fake tequila - mexico says NO!

This image, courtesy of the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council, is "Pseudo Tequila" on display before it got destroyed in 2005. The Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council and Mexican Tequila makers continue their battle against knockoff tequilas.
The Council says the imitators range from sugarcane moonshine made in Mexican garages to quality spirits made from agave plants in South Africa. The group says it is mobilizing lawyers to defend tequila's good name.
While some consumers may not realize they're getting an impostor, Mexican producers & the Mexcian government are concerned that the drink's image could eventually be damaged by subpar products. There is a valid concern that if new consumers experience these pseudo products and have a bad first experience, it may impact the tequila market as a whole. The tequila council said there are no documented cases of anyone being poisoned by fake tequila, but apparently, some of the knockoffs are made in garages or basements and could be contaminated with oil or cleansers. Members of the regulatory commision claim that liquors contaminated with wood alcohol can cause blindness or brain damage. Scary!
The Mexican government seized 23,000 gallons of fake Tequila in September alone and has now banned 41 brands that were determined to be imposters or not up to par with the guidelines set forth. According to a recent USA Today article, fake brands included Salvaje (Savage) and El Valiente (The Brave One), which the Tequila Regulatory Council ruled to be types of rum. Others, like El Trailero (The Trucker), were mainly spiny agave liquor, also known as mescal. One brand of "tequila," Monte Alban, even included a worm in the bottle — something that only mescal bottlers do. Also according to the article, the council has begun certifying bars and restaurants with the "T Seal," a plaque saying that they serve only real tequila. About 50 businesses have gotten the seal. Good to know!

introducing tequila the cat

This is what really happens when you leave 'Tequila' the cat at home with easy access to your liquor cabinet. He can mix a mean margarita. Don't worry, he doesn't share any with the dog. We can't decide if this is the samllest cat or the largest lime we have ever seen? Next time you are bored and want something to keep yourself and your glass of tequila company, search google images and see what comes up. We found this one there.
Enjoy!

funny tequila commercial

cooking with tequila

If you are in the mood for some culinary delight....try one of these great recipes with tequila as an ingredient:
Margarita Chicken
Tequila Tri-Tip
Tequila Shrimp Ceviche
Big Game Salsa
Margarita Pie
and many more...

¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History

Interested in the botanical descriptions, production and processing of agave into tequila? A must read is the book by Ana Valenzuela-Zapata and Gary Paul Nabhan, called ¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History. The two writers were brought together by a common mentor, the late Dr. Howard Scott Gentry, a pioneer in the study of agave biosystematics. The book offers wonderful information about propagation, cultivation, harvesting and processing of agave. Inside is a 'folk vocabulary' describing agave production/processing and in depth botanical descriptions of agave species. The book also explains a dilemma of mono species agriculture: with contemporary agribusiness and a growing demand for tequila, vast new fields with little genetic diversity have been planted. This cloning of the same species of blue agave leads to demographic vulnerability from new plant diseases. This book reinforces the need idea of permaculture in farming as well as issues of species biodiversity and companion planting. Mixing species assists in pest control in a number of ways: it influences the availability of light, creates barriers, influences the microclimate, increasing resistance genes and can act as alternative hosts for natural enemies. Intercropping allows each plant to supply a different nutrient to the soil, less or no fertilizers are added to the soil.
If you plant vast fields of the same species, a decrease in bio-diversity occurs where animals lose their habitat and either relocate or become extinct. After harvesting. the plot is empty leaving the soil bare and prone to soil erosion. The use of insecticides and pesticides pollutes the environment on many levels: the soil, streams, creeks, rivers, underground water sources, well water, the ocean, and even the air. Drink organic tequila!-to preserve agave biodiversity.

jalisco: world heritage site

Mexico is ranked first in the Americas and eighth worldwide in UNESCO sites, a distinction given to places of historical, cultural and natural relevance to the world. The Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities in Tequila, Jalisco, were declared a World Heritage Site in 2006, becoming the most recent addition to Mexico’s impressive list of notables.