Il grano di che fanno il pane è vn grano a guisa di cece, alcuni bianchi, & altri rossi, & altri neri, & vermigli, lo seminano, & fa vna canna alta, come vna mezza lancia, & butta due, ò tre panocchie, doue è quel grano a guisa di panico. Il modo con che fanno il pane è che mettono vna pignatta grande sopra il fuoco, che tiene quattro, ò cinque cantara d'acqua, & gli accendono sotto il fuoco fin che bolla l'acqua, & all'hora gli lieuano il fuoco, & dentro vi gettano il grano, che da loro si chiama Tavul, & sopra esso gettano poi vn poco di calcina, perche gli lieui la scorza che lo copre, & l'altro giorno, ouero de lì a tre, ò quattro hore, che si è raffreddato lo lauano molto bene al fiume, o in casa con molte acque, onde resta molto netto della calcina, & doppo lo macinano con certe pietre fatte a posta, & secondo che lo vengono macinando, gli vengono gettando l'acqua, & si và facendo pasta, & cosi in vn punto macinandolo, & impastandolo fanno il pane, & cuochonlo in certe cose, come tecchie grandi poco maggiori che vn criuello, & cosi facendo il pane, subito lo mangiano, per esser meglio caldo che freddo. Hanno anco altri modi da farlo, che fanno certi pani buffetti della massa, & gli inuoltano in certe foglie d'herbe, & doppo li mettono in vna gran pignatta con poca acqua, & la cuoprono molto bene, & quiui col caldo, & col tenerli stufati li cuocono, & anco in padelle con diuerse cose, che mangiano. Fanno il vino di diuerse sorti, che beuono, però la principale, & più nobile, che vsano, è vna beuanda, che si chiama Cachanatle, & sono certi semi fatti del frutto d'vn'albero, ilqual frutto è a guisa di cocomero, & dentro ha certi grani grossi, che sono quasi della sorte dell'ossa de' dattili. L'albero che fa questo frutto, è il più delicato di tutti gli altri alberi, non nasce se non in terra calda, & grossa, & prima che si semini, seminansi duoi altri alberi, che hanno gran foglia, & come questi sono all'altezza di due stature d'huomini, in mezzo a tutti duoi seminano quest'altro, che produce questo frutto, accioche quei duoi altri alberi, per esser questo delicato, lo guardino, & difendino dal vento, & dal Sole, & lo tengano coperto. Sono questi alberi in grande stimatione, perche quei grani sono tenuti per la principal moneta, che corra in quel paese, & vale ciascuno, come vn mezzo marchetto fra noi, & è moneta la piu commune: ma molto incommoda doppo l'oro, & l'argento, et che più si costuma di quante sono in quel paese. Questi semi, che chiamano mandorle, ò Cacao si macinano, & si fanno poluere, & macinansi altre semenze picciole, che hanno, & gettano quella poluere in certi bacini, che hanno con vna punta, poi vi gettano l'acqua, & la mescolano con vn cucchiaro, & doppo l'hauerlo molto ben mescolato lo mutano da vn bacino all'altro, in modo che leua vna spuma, laquale raccogliono in vn vaso fatto a posta, & quando lo vogliono beuere, lo riuoltano con certi cucchiari piccioli d'oro, ò d'argento, o di legno, & lo beuono, & nel beuer si ha da aprir ben la bocca, perche essendo spuma, è necessario di darli luogo, che la si venga disfacendo, & mandando giù a poco a poco. E' questa beuanda la più sana cosa, & della maggior sustanza di quanti cibi si mangiano, & beuanda, che si beua al mondo, perche colui, che beue vna tazza di questo liquore, potrà quantunque camini, passarsene tutto il dì senza mangiare altro, & è meglio al tempo del caldo, che