crossing over, then back

Ambiguity scares most of us Americans. Instead of exploring the grey terrain we too often stay within our comfort zone of black and white. Democrat or Republican. Straight or gay. Left or right. Neurotically macho or flamboyantly femme. We've become willing victims of our own pathological puritanism.

I remember my numerous trips to Europe, to cities like Paris and Rome, where the lines were less boldly drawn, where I could sometimes, if I listened hard enough, hear the disdainful laughter at American culture and values for puritanically drawing extreme distinctions between ideas, thoughts, experiences, and states of being. And I realized how pitiful that was, to severely limit ourselves to a narrow funnel of existence when we could be exploring instead - exciting ourselves with newly discovered senses and sensuality and mindsets. The very idea of growing and deepening in unexpected ways is frightening to us. The Europeans deserve to laugh at most of us.

This Italian commercial for Campari does just that, if you think about it. It laughs at the immature idea of fixating on merely one gender, one life, one state of mind. But as it does so it also offers us a chance to tap beyond our self-imposed prisons. In the span of one minute we journey from man to woman, then back again. How sexy and inspiring is that?

It offers us a glimpse of ourselves, but guess what? It's a far more seductive version of ourselves that we fleetingly see, even when it isn't necessarily a literal transformation (and it doesn't have to be literal, just a suggestion). We can remain man or woman, and yet still discover the strengths and the lightness and the gravity of the 'other' within ourselves.

And no commercial in America could ever give us that glimpse. Pity.

lick, sip, suck

According to Wikipedia Tequila is distilled from the agave, a pretty looking cactus-like desert plant that thrives off the volcanic soil in the highlands (Los Altos) of the western Mexican state of Jalisco. A particularly good Tequila is made from the blue agave, which is more native to the area near the town of Tequila, hence the spirit's name.

Whenever I make a Margarita, either frozen or not, I never, ever use that sickening pre-made crap that you add the Tequila to. You know, the one that your lovable brother-in-law stocks in his basement bar? It tastes nothing like a more authentic version. I believe a good Margarita is simpler than that, so I just squeeze out the juices of a couple of limes (around 1-1/2 oz.), add 2oz. of tequila, and a splash of Cointreau, all shaken in my cocktail shaker with ice for several seconds, and finally strained into a pre-chilled martini glass rimmed with salt and garnished with a slice of lime.

If I'm not mistaken the authentic Margarita is sour by default, not sweet, which partly explains the salt on the rim of the glass. The salt tempers the sourness of the lime and the sourness tempers the sting of the Tequila. Of course, many Americans or otherwise non-hardcore Tequila appreciators can't stand sour so that may explain why many pedestrian bars and clubs give you Margaritas that taste more like spiked limeade (i.e. made with pre-made crap). Yech. I prefer my Margarita to taste like it means it - powerful and unapologetic.

^ Una planta muy bonita sí.

But it seems if the Tequila is of a much better quality no salt is needed as it's believed by bartenders specializing in Margaritas that the salt is there to mask the inferior flavour of lesser Tequilas. Fine Tequilas like Herradura or Sauza are the kind that when you spot the bottle on the shelf you do a double take on your wallet before deciding. The finest Tequilas are so nice they must be taken neat. You savour it, sip it lovingly. Whatever, I'm poor so the $10 gold one from Trader Joe's will do.

If you know more about Tequila than I ever will, please comment, I want to learn more. Give me some good recipes, too, if you have any.

Tonight I'm too lazy to make me a Margarita so I instead did a Tequila Cruda (as the title of this blog post implies). In other words, a Tequila Shot. Pour a little salt on the area of skin between the base of your thumb and forefinger, lick the salt off, gulp down the shot of Tequila, and immediately bite into and suck a lime wedge, all within 3 seconds.

Believe me, it's very sexy doing a Tequila Cruda, especially with someone you just met at your favourite watering hole. Hey, if Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford doing it in Working Girl (skip to 2:38) didn't convince me, I dunno what would have.

audio blog: tequila matador

Tequila Matador

1 1/2 oz. Tequila
3 oz. pineapple juice
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Shake with crushed ice then strain into champagne flute.

- from Mr. Boston Official Bartender's And Party Guide

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

how bloody

Bloody Maria

1 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Tomato juice
1 dash lemon juice
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 dash Celery salt

Shake all ingredients with cracked ice. Strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes. Add a slice of lemon.

- from the Mr. Boston Official Bartender's and Party Guide (Time Warner 1997 re-issue)

It's Friday, if that means anything to anyone. Okay, I didn't have any Tabasco sauce or celery salt in the house so just used a bit of crushed cayenne peppers and table salt. I do have lemons but I used lime juice instead because I prefer the sharper sourness, particularly to balance out the tequila. I pre-chilled the rocks glass (sorry, don't have any old-fashioned glass) and instead of straining it into the glass I just poured everything in. I used a cucumber and lime wedge to garnish, then took the picture.

How is it, you ask? It's pretty good.....and quite different from the Bloody Mary (which of course is made with vodka and a dash of Worcestershire sauce), if you want variety. This version of Mary definitely has a bite, thanks to the tequila (I used golden), and the cucumber actually works well with it. Cheers!