What is a botijo?

A botijo is an unglazed earthenware water jug that cools water by evaporation.

Standard Botijo

A botijo has two openings: a wide opening that is used to pour water into the jug, and a smaller drinking spout.

Artistic Botijo

After filling the botijo with water, the botijo is left outdoors. The earthenware body of the botijo allows some of the water to evaporate, cooling the water inside. People drink the water directly from the botijo by holding it up and tilting it so the water pours through the drinking spout - but without touching the spout with their lips.

Botijos were a popular, cheap, non-electric water-cooling device in Spain. Nowadays most botijos are sold for their artistic, and not their utilitarian value. Most botijos sold nowadays are glazed and therefore have no water-cooling properties.

Botijo Anatomy

The main parts of a botijo are:

The handle, used for holding the botijo.
The filling mouth, used for pouring water into the botjo.
The drinking spout, used for drinking.
The botijo body, which holds the water.

After filling the botijo with water, the filling mouth should be covered, to prevent critters and other stuff from falling in. The usual ways to accomplish this are:

Use a cork.
Use a piece of cloth (e.g. cheesecloth) and attach with a rubber band.
Cover the whole thing with a light cloth.

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