Happy Cinco de Mayo! Celebrating with Refreshing Agua Fresca Veraniega and Roasted Garlic Guacamole

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Time to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture and enjoy some festive party food.

Nothing says celebration than a delicious appetizer or pupu and a party-worthy drink. So to honor the Cinco de Mayo holiday theme over at I Heart Cooking Clubs, I selected the simple Roasted Garlic Guacamole and paired it with the Agua Fresca Veraniega, both from Fiesta at Rick's by Rick Bayless. Sure, most people celebrate with a little alcohol but I was intrigued by the combination of cucumber, pineapple, lime, cilantro and parsley in this beverage that Rick calls his "favorite summer soft drink." Besides, I think that a splash of rum or vodka would make this a tasty mojito-like cocktail if you are so inclined.

Rick says, "My favorite agua frescas aren't always the single fruit kind. In fact, the most appealing to me occasionally weave in ingredients that aren't fruit at all, ingredients that take the idea of "soft drink" to a whole new level of refreshment. Which is what you will experience when you make this one: it offers a hint of melon-iness (without having any melon) from the cucumber and the backyard freshness of the herbs, and the deep tropical sweetness of the pineapple. Of course lime is the seasoning that brings it all together."

Agua Fresca Veraniega (Rick's Favorite Summer Soft Drink)

Adapted From Fiesta at Rick's by Rick Bayless

(Makes 3 Quarts or Twelve 12-oz Glasses with Ice)

6 (about 1 1/4 lbs total) mini seedless or Persian cucumbers, peeled & roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

1 (about 3 1/2 lbs) medium pineapple, peeled, cored & cubed (generous 4 cups)

1/2 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

1/2 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup fresh lime juice, plus a little more if needed

1/4 cup sugar, plus a little more if needed

ice cubes (about 2 quarts-small ones are best)

In a blender combine all of the ingredients with 1 1/2 cups water. Blend until completely smooth. (If your blender isn't large enough to hold everything, blend in batches.) Pour into a large pitcher, then stir in 6 cups of water. Taste and add more lime or sugar if you think the drink needs it. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

The Roasted Garlic Guacamole is in the book as part of a "Luxury Guacamole Bar with Help Yourself Garnishes" (how awesome does that sound at a party?!) ;-) but I just wanted a simple bowl of guacamole goodness and this one has a mellow garlic flavor that makes it very scoopable on its own.

Roasted Garlic Guacamole

Adapted from Fiesta at Ricks by Rick Bayless

(Makes 4 Cups)

6 garlic cloves 

6 medium-large (2 1/2 pounds) ripe avocados 

1/2 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off) 

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus a little more if necessary 

salt

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, roast the unpeeled garlic until it is soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the papery skins and finely chop.  

Cut around each avocado from stem to blossom end and back up again, then twist the halves apart. Dislodge the pit and scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the garlic, cilantro and lime. Coarsely mash everything together.  

Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon. Scoop into its serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Notes/Results: Two more winning recipes from Rick. The agua fresca is refreshing and a great combination of flavors. I made two very small changes to the recipe, leaving the peels on my unwaxed mini cucumbers and swapping out the sugar for two tablespoons of local honey. I drank this today both diluted with the water and also full strength as more of a green juice drink. Both ways tasted great and I will try a little coconut rum with my next serving.

I made a half-batch of the guacamole but kept the garlic amount the same because I loves me some garlic. the roasting in the pan makes it nice and mellow and still allows the avocado to shine through. I was going to make my own tortilla chips as I did for the last batch of Tangy Green Guacamole but it was humid today and I was not in the mood to fire up the oven, so just used a purchased multi-grain tortilla chip. Still delicious. I will make both of these recipes again.

You can check out how all the IHCC participants are celebrating their 5th of May by following the links here.

***Cookbook and Apron Giveaway: If you are in the U.S. or Canada, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a copy of a great cookbook: FoodTrients: Age-Defying Recipes for a Sustainable Life by Grace O and a fun FoodTrients apron. Details for entering and my review of the book are here.