Due to numerous requests for an on-line menu, we are happy to post our regular menu here for your perusal!  There are also occasional specials added to the menu which can be found at the restaurant.

Appetizers....

....

?  Chips and Salsa  2.00....

....

?  Guacamole and Chips  6.95                                                        ....

     with two salsas  7.95

                                                                        ....

?  Queso Fundido  6.95....

     Melted cheese with Chorizo (or Soyrizo) and flour tortillas....

....

?   Rajas Con Queso  6.95....

      Roasted Green Chilies with Onions, Tomatoes, and Cheese                                                

      Served with 3 Corn Tortillas....

....

?  Coctel de Camarones  9.95....

    Shrimp Cocktail with Tomatoes, Onions, Chilies, Avocado, and Saltines ....

     ....

?  ....Chile.... Relleno  6.95....

    Poblano Chili with Queso Mexicano and Chipotle Salsa        ....

....

....

 ?  Quesadilla Gringa  7.95....

     Flour Tortilla grilled with choice of Chorizo, Soyrizo, Steak, or Chicken....

....

?  Quesadilla Tradicional  6.95....

    Fried Corn Masa stuffed with Queso and Rajas....

....

?  Tamal al Chipotle  5.95....

    Chicken and Cheese with Chipotle Salsa....

....

?  Sopes  8.95....

    Chicken, Steak, or Cheese, with Negro Refritos, Lettuce, and Pico....

....

....

....

....

....

Burritos  8.95                                                               Tacos  7.95....

(With Rice & Beans Inside)                                        (Order of 3)....

Smothered with Red or Green Chili add 1.00              Carne Asada (Steak)....

Carne Asada (Steak)                                                      Al Pastor (Pork)....

Carnitas (Pork)                                                              Chicken ....

Chicken                                                                          Grilled Veggie w/ Soyrizo....

Grilled Veggie w/ Soyrizo....

Breakfast Burrito-Chorizo or Soyrizo

W/ scrambled eggs and ....

Potatoes (no rice and beans)....

                                                                        ....

Entrees....

....

?  Sizzling Fajita Platter  16.95....

    Steak fajita platter with onions, green peppers, sours cream, guacamole,     ....

    cheese, two flour tortillas and pico de gallo

    (steak only)                                                                                             ....

?  Pozole  9.95             ....

    with Carnitas and a side of Cabbage, Radishes, Cilantro, Onion & Salsa  ....

....

?  Mole Rojo  12.95                                 ....

     Baked chicken thigh and leg with Mole Sauce, Rice & Frijoles Negros....

....

?  Tampiquena  15.95....

     Grilled Skirt Steak, with a Mole Enchilada, Rice & Frijoles ..Negros......

....

?  Fish Tacos  12.95....

     Breaded Tilapia Fish and Pickled Onions, and Avocado Salsa....

....

....

? Enchilada Plate  9.95....

     Chicken or Cheese, with Guajillo ..Chile.. Sauce, Rice & Frijoles ..Negros......

....

?  Tamal Plate    9.95....

     Chicken and Cheese Tamales, Chipotle Sauce, Rice & Frijoles ..Negros......

....

?  ....Chile.... Relleno Plate  9.95....

     Poblano Chiles stuffed with Queso Mexicano, Rice & Frijoles Negros....

....

?  Huevos Rancheros  7.95....

    Two eggs, any style, with Guajillo Chile Sauce, Corn Tortillas, Queso,....

     Rice and Refritos....

....

?  Chorizo y Huevos  8.95....

    Chorizo or Soyrizo and Scrambled eggs, Refritos and Corn Tortillas....

....

?  Salmon Reposado  14.95                                                        ....

     Salmon Marinated in a Reposado Tequila served with Black Beans, ....

     Calabazitas Con Queso and Jalapeño salsa....

....

....

....

....

....

Combinations....

....

#1)   Chicken Enchilada, Beef Tostada, and ....Chile.... Relleno  9.95....

#2)   Carne Asada Burrito, Tamale, and Chicken Enchilada  9.95....

#3)   Guacamole Tostada, Cheese Enchilada, Soyrizo-veggie Burrito  9.95....

#4)   ....Chile.... Relleno, Chicken Tostada, and Smothered Bean Burrito  9.95....

#5)   Tamal, ....Chile.... Relleno, and Carne Asada Tostada  9.95....

