Contemporary Food and Drinks

CONTEMPORARY FOOD AND DRINKS

MODULE CO ORDINATOR: MAUREEN LOBO

SUBMITED BY
CHIRAG.C.ACHARYA
RAKESH KARVATKAR
YASHMEET GUPTA
AKSHAY GHATE

INTRODUCTION:-

"Tequila is Mexico," said Carmelita Roman, widow of the late tequila producer Jesus Lopez Roman in an interview after her husband's murder. "It's the only product that identifies us as a culture." No other drink is surrounded by as many stories, folklore, legends and lore as tequila and its companion, mezcal. Tequila transcends simple definition by reaching into the heart of Mexico, past and present. It blends indigenous and Spanish cultures with Filipino and Arabian technology. The turbulent history of Mexico is paralleled in the stories of tequila and mezcal. One cannot fully appreciate Mexico without some understanding of tequila's place in its history and culture. Tequila is easily the most evocative word in the lexicon of drinkers. It conjures images of Pancho Villa's men riding the dusty roads, of dry plains and sullen volcanoes, of brightly-dressed señoritas whirling in a traditional dance. But it also suggests images of pop stars, emerald margaritas, and endless parties. At its most basic, tequila is an alcoholic, distilled drink made in the arid highlands of central Mexico, from fermented and distilled sap of one species of agave (also called a maguey), an indigenous plant (a succulent related to the lily family, not a cactus). Archeologists say agaves have been cultivated for at least 9,000 years, and used as food for even longer. The agave has woven its fibres through the entire course of Mexican history. 'Tequila wine' was first made by the Conquistadors within a few decades of their arrival. They discovered a fermented native drink made from the agave, called pulque, and soon found a way to distill the syrup of various agaves (aguamiel) into a stronger spirit. In almost 500 years following the Conquest, tequila has become an icon of Mexican nationality, pride and culture, recognized...