A Mexican Staple: Salsa Chamoy!

Every gift we choose for Wine Club has a connection to the bottles in the bag. With this month’s Ancestral Wines theme, we picked a sauce from our friends at Las Gemelas (meaning Twin Sisters, they actually have two locations in La Cosecha with us!). Everyone who has grown up in Mexico, and many that have visited or lived there, will immediately recognize it: chamoy!

It turns out, chamoy has a fascinating ancestry. Today made in a variety of ways, including a powdered version and a gooey candy, it derives from a Chinese traditional snack called “see mui,” which is pronounced very similarly to “chamoy.” A dried and salted apricot, traders and migrants from Asia brought the snack with them at some point after the 1560s. To this day, young Mexicans enjoy the closest thing to this original version, saladito. Traditionally made from ume plum -  technically a small, sour apricot - other fruits, such as green tamarind, are common as well.

Though the most common forms of chamoy are highly processed, many chefs make their own, fresher and healthier versions. La Gemelas’ version combines apricot, hibiscus, chiles, sugar, lime, and salt. They suggest finishing a bowl of chopped mango, pineapple, and melon with a drizzle of this legendary condiment. It’s also amazing as a glaze, even a central ingredient in a cocktail - they have one at Las Gemelas that you have to try!

Sounds delicious, right? So are the wines we picked! Read all about them and come pick up at either location.