Baja drinking question: What if one is allergic to Tequila?
Yes, this is a tragic situation of epic proportions, but surely there must be a temporary solution until scientists can discover a cure.
I am seeking answers from the experts - graduates of Google University and Wikipedia Institute of Know-It-Alls should continue to
search for the answers to the current Global Economic Crisis.
My question should not divert you from the more important matters of the day.
So, Baja mixologists, what are some of the alternatives to Tequila that are readily available in BCN and BCS?
I am not allergic to anything else, except the tannins in red wine (I have a team of chemists working on this, no need to panic!).
I have a fondness for rum.
Please, it's easy to turn your head and walk away from the immensity of this problem - my heart is hardened to the indifference that
most people use as a coping mechanism - but, I will be south of the border soon, and thirst is one of the primary human drives that cannot be ignored.
With your help, this problem can at least be mitigated, and eventually temporarily forgotten.
Thank you in advance for your inevitably generous suggestions!
With your fondness for rum, I suggest drinking copious amounts of it and it will make you not only forget your allergies, but will make you forget
you even had them.
Originally posted by Miette
I will be south of the border soon, and thirst is one of the primary human drives that cannot be ignored.
Ahh yes, Miette. Your concern for and attendance to basic needs, physical and mental, body and soul, is your salvation and thirst is an issue
which must be addressed with diligence to survival and, of course, style.
As we know, the human body needs water so, give the bod what it requires....plenty of water. Drink it..bathe in it...enjoy it for what it is,
Mothers Milk from Mother Earth, water.
Now, our maintenance to the well-being of the soul is much more complicated, more diverse, more fun if done properly and Baja is the ideal spot to
pursue perfection.
You have stated a fondness for Rum and it is my firm recommendation that you make a heartfelt study of the various ways Rum can be enjoyed and toward
that end, may I recommend, "Trader Vic's Rum Cookery And Drinkery." You may have to do a bit of searching but, I think Barnes and Noble [online] has
it, new or used.
My personal favorite for washing down a perfect day is Cerveza. Pacifico and/or Negra Modelo do nicely.
Good luck in your studies, Miette. You have chosen a rewarding endeavor.
Little sweet thing
No rum that I know of, produced in Baja. But Bacardi, the most popular rum in the world, is produced in Mexico.
And as for the amount of one's consumption, it's a matter of training, like any other sport. I've seen cases where, because of daily imbibing, a
capacity of a quart or more a day was achieved after many years of training.
DENNIS Thanks for your imput! I learned the value of water at a very young age.
I am a gymnast. I am long-retired from active competition, but part of the training regimen involved the coaches lecturing one-and-all on the need to
maintain adequate hydration.
I travel with a five gallon water bottle perched in the back seat of the car. I have five more of these bottles and I add to the back seat water stash
depending on current (and possible emergency) circumstances.
I will look for the book - that really represents a big gap in my current library.
Seriously, thanks for your assistance.
vandenburg Thanks, eh, big dulcet entity ;^)
"fond of rum" = familiar with Bicardi.
**************************************************
My apologies to everyone! I realize that I have stated my question in somewhat vague terms
and this has lead to a bit of confusion. I'm not kidding here - it's the nature of written conversation, and the fact that I have a sprained ankle and
much of my blood and lymph system has been diverted there and left my brain woefully under supplied with adequate oxygen and clean-up of biological
waste products.
What I wondering is if the locals/natives of Baja produce a form of alcohol that is available for purchase (or
trade)?
I heard about Pulque when I visited Akumal. I will try that when I return to Akumal.
Surely, someone must have fermented something in Baja? I will carry out my own experiments if necessary. What, with the sprained ankle and all, I was
hoping that someone had a jump start on this requirement for good digestive health.
Difficult, from my perspective, to be of much help. I don't drink water. I tried it once when I was twelve. It was tasteless, a waste of time. Baja
was once the home of a commercial booze operation. Ranches grew sugar cane, made cane alcohol, bottled and sold the conconction in great quantities
but the practice has died out here since cane liquor is made in Mexico and sold all over to those with little money, no appreciation for proper
imbibing or who may be bent toward an alcohol death spiral. If you find someone taking Pulque from the plant, grab it quick, take a drink. Of all the
world's food and beverage it travels the worst.
Licor de Damiana is the only alcoholic beverage native (supposedly) to Baja I can think of. It's like a liqueur with it's own distinctive flavor and
usually used in Margaritas. But there again comes the Tequila allergy into play.
May I suggest, as a long retired mixologist, a variant on the Margarita, to get away from the Tequila, named a Ginebrita.
Just substitute good old Ginebra for the Tequila and Voila a delicious c-cktail.
A rum we favor above all others is made in Jamaica and is very reasonably priced in Baja at Syriana (sp?). Appleton (less expensive) Appleton
Estate (a bit more)... While everyone's taste buds differ... to us at least, it is the best!
Osprey I appreciate your comments and your insights. I am genetically predisposed to a water allergy (my grandparents, (and relatives
going much further back) had the water aversion gene that you seem to be enjo...afflicted with ;^0) but Eastern European coaches beat that - darn! -
uh, set me straight on the water issue.