#6)   Chicken Tostada, Cheese Enchilada, and ....Chile.... Relleno  9.95....

....

....

Sides 2.00....

....

                  Rice                                                   Frijoles ..Negros......

   Salsa (Tomato or Tomatillo)                      Guajillo ....Chile.... (Red)....

             Mole Sauce                                             Pico de Gallo....

       Frijoles Rancheros                                     Frijoles Refritos....

          Chipotle Salsa                                             Sour Cream..< o:p>

     Green ....Chile.... (w/ Pork)                                          Cheese....

            Guacamole....

Desserts....

?  Flan with Mango  3.95....

?  Sopapilla  4.95....

?  Crepas de Cajeta with Canela  4.95....

                                                            ....

Join us for Happy Hour 7 days a week!....

4pm – 6pm....

$2.00 Pabst Blue Ribbon....

$3.00 Tecate....

$5.00 30/30 Blanco Margaritas(100% agave)....

$5.00 Mojitos....

$2.50 Well Drinks

1/2 off nachos,sopes and quesadillas

FREE CHIPS AND SALSA....

....

10pm – 1am....

$2.00 Pabst Blue Ribbon....

$3.00 Tecate....

$2.00 Well Drinks....

$1.00 Tacos (does not include Fish Tacos)....

ASK ABOUT MEZCAL CATERING

Correction:  In my previous blog, I incorrectly stated that Benito Juarez was the first president of Mexico.  In fact, he became president after twenty plus years of ineffective and corrupt presidents, a dictator and an emperor.  He was, however, the first indigenous president of the republic.

Clarification:  Also in the previous blog, I meant to highlight how difficult it was to get good mezcal in Puerto Escondido by saying it was much easier to find certain drugs.  I did not mean to imply that we actually scored some, nor did I want to give the impression that such activities are risk free.

Enforcement of drug laws on the coast may be lax for a period, followed by a swift and often brutal crackdown.  In fact, this is what has happened in the last week or so.  I would hate it if some one misunderstood and then went there and got into some trouble.  This is Mexico, after all, and the penalties are pretty stiff.

Los Danzantes, continued...

We sit at a table in the courtyard of the distillery, and Jaime pours me his latest batch of reposado.  As I've mentioned previously, every batch is different.  I'd tasted his reposado last year when he was in Denver.  I'm wowed, again...even more so than last year.  The sweetness, the almost cinnamon-like quality to the nose and taste.  And the characteristic smokiness of mezcal is soft here.  He then turns me on to his anejo.  The anejo is superb, like a cognac, rich, round and super-smooth.  (I usully refrain from using that word, it's so over used, but in this case it means something).  All of Jaime's aged mezcals utilize new french oak barrels.  Their tobala possesses a slight sweetness and the essence of sweet spice. 

All of the mezcals in the Los Danzantes brand of mezcals utilize a copper still in their production.  This is different from the Del Maguey products where a clay still is used.  These are the kinds of choices the master distiller makes, much like a winemaker deciding whether he will age his chardonnay in wood or stainless steel, and then if wood, which kind.  Los Danzantes also produces Alipus, a series of three village produced mezcals.  These are bold, potent and smokey, and also delicious. 

Jaime and I discuss the world of mezcal and tequila in the US.  He is surprised to hear that at Mezcal, we sell more reposado than anything else.  I explain that reposados tend to subdue the pungent flavor of agave without masking it entirely; they are not aged so much to point that they become very whisky-like, as some anejos do.  This is what works best for the American palate.

In this respect, the Los Danzantes reposado will be a hit.  I assure him that we will sell a lot of it.  At this point I know what works at the restaurant, what our customers like in a tequila or mezcal.  So all of you out there reading this:  When it arrives, go there and try it.

Although I had alerted Brian Rossi last month, GM of Mezcal, that he could be expecting Los Danzantes within weeks, it appears now that it still may be several weeks more before it ships to the US.  The blanco and reposado, as well as the three Alipus mezcals will all be available in Colorado.  There are no plans to export the anejo, which is produced in very small quantaties.

And then we try the tequila, the Mezcal Conmemorativo.  Jaime calls it a tequila becuase that's what it is...100 percent blue agave, produced in Jalisco.  I mentioned it previously, having tasted it on my first visit to La Cava.  This is a pretty unique tequila or mezcal.  The story Jaime tells is this...

