There’s no denying that Mexican food is one of the world’s tastiest cuisines. However, Mexican food isn’t all the nation’s culinary experience has to offer–there are a ton of great beverages, too. Whether you want to go out to a Mexican restaurant or cook at home, learning which drinks pair with which dishes can help you to have a much better time.
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This post explores the topic of Mexican dishes that you absolutely can’t miss and what to drink with them. Read on to find out more.
Eating out
Before tackling this post’s main topic, it’s important to offer some general advice on finding Mexican restaurants. There aren’t many authentic Mexican restaurants in Australia, apart from one that specializes in bottomless margaritas in Sydney, which sells traditional dishes like burratas, al Ajillo prawns, and several other authentic recipes. You need to find an authentic restaurant, so you get a true Mexican dining experience.
A good way to determine whether a restaurant is authentic or not is to visit its website and check its menu. Try to find a restaurant that sells recipes you would find in cafes and bars in Mexico, like birria beef. Almost all restaurants have their menus publicly available on their websites today, so you should not have a hard time finding one that does.
As well as checking out a restaurant’s food menu, check out its drinks menu. A lot of people overlook Mexico’s contributions to mixology. Drinks like agua frescas, margaritas, tequila, and palomas are all distinctly Mexican, and available in most Mexican restaurants, in Mexico and abroad.
Cooking at home
If you want to cook Mexican food and make authentic drinks at home, you need to prioritize fresh ingredients above everything else. In Mexican cooking, the freshness of the ingredients is very important. Try to find locally sourced ingredients, ideally from farmers’ markets, so you can be sure they are organic. Avocado, annatto, corn, chili peppers, lime, Mexican chocolate, and cilantro are all staple ingredients in Mexican cooking, and therefore it’s sensible to pick them up.
One of the best things about the internet in its current form is that there are thousands of video tutorials and guides that teach you to cook authentic Mexican food from the comfort of your own home. Make as much use of these resources as you can if you want to give Mexican cooking a go. Attempting to cook Mexican food without following guides, especially if you are new to the cuisine, is one of the worst things you can do, and will likely lead to you either wasting money and ruining food, or cooking something that doesn’t have traditional flavors.
In terms of making drinks, to make authentic Mexican beverages, you are going to need to first figure out what sort of drinks you want to make, then shop around for ingredients. Limes tend to be a popular theme across many different types of Mexican drinks, from alcoholic to non-alcoholic ones. At the very least, you are going to need a blender and a juicer. This is so you can produce your fruit juice, and mix it up with alcohol to create delicious alcoholic beverages that are perfect for pairing with meals you have prepared.
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Top Mexican dishes and drink pairings
- Huevos Rancheros y Michelada. To prepare this dish, lightly fry corn tortillas until they are crispy. Bonus points for making your own. Then, fry eggs with the yolk facing up. In a separate pot, simmer tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic for the sauce. Once the sauce has rendered down, assemble your tortillas.
For the michelada, rim a glass with lime juice and salt. Mix lime juice, hot sauce, and soy sauce. Pour an authentic Mexican beer over ice, and garnish with a lime wedge.
- Flan y Café de Olla. In a pan, caramelize sugar. Coat the bottom of the ramekins with the sugar. Mix eggs, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and evaporated milk, then pour over the caramel while in a water bath. Let the desserts chill before serving.
In a separate pot, simmer cinnamon, brown sugar, cloves, and water. After a while, add ground coffee and let it steep. Strain, then serve in traditional clay cups for an authentic culinary Mexican experience.
- Enchiladas y Horchata. Roast tomatoes, chiles, and spices, then blend them to create a sauce. Fry tortillas, then fill with shredded chicken or cheese, or both. Roll the tortillas up and place them in a preheated oven, after pouring the sauce over. Bake until bubbling and hot, then garnish with onions.
For the horchata, soak rice, cinnamon, and almonds overnight. The following morning, blend until completely smooth, with no solids remaining. At this point, you can add sugar and vanilla. Then, serve the drink over ice.
- Beef Tacos y Mezcal Negroni. This dish is an especially popular one, and the drink pairing is ideal for people who like sweet, yet potent alcoholic drinks. Marinate minced or chopped beef in lime, garlic, and authentic Mexican spices overnight. Slow-cook the beef in a tomato-based sauce, until it comes apart easily. Then, shred it. Fry or bake corn tortillas, then fill them with the lamb mixture. Once you have assembled your tortillas, you can top them with avocado salsa or queso fresco–or both.
For the drink, stir equal parts mezcal, sweet vermouth, and Campri, then pour over ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
Going out or eating in?
In truth, the best way to experience authentic Mexican cooking is to visit a restaurant. Even if you are a skillful chef, the chances are you won’t be able to reproduce authentic Mexican food at home, especially if you have never cooked it before. Mexican cooking is a labor of love, which is why visiting a restaurant with knowledgeable chefs and a drinks menu is the best way to let go and have fun. If you plan on eating out, find a restaurant with good reviews.
Mexican food pairs with several different drinks. The best way to experience Mexican cooking is to visit a restaurant, so shop around and find the best one you can. Do your research beforehand, so you know which meals pair best with which drinks. Doing your research will help you to get more out of the experience.