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Mexican Christmas Traditions

Mandarin orange margaritas

66 · 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

mandarin oranges

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.

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Mandarin orange margarita in a glass rimmed with chamoy salt

Mandarin orange margaritas

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 margaritas 1x
  • Category: drinks
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. Halve and juice 6-7 mandarin oranges, until they yield about 3/4 to 1 cup of juice.
  2. Halve and juice one lime.
  3. Add 2.5 ounces of tequila reposado and 0.5 ounces of Cointreau and stir well. Set aside.
  4. To rim the glasses, mix 2 tablespoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon Miguelito in a shallow dish.
  5. 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.
  6. 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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Cocktails, drinks, Recipe mandarin oranges, mandarina, margaritas

Margarita-glazed doughnuts

5 · Jan 21, 2019 · Leave a Comment

These margarita-glazed doughnuts are a fun recipe to impress your adult guests for breakfast or brunch—it’s like having a cocktail for breakfast without the buzz!

Margarita-glazed doughnuts from theothersideofthetortilla.com

If you’ve been a longtime reader, then you know we love biscuit doughnuts in our house! They’re super easy to make, and the icing only takes a few minutes to whisk together. A couple of bakeries in LA have a margarita-glazed doughnut that I really liked, so I thought I’d try making my own at home and these were pretty spectacular! The icing really does taste like a margarita….

Read More

Breakfast and Brunch, Pan dulce, Recipe pan dulce

What is a Rosca de Reyes?

50 · Jan 4, 2019 · 1 Comment

Rosca de Reyes is a sweet yeasted bread that has been a part of Dia de Reyes in Mexico for more than 400 years.

The ring-shaped cake, which is considered to be a type of pan dulce, arrived from Spain during the conquest, as part of the celebration of the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem on the Epiphany (aka Three Kings Day) to visit the baby Jesus.

Mexican rosca de reyes for Día de los Reyes Magos via theothersideofthetortilla.com

The Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 each year.

…

Read More

Holidays, Pan dulce, Recipe Día de Los Reyes

Guide to Mexican Pan Dulce

12 · Dec 8, 2018 · 18 Comments

Mexican pan dulce can encompass pastries, sweet breads and even cookies, and are typically purchased from a panadería, or bakery. Popular kinds of pan dulce that you’re probably familiar with may include varieties such as conchas, sweet empanadas, cuernos, and puerquitos or marranitos.

Types of Mexican pan dulce

Bread and pan dulce first came to be in Mexico after wheat was introduced to the country by the Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th Century. However, Mexican pan dulce as we know it today rose to popularity during the French occupation in the mid 1800s.

French influence on Mexico’s gastronomy grew exponentially from the time Porfirio Díaz, a Francophile, took control as president in 1880 and flourished into the early 1900s. And although the French occupation of Mexico ended in the mid-1860s, they left behind an indelible impression when it came to Mexicans’ palate for sweet breads and baking techniques.

French pastries and sweet breads adopted by Mexico morphed into uniquely Mexican creations, with a variety of shapes, textures and creative names—some of which still exist today. In fact, scholars estimate there may be as many as 2,000 different types of pan dulce in Mexico.

Below you’ll find an alphabetical listing of common types of Mexican pan dulce, as well as some that are found only regionally. This list is not comprehensive by any means (there are hundreds of types of pan dulce throughout Mexico, and some are known by different names in different regions). If there’s a type of pan dulce missing from my list that you’d like to know more about, please drop me a comment here on the blog, and I’ll happily research and add your favorite pan dulce to the list!

Mexican pan dulce from A to Z

A

Abanico: Similar to the oreja or palmera, the abanico is a puff pastry dough layered with sugar and shaped in the form of a fan. It can sometimes be called “pata de elefante” which means elephant’s foot. Some bakeries will dip the ends in chocolate, while others leave it plain.

B

Beso: Made from a raised dough, the baker makes two spheres with it, bakes, joins them using a jam or jelly, and covers them with butter and powdered sugar. It owes its name to the figurative kiss between the two pieces or spheres. It can be found mostly in the central part of Mexico. The version pictured here is rolled in finely shredded coconut.

