Tequila: A Natural and Cultural History

The leading agronomist in Mexico's tequila industry and one of America's most respected ethnobotanists plumb the myth of tequila as they introduce the natural history, economics, and cultural significance of the plants cultivated for its production. Valenzuela-Zapata and Nabhan take readers into the agave fields of Mexico to convey their passion for the century plant and its popular by-product, trace tequila's progress from its modest beginnings to one of the world's favored spirits, and tell how innovations from cross-cultural exchanges made fortunes for Cuervo and other distillers.