Augas frescas

A simple option is to make augas frescas. It is a light non-alcoholic drink commonly made with fruit juice, cold water, sugar, and lime juice. Many recipes call for blending the ingredients together usually using fresh fruits and straining the juice; however, if your bar prefers a can of Dole® pineapple juice that will work as well. Making auga frescas from fruit could also be a great way to prime those Vitamix® Drink Machine blenders before a happy hour full of blended margaritas. On the other hand, if a customer would rather use the syrups they have on hand; try this Torani® recipe for Le Mexique which looks remarkably like augas frescas.

Le Mexique, image courtesy of Torani

Le Mexique

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp (3/4 oz) Torani® Mango Syrup
• 1/2 Tbsp (1/4 oz) Torani® Ginger Syrup
• 1 cup (8oz) sparkling water or club soda
• Ice

Instructions:

Combine Torani® and sparkling water in a glass filled with ice. Stir and enjoy!

Horchata

Another form of augas frescas is Horchata. Rather than being made from fruit juice, it is made with rice, cinnamon, and almonds. The recipe for horchata varies by region. It is usually a white drink that has a spice flavor to it. If you don’t feel like making it fresh, as the process can take some time, Dr. Smoothie has a new Horchata Frappe that will hit the spot for your customers who are looking for a Latin-inspired coffee or sweet treat.

Auga de Jamaica

Jamaica, also known as Hibiscus tea, is a deep red drink often seen alongside Horchata at Mexican restaurants. It has a sweet tart flavor created by steeping dried hibiscus calyces or sepal, and sugar in boiling water. The mixture is usually strained before being poured over ice. Auga de Jamaica will be a fun addition to any of the juices or cocktails on your bar’s menu.

Image courtesy of Pixbay

Tacos

This year Cinco de Mayo falls during the work week which means people may be looking for more food than drinks. The recent trend of Taco Tuesdays makes tacos the go to Mexican food choice for many.  With that in mind, the expectations may be high for your customers. Make sure your kitchen has all the Tortilla Server sets to keep those soft tortillas warm and the tortilla fry baskets to keep the hard taco shells coming.  People may migrate to more tacos than usual so this could be the day to make your tacos $1 or less on your happy hour menu. Restaurants could even offer a combo with a specialty drink and tacos.

Churros

Cactus Margarita Glass courtesy of Libbey

A Mexican meal isn’t complete without a special dessert. Try a churro, a long thin fried-dough pastry with a star shape usually covered with sugar.  In some regions it is eaten for breakfast with coffee or hot chocolate, while in others it is a snack at street stands. In restaurants it is often served with chocolate sauce drizzled over it or with sauce on the side for dipping. The Torani® Mexican Chocolate Sauce recipe made with the Sweet Heat syrup for dipping could be a spicy way to end a meal.

Still want margaritas?

Don’t worry, we still have you covered. Houston’s has plenty of margarita mixers to choose from. We also have lime, lemon, and pineapple juices to make your own fresh margaritas. Houston’s even has fun Margarita Cactus Juniper Stem glasses to add flare your tables.

Call your Houston’s sales representative today to see what Cinco de Mayo options we can help you with.

The post Cinco de Mayo: More than Margaritas appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Monin Spicy Mango Chicken Wings

Monin Spicy Mango Wings. Photo courtesy of Monin.

Putting a creative twist on classic sports-watching grub is a great way to get fans as excited about the food as they are about the game, while still providing the comfort of their tried and true favorite snacks.  Give your chicken wings some flair with a sweet and spicy sauce using Monin Spicy Mango syrup.  Keep a variety of syrup flavors on hand and use your favorite to add an extra pop of flavor to your dishes.

1 cup hot wing sauce                                                              

2 tablespoons Monin® Spicy Mango Syrup

24 chicken wing/drumette pieces, cooked

Whisk together hot wing sauce and Monin Spicy Mango syrup until well combined.  Toss cooked wings with sauce mixture, drain off excess sauce, and serve.

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dip

Game day isn’t complete without a good dip, and this buttermilk blue cheese dip is a great compliment to your wings.  Serve it up in a wide mouth, melamine dish.  Not only does this allow for easy dipping, but melamine is a break resistant alternative to glass that’s great for a busy or even rowdy environment.

Servings: Makes about 1 cup                                               

5 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

Carlisle’s melamine dishes are great for dips or salsas. Photo courtesy of Carlisle.

¼ cup white wine vinegar                                                     

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

Place onion in a small bowl.  Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, and ¼ cup water to a bowl.  Pour over onion and stir.  Cover and let pickle in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more.  Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and chives until smooth.  Stir in blue cheese.  Drain pickled onion and stir into dip.   Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ginger Beer Margaritas

Football beverages don’t have to just mean cheap beer.  Stand out from the crowd by offering Ginger Beer Margaritas!  After all, margaritas and football are a great pairing already, if not partially for the fact that they are easy to mix up in batches if need be.  Make sure to have plenty of pitchers on hand or try serving them in a fun glass to make an extra festive experience for your guests. Libbey’s football tumblers are a great option.

Libbey football tumblers are a fun option for football season.

1.5 ounces tequila

1 ounce fresh lime juice

3 ounces Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer

.5 ounce simple syrup

Salt for rim

Line rim of glass with fresh lime juice and dip in salt.  Add tequila, simple syrup, ginger beer and lime juice to cocktail shaker with ice and stir (do not shake or ginger beer will fizz up).  Pour liquid into glass with ice and garnish with a lime wedge.  Double, triple, etc. amounts for larger batches.

As long as you are prepared with plenty of beverage and dining room supplies, and a variety of creative favorites on the menu, you are sure to keep the crowds happily cheering on their teams.  Enjoy football season!

The post Football Season: Food Service Necessities & Recipes appeared first on Houston's Blog.