Tlecān, a minuscule mezcalería in Mexico Metropolis’s Roma neighborhood, is called after the Náhuatl phrase which means “place of fireplace,” and it lives as much as its identify the second you step inside.
A reddish-brown glow illuminates the area; smoke swirls underneath the darkish and moody lighting. The air is thick and smells of an earthy resin. Alongside the again wall stands a duplicate of the disc of dying, an iconic Aztec sculpture depicting Mictlantecuhtli, the god of dying. It’s one of many bar’s many tributes to pre-Hispanic Mexican tradition.
“Every part is designed in order that whoever is Mexican feels proud to be Mexican, and whoever isn’t is impressed and needs to be Mexican,” says Eli Martinez Bello, co-owner of the bar. The bartender led the beverage program at Pujol, a revered culinary vacation spot, for 5 years earlier than transitioning to her present position.
Tlecān focuses on mezcal, providing 13 choices from small-batch makers throughout the nation who don’t export their merchandise exterior of Mexico. On the bar, you possibly can order any of the spirits neat, or take pleasure in them in quite a lot of cocktails that take inspiration from centuries-old, pre-Hispanic drinks like tascalate.
Tascalate is greater than 3,000 years outdated and originates from the southernmost Mexican state of Chiapas. It performed a task within the historic Maya city-state of Palenque, the place greeting the king concerned bowing, then consuming a full cup of tascalate as an indication of gratitude; abandoning any liquid was thought of disrespectful. Immediately, the drink continues to be primarily present in Chiapas.
“It’s a quite simple and fundamental refreshment,” says Bernardo Serna, a associate of the mezcalería, “however that’s precisely why tascalate has lasted so lengthy. Lengthy earlier than refrigeration started, individuals floor maíz, achiote and cacao into powder and preserved it. They survived winters by consuming this extremely nourishing liquid.”
The drink itself is easy, manufactured from pulverized toasted dry maíz (or corn), cacao and achiote (small, purple, kernel-like seeds), blended with water—its identify comes from the Náhuatl phrases “tlaxcalli” (tortilla) and “atl” (water). The maíz lends the drink a thick texture and mineral style, whereas cacao brings bitter and candy notes adopted by the delicate warmth of achiote. Every part is toasted earlier than being floor down right into a tremendous powder. Water is then fastidiously added to convey the tascalate to life.
At Tlecān, the drink follows an identical fundamental format. “We might have made these elements in-house at Tlecān, however as a substitute we wish to assist native artisans each time we will, so we buy these handmade merchandise in Chiapas,” provides Serna. In Chiapas, relying on the season, the drink is served piping sizzling or ice-cold and it’s now typically made with milk. However on the Mexico Metropolis bar, the place it takes the type of a bitter, it’s all the time chilled and made with water.
“Tlecān makes use of the tascalate to pay homage to all maíz drinks similar to atole, tejate and champurrado—thick, cereal-like drinks that get their density from one of many oldest meals elements in Mexican tradition: maíz,” says Serna. The bar staff discovered that tascalate’s distinctive texture was greatest suited to the bitter template, made right here with a base of mezcal complemented by egg white, agave nectar and lemon. “We use small-batch suppliers, so it’s potential the mezcal within the drink can change as a consequence of availability,” says Serna, “however the cocktail will all the time use a mezcal that’s earthy and just a little acidic to convey out the flavour notes of the tascalate.”
The top result’s a brick purple cocktail topped off with a thick egg white foam. Regardless of its daring shade, the Tascalate Bitter tastes mild, brilliant and earthy. It’s served in a coupe and completed with a dusting of fermented cacao powder.
“We’re working to inform the story of many generations of Mexicans and the historical past behind a few of these conventional drinks,” says Martinez Bello, who serves her drinks alongside a modest meals menu of avenue meals staples, just like the pambacito, a tackle pambazo, a chunky bread roll dipped in salsa and filled with chorizo, mashed potatoes and Chihuahua cheese. Different cocktail highlights embrace the Todas Las Flores, a tackle tepache that’s ready with guanábana (soursop) and lavender; the Pulque Colada, the place pulque, a boozy fermented brew comprised of agave sap and known as “the drink of the Gods,” arrives recent from the Mexican state of Hidalgo and serves as the bottom; and the Ocelóyotl, which contains Veracruz’s conventional carajillo, a candy espresso drink, in its construct.
On Instagram, Tlecān has almost 25,000 followers, however it follows solely 4 accounts—all cultural establishments. It’s a nod to the bar’s design, which is made to imitate a museum gallery; the Aztec statue replicates one at Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Antropología. It’s the bar’s means of claiming, “For those who love us, go be taught extra about us, our tradition,” says Serna.
For the bar staff, Tlecān is a sacred area to pay tribute to pre-Hispanic traditions via gourmand drinks and dishes which are emblematic of Mexico. It’s an invite for visitors, Mexican and non-Mexican alike, to delve into the intensive historical past and wealthy tradition of the nation.
“I acquired into mixology to inform tales,” Martinez Bello provides. “Then I spotted, there’s a lot that’s already occurred, issues we will’t overlook. So relatively than inventing new [stories], I made this about going deep into Mexico’s historical past and tradition, and bringing it to individuals right here and now via drinks.”
Elizabeth Quan Kiu V. helped translate and fact-check this piece. She is a Spanish-language journalist, translator and educator. Born and raised in Mexico Metropolis, Elizabeth immigrated to Chicago within the Nineties. She’s fluent in English and resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
