Week nineteen in the Year of Drinking Adventurously! Pulque and it’s a fail!
Pulque is another product of the agave plant — the result of fermenting the nectar, and skipping the distillation process. It goes back all the way to Aztec culture in Mexico. What results after fermentation is a slightly sweet, milky, viscous liquid that is tradtionally served by dipping your mug into the communal vat. The places where pulque is served are called pulquerias. There is one in New York City, but…
My friend Jeff, I believe this was destined to be a fail because according to your book: “Pulqueria is one of the very few places in New York (or most of the East Coast, for that matter), where a drinker can actually taste the real deal.”
and: “Right now pulque’s virtual lack of availability in the states has proved to be one of its greatest assets.”
My chances of finding pulque in the suburbs of Philadelphia were astronomically low to non-existent. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Lula doesn’t have a Pulqueria in Memphis, either. However, she is a resourceful gal and thus I will not underestimate her in this endeavor! So go visit her blog to make sure! Now, if you are really interested in tasting this other product of the agave plant, you can visit Pulqueria when you are in New York City. And for info, you can find it on Yelp! and Open Table.
Despite the pulque fail, the weekend brought me some adventure. I had friends over for food and drinks on Friday night, Saturday was the Kentucky Derby party and the once a year imbibation of mint julep. Once a year is enough – a little goes a long way. So in lieu of pulque, here is the recipe for the classic mint julep:
1 oz simple syrup (1 cup sugar in 1 cup water and heat till dissolved)
sprig of fresh mint leaves
3 oz bourbon (use a Kentucky bourbon, accept no substitutes!)
In a glass, muddle the mint leaves in the syrup. Add to a shaker filled with ice and bourbon. Shake and serve in a rocks glass or better yet, a silver cup!
And this weekend’s best adventure of all? I got to read. An actual book. To me that is one of the best adventures one can have!

I’m learning so much about alcohol from this series! Glad you got to read an actual book. I know that feeling!
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Thank you! Writers have to read! Or else we’re hypocrites! 😉
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I do better at getting stacks of books from the library than actually finishing them! The intention is clearly there…
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I’m good at starting books, finding another one I’m interested in and before you know it, I have 5 going at the same time. As you can see from my Goodreads queue, lol!
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Ha ha! Same here!
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My coworker is from Mexico and when I asked her if she has tried pulque she said how much she didn’t like it. “It was so strong.” I think she’s just a lightweight ;). Not entirely positive that not having access to pulque is a “fail”
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Bah! I thought the same thing! I do like sticking to the itinerary though. 😜
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Sounds like a great weekend. I haven’t finished a book in a while… I think I’ve been spending all my time too much time?) writing… Ofcourse, what happens to me is I get so sucked in that I read the whole book and forget all about sleeping… 🙂
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That’s the sign of a good book! And the same for me, too much writing not enough reading. Vacation starts Saturday- hoping to remedy that!
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Of course, what I think is a good book is probably crap to many people… lol
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Not if it has the intended effect- to transport the reader to another world, another life!
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I need another life. Or a life. 😀
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We need a TARDIS!
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And a doctor. In more ways than one. 😀
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Yes! 😃
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Ah, the extremely overrated, and overpriced at Churchill, mint julep. From a Kentuckian, put all your ingredients, except for the bourbon, in a glass, shake well, then pour down the drain. Then take your bourbon and put it in a rock glass with one ice cube. That’s a much better drink. 😃
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I’m totally with you!!! I’d rather my bourbon straight too! Ah well, when in “Rome”…
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True. Gotta have one just to say you did. But, after that? A shot or neat will do just fine. 😃
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Amen to that! 😃
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Before you started this series I only knew of Tusker Lager and Johnnie Walker. I am learning a lot from you Meg.:-)
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Oh boy! Just remember to drink responsibly! 😀
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The pulque doesn’t sound too appealing to me. I’ll stick to the tequila, thank you! 😀
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Yeah, I wasn’t too sorry to pass this one up! Tequila for me, too!
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I never heard of this one but sounds like we’re not missing much! Love your alcohol reports, Doc!
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Heh! I know, bleh! Thanks, Diane!
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🙂
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Hmm…don’t know if I want to go all the way to New York City for “Pulque” Guess I will pass 😀
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Yeah, I’m not too sorry to pass on this one either!
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OOOOOOH love a good cocktail 🙂 thanks for this
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You’re welcome! Although to be honest, there are better bourbon cocktails but for The Kentucky Derby the mint julep is traditional!
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Is it in the name or for the fact that it’s not easily available, my first sentiments are that I’m not sure I will be a Pulque imbibing girl.
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Probably both! 😃
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Sadly I don’t think that my hotel bar will have pulque or mint julep. I’ll have to go back a few more weeks to find something new I can try.
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Oh, just back up one week to tequila, have a tequila sunrise or a margarita! Meg is short for Margaret 😜
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I actually had a margarita last weekend!
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How was (is?) Disney?
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Good as usual!
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I’m thinking of moving there
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The happiest place on earth…. 😃
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More like the costliest place on Earth
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Yeah I hear even Big Macs are like $17.00!
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