The cajeta de Celaya, a traditional sweet that helped to achieve victory in the times of the Mexican Revolution
Celaya, Guanajuato, (October 27, 2021).- The Cajeta from Celaya is part of the traditional Mexican sweets that we all love. Talking about this ingredient is to remember beautiful moments of our childhood. Who did not receive one of these sweets in their Christmas bonuses, in the piñata?
Today there are many presentations of this famous sweet; It can even be found in the form of a mini sandwich, created with two wafers. In Colombia there is a fairly similar sweet that they call “arequipe”, but hey, that’s another story.
The cajeta is a 100 percent handmade sweet that was born in Celaya, a town in the beautiful city of Guanajuato, and to this day it continues to fill Mexican homes with sweetness.
(Photo: Instagram @turismocelaya)
Origin of the cajeta de Celaya
Its origin comes from the vice-royal era of New Spain, at that time milk-based sweets were already made. However, the cattle that abounded in the Bajío area were goats, from where the Celaya cajeta began to be made .
Previously, it was known as “cajeta de Tejamanil”, as it was sold in small cylinders called “cajetes”, a term from which it derives its name.
Since then, this sweet has been produced in states like Guanajuato, Coahuila and Durango. From here it is distributed throughout the country.
(Photo: Instagram @turismocelaya)
Its preparation consists of heating the goat’s milk in a pot, adding cinnamon and sugar, while it is left to cook over medium heat. After a few minutes, starch is added and boiled for more minutes, while constantly stirring.
Most factories retain their traditional preparation and are currently packed in glass or plastic containers.
A curious fact about this typical Mexican sweet is that it was used by the army during the time of the Mexican Revolution. Thanks to its high caloric content, this food helped the soldiers survive and withstand the time necessary to achieve victory.
With this, the cajeta becomes not only a traditional sweet, but also an important element of the history of Mexico.
The cost of the cajeta in our country, depending on the size, varies between 10 and 50 pesos. There are two types of this sweet: burnt and vanilla.
In September 2010, the cajeta was declared “The dessert of the Mexican Bicentennial”, thus honoring its history, tradition and origin.
Source: Mexico ruta mágica
