But one day a terrible thunderstorm broke out, and lightning struck a tall agave. And then juice began to flow from her. It turned out to be incredibly tasty and sweet.
People were amazed by what happened and decided that this was a gift that the gods had given them. The Indians widely used this plant for various purposes, but not grown on purpose: their homes were surrounded by entire thickets of wild agave.
They only began to cultivate it in 1758, it was then that the King of Spain granted numerous lands in Mexico to Don Jose de Guervo, who subsequently developed release of the first alcoholic drinks.
At that time, different species were grown (including), selecting empirically those most suitable for the production of drinks, those species that did not give the desired result, were uprooted and not planted again.
The planter himself lived near the village of Tequila, that’s why he called the drink he invented “tequila”, and subsequently, most suitable for wine production, received another name tequila, this was the species we were considering.
Motherland
Blue agave - almost most popular plant in Mexico. Therefore, it is often called “Agave Mexicana”.
There are especially many plantations with such agave in the state of Jalisco, there they spread over an area of 80 thousand square kilometers.
Blue agave also grows wild, although in appearance it is slightly different from plants grown at home, which are more powerful and with more large core.
It grows wild in deserts and on mountain slopes, it is so hardy, which even fills slopes covered with volcanic lava.
Photo of blue agave
Tequila production
Blue agave serves as raw material for making tequila.
In 1902 Franz Weber, a botanist from Germany, came to Mexico. He had to decide which variety of agave was best suited for making alcoholic beverages.
Scientist made a conclusion, to which the local Indians had come long before: for this purpose it is worth growing blue agave.
So she also received the name of the scientist and began to be called Agave Tequilana Weber.
This type of agave in shape resembles a huge rose. Its leaves are fleshy, fibrous, have thorns along the edges and are covered with wax to prevent much moisture from evaporating. They are bluish or greenish-grayish in color. To produce tequila you only need core of the plant.
Specialists working on the plantations monitor the development of the agave, and when its core stops growing and turns red-brown, then special tool which is called soa, right in the field all other parts are cut off, and the core is sent for processing.
Factory core steamed, finely chop and squeeze out the juice.
There is no specific time for harvesting on plantations. The cores ripen in different time, and the collection work is underway all year round.
Tequila is produced only in Mexico, because the plants for making this drink must grow in certain conditions: agave fields for tequila are usually located at a height 1500 meters above sea level.
The temperature here ranges from 20 degrees, cloudy days should not be more than 100, precipitation level no more than 1 meter per year.
Special soil requirements: It should be rich in iron and minerals. Some growers prefer blue agave grown on the slopes of mountains formed by a volcanic eruption.
All these conditions cannot be met in a different climate. Namely, they help to ultimately obtain clear tequila with a special subtle aroma.
Despite long dry periods, agave fields don't irrigate because in this case the plant grows large, but loses plant sugar, important in the production of tequila
Such blue agave plantations are protected by UNESCO. And tequila became the national drink in Mexico. The country exports it all over the world.
Tequila is widely used as aromatic additives to dishes and non-alcoholic drinks (nectars and juices). 
Blue agave juice, squeezed at the plant, is used not only for the production of tequila, it is also an independent drink.
Juice to taste looks like honey. It is used by chefs, adding it to dough (this is also convenient because the juice is easily fermented), to desserts and various creams.
The juice easily dissolves in any liquid, so it is used to prepare various drinks, more often cocktails.
The juice has a thick consistency and is commonly called nectar. Exists two kinds of such nectar, obtained by varying degrees of processing of the core.
Light nectar has caramel taste, dark- molasses taste and a delicate aftertaste. In their pure form, both types are used like our jam: pour it over baked goods and add it to tea.
Food
Young flower stalks are called in Mexico Quiote and are used as food. They are prepared like any vegetables. There are several popular Mexican vegetable dishes using blue agave shoots.
Agave releases long peduncle, on which in two to three months flower blooms. But on the plantations flower stalks are cut off so that the plant does not waste juices on flowering.
Pharmacology and traditional medicine
Blue agave is also used for medicinal purposes.
Medicines made with the addition of agave improve peristalsis and relieve from colitis and also help in the fight against disease Crown.
