By Christopher Warsow, Contributing Editor
The influence of the Latin American culture is very visible in what Americans are drinking every day. Some of these beverages are quite familiar; others are less common but might still translate into American culture with a bit of a twist to appeal to mainstream consumers.
The beverage format is a great way to introduce exotic—sometimes complex—flavors to consumers. One of my earliest experiences with beverages from Hispanic cultures was at a taquería in southwest Detroit. As I ordered my tacos, I noticed a rainbow of glass bottles in a cooler behind the counter. They were bottles of Jarritos soda. I learned early on that those vibrant fruit flavors and that real-sugar sweetness provided a perfect counterpoint to a spicy carne asada taco.
Opportunities for Latin American beverages span throughout all levels of foodservice and across various retail beverage sectors—from the cooler at the local gas station all the way through fine dining.
Latin bar flair
Even if you are not a Jimmy Buffett fan, you are probably familiar with the margarita. The margarita was probably one of the first alcoholic beverages that made it to the United States from Mexico. The exact origins of this cocktail are cloudy, but the basic components are still the same: tequila, lime juice and orange liquor. It reputedly originated in Mexico, somewhere between the Mexican border and Ensenada. A good margarita is a well-balanced and refreshing symphony of sweet and sour. A bad one is a heartburn-inducing journey to your bottle of antacids.
Another mainstream addition to our culture is the mojito. The mojito is a simple combination of simple syrup, light rum and muddled mint leaves. You can now find a cornucopia of flavored bottled mojitos in your grocery’s cooler. So what is the next mojito?
A drink that has been showing up on many drink menus with increasing frequency is the caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil. It is a simple combination of sugar, lime and cachaça. Cachaça is fermented, then distilled, sugar-cane juice. It has all the subtlety of jet fuel on the palate when consumed neat, but is sublime in the caipirinha cocktail.
A derivation of this drink that would be well-suited to the American consumer is the caipifruta, where the cachaça is combined with crushed ice and crushed fruits. Popular fruits for this drink include kiwi, pineapple, mango and caja. Caja is a small fruit indigenous to the Brazilian rainforest that resembles a mango in flavor with a bit of a citrus note.
The potential for the caipifruta is just as great as the mojito for both retail and foodservice. The imagination is the only limit on the number of flavored derivations for this drink. Foodservice sales could be further enhanced by offering purées of fruit from the rainforest that are known for their healthy properties.
The pisco sour is another drink that is poised to take over drink menus in the future. The origins of this drink are a point of contention between Chileans and Peruvians. Anthony Bourdain fanned the flames of contention by stating on his “No Reservations" program that one country’s version was much better than the other’s. I will not repeat his comments in print to avoid further escalation of the situation.
The main ingredient in this drink is pisco, a brandy produced in both Chile and Peru, mixed with lemon or lime juice, frothy egg whites, simple syrup and aromatic bitters. The name is derived from the port city of Pisco, Peru, and traces its lineage back to the days of Spanish conquest. Vines were brought over from the Canary Islands by the Spanish for wine production. Many of the grapes did not produce very high-quality wine because of the different soil conditions found in the Americas, so these low-quality juices were often fermented into wine and then distilled to produce pisco. Pisco became popular with the sailors that visited the port.
Healthful options
Coconut water has been popular in Latin America—as well as Southeast Asia and on islands in the Pacific—for many years. Its isotonic properties make it an ideal drink to overcome and prevent dehydration in hot climates. Coconut water is derived from fresh, young, green coconuts.
Coconut water has been popular with the Hollywood set for a few years now, and it’s starting to appear in convenience stores. Its growing popularity can be attributed to the fact that it is a natural product that has very good hydrating properties. One slight downfall is that coconut water can be perceived as salty, and perhaps a bit metallic, to the uninitiated. Combining it with sweet and sour fruits can help the flavor profile quite a bit.
This beverage is gaining traction in retail markets for its hydrating properties, but is relatively unseen in foodservice. It might need some marketing help from a company that is willing to invest in promoting it as an alternative beverage to soft drinks in restaurants.
Aguas frescas literally translates as “refreshing waters." An intriguing aspect of these beverages is the flavor varieties that are offered. Rick Bayless commonly offers several types at Xoco and his Tortas Frontera at O’Hare airport, including mango lime and raspberry prickly pear. These are super sweet and super tart, and they cool off the habanero salsa nicely. Aguas frescas can be made from any fruit that is commonly available in the area.
