The legend tells us that there once was a cold and sober, and very generous goddess. Her body was like the trunk of the agave, but instead of leaves she had 40,000 breasts. From her breasts flowed the elixir drunk by those that venerated her; she was Mayatl, Zapotec goddess of mezcal. Cold and untouchable, […] The NY Times printed a articles recently that stated, and I quote: ‘Mezcal, the ‘moonshine of Mexico,’ grows in appreciation, availability’ Well is it? Here is a copy of the text of the article. Read it and judge for yourself. Across the Table: Aficionados, such as Del Maguey founder Ron Cooper, use vintner terms to […] Move over, Tequila – the national liquor of Mexico has enjoyed the spotlight for generations, but the distilled alcoholic drink made from blue agave is now facing sibling rivalry from its historically less appreciated relative, Mezcal. Nahuatl for “oven cooked agave”, Mezcal or Mescal, like Tequila, comes from agave – a succulent plant resembling aloe […] Here is a nice video about ‘How to drink Mezcal’ made by people who obviously appreciate the the wonderful Tastes and flavors of a good Mezcal. In this case Illegal Mezcal: Many feel NOM 70 achieves most of the goals that the mezcal world, from small palenqueros to global consumers, have articulated over the past three years. Many feel NOM 199 Here are some excellent articles about the popular NOM 70 and the seemingly not so popular NOM 199 http://mezcalistas.com/tag/nom-070/ http://mezcalistas.com/tag/nom-70/ Here is a the President […] Maguey or Agave americana is a native plant from Mexico, and it is now cultivated in many parts of the world. This plant, also known as the century plant or American aloe, is neither an aloe nor a cactus, as it is sometimes erroneously believed, but instead is a member of the Agavaceae family. Maguey […] In December 2015 I was privileged to meet Alvin Starkman. He is a businessman and tour operator in Oaxaca who I believe truly appreciate the city and the people of Oaxaca and the mask out industry. He owns and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca a B&B and if you want to know about Mezcal he is […] “Mezcal is not tequila yet tequila is Mezcal” All mezcals are made from agave plants; tequila is made from one particular species—the blue agave—while smokier mezcals are made from one of the other 150 agave species native to Mexico. Tequila is technically a mezcal, however, there are differences in production technique and in the types […] Occasionally the literal translation really does work the best. Sal de Guano gets us mostly there with “worm salt.” Sal de gusano is actually ground up salt, dried worms, and peppers. You see it everywhere in Oaxaca. It’s sold in small bags by elderly women around the market, in huge piles within markets, and it […] WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE LABEL The Name of the Plant A good mezcal will tell you the names of the agaves used to make the spirit. Espadín is the heartiest of the agaves and produces some of the best mezcal. Wild Tobalá, Tobaziche, Madrecuixe, Tripón, Verde, and Barril are other well-regarded agaves. The […]The Mezcal Legend
Is Mezcal, the ‘moonshine of Mexico,’?
Mezcal vs. Tequila: National Mexican Liquor Faces Stiff Competition
Video – How To Drink Mezcal
New Category in NOM 70 for Ancestral Mezcal
Maguey, Agave Americana, Century Plant, American Aloe
Alvin Starkman – A Oaxaca Tour Operator & Mezcal aficionado
Mezcal is not Tequila
How to serve Mezcal – Sal de Gusano
What to Look For on the Label