The Start Of California's Fiery Woes: The Root Of The Fire Problem

Wild oats were likely introduced to North America by Spanish missionaries during European colonization and exploration. Since then, Native American tribes have gathered Wild oat seeds for hundreds of years, collecting and lightly crushing them to loosen the chaff, which was then winnowed out and ground into meal. The Kumeyaay tribe used the seeds to make pinole, a roasted ground maize that can be mixed with cocoa, agave, cinnamon, chia seeds, vanilla, and other spices to create a beverage called pinolillo. This drink, now popular in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras, is consumed hot like cocoa or cold like iced coffee or horchata. Wild oats are still used as a breakfast food by some Cahuilla, who believe it contributes to high energy.