Creamy Peanut and Vanilla Apéritif

Toritos

Serves 6 to 8 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Can be made up to 24 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated (stir before serving)

Mexicans adore peanuts: We eat them raw, toasted, fried, candied, salted, or spiced. They are also used as flavor enhancers and thickeners in sauces like red pipián and in candy and marzipan. Amazingly, though, I had never had them in a drink until I went to a wedding in Veracruz. There toritos were served as a welcoming drink in the heat and humidity. I fell in love instantly.

Toritos are traditionally made with strong aguardiente de caña (cane liquor), which translates to “water that burns”—and it feels like it does if you drink it straight up. The strength of the liquor may be why the torito, or “little bull,” got its name—hinting at the little kick to the head one may feel after the first couple of sips. Although here the aguardiente is subdued by the sweet smoothness of milk and peanuts, make no mistake: it’s still there!

The locals enjoy this torito as an apéritif, but it is equally delicious as an after-dinner drink.

  1. Working in batches if necessary, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, liquor, peanut butter, and vanilla in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher or a jar, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Alternatively, you can serve the drink over ice cubes directly from the blender, or add some ice cubes to the blender or food processor along with the other ingredients to make a frappe.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: Not a fan of peanuts or peanut butter? Toritos can also be made with coffee or exotic fruits. To make a coffee torito, replace the peanut butter with ¾ cup strong coffee (espresso or dark coffee). To make a fruit torito, replace the peanut butter with 1½ cups fresh or frozen guava or mango puree, or any fruit of your choice. Look for exotic fruit purees in the freezer section of your grocery store and in Latin and specialty stores.