A while back, Jaime and some other members of the Los Danzantes group visited Sauza tequila.  They went on a tour much like many tourists do, but their focus was on the technical side of tequila production.  A lot of questions were asked, many of them left unanswered...Sauza was careful not to reveal their proprietary secrets.  However, the visit, the questions, the meeting of agave minds all promoted lively conversation among guests and hosts alike over lunch in the beautiful patio on the distillery grounds.  (I've been there; it's very lovely and quite impressive).

While discussing how tequila was once produced like mezcal is produced, somebody blurted out "My brother still does it that way".  Within hours, Jaime and several others were speeding up the mountains of Jalisco in a rented jeep.  They found the producer in the process of milling the cooked agave and placing it in wood tinas, just like I've decribed the procedure in my previous postings.

You have to understand how rare this is.  Most tequila producers use stainless steel tinas the size of a small two-story house.  Even small distilleries are very modern compared to the rustic palenques of Oaxaca.

Jaime was so taken by the scene, an artesanal jewel in the middle of tequila country, that he bought the entire batch on the spot.  When the finished product was shipped to Los Danzantes they were happy with everything about it except the nose, so they distilled it for a third time and the result was a truly unique agave spirit.

What this story illustrates is that agave spirits are still evolving, producers are still experimenting.  And even though you think you know mezcal or know tequila, there always seems to be a new product that makes you realize that there is still room for surprise.  

Surprising is how I would describe my meeting with Doug French of Scorpion Mezcal.  In my next post I'll share with you his vision of the future of agave, both tequila and mezcal.  He also has a lot to say about the cultivation of agave, the dangers of a shrinking gene pool, and how he plans to help farmers faced with an agave glut.

Love always,

Pablo 

Hi everyone.  I find myself in the city of Oaxaca again, on the eve of the 200th birthday of Benito Juarez.  Juarez was the first president of Mexico.  A poor Indian who was born in the state of Oaxaca, educated and mentored early in life by a Catholic priest, his legacy of egalitarian humanism is a standard by which few in Mexican public life have since emulated.  A contemporary of Abraham Lincoln (there was a mutual admiration between these two), he is source of tremendous pride among all Oaxacans.  There have been street celebrations and special events all weekend, and they will continue throughout the rest of the week.

I haven't written for quite a while now.  Shortly after I left Puerto Escondido, I lost my journal with loads of information, and it took me some time to get motivated.  I spent yesterday digging though the memories and so here I am...I'm commited to this story of mezcal.  The people and the culture that surround this unique spirit share a passion that is contagious. 

Los Danzantes, the distillery

It's a crisp, breezy day in the Oaxacan valley.  Jaime Munoz is driving me to his distillery in Mazatlan, about 45 minutes outside of the city.  We speed by fields of agave in this valley surrounded on all sides by mountains, plumes blue-white smoke scattered in the distance.  There is a lot of wood burned here; in many of the little towns it is still the primary cooking fuel.  And of course, artesanal mezcal utilizes wood as well.  Not all high-end mezcal is made that way.  Many producers are going the way of their cousins in the tequila industry and are starting to use steam to cook the agaves.

Jaime asks me if I feel differently when I drink mezcal as opposed to tequila.  And yes, I do.  All agave spirits have a somewhat stimulating quality, but I have noticed a qualitative difference in the buzz you get from mezcal. He feels that this difference is most pronounced in the village mezcals, that some of these spirits seem to have almost psychotropic characteristics.

"I've had some that have sent me into a different state after just one mezcalito", and then he adds that there seems to be little evidence to explain why this would be so.  He thinks that maybe it's karma.  I agree, as we pass through the arid valley floor.  I recall reading about a small producer of Tobala, the mezcal made from the rare wild agave with the same name.  Prior to harvesting, he makes offerings to ancient deities asking for permission and blessings.

You may recall, in a previous entry here, Don Florencio saying the mezcal gets made by "the will of God and the maguey" as if the maguey itself were a spiritual entity.  All the village producers seem to have that combination of reverence and love for the plant, for the drink.  Perhaps that is what we feel.  Maybe when the human will is exerted, when the production becomes overly-manipulated, there is little room left for the will of God and maguey.

