subject: The Fantastic Agave Americana [print this page] Well-known worldwide for a unparalleled taste and strong alcohol content, tequila is the official drink of Mexico. The blue agave plant is fermented, and it is this plant that is the base for bottled tequila. However, even before the Spanish settlers arrived in the area that we today call Mexico, ancient people were creating their own similar drink called pulque. Today this drink is still created, with the A americana form of the plant being used, and specifically the sap that the plant produces.
Agave americana is also called maguey, and also well known as the century plant due to how long it takes to flower; the nickname is a bit of a misnomer, as the plant certainly doesn't have a 100-year lifespan, but it does typically live an impressive 10 to 30 years before it flowers and dies. It originates from Mexico, but is currently cultivated all over the world, as it is a very popular ornamental plant. Over the years it has naturalized, able to grow wild in places as far away as India, Australia, South Africa, and parts of Europe.
This agave species has a spreading rosette of leaves that are greyish-green in color, which may grow up to 6 feet each in length. The entire rosette can have an impressive diameter of 13 feet or more across. It has a very tall, central stalk, once it begins to flower. A very fibrous plant, A americana's strong 'pita' strands can be used for embroidering leather, for the weaving of mats, and for making rope. Ancient Mesoamerican pre-Columbian cultures used the fiber of this plant in many different ways.
The sap of the plant, also known as honey water, or agua miel, drains into the central cluster of leaves, once the central stem of the plant is removed (before it can flower) and can be collected each day. A common replacement for honey and sugar, the sap is frequently refined into agave nectar. Pulque was created from this plant, and it is well known to be the beverage that preceded tequila. When the sap is distilled, it's called mezcal, which is commonly seen with a worm in the bottle.
Many myths surround pulque, which is thought to have origins dating beyond a thousand years. The Aztecs even had a goddess who was associated with maguey, whose name was Mayahuel. The A americana sap was thought to be her blood. Modern scientific analysis concluded that it was high in vitamins C, B-complex, D, and E, as well as containing lots of amino acids, iron, and phosphorus. These are all from the original agave plant, and the civilizations often claimed that the drink was 'one step removed from meat' in terms of its nutritional capabilities.
