Chilate: cold drink of cacao, rice and cinnamon from Guerrero

What is it?

Chilate is a traditional Mexican cold drink made with toasted cacao, raw rice, cinnamon stick and piloncillo or sugar, all finely ground with water until a creamy and frothy texture is obtained on serving. It originates from the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca, a region inhabited by Afro-Mexican, indigenous and mestizo communities. It has a deep flavour of toasted cacao, with a slightly grainy background of rice and a warm sweetness of piloncillo and cinnamon. It is a ceremonial and everyday drink at the same time: it is served at patron-saint fairs, weddings, wakes and as a refreshing drink in warm climates. Its frothy character, a pre-Hispanic legacy of cacao-whisking techniques, distinguishes it from other Mexican cold cacao drinks. It differs from Oaxacan tejate by not carrying cacao flower or rosita de cacao in its traditional recipe.

Origin and history

Chilate has pre-Hispanic origins documented among the Amuzgo, Mixtec and Nahua peoples of the southern Mexican Pacific coast. Its name comes from the Nahuatl 'chilatl' which means 'chilli water', although the current recipe does not include chilli. Some researchers propose that the word derives from 'chili-atl' referring to an original spicy drink, or that it is a contraction of 'chocolate-atl'. After the arrival of African communities to the region during the 16th and 17th centuries, brought as enslaved labour for the coastal haciendas, chilate was enriched with Afro-Mexican culinary knowledge. Larousse Cocina identifies it as a characteristic drink of the Costa Chica region. The modern recipe reflects syncretism: pre-Hispanic Mexican cacao and cinnamon, rice introduced by the Spanish from Asia, piloncillo derived from African sugar cane. The technique of frothing by vigorous whisking is reminiscent of the pre-Hispanic chocolate documented by Sahagún in the 16th century.

Characteristic ingredients

Toasted cacao is the essential ingredient; native or trinitario cacao from the regions of Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca is preferred, slowly toasted on the comal to release aromas. The rice is added raw after soaking for several hours, which allows it to be finely ground and provides thick creaminess to the drink. The cinnamon stick is ground together with the cacao and rice to integrate its aroma. Grated piloncillo is the traditional sweetener, although brown sugar can also be used. Some recipes add almonds, star anise or allspice. Traditionally everything is ground on a stone metate several times until a very fine paste is obtained; modern mills perform the function more quickly. The paste is diluted with cold water and vigorously whisked with a molinillo or blender until plenty of foam forms. It is served in traditional jícaras or tall glasses, with the foam visible on top. The typical proportion is one hundred and fifty grams of cacao, fifty grams of soaked raw rice, a stick of cinnamon and piloncillo to taste per two litres of water.

Cultural significance

Chilate is an identity drink of the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca, a region of deep Afro-Mexican, indigenous and mestizo heritage. It is indispensable at patron-saint festivities, weddings, christenings, wakes and the Day of the Dead rituals. In municipalities such as Cuajinicuilapa, Ometepec, Pinotepa Nacional and Jamiltepec it maintains a ritual role in community celebrations. The Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples, has recognised chilate as part of the gastronomic heritage of Afro-Mexican communities, recently recognised constitutionally in 2019 as the third cultural root of Mexico alongside the indigenous and Spanish. Traditional Mexican cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010, includes chilate among the representative drinks of southern Mexico. The preparation of chilate sustains the economy of cooperatives of Afro-Mexican women, especially in Cuajinicuilapa, where its commercialisation at fairs and festivals has contributed to giving visibility to the Afro-mestizo culinary culture of the Mexican Pacific.

Frequently asked questions

What does chilate taste like?

It tastes deeply of toasted cacao, with a creamy rice background, warm cinnamon notes and molasses sweetness from the piloncillo. Its texture is slightly grainy because of the rice, with a characteristic foam on the surface. It is reminiscent of a rustic cold chocolate but with a more complex profile and less sweet than conventional hot chocolate. It is a refreshing and energising drink, ideal for warm climates.

What is the difference between chilate and tejate?

Oaxacan tejate carries cacao, cooked maize, cacao flower, toasted mamey stone (pixtle) and rosita de cacao, generating a dense floating white foam. Guerrero chilate uses cacao, ground raw rice and cinnamon, with less abundant foam but a creamier texture. Both are frothy pre-Hispanic cold drinks, but they belong to different traditions: tejate is Mixtec-Zapotec; chilate is Afro-Mexican-Amuzgo.

Where does chilate originate from?

It originates from the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca, a region of the southern Mexican Pacific inhabited by Afro-Mexican, Amuzgo, Mixtec and Nahua communities. Municipalities such as Cuajinicuilapa, Pinotepa Nacional, Ometepec and Jamiltepec are traditional centres of its making. Its name comes from Nahuatl, which indicates pre-Hispanic roots, but its current recipe reflects the coastal cultural syncretism developed during the colonial and republican era.

How is chilate served?

It is served cold in traditional jícaras made of gourd or in tall transparent glasses that allow one to appreciate the foam. It is accompanied with regional sweet bread such as rosquetes, marquesotes or maize bread. At family celebrations and patron-saint festivities it is given out in large pans with a ladle. The ideal temperature is well chilled, around 5-8 degrees, to highlight the contrast with the warm coastal climate.