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Used as medicine, as weapons and as nutriments, the chili became core part of the Mexican culture. Nowadays, we make jokes around it, we respect the ones that eat the spiciest ones, we give it to babies (because they Mexican) and we just can´t imagine life without them! Btw, check my first post to learn more about other incredible Mexican ingredients.
Anyway, first we need to begin with the chili’s history and origin, so let’s get started. The first wild species of chili or Capsicum berries (given their form) were picked and collected 8,000 years before Christ in the Tehuacán plain (Mexico). But, it wasn’t 2,000 years later that chiles were first domesticated.
In fact, thanks to archaeological finds in Oaxaca (Mexico), it has been discovered that chiles were one of the first domesticated crops in America. Even before corn and beans!! Qué, qué?!
Not too surprisingly, it is also believed that the ones baptizing these Capsicum berries were the Aztecs; where the word chili derives from Chilpoctli, Chiltecpin or Chiltepin from the Nahuatl language.
A hot weapon: For war, taxation and pedagogical purposes
Aztecs used the smoke from chilli peppers thrown into the fire as war gases are used today. This tactic was implemented with three main purposes: 1. Correct the youth, 2. Impose taxes and 3. as a weapon against enemies.
Documentation on the use of chili smoke show how this poisonous weapon was used. For instance, stubborn children and teenagers were corrected by exposing them to the smoke until they would “understand” that their behaviors were against the norm. Another use was given during war, the tactic was to spread the smoke around the enemy. For instance, during the Spanish conquest the Aztecs used the smoke to hurt the Spaniards and to irritate their horses. And well it is easy to imagine how it was used for taxation purposes.
Addicted to suffer, oder?
Fresh, dried, in a salsa, in a dish, in a drink, in a dessert; the presentation doesn’t matter because chiles define a Mexican table. Since I recall, chiles have been fundamental in any of my:
- Meals, I always eat with a bottle of habanero sauce by my side,
- Snacks, like mangoes with chili powder or a pack of salty chips prepared with salsa Valentina, lemon, salt and Maggie… (UUUF!! Se me hizo agua), or
- Little candies, like lollipops covered with chili powder, or
- Desserts, like lemon sorbet with chamoy sauce and chili powder (look at the photo below) and
- Beer drinks, delicious mixes of tomato sauce, chili, lemon, salt, Maggie, English sauce (ingredients can be used all at once or can be mixed at the drinker’s discretion, I usually pack everything in one drink… Refreshing…
We can conclude that most Mexicans have developed an addiction to chiles, but there is an explanation: capsaicin, the compound that makes hot peppers hot, causes your brain to release chemicals that make you feel buzzed or high. And ultimately chiles are cheaper and healthier than drugs, aaaand you can consume them anywhere without getting in problems with the law 😉
I invite you to try a chili today, I guarantee you that the sensation of being spiced is amazing.
Let me know!
With hot love,
Fefe
