"Got Rum?" Magazine
The Rum University Library: Book Review of "Bebidas Mexicanas"
Margaret Ayala, Publisher of "Got Rum?" magazine, reviews a book called "Bebidas Mexicanas", written by Martha Chapa, in the March 2015 issue in the section called "The Rum University Library".
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Book Review by Margaret Ayala: "Bebidas Mexicanas" written by Martha Chapa
In her book “Bebidas Mexicanas“ or “Mexican Beverages,” published by Everest, author Martha Chapa takes us on a historical journey of Mexico, exploring the origins and names of traditional and ancestral beverages throughout the country.
Mexican culture has a reputation around the world for being colorful, intense and -quite often- irreverent. This is true about its music, desserts, traditional apparel from the different regions and, why not, its beverages.
“A beber y a mamar, que el mundo se va a acabar ”
(“let’s drink and suckle, the world is coming to an end”)
The book begins with an overview of the importance of octli or pulque for the nahua people, and how its consumption was reserved for elder people but only those who had lived a virtuous life and, even then, the consumption was limited to four cups per person.
It didn’t take long after the arrival of the Spanish conquerors for basic fermented beverages to gain in potency through the application of distillation techniques.
“Sabroso blanco licor que quitas todas las penas, las propias y las ajenas, no me niegues tu sabor ”
“Oh, delicious white liquor, able to remove all sufferings, my own and those of others, don’t deny me your taste”
Once we navigate past the informative introduction, we arrive at the code of the book, where the author shares, via careful narrative and beautiful photography, most of the beverages that define the repertoire of Mexico and its citizens.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in knowing more about the origin of beverages in the Americas. Culturally speaking, this book is a gem, but it is also a practical tool, as it will undoubtedly inspire and instruct the readers on the recreation of many of the drinks preserved throughout its pages.
Margaret Ayala, Publisher
Margaret@GotRum.com