[Aztlan] agave

[Diehl, Richard]

While many species of agave occur all over Mesoamerica, the magueys that
produce fermentable sap for pulque production apparently only thrive in
central Mexico above 1800 meters altitude. At least that is what Jeff
and Mary Parsons say in their classic work, Maguey Utilization in
Highland Central Mexico: An Archaeological Ethnography. I have always
been struck by the fact that magueys are depicted on the panels of El
Tajin's South Ballcourt, even though they do not grow in the area. Since
pulque has a short "shelf life" owing to continual fermentation, it must
have been fairly rank by the time it arrived at El Tajin. Of course,
some folks would say that ALL pulque is rank but they have never tasted
the top-of-the-line  product found in the Mezquital of Hidalgo state.
Not for nothing did the Aztecs call the region the Teotlalpan, (Garden
of the Gods). Good nutrition in a pleasant form!
Dick