Our pinole is a fascinating product made from ground heirloom blue corn in Mexico. Unlike most corn products, it’s not made from nixtamalized, the process of removing the skins with cal. With pinole, the corn is lightly toasted and then ground to a fine powder and mixed with a little piloncillo (raw sugar) and canela (true cinnamon).

First and foremost you can make a refreshing drink out of it by adding about 1 cup of pinole per liter of water. Start with cold water and allow it to boil for about five minutes. You then can add a little milk, almond milk or more flavors like fruits or nuts. The texture should be thick but very much a liquid. I’ve noticed the longer it cooks, the more velvety the texture, but if you decide to extend the cooking, you’ll need to stir constantly to avoid scorching.

Possibly the most popular use for pinole is as a licking powder, like a pre-Colombian Pixie Stick. Add a little to the palm of our hand and go at it. Not very elegant but it’s hard to stop once you’ve started.

Even with a small amount of sweetener, some cooks like to dip a chicken or turkey cutlet onto a plate of pinole mixed with salt and fresh ground pepper before pan frying. It sounds weird but addictive. In fact you can use it as a flour substitute. You’ll need to experiment to see what works for you but we suggest subbing a quarter cup of flour with pinole for each cup of flour you use.

Gluten-free and in Mexico, it’s prescribed for lactating mothers who breastfeed.