Mexican Drinks You Want to Know and Try

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Monday May 17, 2021 - Posted by admin

Mexican drinks and Mexican cocktails are among the most popular in the world. So is the Mexican cuisine: many articles have been written about amazing Mexican food and Mexican dishes. Mexican beverages are colorful and varied – as the Mexican culture and the country itself 🙂 Check out this guide for the Best Mexican drinks to prepare for a Spanish Immersion Course in Mexico. Mexican Drinks You Want to Know and Try

No doubts you have heard about Tequila and Margarita. Tequila is the number one liquor of Mexico. Just like champagne, tequila it comes from one specific region: the Mexican state of Jalisco and, more specific, the city Tequila. Tequila is distilled from the sugars of the blue agave plant. You drink tequila with salt and lime or mixed in a cocktail. The most popular cocktail is the before-mentioned Margarita: a combination of tequila, triple sec and lime juice, with salt on the rim of the glass. A margarita on the rocks is probably Mexico’s most emblematic drink.

Mexican Drinks You Want to Know and Try

Apart from tequila, there is also Mezcal. While tequila must be made from the blue agave plant, mezcal can be made from any agave plant.

But leaving Tequila, Mezcal and Margaritas aside, there are more amazing Mexican drinks! Let’s check out those Mexican Drinks You should Know and Try when in Mexico.

Atole

Atole is one of the best ways to start your day on a cold morning. Atole is a thick drink made from ground field corn that is served hot. The drink is sweetened with cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined cane sugar. Atole is traditionally served during Mexican celebrations like Day of the Dead, Las Posadas, Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), Navidad (Christmas), New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day!

Atole can actually have a ton of different flavors including peanut, orange, pineapple and chili and so many other possible variations. Make sure you drink your cup with some pan dulce or sweet tamales. You can also try a similar drink called, champurrado, which is prepared in a similar fashion, but with added chocolate.

If you want to skip the unhealthy, sugar rich, breakfast cereals, puddings and hot chocolates, atole is a wonderful alternative with minimally processed ingredients!

Champurrado

How to prepare atole?

Here are the basic ingredients to get you started!

Milk – Using whole milk is best since it provides a thicker and creamier texture and flavor, but you can use a plant-based milk as well.
Piloncillo – This caramel-like and sweet cone of unrefined sugar is used in many Mexican baking recipes.
Cinnamon stick – Try to use Mexican cinnamon for the best and most authentic flavor. It can be found in large bunches in Hispanic grocery stores. If you can’t find any near you, look for ceylon cinnamon sticks in the spice aisle at your grocery store.
Masa harina – This Mexican staple, a necessary ingredient when making corn tortillas, is made from dried maize corn that’s soaked in a special lime mixture. You can usually find masa harina in large grocery stores. We recommend buying the Maseca brand, but if not, head to your local Hispanic specialty store.
Water – Mixing masa harina with warm water creates the signature thick texture.
Flavor – Vanilla extract and salt will bring out all of the delicious flavors in this cozy drink, but feel free to add any flavor that you love. This is a flexible drink!

Micheladas

The michelada is a Mexican icon, also known as the Mexican Bloody Mary. The drink is generally prepared with a light Mexican beer, lime and hot sauce, served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Another additions can include Worcestershire sauce and Clamato juice. Toppings like shrimp, banana chips, peanuts, jicama and cucumber can also make the drink extra wild. Many people also use this drink as a hangover cure.

The origin of the michelada

The origin of the michelada is not fully known, but there are two main theories behind the Mexican beer cocktail.

Story 1

This story begins in 1910 at the start of the Mexican Revolution. Ledged goes that general Don Augusto Michel would go to the local cantina in San Luis Potosi with his tired soldiers. In order to help lift their spirits he would order a beer with lime and hot sauce. Apparently, the owner named the drink after Michel, combining “Michel” and “chelada” or “cold one.”
Story 2

The other story isn’t nearly as interesting but this version goes that the michelada became the term used for a beer cocktail consisting of lighter beer, hot sauce and acid (usually lime). Here the name translates to “my cold one” from the following words mi (my), chela (slang for beer), and ada (from helada a term from cold). It definitely makes sense! What story do you believe?

Two Refreshing Mexican Drinks

Agua de Jamaica

At cantinas and street vendors across Mexico you will see big glass jugs with aguas frescas. The bright red drink of agua de jamaica is made from hibiscus flowers, water and sugar. The refreshingly light tartness compliments heavier Mexican food very well. The drink is very high in vitamin C and is perfect for quenching your thirst on a hot summer day. Jamaica popsicles and jello are also quite common!

Horchata

Horchata, a drink popular on the Yucatán Peninsula, is a blend of rice milk, ground almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Other varieties may include chufa (tiger nut), vanilla or barley. The result is like a milk shake but not nearly as thick or rich. If you are ordering a spicy dish, make sure to get an horchata to cut the spice.

More Mexican Drinks you want to know and try

A quick search on the internet will show you there are many more famous and amazing Mexican drinks. But despite covering such a limited number of traditional Mexican drinks in the article, we hope we have inspired you to prepare and to try them.

And who knows, we even inspired you to a trip to Mexico with our listing “Mexican Drinks You Want to Know and Try”. Traveling and learning Spanish in Mexico is the best way to get to know authentic Mexican cuisine including the amazing Mexican cocktails and Mexican drinks.