NewsTaco

By Aurora Ibarra

TGIF!

Time to kick back at the end of the week and enjoy a long deserved drink. In an attempt to make things a bit healthier, I made hibiscus martinis! Replacing all the fake sugary stuff with real iced tea, lemon and agave nectar. Dust of your martini shaker this weekend and enjoy these sweet drinks — salud!

Cook Time: 10 minutes (to make the tea)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Yields: about 2 martinis

Ingredients:

For the Hisbiscus Iced Tea:

• 6 cups of water
• 1/2 cup muscavado sugar
• 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup hibiscus flowers

For the Martinis:

• Good quality vodka
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar

Directions:

1. Bring two cups of water and the sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, grate the lemon and add the zest to the water. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, turn off the heat and add the hibiscus flowers. Let it steep for 10 minutes (at least).
2. Take a big pitcher and add 2 cups of ice cubes and the remaining 4 cups of water. Add the juice from the zested lemon. Put a big strainer on top and pour the concentrated hibiscus tea. Mix until everything is combined.
3. To make the martinis, (this should be enough for two), fill a martini shaker with ice cubes, add 2 shots of good quality vodka, a tablespoon of agave (or more depending on your sweet tooth), the juice of half a lemon, and 2 cups of hibiscus iced tea. Shake it up and enjoy!

By Melissa Pitts

With the drop in temperature, who can resist this thick and creamy champurrado? Mexican chocolate mixed with cinnamon and vanilla extract in a thick base make a satisfying dessert or if you’re feeling rebellious, breakfast.

Champurrado is a chocolate based atole-either way it is delicious so make yours any way you like (and very easy to make if you have Maizena mix). This recipe is made even sweeter with piloncillo (but you can use dark brown sugar instead), or if you prefer more of a bite, skip the sugar. Salud!

Yields 2 servings

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup masa harina- preferred brand Maseca
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 full tablet Mexican chocolate- preffered La Abuelita
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons piloncillo or dark brown sugar, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, dissolve the masa harina in the water and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture has thickened.
2. This step is optional depending on how thick you want your champurrado to be. For a thinner drink, strain mixture into another saucepan.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the chocolate and sugar have dissolved.
4. Or, if you want a thicker drink, skip the straining step and just add all the ingredients after the masa harina mixture has thickened.
5. Serve hot.

By Melissa Pitts

A classic essential for summer! This is an easy and refreshing drink made with just pineapple, water and sugar. There are infinite possibilities for aguas frescas such as tamarind or watermelon. For a fun twist, you can rim your glass with some chile and sugar (see recipe). Adding a splash of vodka never hurt anyone either, Happy Monday and salud!

Cook Time: 1 minute

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pineapple, roughly chopped (or about 2 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons sugar, or to desired sweetness
• 4 tablespoons Tajin or, sugar lime topping (see recipe)- optional to rim glasses
• 1 lime wedge to wet the rims of the glasses

Directions:

By Melissa Pitts

While we’ve already brought you tamarind martinis, we can’t leave out tamarind margaritas this summer. This is a great twist on the traditional lime margarita and the chili rimmed glass completes the spicy-sweet punch. You can serve this frozen by adding all the ingredients in a blender with ice, or you can just serve on the rocks. Salud and happy Friday!

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 ounces tequila, preferred Reposado
• 2 ounces Triple Sec- or any orange liqueur
• 1/2 cup tamarind juice
• Sparkling water (optional)
• Ice
• Tajin Fruit Seasoning–to rim the glasses
• 4 Lime wedge, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Pour Tajin onto a plate or shallow dish. With a lime wedge rub along the rim of a glass and dip glasses upside down rim the glasses.
2. Fill glasses with ice.
3. In a cocktail shaker with ice add the tequila, triple sec, tamarind juice, and lime juice.
4. Pour into the chili-rimmed glasses and top off with sparkling water, is using.

*If you want a frozen margarita- just put everything in the blender except the Tajin and puree.

Flaming Tortillas is dedicated to bringing the best of Latin cuisine, culture, and food news to your kitchen table. It features what’s in season right now,  favorite recipes from all over Latin America and fresh cultural Latin events around the country. Follow us on Twitter and get the latest news on Facebook.

By Melissa Pitts

Who didn’t grow up drinking horchata? And, while most of us only know the powdered stuff or the already made sweet and creamy drink, it’s extremely easy to make and much healthier. When you make it at home you control the sweetness and experiment with different flavors. Here I’ve used strawberries since they are in season right now, but you can use any fruit you want. I also love this recipe in the summer since it’s made with water, not milk which I prefer when it’s unbearably hot!

Cook Time: 10 mins.

Preparation Time: 10 mins.

Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
• 6 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup white rice
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions

1. Cook the rice according to the package and let cool. Put the rice in a blender.
2. Add the strawberries to the blender and puree the contents until smooth.
3. Strain the mixture into a pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
4. Add the cold water to the pitcher and stir everything. Taste and add honey if it needs sweetening.

Flaming Tortillas is dedicated to bringing the best of Latin cuisine, culture, and food news to your kitchen table. It features what’s in season right now,  favorite recipes from all over Latin America and fresh cultural Latin events around the country. Follow us on Twitter and get the latest news on Facebook.

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By Melissa Pitts

Because sometimes you want more than just plain watermelon! This drink takes all of 30 seconds to make and is the perfect thirst quencher in the unforgiving heat. Salud!

Cook Time: 1 mins

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Yields 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cubed watermelon, with the seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup ice cold water

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve cold and garnish with mint or more lime if desired.

Flaming Tortillas is dedicated to bringing the best of Latin cuisine, culture, and food news to your kitchen table. It features what’s in season right now,  favorite recipes from all over Latin America and fresh cultural Latin events around the country. Follow us on Twitter and get the latest news on Facebook.

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By Kelly Langmesser

Summer has unofficially started in the city and that means time for warm weather cocktails! This recipe is a refreshing white sangria pairs well with Spanish olives and cheeses to casually entertain. This recipe uses sparking wine to give it a light airy taste that makes perfect for sipping on a hot day.

Cook Time: 2 mins

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Cava (any sparkling wine will do-Prosecco, Brut,Champagne, etc.)
• 1 cup Triple Sec
• 3 lemons
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 green apple, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced strawberries

Directions

1. In a large pitcher for serving, squeeze juice from two lemons, add orange juice and sugar. Using a whisk, stir until sugar has dissolved. Stir in Triple Sec. Slice up remaining lemon and add to pitcher along with apple and strawberries. Pour in Cava and stir to combine all ingredients.
2. Serve over ice.