Mexican Name Finder
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Calabaza en tacha

"squash in the sugar vat"

Say it

kah·lah·BAH·sah en TAH·chah

Built from

Spanish calabazasquash+enin+tachathe evaporating pan of a sugar mill

What Calabaza en tacha means

Calabaza en tacha is a Mexican sweet name of Spanish origin meaning "squash in the sugar vat". It is built from Spanish calabaza (squash) and en (in) and tacha (the evaporating pan of a sugar mill). It is pronounced kah-lah-BAH-sah en TAH-chah, and it is most associated with central Mexico.

A tacha is the copper vat where cane juice was boiled down at a sugar mill. The name records the equipment, not a recipe: the squash was left to candy in the syrup vessel itself.

This is a site about what Mexican words mean, so there is no recipe here. For the name itself: From colonial convent sweets like ate and jamoncillo to the chili-and-tamarind candies of the modern corner shop. Alegría means "joy", borrachito means "little drunk one", and muégano's name is a mystery even to Mexicans.

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Calabaza en tacha means squash in the sugar vat

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