One Tequila ...Two Tequila ...Three Tequila ... Hammock!

We've all had an experience with tequila, some of us good and some not so good. I have been able to be one of those who has had the good experiences. Weather it be to sit down and relax with a good tequila to sip or getting the party stated with tequila shots, I really find the taste of tequila very enjoyable.

For both those who may share my experiences with tequila and those who may not I believe that you will find the information that I have very enjoyable and maybe even entertaining.

You probably, like many other people do, think that Tequila is just another fashionable and cheap spirit from an exotic country which is just intended to get you drunk and of course give you a really bad headache. Well, unfortunately you are right and wrong.

Right because, yes if you drink it excessively you will certainly loose it and have a hangover, pretty much like you would do with any other spirit, but mostly right because it has been labeled with the wrong image largely due to abuse from non producing countries.

Wrong because it is definitely not another cheap and fashionable spirit. Yes it has slowly invaded the US market in recent years, but thank goodness quality products have mostly done it. It is also not cheap, even back in Mexico, Tequila is not a cheap product as it reflects a lot of hard work and ancestrial knowledge.

Behind all those nice bottles and funny names, is a 3-century-old industry that is narrowly linked to the country's culture and ancestors.

According to Aztec legend, one evening a powerful thunderbolt flashed loudly over an agave field. This bolt tore into the heart of an agave plant, igniting its piña ("core") into a flame and spilling aromatic nectar from its gut. The natives in the area regarded this as a sign and a gift from the gods, so they drank the mystical juice with fear and reverence. Over time, the drink became an essential element in ritual ceremonies, producing "a state of euphoria in priests, warriors and the wise" that gave them great insights into the unseen world. Since those ancient times, the agave plant has been revered as "sacred, mystic and even divine."

The Mexican government shows its great respect for the agave plant by closely monitoring the growth and cultivation of the plant into maturity, and by entrusting it to only those producers who will honor its heritage.

In 1944 the Mexican government decided that , no spirit may rightfully be called "tequila" unless it comes from the Mexican state of Jalisco, home to the actual town of Tequila and the city of Guadalajara This blend of geography and human touch is unique to the region and essential to the creation of tequila.

The first standards for tequila were documented in 1947 and have been upgraded and revised ever since. No tequila may be made from less than 51% agave tequiliana Weber. Most top of the line tequilas are made from 100% blue agave, a fact that is always shown on the label.

Tequila was first imported into the United States in 1873. Prohibition in the US further boosted tequilas popularity when it was smuggled across the border. Then during WWII the demand for the Mexican Spirit rose again in the US after spirits from Europe became hard to obtain. In 1973 tequila sales in the US topped one million cases.

Many are discovering that good tequila is a drink to be enjoyed like a fine cognac or scotch. Tequila is actually classified as a Mexican Brandy. It makes for great sipping!

Well here is where the major misunderstanding lies. You wouldn't do a shot of Cognac, would you? Then why do it with Tequila? It is intended to be savored and enjoyed slowly so that the characteristics of the product are appreciated. Have a slice of lime and some salt if you want. Put some salt in the back to the hand, suck it and then have a sip of tequila. Finish by biting the lime wedge. This is the right "every day" way. But if you want to enjoy the product, then just taste it before you add more flavors to it.

You will find in that there is a loyal companion to Tequila. It is always there when you get one and it is called "Sangrita" or little blood. It's a mix based out of orange and tomato juice with spices and lime that goes beautifully with it, much better than the lime and salt. However it seems to have lost its way and Tequila is mostly found alone when served here.

Although tequila has found it's way into much of México's history and folklore, it is interesting to note some of the myths and confusion still associated with tequila today.

Few understand the difference between tequila and mezcal, and many don't even know there is a difference. But there is definitely a distinct difference. . While traditionally, all tequilas were known as a type of mezcal. Today, they are distinct products, differentiated by the production process and taste, much the same way rye whisky differs from Scotch whiskey. They both derive from varieties of the Agave plant, known to the natives as mexcalmetl. Tequila is made from only agave tequilana Weber, blue variety. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from five different varieties of agave. Tequila is double distilled and a few brands even boast triple distillation. Mezcal is often only distilled once. Tequila and mezcal share a similar amount of alcohol in the bottle (around 38-40%), although mezcals tend to be a little stronger. Because mezcal feels a little more like lava as it flows down the back of your throat it is not quite as popular. This is evident in the number of brands of each type of drink. Currently there are over 500 different brands of tequila while the manlier mezcal boasts only 100 brands. Mezcal is actually not considered a tequila due to the fact that it is made from less than 51% agave tequilian Weber.

Now about this worm business.......

Another interesting error is an urban legend related to a worm. The worm in the bottle myth is old and tired. Yes, it's true, some American bottled brands put one in their bottle to impress the gringos and boost sales, but it was a marketing ploy developed in the 1940s, not a Mexican tradition.

