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!