When the hot, dry breath of summer settles over southern New Mexico with seemingly no end in sight, my cadre of tolerable beverages constricts to solely those that quench. Enter De La Calle tepache, the bright and refreshing canned take on an ancient fermented drink you'll find on wheeled carts at street markets or bubbling away under the sink in home kitchens across Mexico.
I gazed at the cactus-dotted expanse of my desert backyard beneath a punishing sun as I cracked a condensation-beaded can of pineapple spice — one of the original five flavors Los Angeles-based De La Calle debuted with last year. The zero-proof drink was tart and lightly fizzy, with gentle warmth from cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Unlike the multitude of sodas and fruity ready-to-drink beverages on the market, De La Callie's delicate sweetness didn't linger — making it a fine, understated base for a shot of tequila or mezcal, should the occasion arise to turn it dirty, I thought innocently.
