How the Gringos Stole Tequila : The Modern Age of Mexico’s Most Traditional Spirit

Once little more than party fuel, tequila has graduated to the status of fine sipping spirit. __How the Gringos Stole Tequila__ traces the spirit's evolution in America from frat-house firewater to luxury good. But there's more to the story than tequila as upmarket drinking trend. Author Chantal Martineau spent several years immersing herself in the world of tequila -- traveling to visit distillers and agave farmers in Mexico, meeting and tasting with leading experts and mixologists around the United States, and interviewing academics on either side of the border who have studied the spirit.The result is a book that offers readers a glimpse into the social history and ongoing impact of this one-of-a-kind drink. It addresses issues surrounding the sustainability of the limited resource that is agave, the preservation of traditional production methods, and the agave advocacy movement that has grown up alongside the spirit's swelling popularity. In addition to discussing the culture and politics of Mexico's most popular export, this book also takes readers on a colorful tour of the country's Tequila Trail, as well as introducing them to the mother of tequila: mezcal. Once little more than party fuel, for years tequila in the U.S. market was dominated by a crude hybrid, aptly called ?mixto,? but of late, it has graduated to the status of fine sipping spirit. Now growth in sales of real tequila, made from 100 percent agave, is outpacing that of the cheap stuff by some threefold. But there{u2019}s more to the story of tequila than its popularity, and How the Gringos Stole Tequila traces the spirit{u2019}s evolution in America from frat-house firewater to luxury good. Author Chantal Martineau immersed herself in the world of tequila over the last five years{u2014}traveling to visit distillers in Mexico, attending tastings and seminars around the United States, and meeting with tequila experts and even academics who have studied the spirit{u2014}and the result is a book that offers readers a glimpse into the social history and ongoing impact of this one-of-a-kind spirit. In addition to discussing the history and politics of Mexico{u2019}s popular export, this book also takes readers on a colorful tour of the country{u2019}s tequila trail as well as bringing in expert opinions and cocktail suggestions from some of New York{u2019}s top mixologists Once little more than party fuel, tequila has graduated to the status of fine sipping spirit. How the Gringos Stole Tequila traces the spirit's evolution in America from frat-house firewater to luxury good. But there's more to the story than tequila as upmarket drinking trend. Author Chantal Martineau spent several years immersing herself in the world of tequila -- traveling to visit distillers and agave farmers in Mexico, meeting and tasting with leading experts and mixologists around the United States, and interviewing academics on either side of the border who have studied the spirit. The result is a book that offers readers a glimpse into the social history and ongoing impact of this one-of-a-kind drink. It addresses issues surrounding the sustainability of the limited resource that is agave, the preservation of traditional production methods, and the agave advocacy movement that has grown up alongside the spirit's swelling popularity. In addition to discussing the culture and politics of Mexico's most popular export, this book also takes readers on a colorful tour of the country's Tequila Trail, as well as introducing them to the mother of tequila: mezcal. "Tracing the evolution of one of the fastest growing spirits in America, from frat-house firewater to a luxury beverage, the author, having immersed herself in the world of the tequila over the last five years, discusses the history and politics of Mexico's popular export, "--Novelist