Did Mezcal Save Fiestas, or Did Fiestas Save Mezcal?
The religious fiestas in rural Mexico are often colored by the heritage agave spirits made in the community — which makes for an especially fun night when those festivities also include fireworks and flaming toritos. In this episode of Agave Road Trip, we ponder the question: Did mezcal save the community fiestas, or did the community fiestas save mezcal?
This episode of Agave Road Trip is brought to you by Mezcal Amarás. Mezcal Amarás is a company built through love: love for the sun, the land, and the people who work it, and most of all, love for Mexico and its sacred plant, the agave. Learn more at mezcalamaras.com
Agave Road Trip is a podcast that helps gringo bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. It’s hosted by Lou Bank and Chava Periban.
When I went looking through my photos for anything that would work with this episode, I came up empty. So I asked Chava, who also came up empty. Then I asked my famous Mexican photographer friend, Ana Paula Fuentes, who … shockingly, also came up empty! But she suggested I speak with her friend David Vallejo who came through with flying colors! Check out his Instagram page for some really amazing shots, both in Mexico and elsewhere. Thanks, David!
My dance partners at the fiesta in Santa Maria Ixcatlan, just leaving the fiesta after some 12 hours. If you want to dance the night away with gentlemen like this, Frommer’s can help. They’ve put together a good calendar of fiestas in Mexico.
Chava lied when he told you that the book Citizens from the Town was available in English. It’s only in Spanish. But if you are interested in fiestas and can read Spanish…