Sometimes however, there is a worm, in some types of mescal, they feed off of the leaves of the agave plant. You may also get a small bag of worm salt and chile powder tied to a mezcal bottle.

These worms or larvae are commonly eaten as food and are sold in markets. Yes you're supposed to eat the worm in mescal. But don't worry it's quite well pickled and free of pesticides. They are often raised just for use in mescal, cooked and pickled in alcohol for a year.

But get rid of any idea that it has any magical or psychotropic properties, or that it is an aphrodisiac these are all false...IT'S JUST A WORM!!

Another common misunderstanding is that tequila is made from a cactus. The reality of this is that tequila is made from distilled sap from the hearts of the agave plant. The agave plant is actually related to the lily and amaryllis. Although it shares a common habitat with the cacti, it is not one itself. A mature agave has leaves 5-8 feet tall, and is 7-12 feet in diameter. They have a life span of 8-15 years.

There are 136 species of agave in México, of which the blue agave, agave tequilana Weber azul, is the only one allowed for use in tequila production. Several different species of agave are allowed for use in mezcal, including tobala, a rare and wild species. And just to clear the record, no Mexican alcoholic drink is made from cactus.

To us seasoned tequila drinkers we choose not to use the Lime & Salt or "Training Wheels" as some may call it, because we like to savor the taste of tequila. There are lost of stories that you hear about why the use of Lime & Salt. The truth behind it is that doctors used to prescribe tequila, a lime and salt to help fight bacteria from the Spanish Flu. As with many things it became so common that it stuck and got passed down through the years.

Taste is the ultimate deciding factor. Some people prefer the rougher edge of the young blanco tequilas with their more distinct agave flavor. Others like the sharper, almost peppery flavor of a middle-aged reposado. And some may prefer the smooth, woody aroma in an older añejo. Like single-malt scotches, tequilas vary according to the company making them, the process, and the growing environment. The temperature, soil, types of equipment, age of the plants and the means by which the plants are baked and aged all affect the flavor and body. Fancy packaging, wooden boxes and elegant bottles are now common with premium tequilas. They have become collector's items in their own right. While they don't add to the basic quality of the drink in the bottle, they do add to its charm and certainly its visual appeal.

When deciding which to buy I would suggest trying them at your local bar first. But be cautious as you share in this piece of Mexican Heritage, Tequila is known to have been the cause of antics and behaviors not normally observed in human beings. But weather you sip or shoot tequila just enjoy!!

There are two basic types of tequila, 100% blue agave tequila and mixto. The 100% blue agave tequilas are distilled entirely from the fermented juice of the agave. All 100% agave tequilas have to be distilled and bottled in Mexico. If the bottle does not say 100% blue agave, the tequila is mixto and may have been distilled from as little as 60% agave juice with other sugars.

• Blanco: 100% agave tequila that is unaged and untreated with additives.



• Reposado: 100% agave, "rested" tequila that has been stored in oak between two months and one year.



• Anejo: 100% agave, aged tequila that has been stored in oak at least one year.



• Mixto blanco: mixto tequila that is unaged.



• Mixto reposado: mixto tequila that has been stored in oak between two months and one year.



• Mixto anejo: aged mixto tequila that has been stored in oak at least one year.



• Joven abocado: mixto tequila that has been treated with additives to achieve an effect similar to aging.

As the tequila is aged in wooden barrels, usually oak, it becomes smoother, with a woody taste and golden color. Aging may disguise the agave flavor and few tequilas are aged longer than three to four years.

Although there are many ways to enjoy tequila, from neat,

to mixed to shots, traditionally tequila was served in a tall slender

shot glass called a "caballito".

Sangrita
Ingredients:
1.5oz Don Julio Reposado Tequila
2 Cups Orange Juice
.5 Cup Lime Juice
.5 Cup Grapefruit Juice
.25 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Pinch Dried Ancho Chile Spice
1 Pinch Dried Chile de Arbol Spice
1 Lime Wedge
Preparation:
Add Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Garlic Powder, Ancho Chile Spice, and Chile de Arbol Spice to Shaker
Shake and pour enough to fill tequila shot glass
Garnish with Lime Wedge
Add Don Julio Reposado Tequila to another tequila shot glass.
Enjoy and Savor!!

Frozen Tropical Dream
Ingredients
1oz Tequila
.5oz Smirnoff no 21 vodka
2oz pineapple juice
1oz orange juice
.5oz cream of coconut
1 piece orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
Preparation
Blend all ingredients together with ice until smooth and pour into a chilled glass.
Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry

Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients:
1.5oz Tequila
4oz Orange Juice
Splash of Grenadine
Preparation:
Mix Orange Juice and Tequila in a shaker with ice
Strain into highball glass filled with ice
Finish with a Splash of Grenadine
DO NOT STIR!!

Wild Thing
Ingredients:
1.5oz White Tequila
.5oz Lime Juice
1oz Cranberry Juice
1oz Club Soda
Preparation:
Pour all ingredients over ice in an old fashioned glass.
Stir and Enjoy!!