Cecil dips out the liquid nectar essential to mote con huesillo´s flavor. Photo by Kendal Montgomery.
It´s summer here in Santiago, and it´s hot! And as this time of year rolls around, so do the carts of mote con huesillo, the city and country´s favorite summer refresher.
A cooked dried peach, the "huesillo," and it´s watery, sugared juice with cooked wheat, the "mote:" a strange, yet wonderful combination. Some simply don´t like it. Others, just the juice, or just the juice and the mote. But most, most like it all, myself being one of them…it is absolutely amazing.
I´m not quite sure what it is about mote con huesillo, but honestly, have a cup on a hot, tiring day, and an unforeseen energy emerges. And really, there´s not that much sugar added; it´s not like a Red Bull or any of those other sugar infested wastes of money, it´s just, well, possibly magic. Chilean magic. Or a semi-healthy mix of ingredients.
Mote is simply wheat, one of the world´s largest dietary staples. It´s rich in vitamins and minerals, such as Potassium and Vitamin B6, and it´s a low-calorie, filling food that is essential for a healthy metabolism. Then there´s the huesillo, which was dehydrated, rehydrated and cooked, but in the end, it´s just a fruit, high in Vitamins A and C, iron, antioxidants, fiber and low in calories. The only spoiler to this otherwise incredibly healthy snack is that wonderful liquid nectar that brings it all together. Still, a medium cup with three huesillos will only set you back no more than 300 calories, and considering its nutritional value, it is well worth it.
There´s a saying in Chile that goes, "Más chileno que el mote con huesillos," "More Chilean than a mote con huesillo," which proves how popular this "refreshing national drink" really is. And little can be more Chilean.
As soon as there is a hint of summer, carts appear all over the city selling only mote con huesillo. Honestly nearly every corner downtown has a little cart set-up, generally with a few plastic stools for those wanting to rest their bones while the drink does its magic. Though there are many independent vendors, probably the most popular is the Copihue brand, with more than 40 carts.
As if mote con huesillo could not get any better, it´s also fairly cheap, as a medium cup will cost you less than a dollar. Not too shabby for cup of deliciousness.
I´m not going to lie, looks-wise, it´s not exactly appetizing, but as the clichéd saying goes, "You can´t judge a book by its cover."
It´s an odd mix and has an even odder look, but its taste is wonderful, and really, that´s all that matters.
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