When I was on the coast, a couple of my new friends asked me to find them some good mezcal.  It was a two day search, looking for a little man who supposedly walked around with a gas can of mezcal, selling it to whomever wanted some.  In the end we decided he was a myth, a phantom.  We never found him.  It was much easier to score ganga or mushrooms on the beach, but after two days and lots of asking we found a woman with a small shop and scored some village Tobala.  That night a group of us bonded;  it was a tranquil night, not a wild bender.  At four in the morning, we stared incredulously at the empty bottle, not feeling drunk...but feeling something else...a connection between us, with the earth beneath us and with the stars that flickered above.

I mention to Jaime that in ayurveda, the ancient yogic science, every plant has its own distinct consciousness; when you consume the plant, you assume its consciousness.  He starts talking about the maguey, what we can infer about its consciousness.

"The maguey asks for little.  It barely needs water.  It grows in soil that is virtually unusable for any other purpose.  It requires little care and grows in what would be extreme conditions for most crops.  It think that it makes you feel strong, that it imparts a certain resiliency due to its life as a survivor".

I think about vodka or whiskey, how they are produced from plants that have barely seen one season, and the maguey has seen 8, or 10 or even 12 seasons. If you believe what many here do, the maguey is a very wise plant, asking very little from us, what it asks of us is time; the gifts that it bestows, by comparison, are truly magical. 

Time. My time with mezcal has allowed me to develop a deep appreciation.  As I've learned more, and tried many varieties, I've come to love mezcal.  This is what I recommend: Go to Mezcal and drink Ron's Single Village products.  When the shipments of Los Danzantes and Alipus reach the US, go to Mezcal again, try some of that.  Let these become your drink of choice for a little while.  I'm sure you'll be rewarded.

Mazatlan is the mezcal capital of the world.  On either side of the highway, there are distilleries and retail outlets each offering a different brand.  The air smells like cooked agave.  Outside, walking the streets are men with wrinkled, sun-cured faces under white straw hats.  We turn off the main highway onto a dirt road.  In a moment, we're there.

The Los Danzantes distillery is a newly renovated facility in the shell of a much older distillery.  Although it is a beautiful combination of art and function, the operation here is still old-school.  The dirt pit in the ground that serves as an oven in Minas and Santo Domingo has been replaced by an earthen one, but it still functions in the same way.  Wood is still the fuel used to cook the maguey. 

 Jaime just got his certification, the coveted "Denomination of Origin" needed for exported mezcal. The distillery has been laid out for maximum efficiency with the hope that demand for his products will allow him to utilize what is now excess capacity.

 I walk over with him to the wood tinas where some maguey is fermenting.  We look down at the warm mixture, bubbling softly under the surface.  He looks up a me and smiles and says, "Were trying something new", as he disappears into a nearby office.  In a moment, classical music is in the air.  He returns, smiling.  I understand immediately...karma.

"I don't know if this will do anything, but I'm curious to see if the little yeast micro-organisms will produce a different-tasting product, if the time of fermentation will be altered in any way...you know how it seems to affect houseplants, right?"  Yes, everybody has heard the story, I say.

He then explains something that I knew, but it's probably worth highlighting at this point: every batch of mezcal is different.  Mezcal is a lot like wine in this respect.  Jaime can talk about implenting something like music during the fermentation process and maybe alter it becuase it is a variable process anyway.  According to him, sometimes fermentation goes quickly, sometimes, painfully slow.  Each agave is unique, made different from the variables such as soil, size, concentration of sugar, and the weather conditions it has endured during its long life.

He then decides that it's time to taste some.  I follow him into the office and he rounds up some glasses.  Actually, they're votive candle-holders, with a cross stamped on the bottom.  There are several establishments in the city that use them for mezcal.  I think about karma again...

It's time for me to get something to eat.  But I'll be back later to tell you more about Los Danzantes, their village brand, Alipus and their tequila (yes, tequila).

Love to all,

Pablo

If you think my characterization of Ron Cooper as Don Quixote sounds far fetched, you should know that the cards are stacked against you if you're looking for good mezcal.  Do this test...

Walk into any liqour store and ask for mezcal.  Chances are your choices will consist of a trio of unremarkable spirits priced under $20.  If you are lucky, there may be some Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal.  Good for Ron.  Good for you.  Maybe, in a few weeks there will even be some Mezcal Los Danzantes.  Good.

