions in my layout, these photos would carry such labels as Grilled Pork Tenderloins with Curried Onions, Eggplant Roll-Ups Filled with Goat Cheese and Herbs, Spinach and Cheese-Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms, and a sprinkling of fresh herb flowers on a Chocolate-Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Romeritos: A Mexican Green

Romeritos for Lent
by Victoria Challancin

The fact that romeritos (Suaeda torreyan) look like rosemary and taste like spinach makes them both a visual treat and a gustatory pleasure. This vegetable, which plays an integral culinary role in Mexico at Christmas and again during Lent, is often featured in recipes with chile-rich mole (romeritos con mole) or in patties with dried shrimp (romeritos con tortitas de camarón).

Romerito actually means “little rosemary” in Spanish. But it is there that the similarity ends. Though it resembles a soft, non-woody form of the herb rosemary, the flavor is somewhat tart and naturally salty. In fact, romeritos taste a lot like spinach. As an evergreen shrub that grows wild in marshy areas, romeritos tolerate a high saline content in the soil, and for this reason are often quite naturally salty.

Both wild and cultivated greens play an important role in the cuisine of Mexico. Many are free, or at least very economical to use, easily available, and provide a nutritional boost to various dishes. But because they hold a special place in both the feast and daily foods of Navidad (Christmas) and Cuaresma (Lent), romeritos cross socio-economic lines by appearing on the tables of the rich and the poor.

While I can’t seem to find any substantial information about the nutritional value of romeritos, you can bet they provide both fiber and iron, as well as other minerals and vitamins. Neither the phytochemical nor ethnobotanical databases that I enjoy reading have much information on Suaeda torreyana, yet romeritos are an important food source here in Mexico. My research shows that they grow in Arizona, Texas, Utah, and the Colorado Desert as well as in Mexico, but as far as I know, they don’t figure into the non-Hispanic culinary tradition in any significant way. If anyone has more information on this, please me know.

When a Mexican woman in line with me at the grocery store last week asked me if I was going to prepare my bag of romeritos with mole, I think my answer disappointed and perhaps confused her. Knowing my grown son’s eyes would light up when served his favorite vegetable, I replied, “No, Señora, not in mole. I am just going to cook them plain in water.”

But sometimes simple is best. For me the freshest way to enjoy romeritos is to steam them or cook them in water. Nothing else. Not one addition. There is no other food that I can think of that I prepare this way.


Cooking Suggestions:
For a traditional Mexican dish, try pairing romeritos with cactus, eggs, potatoes, or dried shrimp. Or smother them with a rich mole or pipián (pumpkin seed) sauce. Saveur magazine (saveur.com) has a recipe for Romeritos with Shrimp Cakes and The San Miguel Chronicles (thesanmiguelchronicles.com) posts a Romeritos con Mole recipe in their December 2001 archive.

For non-traditional uses, just think of how you might use spinach. Steam them or cook them in water as I do; sauté them Italian-style with onion, garlic, raisins, and pine nuts; toss them into soup; cream them; add them to omelets; toss them with yogurt; cook them with meat or poultry stews.

Cooking Tips:
Discard any dry leaves or woody bits, clean, and disinfect.

Remember that romeritos are naturally salty. Be sure to check the seasoning before adding any salt.

Pepitas: Seeds of Life

Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas: A Little History, Some Fun Facts, Benefits, Uses, and Recipes


by Victoria Challancin






Thanks to various well-respected documents from such historical sources as Padre Bernard Sahagun and the modern America’s First Cuisines by Sophie D Coe, we know a great deal about what was eaten in the ancient Mesoamerican world. In societies whose only domesticated animals were dogs, turkeys, and a type of waterfowl similar to a duck, the population had to look elsewhere for its protein sources. While the widespread use of insects, worms, spirulina algae, seafood, and wild animals provided some protein, vegetable sources provided the rest. And among the vegetables most prized, were the squashes of the Curcubitaceae family, whose flesh, flowers, and seeds enriched the diets of the indigenous people of ancient Mexico, just as they do today.

In addition to such commonly known plants as gourds, cucumbers, and melons the Cucurbitaceae family gives us the ever-popular pumpkin, whose seeds, known as pepitas in Spanish, appear in various culinary guises throughout modern Mexico. Sold in packets, either commercially-made or hand-packaged by local vendors, pumpkin seeds are offered as economical snacks, made into a brittle candy, pressed into oil, and ground as a base for the red and green pípian sauces, pumpkins seeds are extremely popular in Mexico today. They are available both hulled and unhulled, toasted or raw, salted or not. Mixed with sunflower seeds, peanuts, and sprinkled with lime juice and chile, they are a stand-out with a cold beer on a hot day.

Like many other seeds, pepitas pack a nutritional wallop as a good source of vitamins, minerals, protein, amino acids, and unsaturated fats. Specifically, they include manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, soluble and insoluble fiber, and vitamins E, B (especially niacin), and K. They are also not a commonly allergenic food, which also enhances their appeal. And although they contain up to 50% oil, the fat itself is unsaturated and considered “healthy.”