She has a number of valuable properties: removes excess fluid from tissues, helps strengthen nervous system , helps with diseases related to metabolism, improves digestive processes.
The juice contains insulin. But him cannot be consumed in large quantities, since it contains a lot of fructose.
IN folk medicine tincture of leaves is prescribed for bloating and heartburn.
Doctors believe that the properties of blue agave not fully studied, its pharmacological the possibilities are very great.
It is already clear that it can become the basis for vitamin group B drugs and medications that increase the amount of iron in the body, for medications, improves heart function, because contains magnesium and calcium a lot.
Blue Agave has become a symbol of Mexico, the main source of its prosperity.
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Mexican tequila- one of the most popular strong alcoholic drinks in the whole world, and we want to tell you about its production and about the amazing plant from which this legendary vodka is produced - blue agave ( Agave tequilana) . It is one of more than one hundred and thirty varieties of agave growing on the Mexican Peninsula. A common misconception is that blue agave- this is a cactus. In fact, she is a distant relative of the lilies and amaryllis so beloved by our florists, a succulent (having special tissues for storing water) herbaceous plant from the Liliaceae family. Wild blue agave grows in the western part of the country in a dry, hot climate, at an altitude of about one and a half kilometers above sea level. It is difficult to confuse this majestic plant with anything, with thick, arrow-shaped leaves growing in all directions and about 2 meters long. After five years, the agave grows a five-meter sprout, on which bright yellow flowers bloom, pollinated at night by bats. After the seeds ripen, the plant dies. To produce tequila, a domesticated variety of blue agave is grown, which lives much longer (up to 14 years). This occurs due to the fact that the shoot with inflorescences is removed and planted separately.
How is tequila made?
The largest region in Mexico for growing blue agave and producing tequila is the mountainous state of Pulque (previously, the country even had a special law prohibiting the preparation of tequila in other places). Here blue agave is grown in special gardens (potreros). To obtain juice, the core of the plant is used (the spherical part weighing from 35 to 150 kg). In this case, the plant itself must reach at least eight years of age, otherwise the process of fermentation (fermentation) will not occur in its juice. The cut cores are first softened with steam and then pressed to extract the juice. After this, water is added to it in large containers, followed by yeast, and left to ferment for one to two weeks. Next, the resulting liquid is subjected to double distillation.
Types of tequila, or a note for gourmets
After this, the drink can either be bottled immediately (white or silver tequila; silver) or left to age in wooden, usually oak, barrels (the following categories are distinguished here: plata or blanca - aging for no more than two months; Joven - without aging, usually painted; gold - the same silver, tinted to match the color of the aged one; reposado - aged for about a year; extra añejo - aged for over three years).
Other agave drinks: mezcal and pulque
In addition to tequila, another strong, but somewhat less common drink is made from agave - mezcal. The difference between the two is that, unlike tequila, mezcal is made from the juice of five different types agave and is distilled only once. This drink has a sharper taste and aroma. Manufacturers sometimes put it in bottles with special type caterpillars and worms, however, this is done solely for marketing reasons and has nothing to do with the process of making mezcal. Another traditional Mexican alcoholic drink is pulque- obtained by natural fermentation from the juice of six types of agaves. Therefore, pulque is not as strong as tequila and mezcal - it is a low-alcohol drink white strength 6-8 degrees, with abundant foam and a peculiar aroma.
Agave, medicinal properties which are known throughout the world, originally from Mexico. A plant with large leaves filled with juice of a rich green color, in Russia it is grown as an indoor plant. It has a greatly shortened stem, a rosette up to two meters long, the leaves are twisted at the top into a hollow tube with a sharp end. The peduncle arrow, measuring from 6 to 12 m, grows from the middle of the rosette; there are many flowers in the inflorescence.
Agave americana has become widespread and is capable of treating many diseases.
Agave – indoor plant, the healing properties of which were known to our distant ancestors. It was used internally and as an external remedy.
Video about agave americana
The introduction of drugs internally improves metabolism, expels excess water from the body, improves the functioning of the gallbladder and mammary glands. Due to its ability to improve intestinal motility, fresh agave juice is used as an effective laxative.