But that's probably going to be it.

Next, ask about tequila.  You will find plenty.  And among those choices you will find some very good, time-tested products like El Tesoro or Herradura.  You will also see some of the newer entries in the tequila market.

Many of these new tequilas are also unremarkable, even at $40-60 a bottle.

That's because the liqour industry is rarely visionary, it's reactionary.  These companies feel safer selling you a mediocre agave spirit because it's called tequila.   They are less willing to take a chance on selling you an exceptional one because it's called mezcal.

I've pleaded with liqour distributors for more mezcal.  I only got what I wanted once.  (Thanks, Summit).

Right now, the effort of mezcal producers seems quixotic, but in this world, everything changes.  Later, I'll share with you the conversation I had with Doug French, founder of Scorpion Mezcal.

The scenario he described to me, on the future of agave, is probably one that big liqour and big tequila haven´t even considered.  It may be that some day in the not too distant future, many who ignored the emergence of other agave spirits will start to feel like windmills on a windless day.

I know that's a tease.  You'll know soon.  Stay tuned. 

Mezcal is one of the most unique spirits available on the planet.  Did anyone hear?

Mexico City, Feb 15-16

Last month, while I was on the fringe of Teotitlan relaxing and enjoying the handicrafts, nature hikes and yoga, Ron Cooper was in Mexico City.  Many of the most powerful people in the industry were present to elect new directors to COMERCAM (Consejo Mexicano Regulador de la Calidad de Mezcal).

COMERCAM is the mezcal industry's self-regulatory agency, a quasi-governmental body similar in function to the SEC for financial markets in the US.  In the field, their scientists and technical advisors oversea production and compliance.  They are the vehicle through which any changes in the norma for mezcal would be facilitated.  As noted previously, the certification of some village produced mezcal is contingient on these types of changes.

The meeting in Mexico City, then, was crucial to the industry.  By all accounts, it was a resounding victory for those who produce quality mezcal and for those who long for streamlined oversight free of politics and corruption.  Ron was also encouraged by the qualifications of the new directorship, mostly individuals from the private sector who have a history of getting things done.  Previously, the balance of power was controlled by career bureaucrats.

When he was back that Friday, it was time to celebrate.  So we did.  We went back to the city, back to Oaxaca.

Ciudad de Oaxaca, Feb 17

While Ron was away in Ciudad de Mexico, I'd made plans to visit with Jaime Munoz of Los Danzantes on Saturday.  But there was good news to share with him as well as others.  So Ron called him while we were on the road and we decided to meet at his store, La Cava.

Under the umbrella of Los Danzantes are two critically acclaimed restaurants by the same name, one in Oaxaca, one in Mexico City.  Los Danzantes is also the name of their flagship brand of naturally produced mezcal. Both the blanco and reposado will be available in Colorado and other regions of the US in a few short weeks.  They also produce a premium line of village mezcal called Alipus.  And La Cava is their retail outlet where they feature all these brands, all of Ron's mezcal as well as the best of the rest.  The tasting area is also stocked with other mezcals they sell at the store and also, many that they do not sell, but they're available there for tasting and comparing. 

In addition, La Cava has a wine room which offers one of the most extensive selections of wine produced in Mexico.  And Mexican hand-rolled cigars.

Read and see more here:

http://www.losdanzantes.com/eng/home.htm

I'm happy to see Jaime.  We've only met once before, when we hosted a tasting dinner for Del Maguey at Mezcal in Denver.  Ron brought Jaime to the dinner. It was the first time Mezcal Los Danzantes was served anywhere outside Mexico.

That dinner, by the way, was a total blast.  Read about it at the link below.

Dear readers.  Although I have finally mastered the keyboard here and am able to use the appropriate spanish spellings and puntuation marks, accents, etc., these symbols disappear once I post on MySpace.  The result is even more confusing than just not using them at all.  I apologive to all the businesses, individuals and places whose names have been slightly misspelled.  Thanks for understanding. 

If you've been following this blog, you'll see that I haven't posted anything in about a week.  I've just been having too much fun. 

Last week an alarm went off in my head...like a real alarm at 7 AM, no less.  I sat up in bed and decided I needed to go to a beach.  I'd skipped that part of the trip in order to catch Ron Cooper before he returned to the states.  Within a couple of hours I was on the bus headed for Puerto Escondido. 

