A Classic Maya party would not be complete without these 4 things. #3 will surprise you!

by Mictlantecuhtli
Mictlantecuhtli

On a serious note, food and beverages in Mesoamerica is a topic I am very much interested in. Beverages are one of the most important things to have at a Classic Maya party. This list is rather brief, but I hope you find it informative.


    1. Cacao

Cacao is the pinnacle of drinks among the Classic Maya. Rather than being served in a bar form that we are familiar with today, cacao was served as a hot or cold bitter beverage spiced with chile, vanilla, and even honey. You could think of Classic Maya cacao as a bitter, less milky version of today's hot chocolate.

    1. Pulque

If you've read anything on Mesoamerica, especially the Aztecs, you should know about pulque. Pulque is the fermented sap of the blue agave plant. This same sap is used today to make tequila. There's some evidence that suggests that pre-Columbian peoples may have distilled agave sap and made their own version of tequila.

    1. Tobacco enemas

Most people know that the tobacco plant is native to the Americas and that Native peoples consumed tobacco before the arrival of Europeans. Typically this consumption came in the form of pipe smoking or cigarettes/cigars. However, not many people know that you can consume tobacco with your anus. No, this isn't some method of smoking that you can dry on other smokable plants today. This form of consumption involved mixing tobacco with alcohol and then squirting the mixture into the anus using a bone tub or a nozzle with a leather or rubber bulb. Personally this isn't something I would do with my friends.

    1. Balché

Balché is a drink I had not previously known about until recently. Balché is a drink made from the bark of a leguminous tree. This bark is soaked in water and honey and then fermented into a sort of mead. balché was best consumed in the form of an enema, but could be consumed with the mouth. If you really wanted to party you could combine balché and tobacco and have a Classic Maya version of The Hangover. A related drink to balché is xtabentún which is made with the sap of the morning glory plant. This would also be consumed via an enema.