Tequila, second favorite drink of the Old West

 Cowboys usually asked for whiskey when they bellied up to the bar, but tequila came in a close second. It became popular after the 1840's, especially in the South West area.

 Last summer, the Berthoud Conservation Gardens had a special plant blooming, the Parry's Agave.      

Each flowering plant has a giant stalk up to 20 feet tall, with 20 to 30 side branches. Each side branch produces hundreds of flowers.                                
Often called century plants, agaves live many years before flowering, after which they sadly die. This succulent (not really a cacti) has been a source of human food and beverage for at least 9,000 years. 

When an agave’s central bud is removed, the cavity fills with fluid. This nutritious juice is called aguamiel (honey water). When aguamiel is allowed to ferment it becomes an alcoholic beverage called pulque. The Aztecs fermented pulque from 1000 B.C. to 200 A.D.. 

                             
When pulque is distilled it becomes mescal. But while all tequilas are technically mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequilas. Tequila is a high quality mescal produced only from the blue agave plant and grown only in limited regions of Mexico.  

Sugars concentrate in the core of an agave just before flowering. If the leaves are trimmed away, the core can be baked or roasted. Native Americans of many Southwestern tribes pit-roasted agaves in an elaborate process that took three or four days of cooking!

Chunks of roasted agave were chewed and the tough fibers discarded. Roasted agave could also be pounded into cakes and dried for later use.

Agave leaves have strong fibers good for many uses. Sisal fiber derived from Agave sisalana is grown worldwide and used for inexpensive twine, rope, paper, fabric, filters, mattresses, and carpets.

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Around 1936, in Tijuana, an Irishman called Madden, was known around the area for his Tequila Daisy. Though Madden admitted that the creation of the drink was a lucky mistake, it’s become one of the most celebrated in the U.S. (margarita in Spanish means daisy).

In 1974 the Mexican government declared the term tequila, intellectual property. This made it necessary for tequila to be made and aged in certain areas of Mexico, and it also made it illegal for other countries to produce or sell their own “tequila. 

"Hey, Waiter. What's that worm doing in my drink? And please don't say the backstroke."

 In the 1950's, when a mezcal maker discovered a moth larvae in a batch of his liquor, he decided the stowaway improved its taste. Since then, he started adding “worms” to all his bottles as a marketing strategy. The larva is usually either a red worm or a maguey worm. The red worm is typically considered tastier.

            This weekend, why not treat yourself to a Sunrise

            or Margarita and get lost in a good western story!  

           

 My Stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

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Cowboy Footwear Yesterday and Today by Reggi Allder

Old Cowboy Boots

Modern Boots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I Love shoes, including boots. However, cowboy boots were more than decorative.

 Next to his horse, what was most important to the cowboy on the cattle drive? Some might say it was his rifle or his rope, but the boots cowboys wore were paramount to their ability to do their job.

During the cattle drive era of 1866–1884, ranch hands all had boots. Old Western boots were a specific style of boot. They were made of cowhide leather and traditionally had a stacked leather heel with a rounded, squared, or pointed toe. But before wearing them on a cattle drive, they had to be broken in to make them comfortable. Boots were individually handmade and designed to withstand the wear and tear of the drive. 

Who is the oldest boot maker in the USA? The Frye Company is an American manufacturer of shoes, boots, and leather accessories. Founded in 1863, 1863, Marlborough, Massachusetts claims to be the oldest continuously operated American shoe company. The Frye boot is still available.

Tooled Leather Boots

Today,  there are many companies making Cowboy Western boots. The leather is sometimes tooled.

Snakeskin Boot

 

The boots are often made from an exotic animal skin such as, ostrich, alligator, buffalo, or snakeskin. 

 Of course, women and children wear cowboy boots as a fashion statement or when working on a ranch. In my Sierra Creek Series book 2, His Country Heart, Amy decides to wear pink suede high heeled cowboy boots to her wedding.

Pink Boots with Sparkle

Pink Boots

 

Do you wear boots? Please leave a comments and thanks for stopping by. Click on comments.

HIS COUNTRY HEART, SIERRA CREEK SERIES BOOK 2 by Reggi Allder “Perfect when you need a feel-good read.” “If you love cowboys, small towns, second chances, and real-to-life characters, the Sierra Creek books are for you!”

Amy Long’s new life in the small town of Sierra Creek is all planned, men and marriage are not needed. But then she meets the perfect man in gorgeous rodeo champion Wyatt Cameron. After only a few months, she promises to marry him. Is everything happening too fast? Should she listen to listen to her head or her heart?

A confirmed bachelor, cowboy, Wyatt Cameron, wonders why he asked a woman he hardly knows to marry him Yeah, she’s sexy and sweet, but she comes with baggage he doesn’t need. If he follows through, will he marry in haste and regret in leisure?  Buy Link  There are four boots in the Sierra Creek Series. 

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