Lime

Fizzes, which have been popular drinks in the late morning and afternoon, are usually served in highball glasses. They are made from liquor, citrus juices, and sugar, shaken with ice. The mixture is strained into glasses, which are then filled with club soda or other carbonated drink, including champagne. Egg, both yolk and white, is used in some fizzes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

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.)

From the Café Iguana restaurant, in Denver, Colorado.

Now considered the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha was not always so respectable. In fact, the name comes from a somewhat derogatory word roughly equivalent to "hillbilly." The cocktail's main ingredient, cachaça, is an aguardiente that, like rum, is made from sugarcane. But cachaça has a bite and flavor more characteristic of a rough-edged tequila than of its more refined cousin. In fact, bartenders who run out of cachaça have been known to substitute equal parts white rum and white tequila in its place.A Caipirinha is usually made by muddling pieces of lime with sugar; we chose, for simplicity's sake, to juice the limes instead. For a more authentic flavor, you can mash a piece of lime rind in the bottom of the glass before serving.

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

(Rum, Lime, Mint and Basil Cocktail)Garnishes: fresh mint and basil sprigs and lime slices

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.