Belly Up: Agua Fresca

BARBECUE’S BRIGHT, BOOZY SIDEKICK

Flash back to the Aztecs of the fourteenth century, who worked long days constructing temples under the sweltering sun. It’s no surprise that the end of a workday called for something more than just water. They called for aguas frescas, drinks muddled with fresh fruit, grains, or flowers. Simple and refreshing, they’re perfect for summer in the South. Texan John Lewis, who set up shop in Charleston, South Carolina, last year, serves the beverage spiked alongside his much-lauded brisket at Lewis Barbecue and at new Tex-Mex joint Juan Luis, an homage to Lewis’ borderland upbringing in El Paso, Texas. The drinks are spiced with jalapeño and habanero but also filled with fruit, which lend cooling qualities that pair well with smoky barbecue.

MIXING UP AN AGUA FRESCA? ALWAYS USE FRESH INGREDIENTS, LEWIS SAYS. HE RECOMMENDS MAKING A PITCHER, “BECAUSE YOUR FRIENDS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO WANT ONE.”

Agua Fresca recipes:

Sandia

Piña Del Sol

GG&T