Agave01

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Agave deserti - These Desert Agaves were part of a fine stand of flowering plants in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California in April 1995. Sometimes called the "century plant", in practice flowering occurs after 8 - 20 years. Although all the flowering plants will die, each group of plants at this site had plenty of offset non-flowering rosettes for other years. The leaves of the rosettes are armed with lethal stiff terminal spines, for which one rapidly acquires respect, and sharp marginal teeth. Desert Agave is one of the most drought-tolerant of the 136 species of Agave found in North America, and grows on stony terrain from southeastern California and southwestern Arizona to Baja California and northern Sonora. Many species of Agave are bat pollinated.

The starchy core of the plant was baked in rock-lined pits by desert-dwelling Indians to form a nutritious energy-rich staple food, and baked Agave can still be purchased in Mexican markets.

Tequila is an alcoholic drink made in the arid highlands of central Mexico, from fermented and distilled sap of the Agave (also called a maguey), an indigenous plant (a succulent, not a cactus). Archeologists say the Agave has been cultivated for at least 9,000 years. ‘Tequila wine’ was first made by the Conquistadors, who distilled a native drink called pulque into a stronger spirit. In the 400 years following the Conquest, tequila has become an icon of Mexican nationality, pride and culture, recognized worldwide. Today, most of it is made in Jalisco state around the town of Tequila.

Tequila is made from distilled sap from hearts (piñas) of the Agave or maguey (pr. 'mah-gay') plant. This plant is actually related to the lily and amaryllis (it has its own genus, Agave). It is known as a succulent and, although it shares a common habitat with many cacti, it is not one itself and has a different life cycle. A mature Agave has leaves 5-8 feet tall, and is 7-12 feet in diameter. It has a life span of 8-15 years, depending on species, growing conditions and climate. The name Agave comes from the Greek word for 'noble.'

There are 136 species of Agave in Mexico, of which the blue Agave - Agave tequilana weber azul - is the only one allowed for use in tequila production. Several different species of Agave are allowed for use in mezcal, including a rare wild species, tobala. Other Agave plants are used for the production of various regional drinks like sotol, raicilla, bacanora and pulque. Agave has been cultivated on this continent for at least 9,000 years.

Mezcal is a related drink and is the older form of the name for tequila as well. The name for the product made in Jalisco state was adopted in the late 19th century. Technically, all tequilas are mezcals, which were also known as mezcal wines and mezcal brandies before the name tequila became common. Today they are distinct products, differentiated by production process and taste, much the same way rye whisky and Scotch whiskey differ. Most mezcal is made in Oaxaca state today, although some is also made in Guerrero and other states.

It is still a practice of some Indians of the Southwest, to put crushed seeds of Sophora Secundiflora in their Mezcal to render it more intoxicating. The red been-like seeds of this shrubby legume became known at the time as mescal because of their use as an adulterant of the beverage mezcal.

During my stay in the Oaxaca area, I had the good fortune to sample many of the local Mezcal brews. There is no drink in North America like Mezcal, and the effects are more like a 'high' or 'body stone' than alcoholic libation. I used it for medicinal purposes of course. Locals reuse old, clear bottles left over from whiskey or tequila or sometimes invite the public to bring their own (One time I used a 1 litre, plastic Pepsi bottle and received no unusual looks from the sales counter). The pre-bottled stuff usually is hand painted with some small cactus or Agave symbol, and the word Mezcal... sometimes the makers name or community where it was made, is painted on the bottle side.