Directly translated, cántaro means jug or pitcher. In Oaxaca, it also refers to the vessel that catches mezcal as it drains from the still. Cántaros were also used by people buying mezcal to carry home–their own convenient (usually ceramic) growler. (Richer and more distant buyers would purchase barrels, both because it was easier to transport and because they wanted a longer store.)
It’s not just a mezcal thing. Cántaros are used to store water; in Mexican markets you may see the vessels full of pulque or tepache. In tequila country, they have become infamous, as they are used to hold giant batches of a cocktail (and popular hangover cure) that contains fresh citrus, salt, squirt, and a signficant quantity of tequila. In addition to the giant cántaro that holds the mixture, the strong tequila cocktails are served in mini cántaros, or cantaritos. Be sure to read Bryant Orozco’s hysterical tale of the famous Cantaritos El Guero.
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