So I'm here having a wonderful time, meeting tons of great people from all over the world.  My days are filled with yoga, meditation, swimming, siestas and some really amazing tacos.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Last time I signed off, I promised to write about food...

Simple Pleasures in a Bowl

Yes, the Huachinango at 1254 Marco Polo was perfect in every way.  And I should also tell you about the huitlacoche ravioli at Los Danzantes...it was in a poblano chile and squash blossom cream sauce.  I tasted the sauce and I felt like I was in for a letdown:  the sauce tasted almost like cream of asparagus soup.  But then I cut into one of the ravioli and the salty, earthy huitlacoche blending with the subtle sauce was just short of alchemy.  One of those too rare moments in dining out, and I enjoyed every bite immensely.

I should also mention the sinfully greasy and satisfying chile relleno torta at Restaurant Cafe Alex.  A perfect relleno, stuffed with picadillo, in a bolillo which had both halves of the bread spread with smokey red bean refritos and lettuce, tomato, onions and avocado...wow!  This is what you need when you're hungover.

Still, some of the most memorable meals I've had here are simple, humble and yet flavorful home-cooked dishes.  They mostly come in a bowl.

At Don Florencio's home, we enjoyed a simple beef broth with pieces of beef and potatos.  Into it we squeezed lime and added chile solterito, a tiny and fiery fresh red chile. 

The long day at Santo Domingo Albarradas was broken up by breakfast and lunch.  Breakfast was scrambled eggs in a bowl with a pulpy fresh tomato and chile sauce.  It was fresh, light and spicy.  I was later told that this is the typical oaxacan egg dish, and indeed, I noticed it on many menus afterwards as huevos oaxaquenos.  (The only time I tried the dish in a restaurant, it was nothing like what I had at Santo Domingo).  Lunch was a chicken thigh in a dried red chile broth with cilantro.  Again, we squeezed lime into the broth.

At Andres' home, (he does some work for Ron), we had an understated mole amarillo, light and brothy and rich with cumin...almost asian in flavor...with beef, again in a bowl.

In each case, corn tortillas were served on the side, but these are big tortillas called tlayudas.  The term tlayuda can refer to the totilla itself, or it could refer to a tostada made with the 12" tortilla. 

When you purchase them at the market, they are already cooked, but not crispy; the texture is more like leather.  Ron says Oaxacans travel with these when cooked like this.  This is what the tlayudas were like at Andres'.  You take one and put it on the table like a placemat or plate...in fact you use it like an edible plate.  You can sprinkle a little salt on it, put some chiles or salsa on there as well, and you then dip your beef into the little piles, breaking off a piece of tlayuda when you want.

At Don Florencio's, they were white corn and soft.  At Don Espiridion's they were soft also, and they looked like yellow corn going almost orange.  But you could see, right there by the table a pile of corn drying, what I call it sunburst corn...kernels yellow at the root, then orange and then ruby red at the top.  It was beautiful to see, and wonderful to taste.

These were dishes so uncomplicated, and yet so satisfying.  And while we may sometimes use the word cuisine, we should remember thaty many cuisines have come into being becuase of poverty (what do we have? what can we make?).  It's what Diana Kennedy says...it's what poor people eat when they're hungry.

Diana Kennedy is a writer of Mexican cookbooks that document recipes from all around Mexico.  Although she falls into the realm of what is known these days as "food journalism", I would argue that "food anthropologist"is a better title for her.  You can read a little more about her here:

http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=15418

This cafe is closing.  More tomorrow, about food, nightlife and mezcal.

Paz y Amor,

Pablo

(Hola, mis compadres.  I'm on a mission today.  Had a quick siesta after mi comida.  I've all of last weeks events and impressions to catch up on.  So he we go again...)

La Cupula, outside of Teotitlan, Wed, Feb 15

After a couple of days on the road in the world of mezcal, I'm taking a couple of days to chill.  I enjoy a long yoga practice in my room; I meditate; take a long shower and then write in my journal.  I finally emerge from my room at 11 AM.

I'm looking for Demetrio.  He and his wife, Maribel, run this lovely place...part guest house, part restaurant, part showcase and salesroom for Demetrio's tepates, the kind of traditional Zapotec rugs you will see all over Mexico (but they are from here...Teotitlan).