Banderilla: Made from buttery puff pastry dough, this crunchy, flaky treat takes its name from the daggers used during the second third of a bullfight. It’s finished with egg whites and sugar, which caramelize during baking.

Bigote: A very close cousin of the croissant. Its main difference with its French relative is the liberal use of sugar as a coating. Whereas a French croissant is very flaky from the use of laminated dough, a bigote has more of a bready consistency. They are often dusted with fine sugar but can also be plain.

Mexican pan dulce bigote on a white marble background

Bisquet: Much denser than a scone and not too different from a buttermilk muffin, this all-day treat can be easily identified by a circular depression on its top, which is painted with egg whites and sugar.

Mexican pan dulce: Bisquets are a dense, sweet biscuit often served with butter and jam. More on theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Borrachito: Very common in Mexico City, this bread has a shot glass shape. It has raisins and is covered with a heavy syrup with rum or brandy. In the state of Oaxaca, the dough can be reddish and the syrup will have mezcal.

Broca: Made from puff pastry dough, this crunchy treat takes its name from a drill bit, as it looks just like one.

Buñuelo de viento: A crunchy fritter made from the airiest of doughs and deep fried using a cast-iron mold. It’s typically covered in sugar and cinnamon. A Christmas favorite up and down the entire country, buñuelos have also been a staple of industrial production for decades.

C

Calvo: Think of a concha, a dome-shaped bread, but dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with dried coconut on its edge, made to resemble a bald, old man’s head.

Campechana: Made from a dough not too far off from pastry dough, but sometimes replacing butter with lard, this crunchy bread is a staple of breakfast tables throughout the country. Originally from the state of Campeche, thus its name, campechanas can take many shapes and sizes, but are always a very crunchy, sugary treat.

Cartera: This is basically a French pain au chocolat: same dough and same shape. It may or may not contain the semisweet piece of chocolate inside.

Churros: Originally from Spain, churros are made from a basic choux pastry dough made of flour, salt and water (although some add eggs, sugar and even lard), squeezed through an extruder and deep-fried. In Mexico, it’s the norm to cover them in sugar and they’re never filled. 

Colchón de naranja: A pillowy, doughy bread with a hint of orange and egg in its aftertaste, somewhat similar to the King’s Hawaiian bread we consume in the U.S.

Concha: The most popular and widely-known Mexican pan dulce. It has a dome shape and it’s decorated with a unique four and sugar paste resembling a seashell, which gives it its name. Traditionally the paste topping can be white or brown, the latter made with cocoa powder. Today, more colorful sugar paste toppings have emerged, including pink, yellow and even blue. In the state of Veracruz, conchas also known as bombas.

Conchas are a light, airy bread made from masa de bizcocho, covered with a delicate topping made of flour, sugar, + shortening; scored to make the topping look like a seashell. More pan dulce at theothersideofthetortilla.com

Cono de crema: A dessert treat made with puff pastry, filled with confectioners cream or custard, and dusted with confectioners sugar.

Corbata (or moño): A riff on the bigote, but with a literal twist in the middle, to resemble a bowtie, and thus its name.

Chilindrina: Similar to a concha in its shape, size and dough, this bread has a lumpy sugar crust. In Oaxaca, it’s used to thicken a type of stew called manchamanteles.

The chilindrina is a type of Mexican pan dulce with a light, airy bread made from masa de bizcocho, like a concha. Covered with a delicate topping made of flour, sugar, + shortening; sprinkled with sugar. More pan dulce at theothersideofthetortilla.com

Cubilete: This pastry is a three-bite cheesecake with a more buttery crust, and with a satisfying, soft, creamy center usually made with fresh cheese, not cream cheese. Can be doused in a liquor-infused heavy syrup and sometimes it has pineapple.

Cuernito: Not quite literally a croissant, because the dough usually has much less butter or even no butter, which is substituted with lard, giving it a different, more pillowy consistency. However, the croissant shape remains.

D

Dona: Doughnuts in Mexico are usually not yeasty and are seldom fried, which can be a huge letdown for some people. Mexican donuts, in general, are sprinkled with sugar. In the U.S., it’s more common to find yeasted and fried doughnuts with Mexican-flavored glazes or toppings, such as Mexican chocolate glazed doughnuts or hibiscus glazed doughnuts. Dough Doughnuts from Mexican Chef Fany Gerson in New York City and Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts from Mexican-American actor Danny Trejo in Los Angeles are great examples of these more American doughnuts with a Mexican-flavored spin.

