No doubt the margarita is the ultimate Tex-Mex cocktail. In recent years, however, fresh fruit juices, known as aguas—traditionally sold from street carts in Mexico and snow cone stands in many Texas border towns—have become wildly popular as well. In the past ten years, little snow cone stands have cropped up all over the border area. The growing popularity of aguas once again proves the adage: “Mexican Food only travels north.” Sweet and refreshing, these drinks are consumed daily to quench thirsts on hot, often dusty, streets.
Just as traditional, Mexican Hot Chocolate is a winter comfort. Although snow is a rarity, border towns do get cold in the winter, and a cup of steaming chocolate is a fine tribute to the Maya and Aztecs who brought us chocolate in the first place.
The beverages in this chapter are not a compendium of Tex-Mex sipping. Rather they are my favorites and the drinks that I feel reflect the tastes of la frontera.