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Tequila and the Blue Agave
There are hundreds of agave varieties, and as many uses, but blue agave is used only to make tequila. Lucky us. And surprise, surprise, agave is not a cactus, it's a succulant.One common agave variety is the 'century' plant. Blue agave plants are similar, but bluish, and grow up to 8 feet high and 12 feet around. They also take 8 to 12 years to mature to the point of harvesting.
At that time, a harvester, known as a jimador, whacks off the long spiky leaves and cuts the base away from the roots. What's left looks like a big blue and white pineapple, and is, in fact, called the piña, or pineapple. It is from this part of the plant that tequila is produced. And there are no second harvests; the blue agave is demolished in this process. It takes a long time to produce a bottle of tequila.
2 Types of Tequila, 4 Ages
There are only two types of tequila, 100% agave and mixto, or mixed tequila. Further classification is based on ageing. Either type of tequila can be...
- Blanco (white) or Plata (silver) Aged less than two months.
- Reposado (rested) Aged at least two months, possibly in oak barrels.
- Añejo (aged) Aged at least one year in oak barrels. (Rarely more than 14 months.)
Mixtos, which must contain at least 60% agave, are considered lesser tequilas because they have non-agave sugars added. They have a fourth classification…
- Joven Abocado (young and smoothed) These are unaged tequilas, but typically have caramel added for color and smoothness. They are sometimes called "gold."
All of the popular brands here in the states are mixtos. How to tell? If it doesn't say "100% agave" on the label, or if it's bottled in the United States, it's a mixto.
Even with 100% agave tequilas, aging trades flavor for smoothness So añejos are smooth, blancos have more flavor, and reposados are middle of the road. Some say that añejos and reposados are for sipping, while blancos are for mixing. But if you like the flavor of agave, don't hesitate to drink the blancos straight. Most tequila connoisseurs prefer 100% agave blancos for everything.
Tequila Drink Recipes
Brave Bulls for 4
We affectionately call this drink "Raging" Bull. The better the liqueur, the better the drink. Kahlúa is good.
6 ounces tequila
2 ounces coffee liqueur
2 teaspoons lime juice
Mix and serve in old-fashioned glasses over ice.How to Make Margaritas:
Classic Margaritas for 4
6 ounces tequila
2 ounces Cointreau or Triple Sec
4 ounces fresh lime juice
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of 4 cocktail glasses and dip the rim of the glasses in margarita (coarse) salt, if you like. Shake off any excess. Pour margarita ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and serve in the salt-rimmed glasses.
- On the Rocks:
Prepare old-fashioned glasses as above and add crushed ice. Pour the margarita mixture into the glasses and serve.
Frozen Margaritas:
Prepare cocktail glasses as above. Pour all margarita ingredients into a blender with 6-8 cups of crushed ice and blend until smooth. Serve.
- Avocado Margaritas:
Prepare as above adding 1 avocado and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro to the blend.
Strawberry Margaritas:
Prepare the rim of cocktail glasses with lime and dip the rims in sugar, rather than salt. Add 8 ounces of fresh or frozen strawberries, or 2 ounces of strawberry schnapps to the blend. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and slice of lime, if desired.
Which types of tequila or tequila drink recipes do you prefer? Not sure? Have a tequila-tasting party; everyone brings their favorite for everyone else to try.
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