Tequila is a national drink of great variety and complexity, inextricably entwined with the history and culture of Mexico. Smithsonian's Tequila is the first book in English to explore fully what has been called that burning river in a small glass. Here is a wonderful guide to everything you need to know about tequila, from 21 background questions and answers, to an A-Z illustrated description of all the tequila brands from the most common to the rarest, to a collection of recipes, not only for cocktails but also for tequila shrimp and tequila leg of lamb. Accompanying this practical information are thought-provoking and entertaining articles on the history of tequila making, from the Aztecs through colonial times to the present; a look at tequila in the movies and in literature; poems, poetic evocations, and a short story, written especially for this volume, by Laura Esquivel, the acclaimed author of Like Water for Chocolate.

Tequila is richly illustrated on every page with photos of the art of tequila bottles and labels (themselves a Mexican craft), movie stills, contemporary and historical paintings, and portraits of the landscapes of tequila country in the state of Jalisco. 225 color photographs and illustrations.