Between anthills and gorditas: a culinary secret in the Mezquital Valley.

Abstract

The Mezquital Valley, located in the state of Hidalgo, is a region with a rich cultural heritage,

reflected in the traditions preserved in its constituent municipalities. One example is the town of Tetepango and its Day of the Dead celebration. During this celebration, unique culinary traditions converge, such as the preparation of fresh corn gorditas, made with typical Mexican ingredients. What distinguishes this recipe is its cooking method, carried out on a comal (grill) covered entirely with a layer of pebbles collected from the region's anthills. This ancient technique is particularly interesting, since the use of pebbles modulates the heat so the gorditas acquire the ideal consistency. From collections carried out in the surroundings of Tetepango, it was found that the resource comes from anthills of the Pogonomyrmex barbatus species, whose colonies extract multiple pebbles from the subsoil when building their nests. With the transformation of land use, it is increasingly difficult to find anthills, and consequently, this tradition that connects local gastronomy with the natural environment is in danger of disappearing.