Aguas frescas in the LA Times
“Aguas frescas have a long tradition in Mexico and Latin America, where the “fresh waters” — made with fresh fruit or rice, tamarind pods or dried hibiscus flowers, sugar and water — are the perfect thirst-quencher for hot weather and sometimes-hotter cuisine. In the pre-Columbian 15th century, the story goes, Aztec farmers would paddle their canoes into Tenochtitlán (now Mexico City) with fresh fruit that they would mash and mix with water for a refreshing drink.”
So sayeth the LA Times, so I need to get busy and write up the Middle Eastern connection for aguas frescas. Actually Aztec farmers aside, this article on aguas frescas in the United States is pretty good. The lime and cucumber is one of my absolute favorites, incredibly refreshing, though I prefer it without the chile. No need to go scouting around for agave syrup. That’s currently a trendy exotic product in the US which is great for farmers in the drier parts of Mexico.
I agree that the article was really nice in the times. Agua de pepino is also a favorite of mine.
This past weekend I had it in Ensenada with a Tostada de Pata at Oaxacan run La Comadre. Before that I had the best agua de Cebada I have ever had from the magical mariscos stand of La Gurrenense. It had almost a sasparilla flavor which was incredibly addicting.
You can check out our ‘foodie rockstar trip’ :^) here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/536474
Sounds as if you had a great time Alex. What did they add to the agua de cebada to give it that flavor. It can’t have been just barley which produces a very soothing or bland taste depending on how you want to describe it.
I am not sure – but this one was less of a ‘coffee horchata’ flavor I am used to and more hinging on a root beer spicyness.
Interesting…
Some other variations I have heard recently of AFs are chopped rose petal horchata and agua de elote from the elote boiling water.
Provecho!