Itacates of Tepoztlán were the traditional food of the workers of the milpas, today they have a great variety of fillings and styles.
The basic food in Mexico is corn, the grain that accompanies almost every dish. It is consumed in different ways in different regions. One of the most traditional are the itacates of Tepoztlán, Morelos, where it is said that Quetzalcóatl, the god who gave corn to the ancient Mexicans, was born.
The Itacates take their name from the Nahua voice Itacatl, which is the way to refer to food given to another person, usually to farmers or to those who attend a meeting and receive food as a gift.
In the case of the itacates of Tepoztlán, it is the food given to the peasants so that they can eat during their time of rest in the milpas. For this reason, it is a small, triangular food that can be eaten cold, because it has to be practical, nutritious and tasty.
Itacate is a small triangular cake that is usually filled with some other food, although it was originally made only with beans. Its consistency is soft, similar to that of a tlacoyo, not as soft as a tamale, but not hard either.
Although it is a food to be eaten cold, there are versions of itacates that are prepared hot and ready to eat. They can also be stuffed with other foods such as potatoes with chorizo, quelites, cheese, chicharrón and even grasshoppers. If you visit the magical city of Tepoztlán, you will certainly find a large number of places to eat them, but the snacks at the city market are the most popular.
Mercado Municipal Tepoztlán
📍 Arq. Pablo González 3, Santo Domingo, 62520 Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico.
