Tag: Spain;

Favorite Drinks of Mexico

Mexico offers quite a few unique drinks. Some include fruits, and nuts while others include milk. Some are served warm, while others are chilled. These drinks have become a favorite in Mexico. There are traditional drinks, some of which originate from Spain.

Horchata is a drink that originates from Spain. It is very popular in Mexico. It is perfect for hot days. Nuts are used for this drink. They are ground and mixed with water, sugar and sometimes lemon juice. The mixture is then put through a filter process. The drink is served ice cold. It refreshes and cools down the drinker. Horchata is also popular with rice added. It can be found at Mexican restaurants in the United States along with Mexican grocery stores.

Aguas Frescas are another popular drink found in Mexico. It consists of water, fruit juices and sugar. Many vendors in Mexico sell Aguas Frescas. Flavors you may find are Watermelon, Mango, Pineapple, and Strawberry. These types of drinks are also made in other countries under different names.

In Mexico you will still find brands for soft drinks that are familiar in America, such as Coca Cola, Sprite, and Pepsi. They also have their own brands, on being Sidral, which is apple-flavored. Coffee is also another popular drink in Mexico. You will be able to find Espresso and cappuccino in the cafes. For something more exotic there is the drink, caf de olla. It is made by being stewed for hours with the ingredients being cinnamon and sugar, which gives it a sweet and rich flavor. Outside of the cafes, it is common to find people making instant coffee. Mexicans also enjoy tea. The tea of choice is usually mint or chamomile.

Mexico also offers many drinks of alcohol. One that is much known in America is the Margarita. Tequila is the alcohol in the drink. Margaritas come in a variety of flavors and colors. It is served with ice, or blended with ice making it a frozen drink. There are a few tales on who is the original maker of the margarita. It is known that people in the 1930s were enjoying these drinks. This drink is still popular to this day. Mexico also drinks beer. They have several brands, the biggest being Cerveza. Mexican-made brands that are popular in the United States include Corona and Sol. Pulque is a milky style beer that is popular amongst the poor. It is made from sap and is thick. It usually takes some time to get used to drinking. A drink that makes people think of Mexico is Tequila. It consists of agave cactus and is produced mainly in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is served with a side of lime and salt.

There are many more drinks that are found in Mexico. There are recipe books that can help you create new drinks. Next time you are planning a backyard fiesta, try adding some new flavor. Your guests will not be disappointed to quench their thirst with south of the border drinks.

What is the Holiday Food Rosca de Reyes

Rosca de Reyes started as a tradition in France. They would offer gifts to the baby Jesus around the holiday season, usually in the beginning of January on the three kings day. These gifts consisted of fruits, eggs, nuts, and more. Some of these gifts were baked into a sweet roll that was made into a crown shape, which was to remember the kings that went looking for Jesus. In recent times, the Rosca holds miniature statues of the baby Jesus which people are supposed to look for in the bread.

The event is for the whole family. People gather and have a great time. Once they are informed that there are dolls in the bread they can start cutting the cake. The cutting represents the danger that Jesus was in. Whoever finds the doll first has to put on a party in February for Candlemass Day. That is a celebration of the nativity scene being put away, with some of it being given to the person who found the doll in the rosca. The person is responsible for making a gown for the baby Jesus on that day. Afterwards, there is usually a dinner with tamales and atole being served. Atole is a drink that is served around the holiday season. It contains masa, which is also found in tortillas, water, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate or fruit if wanted.

Rosca comes in different sizes. Some are enough to feed two to three people, while others can be large enough for twenty people. Many types of rosca have fruit on the top. Local Mexican grocery stores carry the bread around the holidays, with Mexicans having an extended holiday season until February. There are also many recipes to make your own at home.

Rosca de Reyes is the day when children in Mexico, Spain, and other Latin countries receive majority of their holiday gifts, instead of from Santa at Christmas. Before the children go to sleep, they set out their shoes, or a box that is filled with grass for the kings’ camels. They also have a wish list placed where the gifts should go. The next morning, the shoes and boxes are filled with toys and candies that the three kings left for the children.

In other countries, three kings day is also celebrated. In Germany they make a cake that is called dreikonigskuchen. It consists of fruits and pecans. In France the cake is called galette des rois which is typically a puffy pastry that is filled with an almond cream and has icing made from syrup. In Mexico the cake is flavored with lemon and orange, brandy, and almonds giving it, it’s unique flavor. The United States is also familiar with the type of cake that is common in Mexico.

Join in this Mexican tradition. This is a great celebration in honor of baby Jesus and the Kings. If you never have celebrated this before, try it this upcoming holiday season. Your guests will learn a new tradition from centuries ago and have fun while doing it.