2013-03-14 17:15:01-04
Wandering Earl 
This is what happens when you let your friends drink tepache.
Some people really like it… 
Some people are not so sure how to react… 
Some take the drink quite seriously… 
Others need to be fed the stuff… 
Some find the taste quite pleasant… 
Some people even look quite bad-ass drinking it… 
And a rare few seem to be in excruciating pain while the drink goes down… 
Tepache is a simple Aztec creation (at least in this part of the world) made from the fruity flesh and the rinds of pineapples that are mixed with brown sugar and left to ferment for a few days. But since the fermentation time is so short, it doesn’t quite turn into alcohol and it ends up leaving behind what can only be described as an interesting taste. You can buy this drink from street vendors who ride their bicycle carts around towns and cities all over Mexico. You just flag them down, place your order and then the vendor uses a ladle to scoop up the tepache from a big barrel or bucket and places it into a plastic bag. It typically costs 5 pesos (40 US cents) for a couple of scoops. And just about everyone on my current Wander Across Mexico Tour all had a swig or two, or in some cases, nineteen, of this stuff yesterday while we were walking around the beautiful town of Valladolid. I just couldn’t let the vendor roll by without giving everyone a chance to try it out. So, the question is this… If you saw a guy pedaling a rusty cart down the road trying to sell you a plastic bag full of a gooey brown liquid that has been swishing around in a bucket, would you stop him and order some of his intriguing drink? Or would you gladly step aside and watch him keep on pedaling down the road, perfectly content to let someone else try the mysterious beverage? Let’s see how adventurous you are!
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