del freddo, per esser di sua natura fredda. Questa gran città di Temistitan Messico è edificata dentro di questa parte del lago, che ha l'acqua salata, non cosi nel mezzo, però alla riua dell'acqua circa vn quarto di lega longe da terra ferma per il piu vicino: puo hauer questa città di Temistitan piu di due leghe, & mezza, & presso a tre poco piu, ò meno di circuito: la maggior parte di coloro, che l'hanno veduta giudica, che vi sieno meglio di sessanta mila habitatori, & piu tosto piu, che meno, entrano in essa per tre strade alte di pietra, & di terra, ciascuna larga trenta passi, ò piu: vna di queste strade vien per l'acqua piu di due leghe, fino alla città, vn'altra vna lega, & mezza. Queste due strade attrauersano il lago, & entrano per mezzo della città, & nel mezzo si vengono a congiongere insieme, in modo, che si potrebbe dire, che sono tutte vna. l'altra strada vien dalla terra ferma qualche vn quarto di lega alla città: & per questa strada vien per spatio di tre quarti di lega vna seriola, ò ruscello d'acqua alla città da terra ferma, ch'è dolce, & molto buona, & piu grossa, che il corpo d'vn'huomo, & arriua fin dentro la terra: della quale beuono tutte le genti, & nasce al piè d'vn sasso, & colle, & quiui si fa vno fonte grande, & de lì è poi stata tirata alla città. Sono nella città di Temistitan Messico grandissime, & bellissime piazze, doue si vendono tutte le cose, che s'vsano fra loro, & spetialmente la piazza maggiore, ch'essi chiamano il Tutelula, che puo esser cosi grāde, come sarebbe tre volte la piazza di Salamanca, & sono all'intorno d'essa tutti portici: in questa piazza sono communalmente ogni dì a comprare, & vendere 20. ò 25. mila persone, & il dì del mercato, che si fa di 5. in 5. giorni, vi sono da 40. ò 50. mila persone. Ha il suo ordine, cosi in essere ogni mercantia separata al luogo suo, come nel vendere, perche da vna banda della piazza sono coloro, che vendono l'oro, & dall'altra vicini a questa sono quei, che vendono pietre di diuerse sorti legate in oro in forma di varij vccelli, & animali. Dall'altra parte si vendono i paternostri, & gli specchi: dall'altra penne, & penacchi d'ogni colore da lauorare, & cucir in veste, per portar alla guerra, & nelle lor feste. Dall'altra parte cauano le pietre da' rasoi, & di spade, ch'è cosa di marauiglia a vederle, che di quà da noi non si puo intendere, & ne fanno le spade, & rotelle. Dall'una banda vendono i panni, & uestimenti de gli huomini di uarie sorti, & dall'altra i uestimēti delle donne, & dall'altra si uendono le scarpe, & dall'altra parte i cuori acconci di cerui, & altri animali, concieri di testa fatti di capelli, che usano tutte l'indiane, & dall'altra il bambace, doue si uende il grano, ch'essi usano, & doue il pane di diuerse sorti, & doue si uendono pasticci, et doue le galline, & polli, & le oua, & quiui vicino, lepri, conigli, cerui, cotornici, oche, & annatre. In vn'altra parte poi si vende il vino di varie sorti, & nell'altra l'herbe dell'orto di diuerse sorti, il pepe in quella strada, in vn'altra le radici, & l'herbe da medicine, che fra loro ve ne sono infinite, & in altra i frutti varij, in altra legname per le case, & quiui vicino la calcina & appresso le pietre & finalmente ogni cosa stà da sua parte per ordine. et oltra questa gran piazza, ve ne sono delle altre, & mercati in che si vendono cose da mangiare in diuerse parti della città.

