Mexico Cooks! Meets Taste Tequila

When we lived in foodie San Francisco, my friend Max turned me on to a great blog called “Mexico Cooks!”. The blog is run by Cristina Potters, who moved to Mexico some 30 years ago and has spent considerable time studying local and regional cuisines, as well as Mexican culture and traditions. Her blog is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in Mexico, and her knowledge of Mexico cooking rivals that of the great Diana Kennedy.

We recently read that Cristina had moved from her home in Morelia to our neighborhood in Mexico City, and we couldn’t wait to meet her. We invited her and her partner Judy over for an informal tequila tasting to talk about the food and drink of Mexico.

Cristina generally prefers mezcal, while Judy prefers tequila, so we knew it would be an interesting evening. Cristina says she prefers mezcal because it doesn’t have the burn that she feels when drinking tequila. However, when we gave her all-natural tequilas with no additives (reposados from Los Abuelos and Casa Noble) she didn’t feel the burn. (Maybe we could convert her after all!)

In the end, it didn’t matter who preferred tequila or who preferred mezcal, because the important part is that we all love Mexico. It reminded me that being a tequila lover is more than just having appreciation for a spirit – it’s about culture, tradition and way of life. You cannot separate tequila from the country that makes it, just as you cannot separate Mexico’s amazing cuisine from its wonderful people.

So, if you’re just starting to enjoy tequila, read Cristina’s blog and other resources on Mexico because it will no doubt deepen your appreciation for this great drink and the people, history and culture that go along with it.

Viva Mexico!