 I follow the smell of woodsmoke outside, since there doesn't seem to be anyone in the compound itself.  I need a key since I plan to go into the city and may be back late.  The front gate is usually locked around nine or so.  I find him and Maribel tending three large kettles filled with colored water.  The water is steaming, Demetrio is adding more water to the yellow-orange solution...it looks like there are marigolds floating in the water...(just a guess, I don't know flowers really).  I know that the scarlet red solution is steeping with cochinilla, (cochineal), a natural dye that became a big export for The Spaniards after the conquest, and continued to be popular up unitl the time when until synthetic dyes ultimately dominated the market.

Demetrio is a master weaver;  his expertise and passion extends to the preparation of the colors themselves.  He goes to surounding mountains regularly to get the raw materials.  While Maribel gets a key, we talk about the natural colors, and then the conversation drifts to food and drink.

"I have a friend in Mexico City", he says as he adds the water, "who says that Oaxacan produce would not be popular there.  One blemish on a papaya and it's considered no good.  But you give them a perfect papaya, grown with chemical fertilizers and treated with pesticides and they will buy it."

He chuckles.  "My friend says they're eating shit, and liking it."  Then he looks straight at me and continues, "You...you're learning about mezcal.  The purest mezcal comes from the villages.  Yet these spirits are veiwed with scepticism.  They are not modern.  The government and the general public view them as primitive and dirty.  But that is truly the best mezcal."

Despite this, the are several logistical and regulatory hurdles that need to be overcome.  The government standards for almost any product is set and documented by its norma.  There is a norma for cheese, cars, beef, tequila, etc...  When the norma was established for mezcal in 1994, the population for the sample used consisted exclusively of commercially available products. 

In some instances, the chemical characteristics of the village mezcals fail to conform.  The most interesting case is found in the spirits from Minas (Del Maguey Pechuga and Minero) where the higher mineral content of both soil and water yields mezcal that tests significantly higher for acidity.  In fact, this is what gives these mezcals their distinguishing and favorable qualities.

Yet the initial sample used to determine the standards included commercial spirits that were markedly low in acidity.  This is often a result of chemically accelerating fermentation.  (In the past, it's known that urea and ammonium sulfate have been used).  During fermentation there are always alco-bacteria present.  These microbes consume alcohol and excrete acid.  When fermentation is accelerated, significantly fewer of these microbes are produced.

The govenment standards are ultimately there to protect the consumer.  If vinegar can have an acid content of 50 pecent, where's the danger in naturally produced mezcal who's acidity will never surpass 1 percent?  Still, the resistence to change is strong.  And the battle goes on.

(Ok, mis compadres, before I give everyone the rest of the mezcal story, I promise to lighten up a little and tell you about what to do in the city of Oaxaca on a Friday night, a spontaneous "battle of the bands" late Sunday night, and food, food, food, (including chalupines, the little grasshoppers!)

Bye for now.  I miss everyone at Mezcal.  Hope you're all doing well.

Besos,

Pablo

Santo Domingo Albarradas, Tuesday, Feb 14

Don Espiridion and Juan have chopped the first batch of cooked agaves.  They are placed in a low-walled circular milling area called a molido, about 12 or 14 ft in diameter.  (Think of a jar lid, upside down.)  In the center is a wooden post and connected to that, another wooden pole which extends out to the outside of the molido, a harness at that end.  A horse, smaller than the ones I'v seen in Colorado, but strong, its muscles gleeming in the morning sun, is attached to the harness.  Also, on the pole in between the center and the horse is a large stone wheel.  When Juan shouts and gives a light snap on the horses butt it takes off, running around in a circle. 

I'd seen this process before, but I'd never seen the horse move this fast.  The stone makes quick work of grinding the agaves.  After several minutes, Juan stops the horse, he and his father rake the agave back into the path of the wheel, and the horse starts again.  Over and over, until the milled agave starts to look uniform, the fibers separating as they are crushed.

While Pancho and I watch, we enjoy some of the agave from some pinas that have yet to be ground.  You chew on the fibers and suck the aguamiel out (literally, it means "honey-water") and then discard the fiber.  It's like chewing on sugar cane, a favorite treat for me as a boy in Cuba.  But the cooked maguey is like carmelized sugar water.  It's so juicy that it drips from my chin, it runs down my arms.  It's delicious, toasty-tasting, super-sweet.  I have to stop after a while and drink some water.

