Mexico City Michelada

By Crystal Grobe

All of this hype for the big game has been exciting. I was one of the 10,000 volunteers for the Minnesota Host Committee and completed my three shifts over the weekend. I was assigned to Volunteer HQ where I greeted hundreds of volunteers, prepared and served soup, and made sure everyone had maps before they set out on their shifts. When I wasn't working, I was playing out in the cold with all the other locals and families. There was so much to do and it was a very memorable experience.

Now that I'm done with my volunteer shifts, I look forward to kicking back and drinking a Mexican michelada. Never heard of it? Me either, until my recent trip to Mexico City and I'm now obsessed.

Rewind a couple of weeks to our third night out in Mexico City when we ordered micheladas. We fully expected a mug full of ice, tomato juice, beer, hot sauce and a lime wedge. If you've ever ordered one in the United States, this is what you'll get.

Instead, we received a salted mug full of ice and lime juice along with a bottle of Negra Modelo to pour in as desired. After waiting a few minutes for our tomato juice, we asked our server what's up. Turns out, micheladas vary by region and some coastal cities have added tomato juice, clamato, and/or hot sauce to their recipes, but Mexico City has stuck to the original. If you're looking for a tomato-based michelada in Mexico City, order a Michelada Cubana and you'll get your savory fix. As for me, I'm sticking with the original version. Delicious.