Native to the Americas, the pumpkin and its seeds have a rich history in terms of folk medicine. Research shows that they flourished as a remedy all over North America and the Caribbean, where they were used as an oil or in ground form to relieve burn pain by the Navajo, for treating edema, gout, kidney stones, and urinary problems by the Cherokee, as a wound-healer by the Yuma, and as a cure for fevers and diarrheas by Jamaican voodoo witch doctors. In the seventeenth century they were adopted into Chinese medicine where they are still considered to be a symbol of prosperity and health.

Pumpkin seeds have found there way into modern herbal medicine as well. The presence of the unusual amino acid, cucurbitin, makes them one of the most efficient remedies for killing intestinal parasites, including tapeworms and roundworms, and is an age-old popular remedy used from Germany to Turkey to Mexico. Another rare amino acid called myosin exists in the seeds and is the primary protein constituent of nearly all the muscles in the body and important in the chemistry of muscular contraction. Zinc, in which the seeds are rich, contribute to its treatment for enlarged prostate glands. In fact, pumpkin seed extract is often referred to as a “male tonic” due its effectiveness in revitalizing the prostate gland and, according to some studies, for stimulating male hormone production. As a mild diuretic, the seeds also have a soothing effect on the irritated tissues associated with urinary infections.

Who should eat pumpkin seeds?
According to the UK’s Channel 4 radio program (channel4.com) the following people should eat pumpkin seeds:

• Anyone with prostate enlargement
• Anyone with intestinal worms
• Anyone with water retention
• Anyone with cystitis
• Anyone with osteoporosis
• Anyone who wants a cheap, healthful boost to his or her diet (that’s from me)

Also check pumpkinseed.net.au for more information and clinical studies.

How to use in the diet:

• Eat plain, toasted or raw, as a snack
• Sprinkle over salads
• Add to hot cereals
• Use as a garnish for soups or casseroles
• Chop (or not), mix with a little parsley or other culinary herb, and sprinkle over sautéed or steamed vegetables
• Include in fruit smoothies or green drinks
• Douse with ground chile powder and a squeeze of lime

The following recipes are extremely flexible. Add or subtract such ingredients as garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, capers, chiles, and cheese (grated Parmesan), according to how you plan to use them. Some possible uses are: on cooked chicken, fish, or shrimp; over soft cheese such as goat cheese, brie, or Mexican panela; with a bit more oil as a salad dressing; as a dip for tortilla or pita chips; and mixed with cream cheese or goat cheese as a filling for empanadas or wontons.

Tip: Buy fresh, in small quantities as the oils they contain make them go rancid rather quickly.


Fresh Herb and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)
Note: You can use toasted or raw pumpkin seeds in this recipe. To toast, place seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until they begin to pop. Be careful not to burn.

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 green onion, finely sliced or 1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup hulled green pumpkin seeds
2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 to 1 serrano chile, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Water, as needed for blending

Place all ingredients in a food processor and coarsely chop. Add water as necessary to facilitate blending. Check and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Pumpkin Seed Tea
1 tablespoon hulled pumpkin seeds, crushed with a rolling pin
8 oz/1 cup boiling water

Infuse the crushed pumpkin seeds in one cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain. This can be drunk 2 to 3 times a day as a male tonic, particularly for prostate health.

Photos of Purslane

The above photos of purslane, or verdolagas, should have accompanied the January 27th post on the same. I'm having difficulties with formatting which I hope to correct soon. The published blog doesn't look like my editing page, so bear with me, please.

Mexico's Own: Agave Nectar

Agave Nectar: Sweetener of the Gods or Gourmet Hype?
It’s really true, in the culinary world at least, that there is ‘nothing new under the sun.’ Although health food stores and hip followers of current food trends are lately touting the joys and benefits of agave nectar, often called agave syrup, as the newest darling of natural sweeteners, the indigenous people of Mesoamerica have prized it for millennia. While modern markets may get a boost from such popular sources as Dr. Mehmet Oz, whose recent recommendation of it on The Oprah Winfrey Show as the “healthiest sweetener” prompted a surge in U.S. sales, the ancient people of Mexico, totally unaware of what we now know as “The Oprah Effect”, needed no hype to understand the value of the agave in all its uses.

Unrefined and commercial agave nectar

A Little History on the Plant Itself:

Most of us recognize agave as the succulent plant from which tequila is made, but for thousands of years the native people of Mesoamerica used it for far more than an intoxicating drink. Prized by the Aztecs as a gift from the gods and still called El Árbol de Maravillas (The Tree of Wonders) by modern Mexicans, the agave plant was used not only in food preparation and ritual, but also as a fiber for cloth, a building material, a natural armed fence, rope, brushes, animal fodder, fuel, paper, threads, needles, shoes, nails, and weapons. This plant, which the ancients believed to be sacred, was considered a purifier of body and soul. Its sociological influence during both the Pre-Hispanic and Colonial periods of Mexican history is evidenced in its mythology, religious rituals, medicinal uses, and economy.

