recife

Have you ever tried tequila? Do you like it? but, do you know where tequila come from?

Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant grown in Mexico. Tequila is world renowned for it's unique taste, dating back more than 300 years to the town of Tequila in Jalisco state, where Tequila inherited it's name.

The word tequila itself is a mystery. It is said to be an ancient Nahuatl term. The Nahuatl were the original people who lived in the area. The word means “the place of harvesting plants.”

The agave is not a cactus as rumored, but belongs to the lily family. It takes 8-12 years for the agave to reach maturity. During harvest, the leaves are cut off leaving the heart of the plant or pina which looks like a large pineapple when the jimadores are done. The harvested pina may weigh 100 kilos or more and is chopped into smaller pieces for cooking at the distillery.



This video shows the way they do handmade tequila in one of the many tequila distilleries that there are in Mexico.



Tequila can be drunk in a different ways. Straight, it can be sipped or quickly gulped from a shot glass with lime and salt. If you prefer a cocktail there are many option to choose from, like: Margarita, Tequila Sunrise, Long Island Iced Tea, Tequila Slammer or Paloma, the most popular tequila drink in Mexico which is tequila with a grapefruit-flavored soda and a lime wedge in a glass rimmed with salt.



In Recife we have many different Tequilas in our mexican corner.



Come and try them all. See you there.

Andrea.

Dia de Muertos (Spanish for Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday dated back 3000 years and it's celebrated November 1st and 2nd. This holiday is a time to honor and remember our loved ones who have passed away. People flock to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build altars adorned with the favorite foods and drinks as well as photos and esteemed possessions of the departed. In some parts of Mexico people spent all night beside the graves of their relatives.

Some families build altars in their homes. This has been a tradition in my house since I can remember. Every year we gather together to build up a small altar. This is the one my mom and my sister made last year to honor our loved relatives.





Even I'm not spending Dia de Muertos in Mexico, I really like to keep the tradition alive and share some of my culture with my friends, that's why in Recife we also celebrate the day. This are some pics from last two years.
















One of the more traditional dishes for the celebrations is Pan de Muerto (Bread of the dead). Traditionally, this is a round loaf of bread decorated with bone-like pieces and covered with sugar. This year I decided to bake a Pan de Muerto at home.





Come tomorrow to the Day of the Dead celebration in Recife, I will cut the bread so you all can try it. See you there.

Andrea