What did Emiliano Zapata like to eat

Emiliano Zapata, one of the most outstanding icons of the Mexican Revolution, not only enjoyed spending his free time in the countryside and supporting his fellow peasants, he was also a great lover of Mexican food. It is very common to talk about his battles, the political conflicts he had to face or his great companionship with Pancho Villa, however, little is said about his taste for gastronomy.

The favorite drinks of the so-called Caudillo del Sur were coffee and atole, mainly corn and plum, the latter, according to statements by people close to Zapata, was one of the most used to prepare for him by his wife every morning. He also enjoyed having his concoctions sweetened with piloncillo and made in a copper pot.

He regularly accompanied his breakfasts with bread or sometimes, he preferred to taste chubby with jocoque or cream. The author Martha Sánchez emphasizes that, in terms of food, one of her favorite dishes was the mole de olla with dumplings, although she also enjoyed foods such as tomato sauce with jumiles, cecina, sausage tacos, mushrooms, dried meat, beans and like every good Mexican, she liked to accompany her food with tortillas.

He also liked to put cheese and chili in his food. For desserts I preferred pumpkin candy or sweet potato. It is also said that he used to eat watermelons because he planted them himself in his lands in Anenecuilco, Morelos.

The same author explains that since childhood he was used to eating everything because of his work as a peasant, which began at a very young age. Over time, he got to know his tastes better and when he married Inés Alfaro Agilar, his first wife, it was she who cooked for him and “spoiled” him by making his favorite stews.

Although his “vicious” side is not known, the Morelese enjoyed smoking cigars and preferred to drink cognac, it is even said that he had a peculiar taste for French cuisine. According to a document from the Chamber of Deputies, another of Emiliano Zapata Salazar's passions, apart from food and countryside, was horses.

In fact, he realized that it was one of his favorite animals, because from a very young age he showed a great interest in knowing everything about them and learning how to ride them. One of his first exploits was when he managed to control his mare named Papaya without any problem, which had been a gift — with a lot of effort — from his father. At that time, Emiliano was just a primary school boy.

Over time he became a great rider and became an expert in the arts of charrería. So much was his taste that, on one occasion, “when he made a good profit from a watermelon crop, the money earned was used on a silver button for his charro suit”.

It should be noted that his virtues did not only remain there, since when he attended basic education at the Anenecuilco school, he stood out for his knowledge in Spanish, arithmetic and above all in history.

This last talent began to develop thanks to the fact that one of his teachers, Emilio Vara, told him his anecdotes about when he faced, as did his uncles, the Conservatives and the army of the Second Mexican Empire.

Undoubtedly, the life of the Caudillo del Sur stood out in more than one activity and his daily life was always full of particularities that made him a great figure in the history of Mexico.

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