Neta - Quiote De Espadin Nicolas
Neta Description
This experimental batch was made from 120 burgeoning flower stalks, or quiotes, that were cut and collected from seven- and eight-year-old maturing Espadín agaves in July 2023 that were left in the field to be harvested later in the year. The practice of “castrating” the maguey is a truly ancient technique employed to redirect the plant’s energy back into the heart of the agave, increasing the size and sugar content of the piña. While this step represents a hallmark of traditional agave spirits production, it has long been done by peoples reliant upon agave as a primary food source throughout Mesoamerica and the lands of what is now the Southwest United States. Today in Miahuatlán, the quiote itself is generally not used for fermentation and distillation, but still has its place in local gastronomy. Select chunks for the quiote are collected, carefully roasted, and mashed on a stone metate. The sweet fibers and juices are then gathered and mixed with corn dough to create a masa composed of both corn and agave that is used to make a uniquely delicious tostada. As most agave tend to develop their asparagus like flowering stalks during the mid-months of the rainy season, these tostadas de maguey are a seasonal treat generally limited to the months of June-August