You don’t have to go to Mexico to get great Mexican drinks. You can find many of them right here in the USA or even make your own! The following are five of my favorite Mexican drinks of all time.
1. Cabo Wabo Anejo Tequila – Sure I could say Margaritas and Tequila shots are one of my all time favorite Mexican drinks but what would these be without a really good brand of Tequila? (After all, I believe you can seriously mess up a drink with bad, cheap Tequila.) Tequila is an agave-derived drink from certain regions of Mexico. Tequila generally comes in two types: 100% Agave and Mixtos (uses sugar). My favorite brand of Tequila is Cabo Wabo Anejo. Cabo Wabo Anejo is 100% Blue Agave, aged in oak barrels for 14 months. This Tequila is gold in color and has a vanilla and caramel smell. It goes down very smoothly, tasting a little like honey. Cabo Wabo Anejo can be purchased at most all liquor stores for around $50 – 60 for a 750mL bottle. Cabo Wabo Anejo makes excellent margaritas or a straight up drink with a lime slice!
2. Horchata – I remember the first time I had Horchata. I was sitting in a Wilmington Mexican restaurant at lunchtime. The majority of customers in there were Mexican workers, and they all had this white drink. I asked the waitress for one of them to try, out of curiosity, and it was very good! Horchata was actually influenced by Spaniards way back, then became a Mexican favorite. Horchata is a simple white, milky drink. You make it with white rice, cinnamon, water, sugar, and almonds. This subtle drink has a cinnamon smell and, even though it has rice and almonds in the recipe too, I don’t really notice them. It tastes like a very smooth cinnamon milk.
3. Kahlua – Kahlua is my absolute favorite Mexican coffee-tasting drink, especially during the cold winter months. Kahlua is made from Arabica coffee beans from Veracruz. It also has sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla bean. Kahlua is the alcoholic liquer addition in several great drinks including B-52s, Mudslides, and even added straight into a cup of milk or hot coffee. It compliments these drinks because of its sweet, coffee-like flavor. Kahlua can be bought by the bottle for around $20.
4. Corona – Every time I pick up a longneck Corona I see a white sand beach with crystal clear seas, blue skies, and just an all-around tropical paradise, reminiscent of the Corona commercials on TV. Corona is a top-selling pale lager from Cerveceria Modelo in Mexico. Corona comes in a clear bottle and is served with a lime slice, which you can slide into the neck of the bottle before drinking. Corona has a bitter first taste, which is why many people add the lime, but when ice cold is quite refreshing on a hot summer day or with spicy Mexican dishes. Corona can be bought in 6-pack of 12oz bottles for around $10.
5. Aguas Frescas – Aguas Frescas (translates to “fresh water”) are extremely easy and inexpensive to make, which is why they are one of my top 5 favorite Mexican drinks. Agua Fresca is made from blending together water, sugar, and a fresh fruit. In Mexico, they use fruit that is in season at the time. Some of the popular Mexican flavors of agua fresca are made with tamarinds, mangos, papayas, or lime, just to name a few. Aguas Frescas keep a light taste and give an awesome flavor to a pitcher of fresh cold water. Next time you find yourself in Mexico take note of how many times you see glass jars of agua fresca in the taquerias. They are pretty popular there and now in American families too.
