Ideas on what to drink with Latino foods

Latino food is hot. Often figuratively, sometimes literally. So what do you drink with it?

In Mexico and Cuba, one of the top choices since the 1950s has been the michelada cocktail, and the trend is inching north.

Not just a lime squeezed into the neck of a beer bottle, the michelada - also known as "cerveza preparada" or prepared beer - is a true cocktail and a perfect compliment to Latino food.

Recipes vary by bartender and region, but traditional ingredients include lager beer over ice, juice from one lime, two to three drops of Tabasco, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and pinch of salt.

"It's like a Bloody Mary in a weird way," says Lourdes Castro, author of the recent cookbook, "Simply Mexican." "It gives Latino food a different dimension. The acid from the lime brings out the flavors in the beer and the food."

Castro says a michelada goes perfectly with shredded pork stew spiked with smoky chipotle tomato sauce.

"The beer and pork combination goes really well together. It's a classic pairing in Cuba," she says. "The effervescence from the beer is good with something on the heavier side, like stew. The combination lightens up the meal."

The smoky chipotles in this stew add deep flavors and moderate heat. Mexican crema is the traditional accompaniment, but sour cream is a fine substitute. Either will help tame the heat.

While this stew can be eaten with a spoon, it is thick (and delicious) enough to scoop up dip-style with the tortilla chips.

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