2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Agave tequilana (Latin Agave tequilana), or blue Agave (Spanish Agave azul) - a drought-resistant plant of the genus Agave (lat. Agave) of the Asparagus family (lat. Asparagaceae). Lovers of strong alcoholic drinks plant "Blue Agave" is known as a source of juice, from which, by fermentation and distillation, a drink is obtained that can take away the ability to walk on two legs from a person and makes a complete mess in the head, if not guess with its dosage.
What's in your name
The roots of the Latin name of the genus "Agave" Agave tequilana go back to the myths of Ancient Greece, in which there were several characters with this name. But the main reference is given to Agave, who was very severely punished by God for her disbelief in the divine origin of Dionysus. Dissenters were not loved in all ages, including, even the gods suffered with such a feeling. For some reason, the recognition of Agave was very important to God. When she did not support such a message, God clouded her mind and she tore her own son apart.
Apparently, with a similar purpose, God created a plant, which botanists called "Agave tequilana", in order to use its juice to fog people's heads, pushing them to reckless acts that they are not able to perform, being of sound mind.
Description
Blue agave differs from its relatives only in its large size and high drought resistance. Otherwise, it is a common succulent plant with long (more than two meters in length), fleshy, greenish-bluish leaves. If you cut such a sheet, then inside there will be a gelatinous mass, similar to the one inside the Aloe familiar to Russians. Each leaf ends with a sharp thorn. Small but sharp thorns are also observed on the lateral sides. A real thorn of the desert.
The life of a wild blue agave is short. At the age of five to eight years, the plant produces a long and powerful peduncle with a yellow inflorescence of numerous flowers, in which the stamens are longer than the petals. This structure of flowers is associated with their pollination, which is carried out not only by insects, but also by larger winged creatures, including night bats.
After the seeds ripen, the strength of the plant ends, and it dies, as do so many terrestrial plants, including Bamboo, which dies in whole forest thickets.
Cultural agave blue and its gifts to people
In culture, people do not allow Agave to die at such a young age. As soon as a peduncle appears, it is mercilessly cut out so that the plant continues to grow its core, for the sake of which a person grows it.
And the peduncle is planted in another place, thus creating clone plants with stable habits and abilities.
When Agave reaches the age of seven to ten years, brave workers come to the plantation with sharp machetes and precise blows cut off the fleshy leaves, turning the Agave into something like a giant Pineapple or a giant cedar pine cone weighing from twenty to seventy kilograms. This core of the plant is called "pina" (pina), which is consonant with the Latin name for Pine.
People extract juice from the pina, which was still appreciated by the Aztecs, considering Agave a gift from the gods. Already in the days of the Aztecs, delicious foods and drinks were prepared from juice. Today, blue agave juice is used for the production of a world-famous strong alcoholic drink. The name of the drink is similar to the specific epithet of Guava - "tequilana" (tequila). It is from the core-pin of Agave blue that the premium tequila drink is produced in Mexico.
In addition to a strong drink, a syrup is made from the juice, which tastes close to maple syrup, and is appreciated as a substitute for traditional sugar.
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