Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, v.7, n.3, summer: 62-67.

Introduction

The town of Tequila, Mexico, lies about an hour’s drive from Guadalajara. Along with a population of fifty-one thousand, it boasts roughly twenty tequila factories, which is hardly surprising when you consider that nearly all tequila today originates from Tequila, its neighboring town, Amatitán, and the Los Altos region of Jalisco two hours to the north. In 2005 and 2006, I conducted fieldwork in this region. What made tequila so special, I wondered, and how did it come to be regarded as Mexico’s national drink?