Tepache
Tepache—meaning “drink made from corn”—is a fermented beverage with roots in Mexico and Central America. Originally made from corn, it evolved over time to feature pineapple, which was abundant in the region. Today, tepache transforms pineapple scraps into a refreshing, probiotic-rich drink.
Ingredients
- 1 quart filtered or spring water
- 1 small pineapple rind
- ½ cup piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Jalapeño or ginger slices to taste
Instructions
Directions
- Place pineapple rind scraps in a quart mason jar. Add the cinnamon stick and jalapeño and/or ginger to taste.
- Dissolve piloncillo in warm water and allow it to cool below 80°. Pour the piloncillo water over the jar contents, leaving ½ to 1 inch of headspace. Weigh down the ingredients to keep them below the waterline using a pineapple slice or glass weight. Cover with a tight-weave cotton cloth secured with a rubber band—tepache is an aerobic ferment and needs to breathe.
- Ferment for 3 to 7 days depending on room temperature. Shoot for 65–80°.
- Once it tastes delicious to you, strain out the solids and refrigerate in a capped jar or bottles—kombucha bottles work beautifully. For extra carbonation, ferment one additional day in a capped container before straining.
- Open carefully! Refrigerate and serve cold with pineapple and jalapeño slices as garnish.
Notes
Yield: approximately one quart.
