Tequila flows like never before while subsidies trickle in for struggling agave farmers

Tequila once again surged in popularity as distillers increased their output by 15.7 percent in 2006, making it a record production year. Exports grew by an even bigger number, 17.8 percent and another legendary tequila brand, Herradura, slipped into foreign hands. The region around Tequila, Jalisco was also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year.

But all isn't well in Mexico's tequila country. Farmers still receive only a fraction of the sky-high prices agave fetched during the salad days of the late 1990s. The price of agave has bottomed out at around one peso per kilo after reaching as high as 16 pesos per kilo. Prices have hovered at that low level for several years now.

To ease the hardship, the Mexican government unveiled a plan to give agave growers 200 million pesos in subsidies. Agriculture secretary - and former Jalisco governor - Alberto Cardenas Jimenez announced the relief, but commented that the previous high price drove many growers to plant agave and attracted many speculators into the industry. Agave arriving from outside of the designated growing area - Jalisco and certain municipalities of Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas - is also aggravating the situation.

Somewhat ironically, the Jalisco government's rural development secretariat forecasts the supply of agave will plunge by the end of the decade after the glut works itself out, which would, of course, put the same boom-bust cycle in motion again.

Los Reyes Magos go for a boat ride

A mesquite statue of Melchor, one of the Santos Reyes (three kings), is carried off of a humble fishing boat yesterday at the wharf in Cajititlan, Jalisco. The town just south of Guadalajara celebrates Dia de los Reyes every January with the usual activities - fireworks, indigenous dancing, church services, etc. - but the local fishermen also take the kings on a tour of the Laguna de Cajititlan. The tradition dates back to at least 1587 in the municipality of Tlajomulco.

I wrote about the event; here's my account for the Catholic News Service.

Chowing down on birria in Jocotepec

Birrieria La Playita, Jocotepec, Jalisco, Mexico
Originally uploaded by StevenMiller.

The Chapala-area town of Jocotepec recently renovated its centro - quite well, actually - but the famed birrierias remain, churning out steaming hot bowls of goat meat in a spicy onion and tomato sauce. The Birrieria (a place the sells that sells birria) La Playita serves amazing handmade tortillas with every order. It's probably the best cheap lunch at Lakeside.

Durango drops into the deep freeze

Contrary to popular belief, many parts of Mexico shiver through the winter - at least at night. Many visitors to cities like Guadalajara and Mexico arrive with attire better suited for Puerto Vallarta or Cancun, mistakenly thinking the whole country has beach-like temperatures.

I spent a chilly Christmas in San Miguel de Allende. The daytime highs reached into the mid 20s (Celsius), but the mornings and evenings were another matter. On my way back from Mexico City on Sunday morning, I departed on a flight taking off from the Toluca airport. The terminal was very was open and lacked heating.

And now, the temperature in parts of Durango, a desert state famous for being the setting of many western movies, dipped to -21.5 Celsius over the new year's holiday.

Going low-rent at the Lucha Libre

I finally went back to the Lucha Libre (Mexican professional wrestling) at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City. While not exactly "high brow" - Mexicans might say "naco" (tacky) - it's unbelievably fun and at times silly. Go with an open mind and pick up a couple 70-peso masks afterwards as they make great souvenirs.

Discount carriers jet across Mexico for less

I escaped the Federal District yesterday morning on a Volaris flight, taking advantage of one of Mexico's new discount airlines. Even though the flight departed from Toluca, 70 km to the west, the whole process was just as easy - but much cheaper - than going from the main Mexico City airport. (Finding an available taxi in the Colonia Roma at 5 a.m. was another matter.)

My one-way flight to Guadalajara cost less than 600 pesos - about the same as a first class bus ticket on ETN. Everything was top notch - especially the lattes served in the Toluca airport - and Volaris provides many nice touches like free cajeta snacks upon deplaning. The Pinguinos (Mexican version of a twinkie) served for breakfast were a little disappointing, but that's about all.

Great - and artful - coffee in San Miguel de Allende

Adam, the owner of CAFE on Calle Correo in San Miguel de Allende, shows off one of his specialty lattes with an artful leaf design poured into the foam. The five-month-old cafe, which is also site of Adam's art studio, serves pretty much nothing but coffee, which is made the right way from properly-roasted Oaxaca beans. As Adam, a native of Montreal, put it: "I just couldn't stand the other places," when asked why he started his business.

Making coffee right means doing things other coffee shops neglect. He grinds the beans right before making a cup of coffee as the oil in coffee is highly perishablele and will go rancid shortly after being ground. The water is heated to 90 degrees Celsius as boiling water "scalds the coffee." Adam also adjusts the coffee grind several times throughout the day, depending on the temperature and humidity in the store. Milk is also important; he uses whole milk from the Santa Clara ice cream stores since it creates a thicker, more pourable foam. Being an artist, he then fashions a design in the foam by quickly flicking his wrist.

If you're in San Miguel, check out CAFE. You won't go anywhere else after trying it.