When the maguey is completely ground to a consistent pulp, it will be placed in one of the two tinas, large wooden vats contructed much like barrels.  Luis will perform his sugar analysis.  Water will be added and fermentation will begin.  No yeast will be added.  Neither will chemical agents.  It will occur naturally, as it has been done for centuries.

Minas, Monday Feb 13  

"Por la voluntad de Dios y el maguey."

That is the way Don Florencio had described fermentation on the previous day.

"By the will of God and the maguey."

Minas is located in the Oaxacan valley, just outside of Ocutlan.  Ocutlan is a picturesque, almost fairytale of a town bursting with primary, pastel and other loud bright colors.  Its beautiful plaza and architecture, churches and other public areas have been painted and restored in part by a foundation created by Rodolfo Morales, an internationally acclaimed artist who was born there.

We had taken a collectivo, (a shared taxi), from Oaxaca.  There in Ocutlan, we took another for about 15 minutes, then walked the half mile to Don Florencio's.  We found him sitting in the sun next to the palenque.  We exchanged greetings.  He asked a little about me, about Colorado.  He also asked about Ron.  We explained that we left him in the city, he had a series of meetings and and a pile of paperwork.  (Papeleo is the word for paperwork in Spanish, and everytime you hear people say it here it's almost like they're saying "pinche papeleo".)

Luis took me over to the tina filled with fermenting maguey.  You could hear it gurgling, as if it was boiling.  I placed my hand over the surface; the level of heat being generated was surprising.  As I observed my surroundings Don Florencio spoke.

"I know little about the business aspects of selling mezcal, about all the regulatory requirements and certification.  This is where I am, making good mezcal.  The other things, I don't know.  I can't read.  I can't write."

It occurs to me that although this may be true, he is also extremely articulate.  He goes on:

"They are many people who tell stories, tell lies.  Say their mezcal is natural, but they cheat.  But look around.  This is no lie.  This operation is sencillo; simple, uncomplicated.  Theres little manipulation.  We do our part, the maguey does the rest..."por la voluntad de Dios y...".

Yes, the process is simple.  But the need for regulatory oversight has made it more complicated.  The task today is a good example.  There is a batch of Pechuga that is nearing the final stage.  The pure distillate must be graded (diluted).  Now at over 110 proof, it must be graded to 98.2 proof, the level Don Florencio feels is optimum for this particular product.

Don Florencio had done this himself for years...just by sight...shaking up a sample; the bubbles produced should be uniform, like crystaline pearls (perlas) and they should disappear slowly.  Now it must be done scientifically.  Ericai, the vereficadora, and Luis, our techie, approach the task slowly and deliberately.  It takes hours. 

The mezcal is diluted with the cola (tail).  It is the last portion of distilled liquid, low in alcohol, high in flavor.  Luis adds some cola, Ericai measures as she writes notes in her book.  They discuss, add more cola, measure again and so on... 

While they do this, Don Florencio grades his own batch on the side, just about a half liter.  He's decided that this is going to take a while, and while he and I chat, we should be drinking some mezcal. 

First he lets me taste the undiluted mezcal.  Wow!  We're talking alcohol, lots.  Just a hint of flavor underneath.  He then adds some cola...shakes it up, checks it, adds more; he does this several more times.  Then he's satisfied.  He pours me a taste.  This is the Pechuga I know.  The essence of fruits and nuts balanced in a most unique mezcal.

What will take Ericai and Luis another hour or two, Don Florencio has accomplished in five minutes.  He laughs. 

We then drink mezcal out of cups made from small hollowed-out gourds.  He fills mine up, quite a lot more than I would be served in the US or even in a bar in the city of Oaxaca.  I complain that it's just barely 1 PM.  He laughs again as one of his daughters brings us slices of papaya in a bowl topped with ground chile.

"Have some papaya.  Some pepitas (pumpkin seeds) too. We'll eat a little later.  You won't get drunk.  And after la comida (lunch) we can have a little more."

As we drank mezcal and chatted, the afternoon passed, the breezes picked up.  After a while I forgot about what Luis and Ericai were doing.  Just sitting there, drinking mezcal, far from the world I've known.