E

Elote: This cookie takes its name from the shape and the finish given to the outer dough, and to a vegetable colorant used to fill a separate piece of dough that fills the outer shell. The dough contains lard and yeast, making it crumbly but airy. Not to be confused with pan de elote.

Empanada de fruta: A fruit-filled hand pie, which can be made from a pie crust-like dough, flaky puff pastry or a less buttery dough made with lard. It can also be sprinkled with sugar or painted with an egg-wash to achieve a glossy finish.

F

G

Galleta con grageas: A sugar cookie covered in colorful nonpareils.

Garibaldi: Popularized by the bakery chain El Globo, garibaldi are now a staple of any breakfast in Mexico. It’s a individual-sized pound cake brushed with apricot jam and rolled in white nonpareils. There is also a chocolate-flavored version with raspberry jam, very popular for after lunch dessert.

Gordita de nata: Using flour, sugar, yeast, milk, eggs and, most importantly, nata, a thick, pancake-like disc is formed, given time to rise, and cooked on a griddle. There are many forms of this treat throughout the country varying mostly in size and amount of nata used. Nata is the cream that thickens and congeals when boiling raw milk, also known in English as clotted cream. 

Gusano: Again, a figurative name based on the shape of the cookie, but this time, one that may give you the willies. And also, much like its brother, the elote, the gusano is made with a yeasty dough with lard and eggs, but with added cinnamon. It’s finished with a cinnamon-sugar coating.

H

Hojarasca: Cookies with a fragile dough typical of the state of Coahuila, usually placed on guests’ tables at weddings as a snack. Tradition says that the bride’s family or friends are in charge of making and placing them several days in advance. In the state of Michoacán and in the rest of the central region, they’re made with flour, yolks, butter, lard and piloncillo syrup infused with clove, cinnamon and aniseed.

I

J

K

L

Lima: A traditional bread found in Oaxaca that resembles the shape of the fruit as well as its color, by using vegetable coloring. The dough is very similar to that of a concha and the shell, which encompasses the entire piece, is made of sugar, lemon peel and the aforementioned coloring.

M

Mantecada: A synonym of panqué, a buttery pound cake. Sometimes confused with cupcakes due to their shape and paper wrapper.

A type of Mexican pal dulce, a mantecada is a muffin-shaped buttery pound cake, sometimes called panqué. More pan dulce at theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Marranito de piloncillo (or puerquito or cochinitos): A cookie in the shape of a pig—thus the name—made with piloncillo. Very typical of Western Veracruz and Eastern Puebla. It can be found throughout the country and the recipe may vary slightly, but its main ingredients are flour, eggs, piloncillo, cinnamon, baking powder and an egg wash for its shiny finish. Try this recipe for marranitos from Chicano Eats. 

N

Novia: Very similar to bigotes or corbatas but shaped in a coil similar to a cinnamon roll. Also made with a yeasty dough and doused in liberal amounts of sugar.

A type of Mexican pan dulce, made of a light, airy bread made from masa de bizcocho, like a concha, and shaped in a spiral roll. Liberally dusted with fine sugar. More pan dulce at theothersideofthetortilla.com

Nube: A concha with a fancier, more delicate shell and a sprinkling of sugar that looks like little clouds.

O

Ojo de buey: A bread or pastry dough piece filled or capped with a sugar paste similar to that used atop a concha, usually orb-shaped, and made to resemble an eye. The inner circle is made of different In some regions, the pan dulce listed above here as a “beso” is also called ojo de buey. Literally means “ox’s eye.”

Orejas: Puff pastry cookies of French origin, these are also known as palmeras in Spain. They are sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, or sugar alone, between layers and rolled to resemble the shape of an ear. This is one of the most popular types of Mexican pan dulce along with the concha.

Mexican pan dulce orejas on a baking sheet

P

Palmera: See orejas. Larger in size than orejas and formed in a circle shape to resemble a palm leaf.

