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AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — At first, you may not know what to think of it.
This agua fresca — or “fresh water” — sold at a food truck in Aurora is exploding with colors and may make your mouth water at first sight.
The drinks have become very popular in the Denver metro area and in Colorado. It’s one way the truck’s owners pay homage to their Hispanic heritage.
Lucero’s agua fresca is a showstopping delight
The agua fresca is a commonly known drink, but this one variation is a showstopper. FOX31 first saw the Pelon Pelo Agua Fresca being made on social media and was not quite sure what it was.
It was kind of like a whole new world spotted for the very first time — and it was all thanks to Axell Soto, who creates content under Denver Foodie Vibes.
Soto posts videos of all kinds of foods and aguas frescas in Colorado. But he seemed to love this Aurora food truck, called Lucero’s Coffee and Snack. Its strawberry aguas frescas were among Soto’s favorites, while another was based on the summer pop culture phenomenon, Barbie.
“So they have a Barbie Drink. I just think it’s really iconic. It’s just something that gets me really Barbied up,” Soto said, laughing and decked out in Barbie-themed clothes and colors.
And the Pelon Pelo drink too.
“The presentation that they have is something different. It’s not something that you see everywhere like other agua fresca stands. They take it to the next level, and they prepare them. They add cookies, strawberries, whipped cream, and amazing what they do,” Soto said.
You can even add mini pancakes in the bottom.
These culinary masterpieces are made by Maria Cabello with her mother’s recipes, for the most part.
“We try to put our own twist to it. Instead of keeping it simple, we made it in a way unique and added our own with decorations, and that brings a lot of attention from different parts,” Maria’s son, Efrain Barragan, said.
Latinos build a Colorado food culture
While Latinos have always played a role in Colorado’s history, they have also played a role in the kinds of food that have become so popular here.
All the drinks, foods and snacks at food trucks tell a story about Denver’s history. The recipes say a lot about the different regions of Mexico and the countries that Latino families come from.
The colorful deserts are a culinary example of a growing cultural shift in Colorado.
Just 10 years ago, Foodie Media content creator Mario Martinez said you couldn’t find cuisine like this in the Denver metro area.
“You are finding different takes from different regions of Mexico that is beyond belief. That is what has evolved in the last 10 years or so,” Martinez said.
Martinez, who also posts prolifically about Latino foods in Colorado, said La Plaza Colorado on Colfax is kind of like the Disneyland of food trucks.
“Now, we are getting everything. There are more people from Mexican states like Oaxaca, Michoacan and Monterrey, as well as other Latin American countries,” Martinez said.
Have you tried the food trucks at La Plaza Colorado?
For Soto at Denver Foodie Vibes, it’s a place you just can’t get enough of.
“I think Lucero’s is a great example of (good) business. They literally started out with nothing. All they had was a few tables and a tent. So now that they have all these aguas frescas, it’s very encouraging for me to keep chasing my dreams,” Soto said.
It’s also stoked his passion for telling stories about Colorado cuisine like you’ve never seen.
Lucero’s Coffee and Snacks food truck and a lot of other food stands and trucks can be found at La Plaza Colorado at the corner of Chambers Road and Colfax Avenue.
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