Chorizo Verde de Toluca (Toluca Green Chorizo)

History & Origin

Toluca green chorizo is one of the most distinctive sausages in Mexico and a gastronomic symbol of the Toluca Valley in the State of Mexico. Unlike traditional red chorizo which uses dried chiles for its colour, green chorizo gets its hue from a combination of fresh herbs and green chiles: cilantro, parsley, spinach, poblano chile, serrano chile and sometimes lettuce or chard. The chorizo-making tradition in Toluca dates back to the colonial period, when the Spanish introduced sausage-making techniques that fused with local ingredients. The Toluca Valley, with its cold climate and altitude of 2,600 metres, offered ideal conditions for pig rearing and sausage production. The Toluca chorizo market, known as the Mercado 16 de Septiembre, has been the epicentre of this tradition for over a century. There one finds dozens of varieties: green, red, almond, walnut, extra-spicy. Green chorizo is prepared fresh and eaten fried, in tacos with maize tortillas, or as an ingredient in quesadillas, eggs and other dishes. Its flavour is herbaceous, mildly spicy and deeply aromatic.