This post is sponsored by Sabrosa Raspado. The opinions and text are all mine.
Growing up I always looked forward to our family trips to Mexico. Interestingly, the days of driving became a part of our long vacation adventures on the road. I always knew that there would be many rest stops along the way, consisting of buying chucherias (or snacks) and antojitos. I always kept my eyes open for things I enjoyed and cute little tienditas in hopes that my dad would pull over and let us shop around. Believe it or not, one delicacy that we enjoyed in those days were bags of chips! My parents always had to control our portions or we would go crazy and devour an entire bag all by ourselves. I knew that we would get the best tacos and Mexican bread when we stopped at the convenient stores along the sides of the road. Those stores were easy to spot for an eager kid like myself—looking for the next best treat! You could never go wrong just grabbing a quick bite to eat. Food was always fresh to order, prepared right before your eyes. Another “for sure stop” was to purchase guamuchiles in Sinaloa. Guamuchiles is a food described best as an “acquired taste.”
“Mira, mangos!”, my dad would shout as he abruptly veered onto a dirt road, with the load of passengers bouncing in our seats, as our old burgundy Dodge Caravan entered into a rural part of las calles de Nayarit to pick juicy mangos straight from roadside trees. As we reached Guadalajara, Jalisco I could only think of one thing…”Las Jericallas” (My mouth is watering just thinking about them). And don’t let me forget to mention the city of Guanajuato, known for the production of some of the best Cajeta in the world. Streets filled with cajeta vendors pulling you in with offers to sample their recipes, with a small wooden spoon covered with cajeta. As a child, I secretly accepted every little wooden spoon offered to me from each vendor.
Finally, we would reach our destination, a state called “Michoacán.” Michoacan was “donde tienen de todo.” It is a place known for its ice cream, Chongos Zamoranos, Paletitas de Tamarindo, Nieves de Garrafa y Raspados de todos sabores! It was much like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow–reaching the state known for its ice cream, after days of driving under the baking sun, was the reward! In Mexico, snow cones are referred to as “raspados.” Raspados are special not only for the flavor, but the process. The craft of making “raspados” can be described as a beautiful art. Watching a Raspado vendor scrape a huge block of ice wrapped in plastic and cloth to keep it from melting is short of mesmerizing. After the lightly packed ice is placed into a plastic cup, the vendor carefully drizzles it with the most flavorful homemade syrup! Perfect for those warm Mexican summer days!
Thus, the flavor of certain drinks and the aroma of special meals, always remind me of driving through Mexico with my family. Living in California, you can easily find Mexican food restaurants and a variety of dining options to satisfy one’s palette. On the contrary, it is not easy to find delicious “raspados,” because to qualify as authentic snow cones requires rich flavors. It was not until recently that we discovered Sabroso Raspados. They have so many exciting flavors such as Fresas con Crema, Coco con Crema, Mango Chamoy, Pina Colada, Mango Chili Lime, and Tamarind Chamoy.
Abuela especially enjoyed las Fresas con Crema flavor. She said it was “very tasty” and “refreshing.” Mom really loved the Tamarindo Chamoy. It brought back memories of her childhood in Michoacan; she said the flavor was “pretty genuine” with just the right amount of chamoy. My personal favorite was Mango Chili Lime, because of the rich mango flavor balanced with the tanginess of the chile.
If you want to taste the authenticity for yourself, Sabrosa Raspado is available at your local Vallarta and Northgate Supermarkets. I cannot wait to try out the other flavors and share them with Abuela, mom, and the rest of the family. We had a great time talking about our old family trips, and reminiscing about the food and treats we ate along the way. It is just a part of our culture: Family, food, and fun!
SAVE $2 on any one Sabrosa Raspado product. GetTheSavings.com/SabrosaRaspado.
Coupon valid July 7-31, 2021.
Sabrosa Raspado is now available at the following retailers: Vallarta, Cardenas, Northgate, Numero Uno, Jons, Big Saver, and Super A Foods.
Abuela's Kitchen 