Mexicans delight in aguas frescas year round, making these fruit-
sugar-water concoctions from an amazing variety of fresh, and
sometimes dried, sources. Horchata (rice), tamarindo, jamaica, limon,
and mixed fruit are nearly always available at the take-out stands,
and other flavors pop up from time to time. But you can make your own
agua fresca at home with little effort, and September is the time for
two of the very best -- guayaba and ciruela.

Guayaba agua fresca
(90 fl. oz.)
Guayabas are about golf-ball size or better, look like slightly lumpy
crab-apples with a dull finish, and taste a little like ripe Anjou
pears. The September variety are dark yellow when ripe, but need to be
giving off a full fruity aroma and showing brownish splotches for the
best flavor. (There is a small, dark red variety but they are ready
earlier in the summer.) I always soak them in disinfecting solution
after washing, since they will be used unpeeled.
Guayabas contain harmless seeds and Mexicans usually swallow them
unconcernedly in their agua fresca. I find this texture distracting
and unwanted, so I have added the step of straining the fruit puree
through a sieve.

INGREDIENTS:
15 yellow guayabas
1 -2 fresh limes
1/2 cups sugar
bottled water

METHOD:
Wash and soak guayabas. Cut "star" end off, remove any blemishes, and
slice in halves. (Fruit should be pinkish-peach colored inside.) Put
in blender with small amount of bottled water and blend until
completely smooth. Put through a strainer to remove seeds, pressing
all pulp through. Squeeze 1 -2 limes (to taste) and blend juice well
with guayaba pulp. Put 1 cup bottled water in 90 oz. container, add
sugar and stir to dissolve. Add guayaba-lime mix, and top up with
bottled water to fill. Stir well to be sure sugar is dissolved and let
stand a minimum of four hours for flavor to develop. Then enjoy this
refreshing, fruity drink reminiscent of pears with a little something
added!

Ciruela agua fresca
(90 fl. oz.)
Ciruelas (translates as "plum" but you've never seen a plum like this
fruit!) ripen in September - October. The trees are huge, spreading
things with rough silvery-grey bark and compound leaves (lots of
little leaflets on one stem). The fruit are blocky, stubby little guys
about 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches across, slight rounded at each
end, and resembling miniature misshapen avocados. On the trees they
are a bright shiny green, similar to avocados until they start to
ripen, when they change to yellow-orange and then orangey-red.
There is only a 1/4-inch layer of mango-colored flesh between the
distasteful skin and the huge pit, so while ciruelas can be eaten
out-of hand it is a frustrating process. For this reason I use them
exclusively in one of the most delicious "aguas frescas" I have ever
tasted. It is kind of messy to prepare, but well worth it!

INGREDIENTS:
16 ripe ciruelas
generous 1/3 cup sugar (rounded)
juice of 1 - 2 limes
bottled water

METHOD:
Wash ciruelas and soak in disinfectant solution. Wash your hands well.
Put some bottled water in a glass bowl and squish the flesh out of the
ciruelas into the water in the bowl, submerging your hand into the
water and squeezing all the flesh from the skin and pit. Be sure to
remove all bits of skin as you will be drinking this "agua." When all
fruit are cleaned of flesh, add lime juice, put mixture into blender,
and liquefy. Put 1 cup bottled water into 90 oz. container, add
sugar, and stir to dissolve. Add fruit mixture and top off with
bottled water, stirring well. Chill at least four hours before
serving. Delicious!
(Note: Ciruelas can be picked green and put in a dark place between
layers of newspaper, and they will ripen in a few days. Check often as
they spoil quickly once ready to use.)