Tequila is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco.
Mezcal, sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli[meʃˈkalːi], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl[met͡ɬ] and ixcalli[iʃˈkalːi]. Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many agave spirits whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not, and it is also considered a drink of artisan origin.
Mayahuel is the female deity associated with the maguey plant among cultures of central Mexico in the Postclassic era of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chronology, and in particular of the Aztec cultures. As the personification of the maguey plant, Mayahuel is also part of a complex of interrelated maternal and fertility goddesses in Aztec religion and is also connected with notions of fecundity and nourishment.
Agave tequilana, commonly called blue agave or tequila agave, is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco, Mexico, due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila, a popular distilled beverage. The high production of sugars named agavins, mostly fructose, in the core of the plant is the main characteristic that makes it suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages.
Juniperus chinensis, the Chinese juniper is a species of plant in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to China, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. Growing 1–20 metres tall, it is a very variable coniferous evergreen tree or shrub.
Ilex aquifolium, the holly, common holly, English holly, European holly, or occasionally Christmas holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia. It is regarded as the type species of the genus Ilex, which by association is also called "holly". It is an evergreen tree or shrub found, for example, in shady areas of forests of oak and in beech hedges. In the British Isles it is one of very few native hardwood evergreen trees. It has a great capacity to adapt to different conditions and is a pioneer species that repopulates the margins of forests or clearcuts.
Fuchsia magellanica – commonly known as the hummingbird fuchsia, hardy fuchsia or chilco – is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family Onagraceae, native to the lower Southern Cone of southern South America.
Dracaena reflexa is a tree native to Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its richly coloured, evergreen leaves, and thick, irregular stems.
Miscanthus sinensis, the eulalia or Chinese silver grass, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to eastern Asia throughout most of China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
A mezcal worm is an insect larva found in some types of mezcal produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. The larva is a red maguey worm, the caterpillar of the Comadia redtenbacheri moth, usually called chinicuil or gusano rojo. The red worm is typically considered tastier than a white maguey worm.
Agave angustifolia is a type of agave plant which is native to Mexico and Central America. It is used to make mezcal and also as an ornamental plant, the cultivar 'Marginata' that white margins on the leaves is a popular variety cultivated in botanical gardens and backyards. It is very closely related to blue agave Agave tequilana, but is used to make the distilled alcoholic beverage mezcal instead of tequila and is the predominant agave species grown in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Pulque, or octli, is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant. It is traditional in central Mexico, where it has been produced for millennia. It has the color of milk, a rather viscous consistency and a sour yeast-like taste.
Agave is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean, although some Agave species are also native to tropical areas of North America, such as Mexico. The genus is primarily known for its succulent and xerophytic species that typically form large rosettes of strong, fleshy leaves. Agave now includes species formerly placed in a number of other genera, such as Manfreda, ×Mangave, Polianthes and Prochnyanthes.
Aguamiel[aɣwaˈmjel] is the sap of the Mexican maguey plant which is believed to have therapeutic qualities. According to Native American histories, the process of obtaining aguamiel from maguey was first discovered during the reign of Tecpancaltzin by a Toltec noble named Papantzin, whose daughter Xochitl was sent to the king with an offering of aguamiel. The sap is found in abundance among the agave plants which grow among the ruins of the Teotihuacan civilization. Also called honeywater it has been used in Mexico as a medicine. In its fermented state it has been enjoyed as a beverage for centuries. The particularly viscous beer made from Aguamiel is known as pulque in Mexico. It was available commercially beginning in 1910 and its sale was emphasized only in California prior to late 1928.
Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.
Agave weberi, known as maguey liso in Spanish and as Weber agave in English, is a succulent perennial plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Under the synonym Agave neglecta, it is known as wild century plant and Small agave – the latter in honor of its discoverer in Florida, John Kunkel Small. Naturalized populations in Florida were considered to be a separate species, but are now treated as synonymous with A. weberi.
Maguey worms are either of two species of edible caterpillars that infest maguey plants.
The maguey flower, in Spanish, flor de maguey, also known locally as gualumbo, hualumbo, quiote or jiote is a typical product of Mexican cuisine, cultivated mainly in the rural areas of the center of the country. Due to its difficult availability, it is considered a delicacy. Maguey flowers are harvested and consumed closed, since once opened (ripened), they have a bitter taste.
Miske is an Ecuadorean distilled alcoholic beverage made from the sap of agave plants.
