drinks

Atole de nuez

9 · Oct 25, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Atole de nuez is a traditional milk and masa-based beverage flavored with toasted pecans and piloncillo.

Served hot, this creamy beverage is the perfect way to warm up on cold fall or winter mornings. Atole is often served for breakfast, but can also be served throughout the day or after dinner, too. My father-in-law always had a mug of atole with his coyotas, a Sonoran pastry, after dinner at a restaurant he loved in Coyoacan.

a mug of atole de nuez served on mexican talavera pottery with pan dulce

Atoles come in many flavors; most are thickened with corn masa. When it comes to the main liquid, most are made with water, milk, or a combination of the two. Champurrado and vanilla atole are the most typical flavors, but others, such as pumpkin atole, strawberry atole, as well as grain (such as amaranth), fruit and nut flavors, also exist. There are even some types of atole that are savory rather than sweet.

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Mandarin orange margaritas

18 · Apr 7, 2019 · 5 Comments

Mandarin orange margaritas are a refreshing cocktail using in-season citrus. These margaritas get a fun agridulce kick from a Miguelito and salt-rimmed glass.

Mandarin oranges, or mandarinas, are extremely common in Mexico, so they’re used in all kinds of recipes, from aguas frescas, to gelatinas, salads, and more—including mandarin orange margaritas.

The juicer used in my video is a Chefn Citrus Juicer.

In this case, rimming the margarita glass with a mixture of kosher salt and Miguelito (a powdered form of chamoy) lends a particularly Mexican sweet-and-sour flavor. It’s salty, sugary, acidic, and very slightly spicy, and it’s often used on fresh fruit, veggies, and other snacks. You can buy Miguelito in most Mexican or Latin American markets in the same aisle as bottled salsas, as well as online. Miguelito is even available on Amazon Prime!

RELATED RECIPE: Easy watermelon margaritas

A note about mandarin oranges: The harvest in the beginning of the season is usually less sweet or even a little bit sour, while mandarins harvested mid- to late-season will be sweeter. For that reason, you may want to add a little bit of sugar to your juice if drinking at the beginning of the season and the fresh-squeezed juice tastes a bit too tart for your liking.

I like to use a liquid cane sugar such as Hey Shuga! Organic Pure Cane Liquid Sweetener because a little bit goes a long way and it’s easier than dissolving granulated sugar. You can typically find this in any grocery store near where you’d find maple syrup or other liquid sweeteners for baking.

RELATED RECIPE: How to make a paloma

There are a few different varieties of mandarin oranges, and that’s why they may look and taste slightly different. Their peak seasons are also slightly staggered, but you can use any variety listed below.

Types of mandarin oranges you’ll find easily in the U.S.

Clementines are sweet, less acidic, and almost always seedless. They’re in season from November-January.

Murcott Mandarins are sometimes also known as honey tangerines, and are very sweet with no seeds. They’re in season from January-April.

Golden Nugget Mandarins are smaller than other varieties, but very juicy and sweet. They’re seedless, and in season from March-June.

Tangerines are a cousin of the clementine, but are less sweet and have a lot of seeds. They’re in season from October-January.

You might be used to seeing these types of oranges called Cuties in the grocery store, thanks to some catchy marketing. Cuties actually sells two varieties of mandarin; clementines and Murcotts. Whatever you choose, I know you’ll love these mandarin orange margaritas!

A word on choosing your tequila

I’ve used Don Julio Reposado in this recipe because it has lemon citrus notes with hints of vanilla and a silky, warm finish. It’s perhaps a more expensive tequila than you may be used to buying if you’re not a tequila connoisseur, but worth the price (750 mL should cost around $40-50).

Remember: buying cheap tequila always results in two things—a hangover and not liking tequila. It’s a liquor that’s meant to be sipped, not slammed. I’ve chosen a reposado because it’s aged in oak barrels from 2 months to 1 year (Don Julio Reposado is aged 8 months), which rounds and softens the tequila, making it perfect for margaritas and mixed drinks.

