Ingredients:

• 1 – 250 Gram Package Polvorones Orange Flavored Cookies (Graham Cracker Cookies may be substituted)
• 6 to 8 Tablespoons (about 1 Stick) Unsalted Butter
• 3 – 8 Ounce Packages Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Cups Sour Cream
• 1/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
• 1/3 Cup Tequila
• 1/3 Cup + 1 to 2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 1 + 1/4 Cups White Sugar
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons Lime Zest
• 4 Eggs
• Lime Slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

One (250 gram) package of Polvorones cookies makes about 2 & 1/2 cups of cookie crumbs.

Crush the cookies with a rolling pin or use a food processor to break them up into crumbs.

Place the cookie crumbs in a medium bowl.

Melt the butter. (If using Polvorones, you’ll probably only need about 6 tablespoons of butter. If you decide to use graham crackers, you’ll likely use a whole stick of butter.)

Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the cookie crumbs and mix until well blended. In a 9-inch springform pan with 2 & 3/4-inch high sides, press the cookie crumb mixture onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides.

Refrigerate the crust while preparing the cream cheese filling.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy.

Measure out 1 cup sour cream and pour into the bowl with the whipped cream cheese.

Add 1/3 cup of the freshly squeezed lime juice.

Add the 1/3 cup tequila.

Measure out 1/3 cup Grand Marnier and add it to the other ingredients.

Measure out 1 cup of sugar and add it.

Add the lime zest.

Beat the ingredients until well blended.

Add one egg and beat until just blended.

Repeat, adding one egg at a time and beating until just blended after each addition.

Remove the chilled cookie crust from the fridge and pour the cream cheese filling into it.

Bake the margarita cheesecake until its center is softly set, about 50 minutes.

While the cheesecake is baking, prepare the topping.

Measure out the other 1 cup of sour cream.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.

Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice.

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier.

Mix the topping ingredients until well blended and set aside.

When the cheesecake is done, remove from the oven, but maintain the oven temperature. Pour the topping over the cheesecake and smooth the surface using a spatula.

Bake the cheesecake about 5 minutes longer. Remove it from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Garnish with lime slices, as desired.

Remove pan sides. Slice the margarita cheesecake to make 10 to 12 servings.

Enjoy!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• About 1/2 of a Medium Watermelon
• Cold Water, enough to make 2 liters
• White Sugar, to taste
• Ice Cubes, optional

Directions:

Remove the rind and cube the watermelon. (To make things easier, you can use seedless watermelon and skip the straining step later.)

Fill a blender with cubed watermelon and about a cup of cold water.

Blend until smooth and seeds are broken up into smaller pieces.

Pour the purée through a sieve set over a large pitcher. Stir the purée being strained to help separate the seed fragments.

Discard the seed fragments, and repeat the blending and straining steps for the remaining watermelon. Add enough cold water to the pitcher to make two liters. Be sure to sample the water before adding sugar to taste, and stir well to dissolve.

Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, or serve immediately on ice.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Cantaloupe Melon
• Cold Water, enough to make 2 quarts
• 1/4 Cup-1/2 Cup Sugar, or to taste
• Ice Cubes, optional

Directions:

Wash and dry cantaloupe, then cut in half.

Remove the seeds using a large spoon. I prefer to blend the seeds along with the fruit when preparing this water, so you can transfer them directly to a blender. However, their use is optional. You may choose to discard them.

Cut the melon halves into slices, and then cut away and discard the rinds.

Cut the slices into cubes.

Add the cubed melon to the blender. Pour in about 1 cup of cold water, which will aid in the blending process.

Blend until smooth. If using the seeds, make sure they are well-blended as well.

Pour about 1 quart of cold water into a large pitcher. Place a medium-sized sieve over the opening.

Strain the melon pureé by gradually pouring it into the sieve.

Towards the end, you may need to stir the pureé in the sieve in order to separate the remaining liquid from the solids. Discard anything remaining in the mesh.

Stir the water and melon mixture to combine. If needed, add additional cold water to make 2 quarts total. Depending on the sweetness of the cantaloupe, you might just add a few tablespoons of sugar. Be sure to sample the fresh water in order to determine the best amount of sugar to add. It also depends on personal taste, although remember that cantaloupe water should be refreshing, thirst-quenching, and not too sweet. Stir well to make sure that the sugar completely dissolves.

