While Adonais Nité Márquez was growing up in northern New Mexico, his grandmother transformed blue corn from her garden into atole, a thick, nutty-sweet, nutrient-filled elixir. “I still drink it at night to aid with digestion,” Márquez says.

  • 4 cups water, divided
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup fine-ground blue cornmeal
  • 3 tablespoons piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar)
  • Honey to taste
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon, optional
  • 1 dash salt, optional

Serves 1

  1. In a small pot, simmer 2 cups water with cinnamon sticks.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine blue cornmeal and remaining 2 cups cold water, mix well.
  3. Remove cinnamon sticks from simmering water and add the cornmeal-water mixture, mix well.
  4. Mix in the piloncillo. Add honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon and salt to taste.

This recipe originally appeared in "Blue Corn State of Mind" by Candolin Cook.