FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
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| BOOZE Over the years I have heard many a tale of debauchery that begins with the consumption of the spirit. Some will recall these tales proudly, while others prefer to (and probably should) keep them to themselves. I am talking about tequila stories, adventures with, as one distiller has called it, the "bottled romance of Mexico." These are not your run-of the-mill, had-a-bit-too-much-to-drink-last-night stories. No, these stories are usually told in hushed tones, and have been known to involve animals, weapons, household appliances and, yes, sex. Especially sex. Perhaps that's where the term "bottled romance" originates, assuming one's idea of romance consists of any combination of the aforementioned items. Tequila was once thought to have hallucinogenic properties, probably due to the misapprehension that mezcal (a similar spirit) is made from the peyote cactus. Peyote is indeed a powerful hallucinogen, but has never been distilled into any sort of legal, commercially produced drink. The plant responsible for tequila is actually not a cactus at all, but a member of the amaryllis family, known as Agave tequilana Weber, or blue agave. Mezcal, (considered to be rougher than tequila) is made from a related plant known as maguey. The actual town of Tequila, where the spirit is largely produced, is located high in the mountainous state of Jalisco. By all accounts it resembles something out of an old Clint Eastwood film, complete with dusty, tumbleweed-laden streets, mangy three-legged dogs and individuals of questionable character, who have been known to violate unsuspecting tourists, depending on their mood and previous beverage consumption. The Aztecs are credited with the first production of tequila, which was later discovered by the invading conquistadors. I can only imagine it was either sheer desperation or a predominance of free time that drove the Aztecs to attempt to produce a consumable beverage from the blue agave. On the surface, the plant is little more than a cluster of green spikes, but below the surface lives a large spiny pod, weighing in at around 150 pounds and needing eight to 10 years to reach maturity. The pods are dug from the ground by men known as jimadores, and consequently denuded, split in half, and steamed in ovens for up to a day. The resulting milky ooze is then fermented twice in either continuous or pot stills. Mexican law demands that tequila contain at least 51-per-cent blue agave, with a number of other distillates permitted for the remainder, although the preferred choice seems to be a sugar base, much like rum. Premium tequilas are made from 100-per-cent blue agave, and will indicate this on the bottle. Aging is divided into either reposado (a minimum of two months in oak), anejo (a minimum of one year in oak) or the very rare muy anejo (extra old). Be aware that if you buy a gold tequila that has no indication of age, then its color likely comes from the addition of caramel, and not from oak aging. Premium tequila has become very popular in the US and is slowly worming its way into Canada. The ritual of pounding back shots of tequila with lime and salt - aside from being quick, effective and, some would say, fun - was created as a method of masking the astringent taste of the cheaper versions of the spirit. Good tequila can offer a nice array of flavors that often includes citrus, pepper and herbal notes. A reposado, such as Jose Cuervo Tradicional ($30) can be enjoyed neat as an after dinner drink or mixed into a premium cocktail, such as a margarita or a sangrita, though connoisseurs prefer a non-aged (white), 100-per-cent blue agave like El Jimador ($26) for mixing purposes. If you want to taste a muy anejo, $110 will get you a bottle of Jose Cuervo's Reserva de la Familia. You could also head down to one of the city's hipper cocktail bars and have them pour you a shot (I know Ming is currently offering Cuervo Reserva) to determine if you want to spend this kind of quid on a bottle of tequila. And while I'm on the subject of cocktail bars, I thought I would include a sangrita recipe. The traditional version of this drink is actually made without alcohol, but where's the fun in that? To make a sangrita (also called a diablito), mix two ounces of white tequila with three ounces of tomato juice, two ounces each of fresh lime and orange juice, a splash of both Worchestershire and hot pepper sauce and a dash of salt and cumin. Mix well and serve over ice. Olé! NEW ARRIVALS The Original Stiff Vodka and Grape was reportedly created by a couple of guys who were tired of beer (is that possible?). Determined to drink again, they made several trips to the liquor store and eventually came up with a "stiff" vodka and grape drink of 6.9-per-cent alcohol, which they package in a long-neck brown bottle. "Instead of trying to find a new gimmick to appeal to guys, they went with the obvious and used the one thing that had worked for decades - sell their stuff in a beer bottle," states the announcement. The drink hits the shelves this summer. For all the people who will never get tired of beer, Big Rock Brewery recently launched another new product. Big Rock Light, the latest in their selection of beers, is 3.5-per-cent alcohol. |
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