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. As an alternative, you may wish to reduce the amount of water and add some ice cubes for an instantly cool drink.

Enjoy!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Picture by Lorenia Flickr

A traditional coffee that it´s a must drink to start the day´s activities. But we are not talking about regular coffee, this cafe de olla is unique because is sweetened with piloncillo and it has to be prepared in a clay bowl. Here the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups of water
• 4 Tablespoons ground coffee (of your choice, but not decaf)
• 4 Cinnamon sticks
• Piloncillo to to taste

Directions:

Pour the 4 cups of water into the clay bowl, the 4 cinnamon sticks and some of the piloncillo and set over medium-high heat. Stir the water frequently so the piloncillo dissolves and don´t stick to the bowl. (try the water as you add some of the piloncillo so is not too sweet).

When the water is boiling and the piloncillo is well dissolved, use a strainer to remove all the cinnamon residues and keep boiling for another 2 minutes now in low heat.

Add the 4 tablespoons of the ground coffee and keep boiling for 5 more minutes with a lid on the bowl. Let the coffe settle and use the strainer one more time if necessary.

Serve hot on a clay cup and enjoy with sweet bread.

Recipe Posted by Magdiel.

• 4 Cups strawberries, cored and sliced
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar, or to taste
• 7-8 Cups Cold Water
• 8 Fresh Mint Sprigs (optional)
• 1 Lime, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve sugar in 4 cups of water. Stir to dissolve completely.

Combine the strawberries and the sugar water mixture in a blender, and puree until smooth.

Pour the mixture through a wire mesh strainer set over a large pitcher. Discard the seeds and pulp.

Add the remaining 3-4 cups cold water to the pureed strawberries and mix well. Refrigerate until well chilled or pour over ice and serve immediately.

Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Becky Luigart Stayner

Jamaica flower iced tea is prepared from a flower called Jamaica (hibiscus sabdariffa) and its very popular here in Mexico. It is said that this flower arrived to Acapulco on the ships coming from India as part of the trade of products between the Nueva España and Asia.

In Egypt, this flower is called “karkade”. Their custom is to drink karkade cold, but during winter they prefer it as a hot drink, and its used in some places or hotels to give a good welcome to the visitors.

The Flower

This plant is a bush, and sometimes reach 9 or 10 feet tall. It is cultivated mainly around June, the first flowers blossom during November, and finally the flowers are harvested during December and January. Once you get the flowers, they are dried under the sun for about 3 or 4 days, time in which the flower can be packed and distributed.

Some of the benefits of this Jamaica flower tea can be listed as diuretic, laxative, digestive, but also can be used to stabilize high blood pressure and artery and kidney purifier.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Jamaica flower
• 5 Cups water
• Sugar to taste
• Ice cubes

Directions:

First, wash the flowers with water until you see that water comes out clean. In a deep bowl, put 3 cups of water and the cup of Jamaica flower and bring to a boil. Leave it boiling for about 15 – 20 minutes. After that, take it off the fire and add the 2 other cups of water. Let it cool down for a while and with a strainer (to separate the flowers and the tea), pour the water into a jar. Add the ice cubes that you consider appropriate and sugar to taste. Enjoy!

Posted by Magdiel

Pulque is another traditional beverage (3-4 % alcohol) made from the juice of the maguey or agave plant. Is this beverage the same as tequila? No, tequila is fermented and destilled to make a strong alcohol, while pulque is a milky , slightly foamy and somewhat viscous beverage made by fermeting (not destilling) the fresh sap of certain types of maguey.

There are many versions of where pulque comes from. Some people say it was one of the earliest alcoholic beverages produced in Central America, others say pulque originated as part of  some religious ceremonies and offered to Tepoztecatl, an Aztec god.

What ever the case, a study of pulque has shown that it is a nutritious drink that provides among other things Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid as well as a benefitial microbial community for the human digestive system.

Unlike tequila, most Mexicans turn up their noses at the mention of pulque. It is considered a crude, peasant drink, and not nearly as desirable as beer and other spirits. Part of pulque‘s bad reputation comes from years of abuse by alcoholic campesinos (farmers), who would drink gallons of it daily, starting in the morning and going all day.

