NEVER LESS THAN TWO,
NEVER MORE THAN THREE
The proper name of Tequila is Mezcal de Tequila and it is manufactured around the area of Tequila, Jalisco. Mezcal is actually made throughout Mexico, some of the best and most well known in Oaxaca. Pulque, another pre-Hispanic drink is mildly alcoholic, milky, slightly foamy and somewhat viscous.
All three are made from the sap of various species of the maguey cactus. Only one produces Tequila: a number of them produce excellent mezcal and about six are used for pulque, the oldest and most consumed drink in Mexico. The Indians called the drink made from the muguey "iztac octli", and when it decomposed or fermented, it was called octli poliuqui, which the Spaniards called pulque. Dating back to about 300 AD, it devolved from a sacred drink to a popular intoxicant.
In pre-colonial times the maguey was an economic boon for various indigenous cultures. Besides being the source of octli puliuqui, it provided building materials for fences and roofs from the spike-leaves and clothing, thread and sandals from the fibers. The sharp thorns provided needles; food was provided fro the tender inner-spikes and the flowering stalk that appears just once in its life; soap from the root and a number of medicinal products. When dead, the plant was used as fuel. Places where pulque is still enjoyed are called pulquerias and have existed since the early 1600's.
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Mezcal is made throughout the country and most people prefer their variety. Early on, it was not included in the stock of most liquor stores, but was sold under the counter from hardware stores and small general stores. Tequila (and all other mezcal) is made from the hearts of the maguey, which weigh between 100 and 175 pounds each. These are cut up and then roasted. They are buried and covered with maguey leaves with a fire built on top, which gives it its smoky flavor. The cooked hearts or piña are then shredded and the juice pressed out. It ferments for four days and is then distilled, producing a low grade alcohol which is then distilled again. Part of the production is aged in wooden casks from several months to up to seven years and is marketed and priced accordingly.
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In Oaxaca, one can still witness this age old process of mezcal making and enjoy variations of this strong, smoky flavored drink. But, be advised, as our friend Don Alfonso Rule, of Oaxaca, tells us that "With one mezcal;. you can talk freely with friends. With two, you can criticize your enemies. With three, you can communicate with any living creatures." So, forewarned as another friend Antonio Robles says, "Never less than two, never more than three."
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