Pozol and Chinese Food

 Pozol is a pre-Hispanic drink made from corn and either coconut or cacao.  This was my first pozol and I went for cacao.

Sez Wikipedia:

  • The Base Material: Corn is cook-treated with lime water (nixtamalization), ground into a thick dough (masa), rolled into balls, wrapped in banana leaves, and allowed to ferment for anywhere from a few hours to several days or weeks.

  • Fermentation Profile: As it fermentation progresses, the dough develops a slightly sour, tangy, complex flavor. The fermentation process enhances its nutritional profile by boosting B vitamins, amino acids, and beneficial probiotics."



But, you ask, how did it taste?

Not great.  Like gritty (from the ground corn) slightly bitter watered-down cold cocoa.  But, refreshing in the Cancún heat.  Would I get it again? Nah.  30 pesos ($1.71) for the generous liter.


A block away from my old digs is this Chinese place.


Buffet-style.


I got take-away.






Your choice of two sides and a main for 95 pesos ($5.43).  I doubled up on the rice, which looked yummy, and got the sweet 'n' sour chicken.

But, you ask, how did it taste?

The rice, while well-cooked, had more color than flavor, so that was a bit of a non-starter.  The chicken was surprisingly good.  Often in cheap 'n' cheerful Chinese restaurants in the US the sweet and sour sauce is a bright fluorescent orange and sickeningly sweet -- I swear, they get it shipped in in 55 gallon drums! But this was nicely balanced.  Of course the chicken was no longer crispy but that's a minor niggle.

Would I get it again? Absolutely!  Good food and two meals' worth.






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