Spoiler: mushrooms aren’t plants, they’re fungi! Eva and Maite dig into the history of mushrooms and why they exist on every continent on Earth. From the sacred mushroom ceremonies of María Sabina in Oaxaca to the ritual significance of huitlacoche, the Mexican corn fungus, and the global obsession (and hunt for) truffles, they uncover how fungi have shaped food, medicine, myths, and culture.

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From its origins in Indigenous South America to its rise as a global symbol of wealth and migration, Eva and Maite explore the surprising history of the pineapple. They trace its journey across the Atlantic, where it became a prized status symbol among European aristocrats—so rare it was sometimes rented for dinner parties instead of eaten!

The story then moves to Hawaii, where plantation agriculture turned the pineapple into a mass-market product and reshaped the islands’ economy and landscape. Along the way, they dig into one of the most debated foods ever: Hawaiian pizza, invented in Canada by a Greek immigrant. To bring the fruit home, Maite visits Leo’s Tacos in the heart of Hollywood with food writer and Taqueando host Bill Esparza for a tasting of tacos al pastor, where pineapple plays a crucial role in balancing spice, fat, acid, and heat.

Listen to more of Bill Esparza's food adventures on his podcast, Taqueando!

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In Aztec mythology the fertility goddess, Mayahuel, is the personification of the agave plant - the source of some of the most delicious spirits in Mexican culture. Eva and Maite talk about the ritual significance of pulque, a fermented drink, to the introduction of distillation techniques post-conquest and the first mezcal, all while drinking margaritas! Ivan Vasquez, owner of Madre Restaurant in Los Angeles, shares his thoughts on mezcal.

Learn more about Ivan Vasquez and Madre Restaurant here.

Click here to try Chica Salte!

Maite’s Margarita Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of Tequila Blanco
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• ½ an ounce of triple sec
• ¼ ounce of agave

Instructions:

• Fill a cocktail shaker up halfway with ice.
• Add lime juice, tequila, triple sec and agave.
• Cover and shake until your fingers feel like they have frostbite.
• Serve in a glass with a salted rim. Enjoy!

Try Casa Del Sol.

Check out Rejon Tequila.

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