Fresh & Sweet: Tequila Cantaritos
Tequila is a trendy and fun Mexican spirit, great for delicious cocktails like the amazing Margarita, or a salty Paloma!
Among the legends that explain the origins of this exquisite drink, one says that tequila was discovered during a thunderstorm when lightning struck a crop of agaves and, because of its intensity, caused a fire. The vapors heated the agave and then produced the honey of sweet taste and pleasant aroma, which caught the attention of the natives.
They also discovered that, when fermented (Pulque), it had relaxing powers and produced effects of euphoria when drinking it. Thus, Mexican natives considered this beverage a gift from the gods of drunkenness. This explains why we can see Bacchus God in many paintings that reference this beverage.
One cocktail typical from Jalisco is the Cantarito; this drink is refreshing and has a tasty combination of sweet, acid, and spicy!
This cocktail was born in the Mexican Revolution, specifically in the state of Jalisco, in order to quench the thirst of the tired revolutionary troops, since tequila – its main ingredient – was a very cheap drink and considered for the “lower classes.”
The cantaritos were also drunk to celebrate some triumph in battle and were kept fresh by their clay container. Over time, they became famous and some other ingredients were added to the original recipe, such as grapefruit soda, chili pepper and more.
Do you want to try it? It is very easy to do, and you only need few ingredients and a lot of thirst!
Recipe
3 heaps of salt
7 fresh squeezed limes
20oz of Fresh grapefruit juice
1.5 bottles (750ml) of 100% Agave Reposado Tequila
24oz of Squirt or Fresca (Grapefruit Flavor)
Add all ingredients into a large cantarito or punch bowl. Then add ice and stir—garnish with lime wheels and grapefruit wedges. Ladle into smaller cups for personal drinking!
