Mercado Central (Part 3) – Mote con Huesillo
What is it? How can you not ask that question when you see this glass of syrupy fluid over a layer of some sort of grain and what looks like an orange egg or some sort of fruit at the bottom? Really? You eat/drink that?
After our wonderful seafood lunch (well, mine was seafood – Marco had pollo – chicken), I asked Marco about dessert. What’s an authentic Chilean dessert?
Of course they have wonderful things like cheesecake and helado (like gelatto), and make a delicious flan that’s very similar to what we might have in the southwest USA. But I wanted something distinctly Chilean.
As we passed by the front of the Merado Central we discussed these things. Marco pondered ideas and tried to explain them to me. Then he saw Sebastián, a gentleman who works at El Galeón, a small restaurant just to the left of this gate. Like those inside the fish market, he was striving to catch passersby in order to entice them to enjoy a meal, or dessert, in the restaurant.
Sebastián surprised me with excellent English. I silently chuckled, wondering if Marco liked that or would have rather kept me challenged with Spanish. I do know that my brain heaved a sigh of relief.
Marco and Sebastián discussed what might be the best choice in a Chilean dessert, pointing out a couple of them as they talked. Finally it was decided that I should be introduced to a very interesting dessert developed in Chile – Mote con Huesillo. Oh, I should note that we were somewhat bribed with a small glass of pisco sour, though that really wasn’t required.
The mote con huesillo is unlike anything I’ve ever had before. The “syrup” really wasn’t nearly as sweet as I’d anticipated, instead turning out to be quite refreshing.
The drink is made using a partially dehydrated peach (huesillo – the egg-like object in the glass) that’s then soaked in water along with certain spices, including cinnamon. Somewhere along the way wheat berries are boiled as well (mote), allowing them to swell and become tender.
The authenticity of the mote con huesillo is highlighted in a local saying, “es más chileno/a que el mote con huesillo” (it is more Chilean than the mote con huesillos).
When trying things like this you can’t quite be sure what to expect. I was expecting it to be almost sickly sweet, so my taste buds were a bit surprised when I took the first spoonful. It was lightly sweetened and simply watery, rather than syrupy. Sure, it was sweet, but it was a gentle sweetness that refreshed.
Marco shared that these are very popular in the summer, being offered by street vendors throughout the city. I could instantly see why.
The wheat berries added to the experience, providing some substance and holding some of the flavor of the spices and watery syrup. Then came the peach. By this time, it was pretty much as expected – a delightfully seasoned peach.
As I prepared to take a picture, it dawned on me that readers haven’t seen my mug. While that may be a good thing, perhaps it’s helpful to identify with me a bit better if you saw a spoon in my hand. Here I am getting ready to dig into my first mote con huesillo. Rest assured that it won’t be my last.
Here’s my new friend, Sebastián. If you happen by this way, tell him Joe from EscapeArtist Chile sent you. Maybe he’ll give you a free pisco sour. I’m sure he’ll give you a big smile. And he’ll probably call you “boss.”
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