Mandarin orange margaritas

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 15
Yield: 2 margaritas 1x
Category: drinks
Cuisine: Mexican

Scale

Ingredients

6–7 mandarin oranges, juiced (should yield about 3/4 to 1 cup of juice)
1 small lime, juiced
2.5 ounces Don Julio Tequila Reposado
0.5 ounces Cointreau

To rim the glasses:

1 lime wedge (to wet the glass rims)
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Miguelito (chamoy en polvo)

Instructions

Halve and juice 6-7 mandarin oranges, until they yield about 3/4 to 1 cup of juice.
Halve and juice one lime.
Add 2.5 ounces of tequila reposado and 0.5 ounces of Cointreau and stir well. Set aside.
To rim the glasses, mix 2 tablespoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon Miguelito in a shallow dish.
Cut the lime wedge and run along the rims of the glasses to wet them. Turn the glasses upside down one at a time and dip in the salt-Miguelito mixture until the rims are completely salted.
Add ice to the glasses, pour margaritas over ice and serve immediately.

Notes

My preferred tequila for this recipe is Don Julio Reposado, but any reposado will do.

Cointreau is used here over Grand Marnier because it is less sweet, but any triple sec can be substituted to your preference.

If you’d like to make these ahead of time (24 hours in advance) or for a large group, you can easily double, triple or quadruple the recipe and refrigerate in a covered pitcher without the ice until ready to serve. Serve over ice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 7 ounces

Keywords: margaritas, mandarin orange margaritas, margarita de mandarina

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Agua de mandarina

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Té de bugambilia

23 · Feb 3, 2018 · 3 Comments

Té de bugambilia, also known as bougainvillea tea in English, is an essential Mexican home remedy during cold and flu season. It’s an excellent way to alleviate coughs, chest congestion and sore throats.

Years ago on a visit to Mexico City, my father-in-law taught me how to make this very effective Mexican home remedy for alleviating coughs and sore throats.

The recipe couldn’t be simpler: boil water and add the flowers until the water turns pink, then add Mexican lime juice (key limes) and honey. Some people like to add a little Mexican cinnamon stick to theirs as well, but I prefer my tea without it. Add slightly more honey if your throat is particularly sore….

How to make agua fresca de melón with a juicer

10 · Jul 2, 2017 · 1 Comment

Agua fresca de melón is a very popular fresh fruit drink in Mexico. Learn how to make it in a flash with a juicer to cut down on time and mess!

Why use a juicer instead of a blender? While the blender does the job OK, the process of filtering the pulp through a mesh sieve can be a lot messier, and also take more time. The end result is that your juice has some pulp that you really don’t want in an agua fresca. …

How to make suero

91 · Mar 24, 2017 · 2 Comments

Suero is basically homemade Mexican Gatorade.

In fact, it’s similar to a limonada, but with salt instead of sugar. It’s a very simple recipe and surely you’ll already have all the ingredients, but it’s the best remedy for a hangover.

And it’s not to be confused with buttermilk, which is another meaning of the word “suero” in Mexico.

Suero is an amazing Mexican hangover cure that's similar to Gatorade, but easy and cheap to make at home. See more Mexican hangover cures at theothersideofthetortilla.com

What’s awesome about this drink is that it can also be used to help you recover from a run or an intense workout! The salt helps you retain liquids after you’ve been dehydrated.

Sick with the flu? This is also helpful for staying properly hydrated.

Remember: table salt tastes saltier than Kosher salt (which is what I usually cook with). Start with 3/4 of a teaspoon and add more if necessary if you plan to use table salt.

And if you’ve got some digestive issues, a little watermelon and aloe vera juice for a couple of days can help you get back to normal once you’re rehydrated. Té de bugambilia (bougainvillea tea) is also a great Mexican home remedy for when you’re sick with a cold or cough.

RELATED: Guide to Mexican Limes

Suero (Mexican homemade Gatorade)

Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x
Category: drinks
Cuisine: Mexican