The sweet shoppe

For the past century-and-a quarter and a bit more, the place to stock up on such classic Mexican candy as prickly pear cheese and calabaza en tacha has been Dulcería Celaya on Cinco de Mayo in the Historic Center of Mexico City.

Image:Luz Montero

Glazed limes stuffed with coconut and suspiros (right) tempt candy-lovers at Dulcería Celaya.

“Originally, the store was located on Calle Madero back when it was Plateros, the Street of the Silversmiths,” said Jorge Uguenin, current manager of the establishment his family has owned and run for six generations. “We moved to Cinco de Mayo about 1900.”

The shop appears to have changed little since then. Décor is classic fin de siècle, but the fin of another siècle. Pressed tin ornaments the small shop’s ceiling and walls; the walls, in turn, are covered by mirrors.Display counters all but groan under the weight of sweets such as are seldom found anywhere else. Often more than 150 items are available.

“Some candies are seasonal,” Uguenin explained. “It depends on when certain fruits are available. Almost everything –about 90%– of the products we make ourselves in a little factory in Colonia Roma.” The firm also operates its only branch store in Colonia Roma (Orizaba 37).

Traditional Mexican candies are as mestizo as Mexicans themselves, Uguenin continued. “Milk and sugar originally came from Spain, all to be blended with native fruits, nuts and berries. Never forget, Mexico gave the world both vanilla and chocolate.”

Nuns in 16th century convents who first cooked up mole and chiles en nogada also gave Mexico its candies. “The sale of sweets provided an income for the convents,” Uguenin said.

In the more secular 19th century, the Guanajuato city of Celaya became especially well-known, first for its cajeta – a goat’s milk caramel – and then for a variety of other delights It made sense, then, when the Uguenin family opened its shop to name it Dulcería Celaya. Surviving for six generations cannot have been easy. Mass-produced candies now dominate the market to such an extent the Dulcería Celaya has become something of a curiosity shop mentioned in guidebooks.

“Tourists make a point of seeking us out,” Uguenin said. “Mexicans from the provinces and Europeans, especially the Italians. The Italians are fascinated by glazed limes stuffed with coconut. They think it is very exotic.”

Mexicans prefer jamoncillos, which many remember as a childhood treat. Jamoncillo is a milkbased candy cooked until it’s firm enough to be sliced into cubes of different sizes and sold. The Celaya shop has seven or eight varieties. It’s almost the only place you can find camotes outside of Puebla. Camotes are yams mashed into little tubes, glazed and individually wrapped.

Other delights include tepopozte a favorite in Colima, made from hominy, cinnamon, aniseed, brown sugar and sage leaves; nogada, walnut-based chocolate nougat made with sugar, eggs and butter; muéganos, hollow flour balls coated with caramel, then sprinkled with nuts and palanqueta – peanut brittle.

Any of these make a delicious addition to candy dishes you may have set around your home or office. And what could make a sweeter gift than a box of traditional Mexican candy?

Dulcería Celaya, Av. 5 de Mayo No. 39, Centro Histórico, Mexico City.