be of lemon, mill or rootlas ‘agua celis’ has become, following almost ninety years, a benchmark of popular identity in the Comarca Lagunera.
is the Plaza de Armas de Torreón, the oasis where hundreds or thousands of people have gathered to quench not only thirst, but also the curiosity to try one of the most deeply rooted delicacies within the lagoon palates.
But what does this drink have that enchants entire families, lagoon residents and foreigners? Luis Enrique Rangel, in charge of the ‘Estanquillo El Casino’, located in the Plaza de Armas, recognizes that neither violence nor the pandemic have ended this tradition.
According to historical data, the Plaza de Armas of Torreón was founded in 1883when the idea of establishing a colony in the then Torreon Station; hoy over the years this point has become an emblematic site as the center of coexistence in the city.
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A melody emerges from the monumental clock built there in September 1983. There is Estanquillo “El Casino”memorable for the sale of its delicious Celis waters of flavors. Just down Juarez Avenue in front of what used to be the historic Casino de La Laguna designed with Art Nouveau architecture, including today it houses the Arocena Museum.
Emulating a melody of bells, the monumental clock built in 1983 recalls its monumental presence in said square. A few meters from the clock, is this historic site.
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Inside the stall and with a glass of lemon and sugar, is Luis Enrique Rangel and while preparing a celis water, he refers: “Celis water is not mineral water as such, it is a drink with a touch of gas, cold and ice, which gives a refreshing sensation to mineral water and people have liked this flavor“, highlights.
He says that he has been told that the word “celis”, is a german word that means “water with bubbles”. As part of his story, he remembers that this business is approximately 86 years old located in the Plaza de Armas.
regrets that today they are the only ones in the region that sell this type of drink. Remember that the “little stalls” in which the Celis has been sold, were also located in the Alameda Zaragoza, in the Bosque Venustiano Carranza, in the Plazuela where the old Torreón presidency was.; “They were removed with the aim of reinstalling them, but this promise was never fulfilled.“, lament.
“My grandfather was the one who made the root water. Grape, mango, strawberry, peach syrups are available in any store, but not root syrup, a formula that has passed from generation to generation, keeping the ingredients and their quantity over the years.”
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The oasis of the thirsty
The heat is scorching, intense, up to over forty degrees. This has allowed that, as it is already history, the people, the lagoons and the foreigners arrive at Estanquillo El Casinomaking his way between improvised craft stalls, food stalls, drinks, desks with pseudo-lawyers offering express divorce, hippies offering jewelry, and piles of garbage, which have already become fixed assets of the Plaza de Armas. There is the oasis of “El Casino” and its celis waters. the water of celis with lemon and the root ones are the best sellers.
Rangel recognizes that the challenges they have faced have not only been once morest the competition generated by the dozens of street stalls that today pay a floor in the Plaza de Armas.
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In times of insecurity, shootings were frequentwhere day or night, Those who worked at “El Casino” had to get into the coolers to protect themselves from stray bullets.. A perforation is still visible in the walls of said place.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc but they also manage to hold on. Luis Enrique and all the staff who work day by day to maintain the tradition of this delicious drinkthey see that the effort has been worth it, when every day, lagoons and foreigners arrive at try this lagoon delicacy combined with a good duro of pork or flour with homemade sauce.
EGO