Pulque was sold in casual backyard type business called pulquerias. Usually just a few tables and chairs, sometimes pigs, chickens, or dogs were kicked around at one’s feet. The pulque was traditionally served in calabash gourds, but by the 1970′s, plastic buckets were commonly used. You can still find pulque vendors with their donkeys carrying the pulque bags, but although it may be sad to say, the golden age of pulque and the pulquerias is over now being part of the story of Mexican drinks.

Posted by Magdiel

Michelada (CC photo by Hartford Courant)

Some people may consider that Michelada is a cheap imitation of the famous “Bloody Mary Cocktail” that mixes instead of vodka, beer. Whatever the case, the mixing of beer with hot sauce comes from the 40′s when Mexican People made very popular this mix. In recent years, due to the popularity of the drink, now you can find at some stores the pre-made mixes ready to pour along with your favorite beer. But what is really a Michelada? The Micheladas are a spicy beer cocktails popular in northern Mexico. The cocktail‘s name is derived from “mi-chela-helada” or “my-cold-light beer“. What is a fact is that in a hot day, is the perfect mix to drink.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz of Beer (it is best non-dar like Corona or Dos XX)
• 6 oz Clamato
• 2 Dashes of Salsa Inglesa or Worcester Sauce
• 2 Dashes Tabasco brand hot sauce
• Juice from 2 green limes
• 1 Pinch coarse ground black pepper
• 1 Pinch salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients except the beer into a shaker and shake briefly. Pour clamato mix and beer into a 22 oz pilner glass or in a tarro with a little ice. Make sure you don’t pour to fast the beer, because it will foam up. Rimming the glass with celery salt is optional. Now the Michelada is ready to drink. Delicious isn’t it?

Posted by Magdiel

Margarita (CC photo by Food Colors)

Margaritas…who can say that doesn’t know this drink? They are considered one of the most famous cocktails representavives of Mexico. Everybody knows this drink and the stories behind it about its origin, the possible reason why it was called Margarita, and the similarities with the flower that is name the same way. But what really matters for many is that is so refreshing and offers the possibility to be made in different ways. Even in places like U.S and Canada, Margaritas are very popular and more and more people prefer this drink. With over 20 different options and flavors you wont be able to decide where to start. For now, let’s talk about the 3 basic ways that people serve Margaritas, and those are:

1. Neat
2. On the Rocks
3. Frozen Margarita (most popular)

It is up to you to determine if you want salt, sugar or nothing at all on the rim of your glass, but whatever you decide let’s get to work and prepare one. Shall we?

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 1/2 oz Triple sec
• 1 Dash of lemon or lime juice
• 3 oz Sour Mix
• 1 Lime wedge
• Salt or sugar to rim the glass, optional.

Directions:

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shacker and include some ice too. Shake for about 2 minutes. In a margarita glass (in case you decide to do so), salt the rim of the glass with the mixture previously prepared, then pour the drink from the shaker into the glass, adding new ice to the glass and garnish the glass with the lime wedge. Enjoy!!

Posted by Magdiel

Tequila Sunrise (CC photo by Ankale courtesy of Flickr)

Yes! A Tequila Sunrise…who can deny that this drink looks so refreshing and delicious! It’s no wonder that this drink inspired songwriter Glen Frey of The Eagles (one of my favorite bands) to name one of his classics “Tequila Sunrise” because, as the story goes, he had just finished writing the song, along with his tequila, right before the sunrise.

But it’s not only because of the song that this drink is among those that characterize Mexican Drinks, right up there with the Margarita and Piña Colada. You may think it’s not a big deal to prepare this drink, but as you can see, it’s not just a matter of mixing ingredients. You have to carefully follow a few steps so the warm red and yellow hues stay in place, thus mimicking a beautiful Mexican Sunrise!

Tequila Sunrise (CC photo by CJDCathyD courtesy of Flickr)

Ingredients:

• 2 Measures Tequila
• 2 Dashes Grenadine
• Orange Juice

Directions:

Pour the tequila into a highball glass filled with ice, and then add the orange juice. Stir well. Add the granedine by tilting the glass and pouring grenadine down the inside of the glass while simultaneously flippingthe bottle of grenadine vertically very quickly. Then grenadine should straight down to the bottom and then rise up slowly through the drink. Of course, finish off with a straw, and garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice.

Posted by Magdiel