I returned to Huejuquilla in early May to review progress being made in the newly established (December 2004) small scale soyaria at the Huichol Center. My plan was to work with the staff in facilitating production of products, and experiment further to create new products that would be well received locally.

For the most part, workers were following the correct production and sanitary procedures. We needed to focus more on planning and efficiency; making sure that everything would be in place for whatever work was to be accomplished. We rearranged worktables, the smaller equipment, and supplies to be closer to the work areas where they are used for easier access at designated workstations. We made enough space in the entry room where the ice cream machine lives, that local people could come in, sit down and enjoy some ice cream or another product and watch how the process works. There was instruction everyday on procedures as well.

For a fresh product, we decided on soymilk, for which there are a few regular weekly orders from local people. The soymilk is also being made into yogurt for frozen yogurt and many different flavors of soy ice cream. The soy ice cream is being packaged and sold in half liter and liter containers, as well as into individual and full size ice cream pies. Ice cream is very popular here in this hot, high desert climate.

There were many flavors of soy ice cream ready for sale in the freezer but no dry products on the shelf. For dry products in the Huichol Center Soy Dairy, we decided on kilo bags of soybeans, and half-kilo bags of pinole. Pinole is an indigenous ground mix, normally made of toasted maiz (corn) and sugar to make a hot drink or sweet treat. The Huichol Center pinole is a mix of toasted corn, soybeans, and amaranth, ground together with either cinnamon bark or toasted cacao beans flavor. This makes a power packed protein food, quick and easy to prepare, leaving the sugar content to individual taste. We have made this pinole into atole (a popular hot drink), a pudding, cookies, and a sweet treat in the form of little balls. It was an instant hit with both Huichol and Mexican people. We designed and printed labels for the bags of pinole and put them on the shelves. We want to focus more on incorporating the use of amaranth, an indigenous grain with complete protein that was banned throughout the regions by the Spanish when they arrived because of its use in the indigenous religious ceremonies. Its use survived in the Sierra with the Huichol people since they were so isolated from outside influences. We started planting two types of amaranth last season from seed passed down through countless generations of Huicholes.

The crusts for the ice cream pies are being made from cookies made in the Soy Kitchen utilizing the okara (left over soy pulp) from the soymilk process. Other products we are experimenting with from the okara include sugar cones for the soy ice cream, and the dough for tamales and the corn cones for the "Beany Cone." The "Beany Cone" has good potential as a fast food to go product that was invented at the Huichol Center. It consists of a tortilla made from corn dough fortified with the okara, which is formed into a cone like an ice cream cone and fried to hold it’s shape, then filled with the local refried beans, and whatever else might be added to a taco. We are having a special mold for the cone made out of stainless steel by a local metal worker.

With the help of the Huichol Center staff, the three original pamphlets were re-written and expanded into small booklets with color photos describing the process for making soymilk and tofu at home, as well as how to cook with texturized vegetable protein that is widely available to low income families. More recipes were added to all the pamphlets and the larger color photos to make it easier to understand the process. We want to put together a new pamphlet for pinole and one for the okara and eventually a Huichol Center Cookbook.

Preparation for this year’s planting is underway. Two new gates have been installed at the entrances to the fields to protect them from wandering cattle. Initial plowing has begun, irrigation pumps and hose are being prepared and planting one hectare (about 2.5 acres) of soybeans for continuation of the seed trials, along with traditional corn and amaranth on two more hectares to follow soon. For this season, nine types of soybeans from the seed trials, plus two types that Chuck Haren brought down in December will be planted.

An Introduction to Soyfoods class was held at the Huichol Center soyaria in conjunction with DIF (Aid for Infants and Families). We demonstrated how to make soymilk and tofu at home and gave out samples of all the products we had for sale. It was a great introduction to the new foods available for sale to the townsfolk, and many of those who attended bought soy ice cream afterward to take home. We will make available to DIF the pamphlets we produced on soymilk, tofu and texturized vegetable protein. The timing was not right for more classes in the Sierra Madre Huichol homelands due to intensive ceremonial activities during this period, so these will have to happen later on.

We made good progress this time, but there is still much to do. There needs to be more education done in the area to introduce these new foods. As usual, just when I felt like I was getting going, it was time to leave again. We’re already planning for my next visit later in the year.

Previous articles on the Huichol Center, Spring 2005

Next article by Louise on the Huichol Center, Winter 2005