Mexican pan dulce palmera puff pastry circle on white marble background

Pan de anis: Fluffy, airy, yet doughy bread with plenty of aniseeds and covered in sugar. These anise rolls are a must if you visit Mexico City’s famed El Cardenal during breakfast hours.

Mexican anise rolls

Pan de elote: Cornbread. Sweet corn kernels, eggs, butter, baking powder, sugar and flour. Found all over the country (and the continent).

Pan de muerto: Yeasty dough, orange peel and orange blossom water with dough pieces crossed on top made to resemble bones. This is typical of the entire country in the weeks before All Saints Day and Day of the Dead in early November.

Pan de muerto is a yeasted bread scented with orange blossom water, dough shaped to resemble bones on top, and dusted with sugar. Shared while celebrating Day of the Dead. More pan dulce at theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Panqué: Pound cake. Made with flour, butter, eggs and sugar.

Peine: Puff pastry filled with jam or jelly and cut in the shape of a comb. Similar-looking to a bear claw pastry.

Picón: Cone shaped bread with three points on one of its ends, covered with an egg, sugar and lard-based custard.

Pollo: Brioche-style bread filled with custard or confectioners cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Polvorón de naranja: Crumbly orange-flavored cookie.

Polvorones, also known as Mexican Wedding cookies: Buttery, crumbly shortbread cookie made with powdered sugar and nuts that can differ based on region. These cookies may have received their name because they’re sometimes offered as dessert at country weddings. Although not technically bread, they’re still considered a type of pan dulce by many and are available at most Mexican bakeries.

Mexican wedding cookies on a baking sheet, sprinkled with powdered sugar

R

Rebanada: A thick slice of white loaf bread, with a thick slather of a sugar paste on one side and baked again.

Rehilete: Similar to a danish but made in the shape of a spinning wheel, or rehilete in Spanish.

Rieles de fruta: Can be made with puff pastry or cookie dough, but either way, they’re stuffed with jam or jelly.

Roles de canela: Cinnamon rolls. Mexicans often like to add raisins and nuts use much, much less frosting.

Rosca de Reyes: Yeasted sweet bread made in the shape of a ring or oval, decorated with sugar-crystalized fruit and acitrón (crystalized biznaga cactus). Inside the dough, small, Baby Jesus figurines are hidden within. The rosca is the traditional treat served for the Epiphany (January 6) and it is customary that those who find the figurines inside their slice must invite the other guests to tamales and atole on February 2, Candlemas Day. Modern versions that deviate from traditional toppings also exist, such as a Sugar Crunch Rosca de Reyes.

Rosquilla de canela: Dry, flat, crumbly cookie shaped like a donut and covered in a cinnamon-sugar mix.

S

T

Trenza de hojaldre: A braided puff pastry, sometimes with frosting, similar to a coffee cake.

V

Volcán: A type of concha made with the same ingredients, but with a shell made to resemble a volcano that just spewed rocks.

Guides pan dulce

Easy Watermelon Margaritas

6 · Aug 19, 2018 · 1 Comment

A watermelon margarita is a tasty summer cocktail that’s easy to make and also a great way to use up extra fruit.

A quick and easy watermelon margarita that serves 2 but can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. Get this recipe on theothersideofthetortilla.com. #margaritas #mexicanfood #mexican

I can’t think of a better way to close out the final weeks of summer on the patio than a fresh watermelon margarita. Can you? These are also perfect for sipping by the pool on a hot day.

These margaritas are super easy to make, and you can even use fresh, store-bought watermelon juice if you don’t have a juicer at home. (Although there are so many inexpensive juicers on the market nowadays, you can find lots of decent options on Amazon with Prime shipping!) …

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Cocktails, Recipe margarita, tequila blanco, watermelon

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¡Bienvenidos!

Hi, I'm Maura Hernández. Welcome to my kitchen! I'm an award-winning food and travel blogger, recipe developer, and former journalist sharing my passion for all things Mexico. Married to a Chilango, I've traveled Mexico extensively over the last 15 years. Here, you'll find a mix of traditional and modern Mexican cooking, along with my advice on where to eat, stay and play on your visit to Mexico! READ MORE

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