Agua fresca

Aguas frescas[1][2] (English: cool waters, lit. 'fresh waters') are light non-alcoholic beverages made from one or more fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds blended with sugar and water. They are popular in Mexico and some other Latin American countries, as well as parts of the United States such as the Southwest. Some of the more common varieties include tamarindo, jamaica, and horchata.

For the Native American tribe known as the Agua Fresca, see Agua Dulce people. For the castle of Aguas Frescas, home of the fictional Count Almaviva, see The Marriage of Figaro (play).

Two types of aguas frescas in a Mexican taqueria in Seattle. On the left is a jar of agua de flor de Jamaica, and on the right is horchata. The drinks are ladled from the jars into glasses.
Chia seed agua fresca
Guava agua fresca

Aguas frescas are sold by street vendors and are commonly found in convenience stores, restaurants and juice bars.[3]

Terminology

The terms aguas frescas could lead to confusion in some Spanish speaking countries, as they may refer to bottled soft drinks. For example, in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panamá soft drinks are referred to as "frescos" (short for refresco), which in Mexico means soft drinks. Soft drinks in Guatemala are called "aguas", short for aguas gaseosas, which could easily be confused with the Mexican aguas frescas.

Types

In Mexico, it is common to find aguas frescas in these flavors:

Type Ingredients
Sweet fruits
  • Cantaloupe
  • Guava
  • Grape
  • Mango
  • Melon
  • Orange
  • Papaya
  • Passion fruit
  • Peach
  • Prickly pear
  • Raspberry
  • Soursop
  • Strawberry
  • Watermelon
Sour fruits
Seeds
  • Chía (often blended with vegetables)
Cereals
Flowers

See also

References
  1. Onstott, Jane (2010). National Geographic Traveler: Mexico. National Geographic Books. p. 36. ISBN 9781426205248. aguas frescas national geographic.
  2. "Aguas frescas, traditional Mexican beverages". El Universal. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  3. "Mexico's delicious fresh fruit drinks: Aguas frescas : Mexico Cuisine". mexconnect.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
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