Mexicans are famous for the national alcoholic drink – tequila which is done of a cactus "a blue agave". Besides tequila, this cactus is used for preparation and other drinks which became famous for the whole world for the unique taste and lethal effect. What drinks and why Mexicans do them of a cactus are?
Instruction
1. The plant an agave was for the first time brought to Mexico from the Antilles. Local Indians called it "mexcametl" – subsequently this name was transformed to known for all "mescal". For natives the agave was almost divine plant which they esteemed as early incarnation of the Indian goddess Mayakheul who had four hundred breasts through which her four hundred children were fed. Indians used an agave not only for alcohol production – its leaves reminding hempen fiber perfectly were suitable for production of paper, clothes, ropes and sleeping laying.
2. Modern linguists consider the word "tequila" the term invented by the ancient people Nakhuatl, historically living on lands of ancient Mexico. It meant "the place of native-grasses", "the place of dexterous receptions" or "the place of collecting plants" and came from merge of the words tequitl (work) and tlan (place). However, some experts in the field of Mexico and its aboriginals claim that "tequila" is the distorted name of the Mexican people Tiquilos or Ticuilas or Tiquilos. All these interpretations have the right for existence as to fans of tequila not very well as the name of their favourite drink is interpreted.
3. In the territory of Mexico 136 species of this cactus grow, however do tequila only of a blue agave. Mexicans use a rare species of a wild-growing agave and some other its types for production мескаля and also produce from them such regional drinks as a ratsilla, сотол, a pulque and a bakanor. However, tequila was and remains the most popular alcohol made of a cactus.
4. "Grandfather" of tequila is meskalny wine which was made for the first time in twenty years after Spaniards arrived to the New World. It was called differently – agavny wine, brandy-meskalem and meskalny tequila, so far, at last, drink didn't receive the modern name. During the existence the tequila which was traditional house binge became world famous and popular drink which was chaotically improved together with the Mexican homeland.