Tequila: A Natural and Cultural History (Paperback)

~ Ana G. Valenzuela-Zapata (Author), Gary Paul Nabhan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Like a smooth añejo, this rich and layered account deserves to be sipped and savored." -- Janos Wilder, James Beard Award winner --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

The array of bottles is impressive, their contents finely tuned to varied tastes. But they all share the same roots in Mesoamerica's natural bounty and human culture. The drink is tequila—more properly, mescal de tequila, the first mescal to be codified and recognized by its geographic origin and the only one known internationally by that name. In ¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History, Ana G. Valenzuela-Zapata, the leading agronomist in Mexico's tequila industry, and Gary Paul Nabhan, one of America's most respected ethnobotanists, plumb the myth of tequila as they introduce the natural history, economics, and cultural significance of the plants cultivated for its production. Valenzuela-Zapata and Nabhan take you into the agave fields of Mexico to convey their passion for the century plant and its popular by-product. In the labor-intensive business of producing quality mescal, the cultivation of tequila azul is maintained through traditional techniques passed down over generations. They tell how jimadores seek out the mature agaves, strip the leaves, and remove the heavy heads from the field; then they reveal how the roasting and fermentation process brings out the flavors that cosmopolitan palates crave. Today in Oaxaca it's not unusual to find small-scale mescal-makers vending their wares in the market plaza, while in Jalisco the scale of distillation facilities found near the town of Tequila would be unrecognizable to old José Cuervo. Valenzuela-Zapata and Nabhan trace tequila's progress from its modest beginnings to one of the world's favored spirits, tell how innovations from cross-cultural exchanges made fortunes for Cuervo and other distillers, and explain how the meteoric rise in tequila prices is due to an epidemic—one they predicted would occur—linked to the industry's cultivation of just one type of agave. The tequila industry today markets more than four hundred distinct products through a variety of strategies that heighten the liquor's mystique, and this book will educate readers about the grades of tequila, from blanco to añejo, and marks of distinction for connoisseurs who pay up to two thousand dollars for a bottle. ¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History will feed anyone's passion for the gift of the blue agave as it heightens their appreciation for its rich heritage.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press; First Printing edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816519382
• ISBN-13: 978-0816519385
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #611,857 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The big picture, March 17, 2004

By	Keith Labaw "The Desert Yeti" (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book gave me a overview of tequila that included the agricultural considerations, cultural heritage, and history of mescal de tequila, not just a guide to making margaritas. It is well written with enough detail to satisfy the curious, yet straightforward enough to allow for the average reader. Exceptionally informative book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tequila a mexican treasure, July 25, 2008

By	C. S. Cordero - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you ever wonder how tequila is made, find out what an amazing process it is. Buy this book.
Full of incredible rich photographs, that depict the everyday beauty of Mexico.

1 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YEB!, December 2, 2007

By	CLINT BRONSON (las vegas,NV.) - See all my reviews

Nab tis iz e bok. I'v beeen dwinkinking teakilya
far sum time and I cun say itz the bast dwink to
havb! Nah I meen et! I'b no dares Beer and Wien
bat nothfing beets Teequilla,NOFING! It iz dat
dwink tht calhmsz da nerves and makez ya feel
mo relaxed. Dake it for me thot Ttequila wil
bwing good sings to youz and familee and it
can mak ya feeel whandarfol...YOO HERE VE!