The grain they make their bread from is a grain shaped like a chickpea. Some is white, some red, some black, and some bright red. They sow it, and it grows a stalk as tall as half a lance, with two or three ears on it. The grain grows on these ears, the way it does on millet. This is how they make bread. They put a big pot over the fire, holding four or five jars of water, and light the fire under it until the water boils. Then they take away the fire and throw in the grain, which they call Tavul. On top they throw a little lime, to loosen the skin that covers the grain. The next day, or three or four hours later, when it has cooled, they wash it very well in the river, or at home in many waters, until it is clean of the lime. Then they grind it on stones made for the purpose. As they grind, they keep adding water, and it turns into a dough. So, grinding and kneading at the same time, they make the bread. They bake it on large pans a little bigger than a sieve, and they eat it as soon as it is made, because it is better hot than cold. They have other ways of making it too. They make small rolls of the dough and wrap them in leaves. Then they put them in a big pot with a little water, cover it well, and cook them there in the heat and steam. They also cook the dough in pans with various other things that they eat. They make various kinds of wine to drink. But the chief and noblest drink they have is one called Cachanatle. It is made from seeds that come from the fruit of a tree. The fruit is shaped like a cucumber, and inside it are large seeds, much like date stones. The tree that bears this fruit is the most delicate of all trees. It grows only in hot, rich land. Before they plant it, they plant two other trees with large leaves. When these are as tall as two men, they plant the fruit tree between them. Since it is so delicate, the two other trees guard it from the wind and the sun and keep it covered. These trees are highly prized, because their seeds are the main money in that country. Each seed is worth about half a marchetto among us. It is the most common money there, and the most used, though very awkward next to gold and silver. These seeds, which they call almonds, or cacao, are ground into powder, and other small seeds they have are ground with them. They put the powder into bowls with a spout, then add water and stir it with a spoon. When it is well mixed, they pour it from one bowl into another until a foam rises, and they collect the foam in a vessel made for the purpose. When they want to drink it, they stir it with little spoons of gold, silver, or wood, and drink it. You have to open your mouth wide to drink it, because it is foam and needs room to melt and go down little by little. Of all the foods eaten and all the drinks drunk in the world, this drink is the healthiest and the most nourishing. Whoever drinks a cup of it can go all day without eating anything else, however far he walks. It is better in hot weather than in cold, because by its nature it is cold. This great city of Temistitan Mexico is built in the part of the lake that has salt water. It is not right in the middle, but near the edge of the water, about a quarter of a league from the mainland at the nearest point. The city may be more than two and a half leagues around, close to three, more or less. Most of those who have seen it think it has well over sixty thousand inhabitants, more rather than fewer. It is entered by three raised roads of stone and earth, each thirty paces wide or more. One of these roads runs over the water for more than two leagues to the city, another for a league and a half. These two cross the lake and come into the middle of the city, where they join, so that you could say they are all one road. The third road runs from the mainland to the city for about a quarter of a league. Along this road, for three-quarters of a league, a channel brings water from the mainland into the city. The water is fresh and very good, and the stream is thicker than a man's body. It reaches right into the town, and all the people drink from it. It rises at the foot of a rock and a hill, where it forms a great spring, and from there it was brought to the city. In the city of Temistitan Mexico there are very large and very beautiful squares, where everything they use is sold. The greatest is the main square, which they call the Tutelula. It may be three times as large as the square of Salamanca, and it has arcades all around it. Every day some twenty or twenty-five thousand people are in this square buying and selling. On market day, which comes every five days, there are some forty or fifty thousand. The market is orderly, both in the way each kind of goods has its own place and in the way things are sold. On one side of the square are the people who sell gold. Next to them are those who sell stones of different kinds, set in gold in the shape of birds and animals. In another part they sell beads and mirrors; in another, feathers and plumes of every color, for working and sewing onto the clothes they wear to war and at their festivals. In another part they cut stone into razor blades and swords, a marvel to see that we over here could not imagine. With this stone they make swords and shields. In one part they sell men's cloth and clothes of many kinds, and in another women's clothes. In another they sell shoes; in another, the tanned hides of deer and other animals, and headdresses made of hair, which all the Indian women wear. In another they sell cotton. There is a place where they sell the grain they eat, one for bread of different kinds, and one for pies. There is one for hens, chickens, and eggs, and near it hares, rabbits, deer, quail, geese, and ducks. In another part they sell wine of various kinds, and in another garden greens of different kinds. Pepper is sold in that street, and in another, roots and healing herbs, of which they have an endless number. In another are fruits of many kinds, in another timber for houses, with the lime nearby and the stones next to it. In short, every kind of thing stands in its own place, in order. Besides this great square there are others, with markets selling food in different parts of the city.

