- June 7th, 2012
- 2 Comments
Not exactly ‘sugar,’ this bag of brown goodness is the culmination of over 500 years of hard work and labor put in by the Mexican peoples. The artistry and back-breaking labor needed to produce piloncillo is much like that of Tequila. This “sugar” isn’t really sugar so much as evaporated cane juice. You may have spotted a short brown cone as you walk through the ‘ethnic’ aisles at the grocery store; this is much like that – only much, much better. This piloncillo is made with time honored techniques in a cooperative by artisans and family farms, but how is it made?
The canes are pressed and the juice is run into a large container where it is collected, heated, evaporated and dried. Here, this piloncillo is unlike other types such as the clunky, hard to use blocks – but ground fine into the perfect sized crystal for cooking, portioning, and for use all over the kitchen. This “sugar” isn’t the flat, sweet-only, flavor profile that white refined sugar gives; piloncillo is slightly smoky, rich with earthiness and mellow caramel flavors. Rancho Gordo plucks this super tasty pack of sweet from the Huasateca region of San Luis Potosi, where the sugar cane is harvested without burning the fields – something the cooperative producing this piloncillo is proud to tell about.
Try it on top of fresh strawberries for a smooth flavor unlike anywhere else. We love to use the piloncillo in coffee to compliment all of our favorite complexities that lay in the similarly roasted beans. The folks at Rancho Gordo add it to their milk with a cinnamon stick when making espresso, or adding to popcorn for a tasty kettle corn-like snack. Anyway you use it, it’ll find a place in your favorite dishes – we know it has for us.
Pick up a bag of Rancho Gordo’s pililoncillo today, on our shelves!
I love the Image of that short brown cone walking thru the grocery store!
Ah right-oh, fixed it to make it clear. Thanks Dave!