Alcolog

¡Feliz Dieciséis de Septiembre! ¡Viva Mexico!

This post has something of a dual purpose. First, it's a gentle reminder to everyone who celebrated Cinco de Mayo with frozen margaritas that today, not May 5th, is Mexico's Independence Day. Don't feel bad, a lot of Americans get confused by that. The second part is to point out that frozen margarita really isn't a very Mexican way to celebrate one of their holidays. There are many better ways to show respect to our southern neighbors as they celebrate the beginning of their decade-long fight to cut colonial ties with Spain.

Mezcal
Remember: Tequila is one kind of mezcal distilled in Jalisco and smaller nearby regions. There are other mezcals available and they don't all suck, but a good rule of thumb is that if it has an insect in it you probably want to take a pass. Sotol, the lesser known regional mezcal, is from the northern state of Chihuahua and if you're lucky you can find it up here. The big daddy of the mezcal world is Del Maguey and they import a variety of mezcals, most under their Mezcal del Maguey label. If you're getting a mezcal with the importer listed as being from Taos, New Mexico - it's probably from them.

Pulque
This is also one of those hard-to-find items in America for reason similar to why it's hard to find good lemonade you didn't make yourself. Pulque is fermented agave juice and it doesn't travel well. Contrary to (less common) popular belief, mezcal is not made from pulque. It may have been how conquistadors got the idea to make mezcal when they swept through the area, but that distinction is lost to time. Nowadays mezcal (including Tequila) is made from roasting the hearts of the agave plant while pulque is made from the juice of the plant. Small but important distinction.
Oh, and you have to appreciate any alcohol that has its own god. Tepoztecatl, the Aztec god of pulque as well as drunkenness and fertility... a combination still alive in fraternities across the nation.

Paloma
Okay, so if all you can get today is Tequila, there is still hope for respecting the holiday. Have the Tequila drink that you would get if you were in Mexico: The Paloma. Spanish for dove, this is a 3:1 mix of grapefruit soda and Tequila. If you want to make this at home and have access to a supermercado, get Jarritos Toronja. Squirt is the common substitute. Either way you should fill a highball with ice then add 2 ounces of Tequila, a splash of lime juice, and top off with the soda. I just hope that if you're at decent Tequila bar that they'll know how to make it.

Oh, and the little bit of trivia to spread around while you celebrate Mexican Independence Day? Cinco de Mayo is a Pueblan holiday to commemorate the (barely a) victory over the French in 1862. That's over fifty years after Mexico declared its independence in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo incited his congregation to revolt against Spain.

So, tonight, show your respect and earn some Mexican street cred by getting an actual Mexican drink and declaring "¡Viva Mexico!" as you enjoy what Mexico has to offer.