Tequila Myth #1:
There's a worm in tequila.
There is no worm in Mexican-bottled tequila. Yes, some
American-bottled brand(s) put one in their bottle to impress the gringos
and boost sales, but it's only a marketing ploy and not a Mexican tradition.
There is a worm - called a gusano, properly a butterfly caterpillar (Hipopta
Agavis) - in some types of mezcal (but not all). You may also get a small
bag of 'worm salt' - dried gusano, salt and chile powder tied to a mezcal
bottle. The worm-in-the-bottle myth is old and tired. The truth has been
broadcast and expounded for years by the cognoscenti of tequila, in newspapers,
magazines and on the Net. There should be no need to defend tequila; we
should not have to dispel this myth further. It is merely an urban legend.
Is the worm even a traditional element in mezcal production?
Not according to Del Maguey Mezcal producers: they say
it's a recent development, a marketing ploy that appeared only in the
1940s to try and get more attention on mezcal - and they should know.
It's worth reading their story at: www.mezcal.com/worms.html.
BUT yes, you're supposed to eat
the worm in mezcal. Don't worry: it's quite well pickled and free
of pesticides (they're often raised just for use in mezcal, cooked and
pickled in alcohol for a year). But dispel any idea it has any magical
or psychotropic properties, that it's an aphrodisiac or the key to an
'unseen world.' It's merely protein and alcohol - but it's very rich in
imagery.
Click the following links for more tequila myths.
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