Melissa Vigilance
Some say to take life with a grain of salt. Maybe people should, alongside the rim of a glass filled with Triple Sec, sour mix, and a bit of some wonderful Tequila. Herradura, Patrón Silver, Jose Cuervo, and Milagro Romance are all examples of go-to brands of tequilas, however different they may look, but they all come from the same story. The peppery-tasting tequila has a rich history, reaching as far back in time to Aztec culture, being birthed during Spanish conquest in Mexico. From that, a traditional process of cooking, fermentation, and distillation of the agave plant has evolved into a drink that is even used for one of the most widely ordered drink in America, the margarita. Tequila’s deep set history left a lot of room for myths, and even improvements in health benefits. Tequila is a fun, beneficial, and should be tried by all, or rather, those of legal drinking age.
Origins of Tequila
A drink of central Mexican terroir, folklore, rituals, and everyday life, has made its way onto shelves worldwide over thousands of years. This drink, tequila, eponymously named after its town of origin (Tequila), originated in the Mexican state Jalisco. The history of tequila can be traced back 2,000 years ago to Indian tribes that inhabited central Mexico experimented with the indigenous agave plant. The agave plant is a relative of lilies, but resembles the aloe vera plant in shape and appearance (as they both sport spiked cactus-like leaves). Similar to the differences between bourbon and Scotch, Mezcal and tequila are sold as two different products. Although all agave plants can be used for Mezcal wine, the production of Mezcal wine is the preliminary step to making tequila. Furthermore, only the blue a...
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...a healthy appetite before a meal, and help one digest the meal after, as well as lower LDL levels (bad cholesterol). Clearly, purchasing a bottle of tequila can be a great investment for those with dietary issues.
Conclusion
Tequila is much more than what gave the man at the bar his worst hangover. It reveals a whole world that is part of Hispanic history. One plant from Mexico can serve so many purposes. Aside from its origins, processing, aging, and surrounding folklore, tequila can be an amazing drink when consumed in moderation. They can be used even further than just in cocktails. It can be used to impart a bit of flavor in dishes, as a cold remedy, and it is even being explored as a possible alternative source of energy (Bender). Tequila is a great way to start playing with food, and hopefully, in the future, a great solution to environmental issues.
To restrict competitors unnecessarily, we made different points for the Howlin’ Coyote Chili’s products that customers only could seek on the products of Howlin’ Coyote such as unique taste and convenience, taste trends, and premium packaging. In the past, chili products of the company have been ever either convenient or tasty; it was really making a big success in the metropolitan market. Today, Howlin’ Coyote Chili doesn’t stop and keep going updated its products and had a position in consumer’s mind as high-quality “authentic Southwestern/Mexican tasting.”
Mexican culture is perhaps the largest influence on the state of Arizona, affecting the cuisine of Arizona quite heavily. Mexican food is widely popular in Arizona, meaning that there are plenty of local Mexican restaurants, each giving a unique experience. Mexican culture also has strong ties to the history of Arizona, as it was once territory belonging to Mexico. Mexicans who inhabited the region over a century ago fought with tribes native to the land in order to wrest control from them. However, war erupted with America on April 25, 1846. The war, now known as the Mexican-American War, resulted in the Mexican Cession. The Cession effectively indoctrinated the states of California, Nevada, most of Arizona, and various sections of other current day states. The war’s start can be contributed to many things, one such reason being the acceptance of Texas as a recognized state by the U.S. This created a great deal of tension with Mexico, as Texas was once their territory, until Mexicans and Americans overthrew the governor of the region and appointed their own leader, Samuel Houston. Houston then brought Texas in as a state to the U.S. in order to assuage any aggressive acts by Mexico. However, tensions soon flared when several small incidents along the border of Mexico and Texas lead to the war. Many politicians in the northern states opposed the war, claiming that it was an attempt of the southern slave owners to gain influence in the new territory. While most of the territory of Arizona was obtained by the end of the war, it was the Gadsden Purchase that attained the rest of the state, along with the southwesternmost part of modern day New Mexico. The purchase gets it’s name from the United States ambassador to Mexico, James Gadsden, who signed the treaty approving the purchase of the territory in the year 1853, not all too long after the
After an eventful night of dancing at nightclubs, I never expected to have the most flavorful tacos reach my mouth. At four in the morning we found ourselves at a small, local hole-in-the-wall where most tourists would not be caught dead at. Even though they were the greatest tacos I have ever had, what I ate most while I was there was tortilla soup. Topped with melted cheese and strips of fried tortillas I devoured a bowl from a place our friend Oscar worked at, Margarita Grille. I am not a soup person but this is something I still crave weekly, as well as the salsa they served. Fresh roasted tomatoes were crushed at our table and mixed with garlic, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and juices of a lime. A scoop of the colorful vegetables on a warm, salted tortilla chip will satisfy your taste buds and keep you going for more. Because Margarita Grille was only a couple blocks from our hotel in the “old town” of Puerto Vallarta, we ate there five or six times. Being an outdoor restaurant, there were always stray cats meandering around for scraps of dropped food. People were told not to feed them, but I think they were a pleasant reminder of being away from
One of the methods to acquire food for the Cahuilla was through Gathering and Harvesting seasonal foods. One of the most notable food the Cahuilla’s enjoyed was the Pinion Nuts. Pinion Nuts derive from a pine tree that is local to the South Western California and upper Mexico. The pine tree contains a small edible s...
...an alcohol like margaritas, sangria, Corona and Dos Equis. People are usually wearing or decorate with the colors of the Mexican flag which are red, white and green. Some music that you would hear is folk music or mariachi bands along with dancing to them. But there is other music to listen to like tejano and banda. Children in school celebrate by making banners and educating them about it each year.