The grain with which they make their bread is a kind of pea, and there is white, crimson, black, and reddish. Planted, it produces a high cane like a half pike, which gives two or three ears where the grain is, as in Panizo or Panic grass. In order to make bread they take a great olla which they fill with four or five pitchers full of water, and they put fire beneath it until the water boils. Then they take away the fire, and the grain they call Tayul, and over it they add a little lime in order to loosen the thin skin which covers it. In two or three hours when it has become cold they wash it well in the river or in the houses with many waters, so that it comes to be perfectly clean of all the lime, and then they mash it on some stones made for this purpose. When it has been mashed they put water with it and make a paste, and so grinding it and mashing it at the same time, they make the bread. They put it to cook in large earthen baking pans a little larger than a sieve, and as they cook the bread they eat it, because it is much better hot than cold. They have another method of preparing, which is to make some balls of this mass which they cover with leaves and put it in a great pot with a little water, and cover it well so that with the heat and with keeping them covered they are cooked. They also cook it in fritters [tamales] with other things which they are accustomed to eat. They make various classes of wine, but the beverage which is the most excellent and which they use principally is one which they call Cachanatle [chocolate]. They make it of certain seeds produced by a tree whose fruit is after the manner of a cucumber, and inside are some thick grains like date stones. The tree that produces this fruit is the most delicate of all, and does not grow except in hot lands and strong soils; before they sow it they plant two other trees of thick foliage, and when these approach the height of two men they plant between them this one which produces the said fruit, so that the others, because of its delicate nature, may defend it and keep from it the winds and the sun and cover it. These trees are held in great esteem because the said grains are the principal money that passes in the land and each one is of the value of half a marchetto of our money. Inconvenient as this money must be, it comes after gold and silver and is the one most used by every one in this land. These seeds which are called almonds or cacao they pound and reduce to powder, and also grind other small seeds and put the powder in certain jars with spouts. Directly they add water and stir with a spoon, and after it has been well beaten they pass it from one vase to another, which froths it, and this froth they collect in another jar kept for the purpose. When they wish to drink it, they froth it with little spoons of gold or silver or of wood, and it is then drunk, but they have to open the mouth wide because it is froth, and must have room for liquefying little by little. This is the most healthful and most nutritious aliment of all known to the world, for one who takes a cup of it, though he may make a long journey, can pass all day without taking another thing, and being cold of its nature, it is better in hot weather than in cold. The great city of Temistitan, Mexico, is built on the salt part of the lake, but not exactly in the middle, for it is a quarter of a league from the nearest part [of the city] to the shore. It is in circumference more than two and a half leagues, or perhaps three, more or less. The majority of those who have visited it estimate the population at seventy thousand inhabitants, rather more than less. Three high causeways built of stone and earth permit entrance [from the mainland] and each of these has a breadth of thirty paces or more. One of them passes over two leagues of water before getting to the city, and the others a league and a half. These two cross the lake and enter the peopled part [outskirts], in the middle of which they come together, so that the two form one. The other runs from the land towards the city for about a quarter of a league, and by it comes an aqueduct or stream of very good and sweet water from a distance of three-quarters of a league. The flow of the water is thicker than the body of a man, and comes into the center of the city. From it drink all the inhabitants. It springs from the foot of a hill where it forms a great fountain from which they carry it to the city. There are in the city of Temistitan, Mexico, very large and beautiful plazas where they sell all of the things which the natives use. There was especially the great plaza which they call the Tutelula [Tlatelolco], which may be three times the size of the great square of Salamanca. All around it are porticos where every day from twenty to twenty-five thousand people come to buy and sell. But on the market day there are assembled as many as forty or fifty thousand. This plaza has a system of its own, for each class of merchandise has its own place. On one side of the square are those who sell gold [in quills], and on another those who sell [precious] stones of divers classes mounted in gold shapes of various birds and animals. In another part they sell beads and mirrors, in another feathers and tufted crests [of birds], of all colors to adorn the cloths they wear in war and holidays. Further on they are busy turning stones into knives and swords, which is a marvelous thing to see, and of which we here [in Spain] have no idea, and with them they make swords and bucklers. In one part they sell cloths and garments of various classes for men and in another the habiliments of women. In another place they sell sandals, in another the tanned skins of deer and other animals, and finery for the head made out of hair, which all the Indian women wear. Here they sell cotton, there the grains which they use for food, further on bread of divers sorts, then pastry, then hens, chickens, and eggs. Near them are hares, rabbits, deer, quail, geese, and ducks. Soon we arrive at a place where they sell wines of various classes, and then we find all sorts of vegetables. In this street they lay out the peppers, in that medicinal roots and herbs, of which the natives know an infinite variety. In another street they have various fruits, and further on fire-wood for houses, near-by lime, and following it, [building] stones. In fact each thing is by itself and in order. In addition to this plaza there are others, and markets for food in different parts of the city.