Agave is a plant whose medicinal properties are highly recommended for people who avoid sugar consumption. It is added to food as a natural sweetener. For this, he is respected by ladies who adhere to various diets that exclude sweets.
Agave nectar is no less interesting; its beneficial properties are due to its rare chemical composition. It tastes like flower honey, but is thinner in consistency. It is used for culinary creations instead of sugar, as well as for medicinal purposes to restore the protective functions of the stomach after long-term illnesses.
Agave in the photo
External use in the form of rubbing, lotions and compresses helps heal festering wounds and abscesses, and cures eye diseases. If there are children in the house, then agave americana will be very useful in the household; treatment of warts, bruises and scratches with the juice of this flower will be easy and painless.
To prepare medicinal potions, agave leaves that have reached three years of age are used, because they contain aloins, viscous resins, essential oils, as well as calcium and iron, which are so necessary for our skin.
Products taken internally and externally are prepared in the following ways:
- leaves crushed with a knife are poured with alcohol or 40% vodka to obtain an alcohol tincture;
- Having crushed the leaves, add water and infuse to obtain an infusion;
- make powder from dry leaves, which are crushed and sifted;
- Juice is prepared from fresh crushed leaves. When taken orally, the intestines and stomach will be cleansed, which will promote weight loss.
Agave in the photo
A daily two to three single dose, about 5-10 ml half an hour before meals, increases the body's resistance to colds caused by infection. It improves appetite, strengthens it after diarrhea, cures gastritis chronic form, which causes constipation, cures the stomach, which has ulcers.
Taken in the morning on an empty stomach and before going to bed in the evening, the composition is prepared as follows: from leaf juice (15 g), pork lard (can be replaced with goose lard), unsalted butter, pure honey - 100 g of everything and 50 g of cocoa to produce a mixture. It helps with headaches, neuralgia, sciatica, tuberculosis, bronchitis, radiculitis.
Agave has another very piquant use; the beneficial properties of the flower are provided by the substances anordrin and dinordrin, which reduce fertility. Women in Latin America began to use it against conception.
Compresses of fresh split leaves, applied with the open side to wounds and abscesses, help heal. The drug is quite effective in inflammatory processes of the sciatic nerve.
Agave photography
An infusion of juice with honey is used to relieve internal heat in the eyes. To do this, the juice of agave leaves is mixed with water 1:10. And the infusion will help with purulent inflammation of the eyes; it is used as a lotion. The infusion also helps perfectly with rheumatism if you rub it, causing an active flow of blood and lymph to the affected area. The same composition helps with burns, inflamed wounds and abscesses; in particularly difficult cases, the bandage with the infusion can be left overnight.
The juice, squeezed from the fleshiest leaves, is infused in castor or eucalyptus oil for 12 days in a dark place. The resulting emulsion is used for anemia and even radiation sickness.
Agave is not for everyone
An amazing flower is agave, its medicinal properties are so wide that it is time to ascribe to it the title of panacea. But here, too, there are exceptions.
Cannot be used when all forms of hepatitis and gallbladder disease are diagnosed.
Not suitable for use by people predisposed to allergic diseases.
Video about agave
Pregnant women and people with hormonal dysfunctions should also avoid using agave in any form.
Contraindications may also be due to individual intolerance. Therefore, before treatment with agave, it is better to consult a therapist. Even though this is folk remedy, but official medicine also does not exclude it.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “tequila”? Most often the words are “vodka from cacti”, the birthplace of the drink is Mexico and dressed up cowboys. But for some reason, never huge plantations of bluish plants, reminiscent of both aloe and giant 90-kilogram pineapples.
Blue agave is truly the pride of Mexico. The history, culture and way of life of the country, from the ancient Aztecs to the present day, are permeated with traces of this amazing plant. Even UNESCO included its plantations in the List of World Heritage Sites!
Agave tequilana
Blue agave, also known as tequila agave, is a plant that grows in large quantities in a dry tropical climate, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. Like any self-respecting drought-resistant plant, it prefers red soils with a lot of sand. Outwardly it looks like a mixture of porcupine and aloe; bluish fleshy leaves stick out imposingly in all directions. The core of the plant, when the leaves are trimmed, resembles a giant pineapple.
Blue agaves are conventionally divided into two types: wild and domesticated. These plants bloom only once in their life. At the end of the life cycle of a wild agave, which lasts on average 5 years, it grows a shoot about five meters long, with flowers on it. At night they are pollinated by Saussure's long-nosed bat, a native species of bat. After pollination, the mother plant, alas, dies.
Domesticated blue agaves are very different from their wild relatives. It’s worth starting with the fact that such a plant lives on average 12 years - exactly as long as it takes for it to collect the maximum amount of juice in its core. Such longevity is achieved by removing shoots with nascent buds from a young agave, which allows it to grow and gain mass further. And the removed shoot is planted in the ground for further germination. This propagation method is beneficial to everyone, except for one big problem: new blue agaves grown by such a transplant are essentially clones, which makes all domestic agaves genetically uniform. And breeders could not easily get away with interfering with the natural process of evolution, which is why domesticated blue agaves are now susceptible to a large number of diseases. Since 2000, about 30% of plants have been affected by TMA syndrome ("Agave death and wilt", a common name for a group of diseases). The reason for the problem lies in the fact that due to cloning, blue agaves have ceased to develop evolutionarily and acquire protective mechanisms against new diseases. But let's not talk about sad things.
Why is it needed?
Agaves (and there are about 300 species of them) are generally very useful plants. Their tough fibers are used to make ropes, coarse cloth and wrapping paper. Some species are indispensable in folk medicine due to the rich range of vitamins and nutrients in the juice. In terms of their use in folk medicine, agaves are very similar to aloe, which, by the way, is their distant relative.
As for blue agave specifically, the list of its healing properties is not so long. These are mainly gastroenterological diseases. But the inhabitants of North America loved and love this plant not for healing properties. The Aztecs also realized that if you chop the core of an agave plant and squeeze the juice out of it, the resulting nectar can be consumed internally, while receiving incomparable pleasure. They nicknamed this drink “octli”. Later, after the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World, octli received a new name - “pulque”.
Pulque was made from agave juice by simple fermentation, like wine. However, the Spaniards were not satisfied with such a small degree of strength (from 6 to 18%), since to disinfect water - and strong alcohol in those days was most often used for this purpose, not like now - something more serious was needed. This is how mezcal was born - a distillation product of pulque. The strength of such a drink was then about 25%. Now Mexicans often carry out double distillation, which raises the degree of the drink to 28-43%. It is worth noting that mezcal fermentation is a natural process, without added sugar. For this reason, mezcal retains a lot of the taste and aroma of the asparagus plant, which some connoisseurs love.
But Mexico is not famous for pulque or mezcal alone. Her main pride is...
Tequila. "Vodka from cacti"
As you already understand, tequila is not vodka made from cacti. This widespread opinion grew out of the stereotype that in Mexico there is nothing but cacti. Tequila is made from the heart of the blue agave plant through distillation. This drink got its name from the city of Tequila, located in the west of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It was in the vicinity of this city that this product began to be produced.
The path from blue agave to tequila begins with plantations. The plant is grown by waiting for red spots on the leaves - signs that the core has accumulated enough juice. Then the chimadores, workers on the plantations, using koa or coa, special axes, cut off all the prickly leaves of the plant, and then the rhizome, leaving the most valuable thing - the core. After this procedure, a core weighing from 20 to 90 kg (sometimes more), similar to a bleeding pineapple, is brought to the factory.
Photo: domenicocz.blogspot.com
There it is cut into several parts and subjected to heat treatment: placed in an oven for 12–72 hours at a temperature of about 70°C. After this, the pieces of agave are crushed using special mills, and the resulting mass is thoroughly squeezed, thus obtaining juice with a strength of 12-13%. It is then placed in steel or wooden fermentation tanks for 7-10 days. Here lies the first main difference between tequila and mezcal - sugar is often added to the fermentation tanks to speed up the process. The output is sweet molasses with a low alcohol content (about 4-7%), from which tequila is produced using the old sublimation technology. The second main difference is that the juice undergoes a mandatory double distillation before becoming tequila, with only the middle part of the distillate being used the second time to improve the quality of the final product.
It is legal to grow blue agave and produce tequila from it only in five states: Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas and Nayarit. Due to the great popularity of the drink, the majority of the population of these states is somehow involved in the production of tequila. In Mexico, there is an official declaration, from which it follows that only products made in one of five states and certified by the government can be sold under the name “tequila”, a state standard regulating the labeling, bottling and production of tequila, and even a special organization designed to monitor its execution. All this perfectly shows Mexico's attitude towards its main pride.
Tequila is different
According to standards, all tequila is divided into two large groups:
– Tequila 100% Agave, or premium tequila. As the name suggests, this tequila is made entirely from agave juice. This group is the most refined, but getting to know it for an uninitiated person may not be the most pleasant due to its extremely specific taste, which it is advisable to get used to gradually.
– Tequila Mixta, also known as “standard”. By law, this type of tequila must contain at least 51% sugar derived from blue agave; for the rest, substitutes (for example, cane sugar) can be used. Tequila Mixta, due to sweeteners, can vary greatly in taste, which, coupled with the price, has made it popular all over the world.
Now let's look at the varieties of tequila. There are four main ones:
– Silver (plata or blanca). Tequila without impurities, consisting of 100% agave. Aged in barrels for no more than two months.
– Gold (joven). Mixto tequila, bottled without aging, with caramel added to add color. It is this tequila that has gained worldwide popularity.
- Reposado. Aged in barrels for up to a year. To change the taste, manufacturers use barrels from other alcoholic beverages, such as whiskey. Reposado is the most popular variety of tequila in Mexico itself.
– Anejo. Aged in barrels for one to three years. It has a refined “woody” taste. Since 2005, they began to produce Extra anejo - tequila kept in barrels for up to 10 years. Such a long shelf life threatens the taste of the product, since the tree can overpower the taste of the agave, so every few years the tequila is transferred to a new barrel.
In general, don’t insult agave anymore by calling tequila cactus vodka!
The agave plant is known as a raw material for making tequila. But, in fact, in addition to the production of alcohol, it is used in many industries. Agave syrup, juice, stem and leaf cores are widely used in cooking and medicine. And grown at home, it brings not only aesthetic pleasure, but also practical benefits.
The genus Agave has more than three hundred species. The most typical representative is the American one. Other, most famous, species: blue agave, sisal, straight, Queen Victoria, retracted.
Agave has a greatly shortened stem, fleshy leaves with spines, and a long peduncle on which flowers bloom in huge numbers. The fruits are capsules that ripen in place of the flowers. Often the fruit is considered to be the core of the stem, which after cutting off the leaves becomes like a pineapple.
Chemical composition of the core and leaf pulp Although the composition of the plant has not been fully studied, the following was found in it:
- essential substances;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- saponins;
- active biological compounds;
- vit. C, B, E;
- organic acids;
- fructose.
The presence of volatile compounds and essential oils explains the specific smell and taste that agave juice and drink from it have.
Beneficial features
In addition to its industrial value, Mexican (grows directly in Mexico) agave is important for the indigenous population. Thus, the Indians eat the flowers of the plant, bake the core and leaves, and make flour from them. Many types of agave are suitable for making lasso, ropes, and fishing nets. All varieties are used to treat snakebites and control insects.
Application in industrial production
Due to the strength of the leaf fiber, many varieties of agave are used as raw materials for the manufacture of:
- ropes,
- rugs;
- fabrics;
- mats;
- ropes;
- paper;
- ropes and so on.
The following varieties are most often suitable for these purposes: agave sisal, kantala, American, fucure-shaped, folded and hard. They are used to make sisal, henequin, espadin and kenjet fibers. Agave, such as the American one, contains sapogenins and is used in making soap.
Application in the food industry
The main directions are alcohol production and cooking. Thus, blue agave is used in the preparation of tequila. To do this, the juice of the plant core is distilled 2 - 3 times. Drink strength: from 38 ̊ to 55 ̊. To obtain it, agave syrup can be used. Classic tequila is 100% made from this succulent. Other juice (for example, corn) can also be added by the manufacturer, but its volume should not exceed 49%.
The dark green variety is used to make the drink pulque, which also contains alcohol. The peculiarity of its preparation is to prevent the formation of flowers by cutting out the flower bud. From the resulting hole, up to 1000 liters of accumulated juice are scooped out over 4–6 months. Moreover, by this moment he is already starting to wander. The finished drink gains a strength of 4 ̊ - 7 ̊ in 10 - 14 days and quickly sours. Therefore, it is sent for sale unripe.
Agave syrup is used in cooking. Cocktails with a low alcohol content, jelly and compotes are made on its basis. At home, you can add it to baked goods, ice cream, or use it as a sweet gravy for pancakes, crumpets, and pancakes. In Mexico, its leaves are added when stewing meat, as well as in salads.
Agave syrup contains ~90% sugars. Most of them are fructose. There are two points of view on the health benefits of the product. In the first case, agave syrup is contraindicated for consumption due to its high calorie content (~ 370 kcal). Proponents of a different opinion claim that agave syrup contains inulin and can be used for weight loss.
However, this fructose content can easily replace granulated sugar for people with diabetes.
Application in crop production
Many varieties are used in landscape design, home floriculture, and grown in greenhouses. Flowers are planted to create a hedge, as well as in composition with other plants to give the area an exotic look.
The following flowers are usually grown at home: American, filamentous, Queen Victoria, blue agave. They grow well in room conditions, are not picky in care, but they rarely produce flowers.
Medical use
The medicinal properties of agave were noticed by the Indians. They used the pulp of the leaves to treat wounds, burns, and abscesses. Agave juice was used as a remedy to draw snake venom from the bite site. A fermented drink containing alcohol was used for problems with the digestive system.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, laxative and diuretic effects, agave treatment is acceptable for:
- bladder diseases;
- constipation;
- burns;
- furunculosis;
- neuralgia;
- arthritis;
- sciatica;
- liver diseases;
- radiculitis, etc.
A drink from any variety normalizes metabolism, relieves swelling, and has a mild diuretic and laxative effect. This drink can be prepared at home by diluting agave syrup with water. However, its health benefits will be reduced.
If you chop the leaves of a plant of any variety and add alcohol, and let it sit for 2 - 3 weeks, you will get a healing tincture. Compresses made from it are useful in cases of neuralgia, radiculitis, and bruises.
Dilute juice in a ratio of 1:20 is drunk when gastrointestinal problems occur. The same solution is used in case of joint ailments, applying a compress. It can be kept overnight. Unlike pure juice, it does not burn the surface of the skin.
A drink from this plant is taken an hour or two before meals. Usually 50 - 70 ml. It stimulates metabolic processes, triggers detoxification mechanisms, and relieves spasms of blood vessels and muscles.
The American variety contains substances used in pharmacology for the synthesis of hormonal drugs. Chinese industry produces contraceptives based on these substances.
Contraindications
Do not consume agave flowers, juice or syrup internally if:
- liver diseases;
- obesity;
- pregnancy;
- allergies;
- hormonal diseases.
You should not give agave juice to children, even after dilution. Due to the contraceptive effect, the use of this plant in any form is not recommended in case of lactation. And because of the diuretic effect, people with kidney disease should not drink juice or syrup.
Growing at home
Agave flowers are not too demanding on the conditions at home. They prefer moderate lighting, without direct sun. In summer they can withstand temperatures of ~30 C, in winter - about 6 C. They like loose soil, poor in substances. So, for planting you can take turf and the top layer of rotted leaves. Add sand to the mixture and you'll get great soil for this succulent. Be sure to make drainage at the bottom of the container.
Indoor agave needs to be watered 2 times a week. In cold weather, even less often: once every 7 - 10 days. It accumulates liquid in the leaves, so it is not afraid of moisture loss. It is enough to apply fertilizers once in the period February - March and in August.
It reproduces by seeds, root, and stem shoots. The latter can be planted directly into the soil, just add more sand than for an adult plant. You can put the shoots in water, adding phytohormones for the rapid appearance of roots.
Agave is a mysterious and original plant. Beneficial features Agave and its healing capabilities are more exotic for us than recipes proven over the years. When using homemade tincture, agave syrup or leaf pulp for medicinal purposes, you need to check yourself for an allergic reaction.