How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico's Most Traditional Spirit

How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico's Most Traditional Spirit by Martineau, Chantal. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9781613749050.

Once little more than party fuel, tequila has graduated to the status of fine sipping spirit. How the Gringos Stole Tequila traces the spirits evolution in America from frat-house firewater to luxury good. But theres more to the story than tequila as upmarket drinking trend. Author Chantal Martineau spent several years immersing herself in the world of tequila -- traveling to visit distillers and agave farmers in Mexico, meeting and tasting with leading experts and mixologists around the United States, and interviewing academics on either side of the border who have studied the spirit. The result is a book that offers readers a glimpse into the social history and ongoing impact of this one-of-a-kind drink. It addresses issues surrounding the sustainability of the limited resource that is agave, the preservation of traditional production methods, and the agave advocacy movement that has grown up alongside the spirits swelling popularity. In addition to discussing the culture and politics of Mexicos most popular export, this book also takes readers on a colorful tour of the countrys Tequila Trail, as well as introducing them to the mother of tequila: mezcal.