If you’ve traveled to Mexico and enjoyed the cuisine, you can find most of the ingredients you need to recreate the recipes back home.

But there’s often a certain something that’s missing. Steve Sando, proprietor of Rancho Gordo specialty foods, believes it’s the different oreganos of Mexico. “Each one seems a little different,” says Steve, “but they all seem a little earthier than their European [counterparts].”

Rancho Gordo now imports Oregano Indio, also known as Oreja de Raton, or Mouse’s Ear. It is grown by the Oregano Caxtle Cooperative in Tlahuitelpa as part of the Rancho Gordo-Xoxoc Project that helps small farmers in Mexico to continue to grow their indigenous foods.

Customers agree, with comments like “amazing stuff” and “very complex flavor.”

Steve advises to leave a bowl out for inspiration in the kitchen: Rub it into any meat or fish; add it to salsas, marinades, salsas, soups and stews; add to eggs, beans, Greek yogurt and of course, to Mexican recipes.

In addition to perking up “all sorts of salsas,” Steve mixes the oregano with garlic and olive oil as a rub over pork tenderloin. “The flavor of the oregano is strong but not overpowering,” he explains, “and permeates the whole loin.” He also adds it to a salad dressing of olive oil and pear vinegar; you can also use pear balsamic vinegar.

At $3.95 for a half-ounce glass jar or a two-ounce plastic bag, Oregano Indio is easily affordable. Consider the jars as stocking stuffers or party favors. They’ll be appreciated by both people who like to cook and people who order a lot of pizza.

Get yours at RanchoGordo.com.

 
Today we conclude with two ideas for a drinks bar and accompanying snacks.

FOOD BAR IDEAS: BLOODY MARY BAR

You have to think twice about a “mix your own” cocktail bar. Guests tend to over-pour, using too much liquor with resulting tipsiness, mess and expense. You have to “limit the exposure.”

Instead, pre-mix the drinks in three versions: regular, spicy and virgin. Pre-rim the glasses with seasoned salt (see photo). The guests get to customize their garnishes. The most versatile cocktail to do this with is the Bloody Mary.

Garnish with:

Provide condiments for those who want to amp up the cracked pepper, horseradish, hot sauce and/or Worcestershire sauce.
 
LEMONADE BAR

A lemonade bar can appeal to kids and adults—especially when adults have the opportunity to add a shot to their drinks. In contrast to our earlier advice about letting people “mix their own,” this is a controlled situation where, at the end of the bar, people can add an optional shot. (Be sure to provide shot glasses for portion control.)

Lemonade isn’t just for summer: Lemons are plentiful year-round, and lemonade fits in wherever cold drinks are served.

Provide pitchers of both sweetened and unsweetened lemonade, so those who prefer noncaloric or low-glycemic sweeteners can sweeten their own.

Or, you can make all of the lemonade unsweetened, and provide different syrups (with pumps!): simple syrup and two fruit-flavored syrups.

 
Don’t forget the ice!
 
ICED TEA BAR

While lemonade is more versatile for customizing, an iced tea bar can work just as well. Provide pitchers of brewed, unsweetened black, green, herbal and flavored iced teas with your choice of fixings from the Lemonade Bar menu, above.

How about some snacks with those drinks?

Create a customize-your-own-snack bar.
 
FOOD BAR IDEAS: SNACKS

 
Now: Pick a date and start pulling together the guest list.
  

Over the last two days, we’ve covered breakfast food bars and lunch/dinner food bars.

Today: ideas for dessert food bars. We conclude tomorrow with snacks and drinks.

Check out these 21 food bars.
 
 
FOOD BAR IDEAS: DESSERT & SNACKS

 
Are you ready to throw a party? Follow up a lunch or dinner food bar with a dessert food bar, or simply do one. Either way, it will be memorable.
 
 

If you need a caffeine jolt but don’t like coffee (or get heartburn from the acid), we have a delicious solution.

COGO extra-caffeinated hot chocolate has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. We’ve had caffeinated water and double-caffeinated coffee and caffeinated mints, but COGO is the first hot chocolate or cocoa we’ve come across.

A six-ounce cup of COCO has as much caffeine as an eight-ounce cup of coffee: 98g of caffeine, compared to 5g in a typical cup of hot chocolate.

And it’s delicious: chocolaty and creamy, a far higher-quality product than supermarket brands. There’s more chocolate intensity, more milkiness (no added milk needed) and no cloying sweetness.

Currently sold in boxes of 50 individual packets—just mix with hot water—COGO has become part of our morning routine. We have it at home and in the office kitchen.

The box we sent to our godson in college was slurped up in two days—and now the whole dormitory is ordering it.
Check out more of our favorite hot chocolate reviews, including:

Yesterday we looked at food bars for breakfast and brunch. Today, it’s lunch and dinner.

FOOD BARS FOR LUNCH & DINNER

 
Coming tomorrow: dessert bars.