Ready to let out un grito? September 16th is officially Mexican Independence Day, but this year, we're giving you two reasons to throw a fiesta tonight. Mexican President Felipe Calderon recently declared 2010 the “Year of the Nation,” as it honors not only the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s freedom from Spain in 1810, but it also marks 100 years since the Mexican Revolution began in 1910. Now, it’s time to party, Mexican style! Last year, we provided several classics to jumpstart the festivities and this time, we’re doing the same, but only better. Whether you plan on celebrating this Mexican Independence Day at your favorite cantina or local street fair, raise a toast with any of our delicious cocktail picks to commemorate the holiday. Viva Mexico!
Top Mexican Independence Day Cocktail: El Bicentenario
Faintly sweet, but packing a powerful punch, there’s no better way to celebrate Mexico’s colorful culture this year than with El Bicentenario. It’s a sizzling hot number that quenches one’s thirst with a tantalizing mix of agave syrup and tangerine. At the same time, El Bicentenario instantly awakens taste buds with Habanero pepper, ensuring that the night won’t end with just one drink.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Tequila (We used Cabo Wabo Reposado)
2 slices of Habanero pepper
1 Tangerine quartered
¾ oz. oz. Agave syrup
¾ oz. Lime juice
1 Tangerine wheel
Preparation
Muddle the pepper and tangerine. Add all other ingredients (except tangerine wheel), in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass.
Top Mexican Independence Day Cocktail: Traditional Mexican Ponche
Summer is sadly coming to an end, but the new cool season is the perfect time to savor autumn treats at cozy get-togethers. The Traditional Mexican Ponche is the ideal elixir for smaller gatherings without wasting time on making individual cocktails for guests. Not only does this party punch tastes as good as it looks, but you just needs several ingredients that can all be found at your local supermarket. Could you really say no to a ruby-hued concoction that includes plump strawberries, ripe guava, and eight shots of tequila?
Ingredients
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 1/8ths
3/4 cup Raisins
1lb. Guava, quartered
3 (3 to 4-inch) Sugarcane pieces, each cut in strips
½ cup Prunes
½ lb. Crabapples, peeled and cored
2 cups Diced pineapple
8 large Strawberries
1 cup Sugar
4 Cinnamon sticks
8 cups Water
8 shot of Tequila (We used Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila)
Orange slices
Preparation
Place fruits, sugar, cinnamon, and 8 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Simmer for 1 hour. Serve hot in a glass mug that has a shot of tequila in it.
Top Mexican Independence Day Cocktail: The Firecracker
Get the party started this Mexican Independence Day with a drink that’s certain to blow your guests away. The Firecracker is an explosive mix of pepper, hot sauce, tequila, bitter orange peels, and tangy lime juice…need we say more? Be warned that The Firecracker isn’t for the tame, but if you can handle its fiery finish, then you deserve to have another round!
Ingredients
2 oz. Tequila (We used Cabo Wabo Blanco)
3 dashes of Hot sauce
2 slices of Serrano pepper
1 oz. Orange juice
½ oz. Agave nectar
¾ oz. Lime juice
¼ oz. Orange Curacao
1 Orange twist
Preparation
Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
