You may be scratching your head about now, wondering if a few too many tequila sunrises have knocked me off my rocker to make me think of cooking with tequila. Hey, if it works with Jack Daniels, why not Tequila? Tequila pairs so nicely with citrus, it's also a natural with other foods as you will soon see from the variety of recipes I've researched.
Tequila history
Contrary to popular belief, Tequila is not made from cactus but the blue agave, or more specifically, Agave Rigidae tequilana weber, var. azil, a member of the lily family. Tequila is named for the district in Jalisco, Mexico where it originated. The term tequila was first printed in English circa 1849, but was not recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (which regulates liquor traffic) until 1975. Records indicate Don Cenobio Sauza shipped "mezcal wine" to the U.S. as far back as 1873. In 1916, American troops discovered tequila during the war with Pancho Villa, and it also enjoyed a brief stint of popularity during the gin shortage of 1944. Yet tequila didn't become popular in the States until the 1960s, when California students made the Margarita a popular cocktail. Tequila is now the 10th largest-selling spirit in the U. S.
What's in tequila?
Tequila was originally distilled from the sap (called aquamiel meaning honey water) from the heart (also called the pineapple) of the blue agave plant into a brandy known in old Mexico as vino mezcal. Today, mezcal and tequila are two completely different liquors. Tequila may only be made from the blue agave in government-specified areas of Jalisco, while mezcal may be made from any variety of agave. The original fermentation is 104 to 106 proof, but is reduced to 80 to 86 proof for shipment to the United States. Mexican standards require the standard cocktail mixing liquor to be at least 51 percent derived from agave sap sugar to be labeled Tequila, with the remaining 49 percent generally corn or cane sugar. Tequila made of 100 percent agave is much more expensive and reserved as a sipping liquor due to its high quality.
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