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Dish Trip Explores the Tastes in Guadalajara and Tequila, Mexico

mary-bingham
Explorer B

I blame one fateful night in college for my aversion to tequila. I don’t remember much about that experience except running in the snow, barefoot, and waking up surrounded by pulpless limes and an empty salt shaker...followed by a three-day hangover. My palate has since rejected the nutty taste of tequila, and for that reason, I have avoided it like the plague. That is, until a recent trip to Mexico. As you may already know, Southwest Airlines recently partnered with Volaris Airlines to connect Customers to Mexico. To mark the occasion, Dish Trip teamed up with José Cuervo to celebrate the release of their 2011 Reserva de la Familia (the family reserve) with a trip to Guadalajara and the José Cuervo estate in Tequila, Mexico (yes, that’s actually the name of the town!). I was excited to embark on this experience, but I felt like a fraud traveling to the home of this world-famous tequila brand when I could barely stomach the taste. After a fun-filled flight from Philly to Chicago, I had the pleasure of experiencing my first Volaris flight. WOW! Unlimited complimentary drinks and snacks are a great way to kick off a trip. Since I had to get used to it, I started off with a José Cuervo drink. This proved easier than I thought, as the drink of choice (recommended by our adorable Flight Attendant) was a Paloma—a light, fruity drink with a fizz consisting of José Cuervo Traditional, grapefruit soda OR Squirt (a lemon-lime soda), and a lime wedge. This went down smoothly. So, without hesitation, I ordered a second one. Apparently, GOOD tequila makes all the difference. We joined a group of other journalists in Guadalajara and stayed at the Camino Real Hotel, which proved to have gorgeous grounds and a spectacular brunch (I still wish I had more time to explore all the brunch options available). After a city tour of Guadalajara, we enjoyed shopping in the Tlaquepaque district and then lunch at a restaurant called Adobe Fonda , where we filled up on local favorites like ahi tuna pastor tacos, duck tacos (my new favorite) fried cheese, and guacamole. Let me just a take a minute to talk about the guacamole in Guadalajara. It’s one of the most amazing things I've EVER had. Why? Many restaurants mix pomegranate seeds or dried fruits into the creamy dip, which add a truly amazing sweet flavor and a variety of textures. That night, we had dinner at Corazon de Alcachofa Restaurante (meaning the artichoke heart), where they focus on locally produced, organic, gourmet dishes. Dinner standouts were the fresh fish, 36-month-aged Spanish ham, and the crème brulée. I washed all of this down with my first taste of the Jose Cuervo Añejo (extra aged) tequila, which has an amber color and a smooth, rich, and complex flavor that went down nice and easy, almost like a cognac. I had a renewed respect for tequila and was excited to continue my love affair in its eponymous hometown. Our Tequila adventure began the next day with a trip to the agave fields surrounding the city in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The red volcanic soil surrounding this region is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave. We also learned that Mexican laws state that tequila can be produced only in the state of Jalisco, so real tequila can only come from this area. Take a look at the video for the full behind-the-scenes look at the José Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Party and the inside scoop on how José Cuervo is made! Key takeaways: 1. Don’t try to mount a donkey in a dress. 2. Be a good guest; bring a gift. 3. Don’t mistake the head tequila taster for a butler, but DO ask him to dance cause he has the BEST dance moves. As a thank you for inviting us to the 2011 release of Reserva de la Familia (the Cuervo family's finest tequila), we brought along two beautiful bottles of Victory Brewing Company’s beer, Golden Monkey and V-12, and presented them to our gracious host, Don Juan Domingo Beekman, the owner and heir of José Cuervo. He enjoyed our gifts and even gushed to us about his passion for micro brews. We love sharing the Philly love! For over 10 generations Reserva de la Familia was a family secret only shared with the closest of friends. In 1995, to celebrate their 200-year anniversary as the world's leading producer of tequila, the Cuervo family decided to share this blend of its special tequila reserves with people who truly savor an exceptional taste sensation, and it was a true honor to get a taste and celebrate this year's release with the José Cuervo family! Head over to dishtrip.com for more information, and, if you're in the Philly area, stay tuned for an upcoming tequila tasting, which will feature some of the best José Cuervo tequilas I sampled on my trip! As always, follow us on Twitter @dishtrip or friend us on Facebook for more dining details in a city near you. Thanks for reading and watching—we’ll see you on the next Dish Trip! For more information about flying Southwest Airlines to connect to Mexico click here: http://www.southwest.com/html/air/intl/index.html. For more information about the Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia click here: http://www.cuervo.com/.