PINOLE

PINOLE WAS A TERM CALIFORNIA INDIANS USED FOR A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT SEEDS AND GRAINS THAT WERE OFTEN PARCHED (SLIGHTLY COOKED BY HOT ROCKS IN A BASKET). IT IS A WORD DERIVED FROM A MEXICAN MEAL OF CORN AND BEANS. IT BECAME KNOWN AS AN INDIAN WORD USED FOR ALL FLOURS, ROASTED SEEDS OF BUTTERCUPS, CHIAS, TARWEED, RED MAID SEEDS AND GRASSES. HARRINGTON RECORDED TWENTY-NINE SEEDS HARVESTED FOR PINOLE. THE FLOUR WAS POUNDED AND EITHER EATEN DRY OR MOISTENED TO SHAPE INTO BALLS.

THERE WERE VARIOUS TYPES OF PINOLE - BUTTERCUP, RED MAIDS, AND CHIA, AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA BROME PINOLE. V.K. CHESTNUT RECORDED MORE THAN 30 KINDS OF PINOLE! IT WAS COMMON TO MOISTEN THESE SEED FLOURS AND SHAPE THEM INTO A BALL TO EAT THEM.

THE GATHERING OF SEEDS PRODUCED A WAY FOR THEM TO ALSO BROADCAST THE SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR'S CROPS. THEY ALSO SAVED SEEDS IN ORDER TO SOW THEM AND BROAD CAST THEM THROUGHOUT THE AREAS OF SPECIFIC HABITAT. MANY TRIBES IN CALIFORNIA USED THESE PRACTICES THAT LEAD TO THE DOMESTICATION OF CEREAL GRAINS.