Mexican Aguas Frescas: Recipes for the Spanish Summer

The Mexican tradition the Spanish summer needs

In any market, eatery or street stall in Mexico you will find a row of vitroleros (enormous glass jars) full of brightly coloured liquids: the intense red of jamaica, the creamy white of horchata, the dark brown of tamarind, the mint green of lime with chia, the pink of guava, the yellow of pineapple. They are the aguas frescas - non-alcoholic drinks made with water, fruit, seeds or flowers, sugar and plenty of ice.

They are not juices (they have much more water and less fruit), they are not soft drinks (no fizz or chemicals), they are not smoothies (no milk, except horchata). They are something unique: light, refreshing, natural drinks perfectly suited to fighting the heat. And the Spanish summer, with its 40°C in July, is the perfect setting to adopt them.

Agua de jamaica: the queen of aguas frescas

Agua de jamaica is made with dried hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa), which in Mexico are called "jamaica". The result is a drink of an intense ruby red colour, with a sweet-and-sour flavour reminiscent of cranberry and raspberry. It is refreshing, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, and visually spectacular.

Recipe:

• 1 cup dried jamaica (hibiscus) flowers (found in Mexican shops, herbalists and tea shops)
• 2 litres water
• ¾ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• Ice

Boil 1 litre of water, add the jamaica, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, pressing the flowers to extract all the colour and flavour. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Top up with the other litre of cold water and plenty of ice. Serve with a slice of orange or lime.

Gourmet variant: Add a piece of fresh ginger when boiling the jamaica. The spicy touch of the ginger complements the acidity of the hibiscus perfectly. You can also add a splash of orange juice.

Mexican horchata: creamy without dairy

Mexican horchata is completely different from Valencian horchata. While the Spanish one is made with tiger nut, the Mexican is made with soaked rice, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar. The result is a white, creamy, sweet drink with a cinnamon aroma that is pure liquid comfort.

Recipe:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cinnamon stick (large)
• 1 litre water (to soak) + 1 more litre (to top up)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Ice

Soak the rice with the cinnamon in 1 litre of water for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight). Blend everything together (including the soaking water and the cinnamon) until as fine as possible. Strain with a fine sieve or muslin, pressing well. Add the other litre of cold water, the sugar and the vanilla. Stir, adjust the sweetness and serve with plenty of ice.

Tip: If it turns out with a gritty texture, strain twice. Some add condensed milk for more creaminess, but the traditional version has no dairy - it is naturally vegan.

Agua de tamarindo: addictive sweet-and-sour

Tamarind is a tropical pod with a sticky, fibrous and extremely sour pulp that, with sugar and water, becomes one of the most addictive drinks there is. Its flavour is a perfect balance between sweet and sour, with notes of date and caramel.

Recipe:

• 200g tamarind in the shell (or 100g tamarind pulp)
• 2 litres water
• ¾ cup sugar

Boil the tamarind in 1 litre of water for 15 minutes until the pulp softens. Let it cool a little, then squeeze and break up the pulp with your hands, separating it from the seeds and fibres. Strain, add the rest of the water, sugar and ice.

Tamarind is found in Latin American shops, Asian shops and in some Spanish supermarkets in the exotic fruit section.

Agua de limón con chía: functional and refreshing

Chia seeds, a pre-Hispanic superfood now sold in every supermarket in Spain, take on new life in this drink. The chia absorbs water and creates a gelatinous texture that, combined with lime and sugar, results in a refreshing and nutritious drink.

Recipe:

• 2 litres water
• Juice of 6 limes (limes preferably)
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ cup sugar

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the lime juice and the chia seeds. Stir well and leave to rest for 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. The chia seeds will hydrate and create that characteristic texture. Stir before serving with ice.

Agua de sandía: the most summery

Simple and perfect. The Spanish summer watermelon is exceptional - sweet, juicy, in season. Combine it with water and lime and you have the ideal summer drink.

Recipe:

• ½ large watermelon, cut into pieces (deseeded)
• 1 litre cold water
• Juice of 2 limes
• Sugar to taste (ripe watermelon may not need any)
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Blend the watermelon with the water and the lime. Strain if you prefer it without pulp (Mexicans usually leave it with pulp). Add sugar if needed. Serve with ice and mint leaves. It is so refreshing that once you try it, you will not buy soft drinks in summer again.

More aguas frescas to explore

Agua de guayaba

Guavas blended with water, sugar and a touch of cinnamon. Intense pink colour, tropical flavour and unmistakable aroma. Guavas are found in specialist greengrocers in Spain during the autumn.

Agua de pepino con limón

Cucumber blended with lime juice, sugar and mint. Ultra refreshing, almost calorie-free and perfect for days of extreme heat.

Agua de mango

Ripe mango blended with water, lime and a touch of powdered chilli piquín. The sweet-sour-spicy combination is quintessentially Mexican. With the mangoes found in Spain in summer, the result is exceptional.

Agua de piña con hierbabuena

Pineapple blended with water, sugar and spearmint leaves. Tropical, fresh and with a minty aroma that awakens the senses.

Tepache

Technically tepache is not an agua fresca but a fermented pineapple drink. It is made with the pineapple skin, piloncillo (brown sugar), cinnamon and clove, fermented for 3 to 5 days at room temperature. The result is slightly alcoholic (1 to 2%), naturally effervescent and with a unique caramelised pineapple flavour. It is the original Mexican kombucha.

Tips for perfect aguas frescas

• The ice is a key player: Aguas frescas are served with LOTS of ice. Do not be shy.
• Adjust the sweetness: In Mexico they are made quite sweet. Reduce the sugar if you prefer, or substitute with agave or stevia.
• Make a large jug: Aguas frescas are made in volume. Make 2 litres minimum - they run out fast.
• Variations with chilli: In Mexico it is common to sprinkle chilli piquín and salt into the glass of agua fresca, especially mango, watermelon and pineapple. Try it - it is addictive.

"In Mexico we do not say 'I'm thirsty'. We say 'what would you like your agua to be?' And there are always at least three options."

Discover more refreshing recipes in our Mexican recipes section and find ingredients such as jamaica flower and tamarind in our recommended Mexican shops. Some Mexican restaurants also serve aguas frescas of the day.