Did you know that Tequila is one of the three top selling liquors in the world? This hasn’t always been the case; Tequila was a very low key liquor for many years. It wasn’t until the 1990s that it became more popular around the world.
Tequila is considered the national drink of Mexico. It can only be produced in Mexico in what is called the “Tequila Region” located in western Mexico. Discovered by the Toltec Indians more than 200 years ago, it is usually drunk during celebrations. The process of making tequila is very lengthy and is produced under very strict standards. Tequila is a brand controlled by the Mexican government who has created a council devoted to the regulation, quality certification, and verification of tequila. The council’s responsibilities go from cultivation to labeling of the product. All tequila must be produced according to the official standard and bear the council’s monogram and “100% Agave” on the label.
Tequila is often used to prepare some Mexican dishes and salsas. A tequila cream sauce is used to complement a delicious salmon dish and also to prepare “Drunken Chicken” which gets a special sweet and sour flavor from the tequila used to prepare it.
Tequila or Mezcal
There has been much confusion about the differences between mezcal and tequila. Mezcal is made out of the agave plant, but tequila is made exclusively out of the blue agave. Agave plants used in the production of mezcal can be grown in other areas of the country as opposed to the blue agave plant which can be grown only in the Tequila Region. Sometimes, a worm is put inside a bottle of mezcal, but it really has nothing to do with production or taste of the mezcal.
The Origins
Tequila has its beginnings in history during the 16th century, when the Spaniards brought the process of distillation to Mexico. The people of the town of Tequila knew that the blue agave plant had sugars that could be fermented, and quickly produced liquor with a very peculiar taste. Production of tequila was very low key for many years. One of the most famous brands of tequila was sold almost exclusively at the distillery, until demand started soaring. Cultivation of the blue agave plant is very extensive and goes on for miles in the tequila region. Creation of the Tequila Regulatory Council ensured that production of tequila adheres to the highest standards set by the government.