Jarritos Sodas

As a rule I stay away from sugary drinks, but when hot weather rolls around there are times when I crave a soda.

Jarritos sodas were a happy discovery for me. Made in Mexico, they are lightly sweetened only with natural sugar. They come in glass bottles that, pulled cold and dripping from a cooler of ice, hold their chill and feel heavenly in the hand (or pressed to a hot forehead) on a sweltering day.

Lightly carbonated, refreshing and fruity, they come in an array of intriguing natural flavors like guava, mango, grapefruit, mandarin, and tamarind. My favorite is “Jamaica,” flavored with hibiscus flowers. Not flowery at all but with a tea-like citrusy tang, it’s a nice thirst-quenching indulgence on a sultry summer day.