Muchas gracias for the Pulque tip!
vandenberg Licor de Damiana! (stupid, uh, comment/question alert) This sounds interesting - will I look like a total fool if
I order a straight shot of this stuff? Will anyone be able to distinguish that foolish appearance from my typical foolish appearance? (As a
bonus question - just for myself - why the heck would I care?)
As for the Ginebra and the Ginebrita - thanks for the chance to brush up on my Tagalog - that brought back old, warm memories!
On a serious note - thanks for all the info and for indulging my version of forum inquiries - you have been kind, funny, and informative!
schwlind Thanks for the suggestion. You are right about the fact that everyone's sense of taste is, for the most part, unique to the
individual. That is a good, oft-overlooked, and important point.
I will add your suggestion to my pre-trip planning notes.
Cheers! Down the hatch! or perhaps - over the lips, past the gums, look out stomach! Here it comes!
What I wondering is if the locals/natives of Baja produce a form of alcohol that is available for purchase (or
trade)?
Surprised nobody has brought up the subject of Baja Wine which has been ingested, digested or regurgitated at lenght in previous threads. I have no
opinion on the stuff.
BajaDove Hi and thank you for the answer about Damiana. So, I take it that people do order this liquor by the shot and then sit and
sip. That is good news.
DENNIS Hmmm, I guess my post hinted at the hard stuff. That may have discouraged the wine suggestions.
There was also the crabby tone of my initial post (I blame my severely sprained ankle, blood level of pain medication, and bed-rest status!)
Due to my tannin allergy, I can only drink white wines. I have a two glass limit there, too.
Now, if you had mentioned the relative qualities of Mexican beer...::ducks and runs away::
::runs back::
Hook
Holy hitting the nail on the possible head!!!!
Oak storage/aging could very well be the problem. Confess, are you a scientist or a chemist? Or just extremely intuitive?
Or, all of the above?
At any rate, you have brought renewed hope to this cold, calloused heart. I will bring along my doctor friend on the next trip and begin a new series
of field tests!
If you like rum, try mixing it with some fresh naranja jugo (orange juice). It's a Screwdriver made with rum instead of vodka...called a Rum Driver
in bars. Plus you get your daily dose of Vit C! and if you use fresh squeezed juice, some fiber also (as if we need another excuse to mix a drink).
I happen to be enjoying one as I type
Rum also lends itself to substitution in Tequila Sunrise-type recipes.
I second the Appleton brands. Bacardi is overpriced compared to the Appleton. We found it at the CCC in La Paz. Ronrico is another good brand.
Also use the white/light rum, not gold or spiced.
Hi BajaNuts Thanks for the healthy suggestions and the shopping tips.
The very thought of "spiced" rum made me involuntarily shudder.
White rum is my choice for mixing. There are some delicious rums that can be sipped neat.
I was really wondering how to handle the typical generous Baja offer of a "Margie" when the very smell of Tequila makes my stomach attempt to leave my
body via my esophagus. The choking sounds I make are very embarrassing (and not under conscious control) and prompts people to undertake unnecessary
emergency procedures when there is serious drinking to be done.
This is a birth defect on my part, and I try to cover it up by offering up a fresh, new bottle of some unusual tequila as a gift to the hosts, and
while they are distracted, I fill my glass up with a clear, still liquid and quickly propose a toast.
I have made a lot of friends with paramedics, firemen, and other medical personnel in the meantime, and luckily they can usually be distracted with
fresh bottles of various liquids when they are done checking my vital signs.
At any rate, you have brought renewed hope to this cold, calloused heart. I will bring along my doctor friend on the next trip and begin a new series
of field tests!
[Edited on 12-27-2008 by Miette]
Well, dont go mucking up the field results with outside variables. That's scientific talk, ma'am.........
You will need to observe a strict regime of straight shots with only a purified water chaser, my child. Probably 2-3 each night.
Maybe start with a real oaky one like an Herradura or Patron Anejo and see if you feel the allergic effects. Allow 48 hours, minimum, between field
tests. If the effects arise from the anejos, proceed to the platas on subsequent nights to see if the symptoms are minimized or non-existent.
I know this 48 hour requirement will be hard on you, but in the interest of science and your future, you will have to buck up, here.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO RESORT TO MARGARITAS FOR THIS SERIES OF TESTS!
In fact, if your prior symptoms were the result of drinking tequila in margaritas, it is very likely that you have suffered from the effects of
additives that lesser establishments introduce into margaritas to reduce their costs. Most notable here are Controy, Damiana, or Jarabe Natural.
By the way, what ARE the allergic reactions? The effect of these margarita additives can include nausea, dizziness, headache, dryness of the mouth
and, in the case of severe applications, vomiting and diarrhea.
"Friskiness" towards members of the opposite sex may be experienced during the early stages of application but it is NOT considered a symptom, for the
purposes of these field tests.
I would not ask you to subject yourself to these rigors without having attempted these tests myself, of course.............
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