Celebrate National Tequila Day with a little history and a few great cocktails.
To mark National Tequila Day this Thursday, adventurous imbibers can go back to tequila’s very beginnings. Tequila stands as North America’s first distilled drink. Its origins date back hundreds of years to when the Aztecs took the sap from maguey plants and fermented it into a drink first known as pulque — which means the Nectar of Gods.
Pulque would eventually evolve into true tequila in the 1500s, shortly after the Spaniards arrived in Mexico and ran out of Spanish brandy. The Spaniards distilled agave to create Mezcal wine, the spirit which eventually came to be known as tequila — named for a small town in Jalisco, Mexico.
Tequila later became a source of pride for the country and first was exported to the United States in the late 1800s. Tequila started gaining traction in the United States as its precursor, Pulque, fell into steep decline.
However, pulque has seen a revival in recent months, with specialty importers now licensed to sell the product in nearly half of the U.S.
Mexicue pays tribute to its heritage with the Aztec Marg, made from Pulque, agave nectar, lime and lemon juice and La Pitaya tequila. Try your hand at the recipe below, courtesy of Mexicue co-founder Thomas Kelly, or stop by the newly opened restaurant in Times Square.
Check out more new stories on BarBizMag.com today for great tequila drink recipes.