In mythology, the pulque gods, who wore a half-moon made of bone in their noses, were considered lunar beings that represented life, death, and rebirth as well as the celebration of the harvest. Agaves were planted around temples and were represented in stone carvings as Nahuatl glyphs. For ritual purposes fermented agave juice was served to priests to increase their enthusiasm during rituals of sacrifice. For the sacrificial victims themselves, the drink was given to ease their suffering. Today, agave is still touted in various forms as “medicine”; in fact, one online botica, or apothecary, still makes promises that agave essence will cure "emotional immaturity, aggressive conduct, impatience, fatigue and premature aging.” And as for its roll in the economy, you need only think of the lucrative tequila and mezcal (also written mescal) industries, never mind that the Spanish used it as a source of taxation.
Roasted agave in the market, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

As a food source it appeared thousands of years ago in the form of wines and aguamiel, pulque (naturally fermented aguamiel), honey, vinegar, sugar (or sweetener), a thickening agent, and a pit-baked vegetable. After the introduction of the distilling process by the Spanish, agave became widely popular in the form of the alcoholic elixirs mezcal and tequila. And recently, it has seen another reinvention as the newly popular agave nectar, or syrup.

The nomenclature surrounding agave can be as complex as its history. The Spanish, who identified the native Mexican plant with a similar looking one found in Spain, called it maguey. The word agave itself, though it is routinely associated with the tequila industry, actually refers to the scientific genus of the plant. Today the terms maguey and agave are often interchangeable. The etymology of the word agave comes from the Greek aguae, which, via a circuitous route leads us to the idea of “noble,” perhaps due to the stately beauty of the astonishing single flower it produces once before dying. If maguey and agave have been intertwined in usage, it is nothing compared to the mix-ups over aguamiel, pulque, mezcal, and tequila. But we’ll save that for another post. And that brings us to the following:

Why the resurgence of interest in agave nectar?

Agave nectar, a commercially-made product from Mexico, is made from the juice of several species of agave, the plant from which we get tequila. And Mexico’s prized blue agave plant, from which comes the finest tequila, produces a juice higher in fructose-producing carbohydrates that yield the best nectar as well.

When expressed as a liquid from the core of the plant, or the piña, as it is called in Spanish, the juice is filtered, then heated (to hydrolyze carbohydrates into sugars) without the aid of chemical additives, and finally concentrated into a somewhat thin natural syrup. Because this syrup has a low glycemic index (GI)—a measure of how glucose affects blood sugar levels or how high your blood sugar rises when you eat certain foods —it appeals to people with dietary concerns and is usually tolerated well by diabetics. Composed primarily of easily digested fructose (up to 92% depending on the species of plant used and the producer) and smaller amounts of glucose (up to 8%), it is rapidly becoming a popular alternative to cane sugar. And while it is similar to honey, which has a GI of 83, agave nectar, with its GI of only 27, is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream thus helping to avoid the yo-yo effect of the dreaded sugar highs and lows. Another difference that enhances its appeal is that agave nectar, unlike honey and sugar, can be easily dissolved in cold liquids.


What does this all mean to you, the consumer, the cook?

Culinary Uses, Recipe Sources, and other Tidbits:
Agave nectar can be used wherever you would ordinarily use sugar, honey, or artificial (gasp!) sweeteners. A little experimentation may be necessary to find what works best for you, but the following guidelines may help:

• Substitute 1/4 to 1/3 cup of agave syrup for every 1 cup of sugar in the original recipe. Do try this as some sources will suggest using up to 3/4 cup nectar per 1 cup sugar.

• If baking, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and reduce by up to 1/3 the quantity of liquids in the original recipe.

• Remember that it is up to 75% sweeter than sugar.

• As a disclaimer, please note that there are many dangers in high fructose consumption of any sort. Do your research before diving into major agave nectar use.

• Although it is often labeled “raw,” note that it has been subjected to a heating process which stops fermentation, lest you end up with tequila. Often the heating process is below 118˚F and is thus still considered “raw.”
• Much of the agave nectar available today is organic, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher. Read the label.
• Both deliciousorganics.com and kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com offer many recipes.

• Read such recipes using agave syrup as the following with the appropriate grain of salt Healthy Diet Margaritas! This may be stretching the point.

• The GI index is certainly much, much lower than that of sugar, but be aware that different companies list different numbers.

• Agave Nectar mixed with citric juices is considered to be a natural laxative used to relieve constipation problems.

• And finally, Coco Cola has discovered it and is producing an Agave Energy Drink. Of course it is. Of course.

The Agave Vendor and his products in the Tuesday Market, January 29, 2008
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico