I just have to ask, is July the biggest drinking month of the year? There are so many national days that pertain to alcohol in the month of July: Anisette 7/2, Dive Bar 7/7, Pina Colada 7/10, Mojito 7/11, Grand Marnier 7/14, Daiquiri 7/19, Tequila 7/24, Wine & Cheese 7/25 and Scotch 7/27. If we celebrated each of those national days, it wouldn’t leave very many alcohol-free days in July.

I was over-served tequila once or twice. Fine, it was more than that. All the same, decades later, I am still cautious whenever I consider drinking it. To me, tequila is harmless if it’s in a margarita. But then again, the caution is more about how MANY margaritas I can consume before losing complete control. Speaking of decades, within the last decade, tequila has gone back in time and has been very much savored like wine; meant to be enjoyed without any “buffers” like margarita mix, Grand Marnier, salt, Cointreau, lime wedges etc.

Allow me to paraphrase the write up that nationaldaycalendar.com has on their website regarding the history of Tequila for National Tequila Day. Cortez and his Spanish conquistadors arrived in North America in the 16th Century and they did not care for the mezcal wine that was served to them. They began distilling their own using the copper stills that they had brought with them from Spain. Fast forward to Guadalajara, in a town called Jalisco, Mexico that became famous for producing Blue Agave. A succulent only found in Jalisco is the one succulent that produces the nectar, blue agave, to make tequila. Many other succulents found in Mexico produce other mezcal but not blue agave. Nationaldaycalendar.com states, “In Mexico, the law protects the production of Tequila. The rule states Tequila is only Tequila if it is made within Jalisco. Additionally, the law limits production to regions in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. However, the same ingredients distilled anywhere else cannot be labeled Tequila. “

Now back to the present time. We’ve all witnessed celebrities who invest in and allow their names to be associated with an alcoholic beverage {company}. Because of high demand, stores can’t keep their products on the shelves. Case and point: the moment Mr. George Clooney put his name on Casamigos Tequila, nothing could stop the millions of dollars that poured into that company. Clooney doesn’t even own the company anymore but it doesn’t matter, the fans are hooked.

I must confess, I didn’t know that if the tequila is of good quality, especially produced for that higher end, it is meant to be sipped without anything else. When I learned more about Casa Dragones, I immediately stopped using it for margaritas. I was such a rookie! That type of tequila is meant to be solo. Not to be confused with drinking by yourself solo. It’s always better to enjoy alcohol with people we want to be around.

I think the “worm at the bottom of the tequila bottle” trend is not as popular as it was back in the day. But in case someone is challenged to drink/eat the worm that is found in some bottles of tequila, just know that the “worm” is the larva from the moths that are found in the blue agave nectar. There is no proof that consuming it will produce hallucinations and/or if having the worm in the tequila bottle produces a superior flavor. Now that we know this information, we can decide if having the worm is worth all the hype.

Speaking of hallucinations, I have to share this story. We had a Cinco de Mayo party when I lived in Newport Beach and my roommate made the margaritas in a trash can. We bought our tequila from Fedco because quantity was way more important than quality. Duh. There was not one sober person in the room after one margarita. We nicknamed the drink Mysterious Margaritas because after two - people were going crazy and after three margaritas there was total chaos (imagine puke and passed out bodies everywhere)! For those who prefer to drink their tequila mixed, consider the recipe below. I suggest using a spaghetti pot instead of a trash can.

A year or two later, it was during another Cinco de Mayo celebration that I learned about the “Tequila Popper” from my extraordinary boss, Debbie. At this event, she ordered shots of tequila and a couple of glasses of 7-Up, which the waiters brought out on trays. She looked around the outdoor venue and didn’t see anywhere to assemble these “Poppers” so she squatted down putting a tray on the cement floor. She slowly poured a little 7-Up to top off the shots of tequila and we were instructed to cover the top of the glasses with the palms of our hands. At the count of three - 1, 2, 3… we all slammed the bottom of the glass on the tray, removed our hands and drank our Poppers. When we finished we turned our glasses upside down and put them back on the tray. Rinse, Repeat. Twenty-five years later, this memory is still vivid and it is just one of the very many reasons why I will always be grateful for Debbie.

Now it’s my turn to give a thoughtful pinch or two for National Tequila Day. First, for all the tequila lovers out there I have another recipe for you. Our same friend that gave us the bottle of Casa Dragones Tequila, absolutely loves the cocktail below. So when her family was moving away, friends made sure to send her off with a copy of the recipe so that she can still enjoy her favorite tequila drink in Cleveland.

My second pinch for July 24th, National Tequila Day, is for EVERYONE - even those who do not drink Tequila or any alcohol at all. Play the song Tequila by The Champs on full blast and dance! The song contains one word but the possibilities for dance moves are ENDLESS! It’s a lot of fun for the dancers and anyone watching. Da, da, da ,da, da, da, da …Tequila!

Pinches,

Barb