The wooden molinillo spins rapidly inside a jícara, creating a soft, foamy layer that rises over the drink below. Behind the table, adding the final touches to the drink, Lidia Lucas smiles as she adds a spoonful of maíz to her customer’s Pozontle.
Pozontle is a traditional cacao-based drink once shared in Zapotec ceremonies in the northern mountain region of Oaxaca and now revived as both a heritage ritual and an opportunity for a small business. “We know it from our town,” she said in Spanish. “It’s tradition for our town.”
Born in Yalalag, Oaxaca, Lucas came to Los Angeles in 2004. She began selling Pozontle around five years ago in her backyard as a way to earn extra income. For Lucas, Pozontle is more than just a drink; it’s a way of keeping her ancestors’ customs alive.
“So that the customs of our ancestors don’t get lost,” she said. Still, she worries that the tradition might fade as younger generations grow up outside of her hometown, Yalalag, and lose traditional customs. “Maybe one day it will get lost,” she admits. “The younger generations don’t know how to make it. I try to teach my kids, and they know how to mix it, but it’s not just about that, it’s [knowing] how to prepare it from the beginning, like the juice and [cooking the] corn.”
Her daughter, Berenice Lucas, shared her thoughts, “[It] feels good because many people come here to support my mom and love that they enjoy her company [but] I don’t think it’s my job to do it, I already know how to do it so I can always help her out but I don’t think I will ever sell it as my full-time job.”
For Lucas, Pozontle has become both a personal mission and a business opportunity. “There are so many people from our town and others who love it,” she said. “I make it every day from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and sometimes I even take it to kermeses.” A kermés is a Spanish term for an outdoor fair or festival, often held for charitable or church purposes.
During the hot months, business thrives. In colder weather, sales slow down. Occasionally, she faces challenges getting the cacao paste from her importer. Still, the demand continues, with customers often suggesting she sell food too.
Lucas prepares each drink meticulously. She cooks corn in cal, prepares rice, makes piloncillo juice, and uses cacao balls imported from Yalalag. “The balls are made from cacao and cocolmeca, that’s what gives it the foam,” she said.
Although Pozontle originates in Yalalag, it is now made in other Oaxacan towns, like Betaza and Xochitepec, representing a broader heritage, said Silvia Molina, a customer with roots in the region.
First-time customers are often captivated by the setup. Ashley Caztro, who learned about the drink through her roommate, recalled the first time she tried the drink, “When I saw the molinillo and the jícara bowl, I didn’t know what to expect.” “The bowl looked like a coconut, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to eat it! But the foam on top, the espuma looked really good,” she added.
Tasting it for the first time, she enjoyed the flavors. “It reminded me a little of a drink from Peru,” Caztro said. “I liked the foam in particular. The chocolate and rice together were good, even though I normally don’t like arroz con leche.” She added that she would definitely recommend it to friends and family, seeing it as a way to experience and share indigenous culture.
For customers with roots in Oaxaca, the drink carries a deeper resonance. Molina, who has roots in the region, had a more personal connection. “I’ve been drinking it since I was 8 or 9,” she said in Spanish. “I always choose maize because that’s how it’s done back home. Here, people can choose rice if they want, but that feels more American.”
For those trying it for the first time, the drink leaves a lasting impression. “You have to try it first,” she said. “Even if you don’t like it right away, you’ll enjoy it. It’s made with cacao, cocolmeca, and piloncillo, it’s really good.”
Pozontle is more than just a drink; it is a bridge between generations, a taste of home, and a living reminder of Zapotec traditions. Through Lidia’s dedication, the flavors and traditions of Yalalag are shared with a wider community, connecting people to a heritage that might otherwise fade.