agave nectar- what? where? how?

If you have as many questions about Agave Nectar as we do, one excelllent place to begin learning is at 'allaboutagave.com'. They do a good job of answering some very basic what, where and how questions. There are comparisons between Agave, artificial sweeteners and granular sugars. There is a mojito recipe, hopefully more recipes to come, health info including glycemic index specifics all at your finger tips. Check it out today!

2008:agave surplus high

Our quest today brings us to a very enlightening story about the current glut in surplus of Blue Weber Agave in Mexico. Just like the photo we chose says, "Mucho Tequila" is what is in store for this new year. Just seven to eight years ago at the turn of the new millenium there were armed guards protecting blue agave crops. There was such a shortage at that time that farmers and distilleries had to be very weary of potential theives. According to an article we found at tequilasource.com some 1.5 million metric tons of ripe agave came onto the market in 2007 and the tequila industry will use only half of it. A similar surplus is expected in 2008. Tequila makers aren't complaining, of course, but the thousands of farmers who grow agave are seeing red.
Millions of dollars in federal money to bail out farmers hasn't been distributed. Some farmers reportedly burned their agave in desperation and planted corn used for ethanol production instead. Farmer protests could be a fixture of tequila-country visitor tours through 2009.
Industry observers saw the glut coming as long as a decade ago. On a very basic level, the shortage up to 8 years ago caused too many people to begin farming Blue Agave. People who were not even farmers were buying land and planting agave. It seems that things are way out of balance right now. Considering agave grows in 7 year cycles, the year 2014 is already at risk for shortages and increased prices. Experts say that we, as consumers, will not see a drop in tequila prices due to the high cost of transportation these days.
We are keeping our fingers crossed for the agave farmers right now. If they do not get sufficient aide from their government, they could face very hard times for some time to come. Just think..... drinking your favorite tequila more regularly could help feed hungry farming families in Mexico. Go ahead, have a glass for the sake of good people.

tequila.net adds spirits of mexico map

We are huge fans of TEQUILA.net! They seem to be bringing in the new year with a new web savvy feature. You can now visit their site and use a mapping feature that is powered by Google to locate your favorite Tequila, Mezcal, and Sotol distillery or to find a new one that you never even knew existed. Many distilleries shown link to their own photo gallery, showing pictures of their production process, exact address, and current brands produced.
According to our friends at TEQUILA.net additional maps will be added soon showing locations for both liquor stores and recommended restaurants / bars worldwide that are "Agave Friendly". These tools are provided to TEQUILA.net members and browsers that are interested in the Spirits of Mexico, making it simple to find locations worldwide where they can enjoy Agave products when traveling. They have even set it up so we can all contribute to their map's data base.
What are you waiting for?
Visit their site today and explore!

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 recipes for the holidays

Everyone out there knows all to well that with the holidays comes lots and lots of eating & drinking. Whether you are having guests to your home or going to be a guest at someone else's, it is always wise to have a good choice of liquor and plenty of delicious dessert to enjoy. Today we took some time to look around cyber space in search of recipes to share with all of you. If you ever google "tequila recipes" the first thing you will notice is the redundant cake and cookie recipes that are actually a stupid joke. They offer directions that suggest drinking a cup of tequila between each step "to be sure the tequila is still good". They then go on to mix up words as a way of symbolizing that you will be drunk by the time the recipe is complete.
Unfortunately, for any of us who really love tequila, this is the type of immaturity that has allowed the world at large to not respect tequila for its taste and heritage. In an effort to further our quest, we have found some recipes to share with you.
Good coffee is usually a very important part of the after dinner festivities. The photo above is "Mexican Coffee". We found a recipe for it on the Worldwide Gourmet website. Coffee, tequila and other excellent ingredients make this drink a coffee & tequila aficionado's dream.

If you like pie as much as we do, you will love this next one. It is "frozen margarita pie". We found this fun recipe on the myrecipes website. With ingredients like lime juice, blanco tequila, chocolate wafers and whipped cream, you cant go wrong.
The next one we would like to share with you is an exotic dish that we discovered on the Food Network website. It is called "Tequila Granita with Lychee and Yuzu Cream" Any time you pair tequila with lychee fruit, you are sure to impress your friends & family.
Last but not least, we found a simple yet delicious recipe for "Tequila and lime baked pineapple" on the Epicurious.com website. When we found this image the first word that came to mind was DELICIOUS!!!!
We invite you to visit all of the websites we have mentioned to view the full recipes. Eating & drinking things that are made using tequila is just another way for all of us to appreciate the qualities it posesses.
Happy Holidays from us to you. Enjoy!

itequila.org

We have had a link to itequila.org on our sidebar for a while now and it's finally time to feature them. Any of you who have a thirst for tequila information like we do will know that there are many resources out there. itequila.org seems to us to be one of the most user friendly and informative. They go through it all. Anything from the Tequila region of Mexico, to how tequila is made, to myths about tequila, to tequila brands and websites. There is far to much to mention it all now, but we highly recommend that you visit the site right away. The "Myths About Tequila" section was a favorite for us. Viva Tequila!

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!

tequila factory tour

Informative video about Jose Cuervo tequila--who makes 100% as well as Mixto tequilas. Good video for the history of tequila--Jose Cuervo does make high quality tequilas such as the Reserva. Each bottle is handmade, numbered, dated and sealed in wax. Every year the Cuervo family commissions a different Mexican artist to design the new collectible box.

TEQUILA.net : tequila info galore!

TEQUILA.net is a free web site available to everyone. A very informative site where members can submit news, reviews, web links, and post info in forums. Anything you want to know about tequila can be found on their site. We find their reviews of Tequila and the top stories to be most informative. So, the next time you are at the computer with a nice glass of blanco, repasado or anejo and you want to learn more about your favorite drink, visit them here.