Firstly, one aspect that is both Mexican and American is the cuisine. The original food for Mexico is very spicy and most of the time very colorful as well. Mexicans use spices, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese in many of the native dishes. They use an assortment of meat: pork, beef, lamb, and chicken. When Mexican restaurants spring up in the United States the food is toned down to appeal to Americans. The Mexican Americans use less spices to make the dishes milder rather than the hot, spicy native food. The food, still Mexican, takes on the likeness of American food. This is shown in the United States by all of the Mexican American restaurants such as Taco Bell. Therefore Mexicans have Americanized their food. “For Hispanics live on this side of the border, where Kraft manufactures Mexican-style Velveeta, and where Jack in the Box serves Fajita Pita.” (Rodriguez 131). Americans complement the Mexican style and the inverse.
Most noticeable would be the shift from speaking ancestral native languages to speaking Spanish. Just as well, Spanish architectural influence can be seen through the gorgeous tiled roofs, proud steeples, and light yellow-orange interiors of their churches and homes. The Spaniards also left an environmental impact, such as the introduction of Spanish horses and other Spanish plant and animal species, which, in turn, sparked the famous “cowboy culture” of the Southwest. This “blended” Spanish and indigenous Mexican culture is commonly known as “Hispanic” or “Latino.” Today, this culture is still very much alive and can be seen all throughout both Arizona and the Southwest as a whole. One can clearly see the cultural impact of both the Mexicans and Spanish, through the architecture, restaurants, traditional foods, and the religious traditions and ceremonies celebrated by Mexican people in the region, such as The Day of the Dead and Cinco de Mayo. Also, there are many Spanish-named streets, towns, cities, and
The search for identity in Mexico has been a continuing exploration of many different cultures and realities. Although Mexico has an established democratic political system, cultural uniqueness has been in flux since the invasion of Spain in 1492. The Aztec culture was well instituted and was a direct decedent of the Olmec civilization that formed the Mexican identity over a thousand year reign. However over a two year attempt at genocide by the Spanish conquers the Mexicans have been struggling with an inability to recapture their roots ever since.
Mexican food is influenced by the ancient civilization. For examples the Mayans ate corn tortilla with a bean paste that covered the tortilla. The Aztec found out that mixing and squishing different types of vegetables makes a savory appetizer they call salsa. They also learned how to make what are now called tamales. When the Spaniards came they brought over milk, rice and other products that were new to Mexico. But have now remained in the cuisine.
The history of Mexican cuisine is as varied and rich as the history of the land itself. There are so many delicious recipes cooked all across the country, that to place them all in a single compilation would be almost impossible. The constantly changing times and influences on the culture have led to many revolutions in the cuisine as well, and all this has lent a personality to the Mexican food culture that is truly unique in nature.
Jeffrey Pilcher declares that Mexicans are a people of corn, that “despite centuries of efforts to change them, Mexicans remain a people of corn” (Pilcher, 6). The native and indigenous people of corn formed identity as a society. They made tortillas with corn, and gradually began to add different kinds of meats, vegetables, and spices. Every society creates for themselves a unique set of cuisine to feed and please others. But people’s needs constantly change and the diet that is established for each society is divided through class. Besides this being a harsh reality, this is problematic because of the disparity between the rich and the poor. But even though this was the case, Mexico’s food culture was able to preserve and refine a lot of its cuisine despite evolution and struggles to maintain original forms. Thus, it can be said that the history of food in Mexico is one that is profoundly and intimately tied to the country’s developing national
Geography plays an important role in a countries beliefs, values and activities. “Traditional Spanish cooking has popular roots. It is the people's cuisine. Most of it is down-to-earth, uncomplicated food, based on the ingredients available locally or the crops grown regionally. Mountains run through Spain in several directions, acting as natural barriers to communication and making transportation difficult until the last half of the 20th century. This is just one of the reasons why cooking differs so much from region to region” (Food).
Alcohol has been in the world for many centuries and has become a pain but also somewhat of a solution to society. It can be viewed as something to be a social gathering that brings friends together or it can be taking as destruction to someone. Over the years alcohol has played many roles in the world but it plays an even bigger role in substance abuse. Doctors have made several points that it is okay to have a drink every now and again but people need to realize when one drink has become too many. The ideal of having a drink with friends or going out and having an occasional drink is acceptable; However, is it still acceptable when a person find their selves having a drink first thing in the morning or runs to a drink to solve their people.
The problem of alcohol use is very relevant nowadays. Today alcohol consumption characterized by vast numbers in the world. All of society is suffering from this, but primarily jeopardized the younger generation: children, teenagers, young people, and the health of future mothers. Because alcohol is particularly active effect on the body that are not formed, gradually destroying it. The harm of alcohol abuse is evident. It is proved that when alcohol is ingested inside the body, it is carried by blood to all organs and has harmful effect on them until destruction. Systematic use of alcohol develops a dangerous disease such as alcoholism. Alcoholism is dangerous to human health, but it is curable as other diseases. The big problem is that most of the alcohol products which are made in private places contain many toxic substances, defective products often leads to poisoning and even death. All this has negative impact on society and its cultural values.
We all, probably, have a story involving a drunk family member at a party or family reunion. Let’s just say my family has plenty. My uncle on my dad’s side of the family loves his tequila and brings his own bottle(s) to any family gathering. The particular family gathering you are about to hear about happened when I was about five years old. I can remember bits and pieces of the event in question but, the main part of the story happened past my bedtime.