Tequila takes pride of place in the window of any bar - it is drunk in its pure form, it goes to a host of classic and not only cocktails. Tequila is directly Mexico.
What is tequila? Tequila (Spanish - “Tequila”) is a strong alcoholic beverage obtained by distilling juice from the core of an agave plant. Agave - this is a lily and the external similarity of this plant to a cactus has given rise to the opinion that tequila made specifically from a cactus. In addition, tequila is prepared from a special type of agave - blue, which grows only in the arid region of Mexico, mainly in the state of Jalisco, where the town of Tequila is located. This type of agave is one of 136 species of this plant, but only blue agave is suitable for tequila production.
Types of tequila: - tequila silver (silver) - young white (silver) tequila without aging; - tequila blank or board (blanca, plata) - aged for up to 2 months; - tequila gold (gold) - gold tequila is not really aged, but just tinted to look like aged tequila; - reposado tequila - it is also called “rested”, aged for about one year; - añejo tequila - this is aged tequila, the aging time of which reaches 3- x years; - extra añejo tequila (extra añejo) - this category appeared only in October 2005 and suggests that the drink is aged more than 3 years.
How to drink tequila Important: - Tequila should not be very cold - room temperature is what you need; - First of all, taste is important, not aroma, so do not warm tequila with your hands for a long time.
1. Method. You can drink tequila both in pure form and as part of cocktails. According to tradition, salt is applied to the back of the palm, at the base of the thumb and forefinger. The process is not complicated: lick the salt, drink a gulp of tequila, mostly 50 grams and bite a slice of lime.
2. Method. Lesser-known: before you drink tequila, you need to eat chili pepper. This tradition arose because of the bad quality of the first tequila, which was not the most pleasant to taste, and it had to be interrupted by something.
Real gourmets drink aged tequila like whiskey - savoring it. In clubs, the process of drinking most often happens like this: a crunch is made on the shot, tequila is poured into it and a slice of lime is served. You need to lick the salt from the edge of the shot in a circular motion and immediately tilt the stack, then bite with lime. In general, it is difficult to say how to drink tequila correctly, because traditions are intertwined with modern bar culture. Most often, tequila is consumed as part of cocktails. Do not forget about the chasers with which the Mexicans drink this drink.
Why drink tequila and how to bite it? Traditionally, tequila is used from small narrow glasses with a massive bottom, which are called “horses” or “cabalitos”. But often they don’t adhere to this rule and drink tequila from any glass.
Tequila is usually drunk as an appetizer (before meals) and a digestif (after meals), but in no case should you drink with meals. It is not customary to have a bite - you can only drink it or a small piece of lime. In Mexico, it is also used as a flavoring, adding to tea and coffee.
