imbibe: the magazine of liquid culture

We are huge fans of Imbibe Magazine. Before this year ends we feel it is important to highlight the fact that the magazine has won the 2007 Eddie Award:Best Epicurian Magazine and the 2007 Maggie Award:Best Special Interest Magazine. It offers all of us a completely new way of looking at drinks. It also encourages us to see them as a distinct culinary category, deserving in-depth exploration of history, ingredients, preparation, artistry and consumption.
From wine, spirits and beer to coffee, tea and everything in between, Imbibe celebrates the world in a glass. In each issue, you’ll find compelling travelogues, engaging profiles, signature recipes and useful reviews—everything you need to know about the fascinating people, places, flavors and cultures of all things potable. Imbibe is your indispensable guide to all that’s fit to drink.
We just received our copy of the January/February issue. The cover story is focused on Absinthe. Founder/Editor-in-Chief Karen Foley and her staff do an amazing job presenting a high quality magazine that is hard to put down. You can preview it by visiting their website. Get your copy as soon as you can. You wouldn't want to miss out. They also have a blog where they post stories and information that comes up between issues. Add it to your favorites right away!

¡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.

tequila aficionado magazine

If you are like millions of others around the globe who spend countless hours on the internet and it just so happens that you have an interest in tequila or anything to do with tequila, be sure to check out tequila aficionado magazine online. You will find everything from current news stories to tequila reviews, gift ideas, recipes, events, books, restaurant reviews,podcasts and travel info. It is a very informative e-zine that is easy to read and navigate. Subscribe online and become a tequila aficionado today!

a must read - 'tequila': the book

Looking for a fun read? 'Tequila' by novelist Alberto Ruy-Sanchez and his wife, historian, Margarita de Orellana is a complete guide to all things tequila. The book has great vintage illustrations and photographs and takes you through the history of tequila, its manufacture and even guides you through recipes that utilize tequila. Check it out here.