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Tequila, Mezcal, Pulque & More. Party Drinks from Mexico

Monday, 16 August 2021

Tequila and mezcal

Currently, Mexican tequila is the most famous and popular alcoholic beverage in the world. Only a distillate of fermented juice of blue agave ( agave tequilana agave azul ) obtained in the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacan and Tamaulipas has the right to be called tequila .

Beverages that have been produced outside of the states established under the Place of Origin are not eligible to be called "tequila". This is a distillation of tequila, mezcal or sotol.

For the manufacture of tequila, only the juice of blue agave or "maguey", as it is called in Mexico, is used. Agave is harvested all year round. The agave is harvested shortly before flowering. Flower shoots are cut off from the fruit so that all the juice remains in the core. As soon as red spots begin to appear on the leaves of the agave, the agave is considered ripe for harvesting.

Agave pickers - Himadors - work by hand. They chop off the leaves and then chop off the fruit with a long koa (shovel with a sharp, rounded bayonet). The pineapple-like agave cores are cut into 2 or 4 pieces and baked in ovens. The cooled pieces of agave are crushed, squeezed, and the resulting juice is placed in fermentation vats. Fermented juice undergoes mandatory double distillation.

Next, tequila is poured into oak barrels. After the end of the aging period, the product is diluted with water to the required strength, filtered and bottled.

Michelada

A popular all over Mexico illuminating drink based on beer and lemon juice with salt. In many regions, sauces to taste are added to this mixture. Michelada is believed to be native to San Luis Potosi. Beer with lemon juice, salt and ice in a tall glass in the manner of serving lemonade - a favorite drink of one of the co-owners of the sports club in the city of Michel Esper, gradually gained immense popularity. The name of the drink comes from the name of the entrepreneur. According to another version, the name of the drink comes from the Spanish “mi chela helada” “mi chela elada” or translated as “my cold beer”.

Margarita

It is difficult to definitely say who created the Margarita, the classic tequila of Mexico, who has become one of the most beloved cocktails in the world. The stories of its origin are as numerous as the variations of the drink.

A story states that the drink was created in 1938, since the owner of the Mexican restaurant Carlos (Danny) Mixed it for the magnificent king of Ziegfeld Showgirl Marjorie King. Supposedly, Tequila was the only spirit that the king will remain, so Herrera added juice of lemon and salt.

Other statements include that the socialite of Texas Margaret Same (also known as Margarita) mixed the first drink at a party in Mexico during 1948. Or maybe it was named by actress Rita Hayworth (whose real name was Margarita Casino) during a concert in Tijuana in the 1940s.

In the book of Him, Imbibe, the historian of the cocktail, David Wondrich, agrees that the Margarita was invented during the previous period of time. He says that the drink evolved from the daisy, a classic cocktail popular at that moment that mixes alcohol, citrus juice and granadine, and served on shaved ice.

Mojito

The original recipe for Tequila Daisy, he says, called tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and a splash of soda. Maybe it's not a coincidence that Margarita means "Daisy" in Spanish.