Blender

Limas Congeladas Rellenas de Sangrita y Tequila Most sangrita recipes include tomato as well as orange juice, hence the name ("little blood"). This spicy, salty juice mixture is a traditional chaser for straight tequila. If you don't have time to prepare the frozen lime cups, just pour the sangrita and tequila into shot glasses. Pair the sangrita with a reposado tequila, which has been briefly aged to impart richer, more complex flavor and a smoother sip. (See "Wine & Spirits" for some great top-shelf tequilas.)

If you don't have a molinillo, the traditional hot chocolate frother, use a blender instead.

From the Café Iguana restaurant, in Denver, Colorado.

Chicama is one of Manhattan's hottest Nuevo Latino restaurants. Chef Douglas Rodriguez — a pioneer of this style of cooking — oversees the open kitchen with its Ecuadoran eucalyptus-wood-burning oven and rotisserie. Rodriguez turns out dishes like adobo-rubbed Argentine rib-eye steak and black paella, which gets its unique color and taste from squid ink; there is also a large, innovative ceviche bar. To wash it all down, diners choose from the wines of Chile, Argentina and Spain — or from cocktails like the restaurant's namesake Chicama Colada.

Horchata is a refreshing iced drink served in Mexico. It is made with almonds, raw rice, or melon seeds.

Try this frothy, creamy cocktail instead of eggnog to kick off your Christmas festivities.

Luis Miguel López Alanís of Morelia, Mexico, writes: "Although I grew up in Mexico, it was in Chicago of all places that I learned to cook Mexican food. During the two years I lived there, I missed my country's food so much that I wrote to my mother in Zitácuaro and asked her to send me recipes so I could cook for myself. "Now I work as a tour guide in Michoacán, my home state, where I lead tours on Morelia's colonial history and architecture, and show tourists the Paricutín Volcano and monarch butterfly sanctuaries. And sometimes I do restaurant and market tours. Whenever business slows down, I enjoy cooking for my family. " Mexico is known for its aguas frescas, delicious cold "waters" made simply from fruits or vegetables, water, and sugar. They're the perfect refreshment on a hot day.

This drink is sweet, pretty, and refreshing. Grenadine can be found in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

This luscious, low-fat drink couldn't be easier to make. It has a thick, creamy texture produced by pureeing the frozen berries. No ice cubes necessary.

Try this healthful and satisfying drink in chilled glasses on a warm summer day.