In Texas, a land of immigrants, to talk about food is often to cross a border, tracing a dish or ingredient to its source. For this piece, photographer Joel Salcido followed a glass of tequila from a bar in West Texas back to the agave fields in Mexico.
A shot of tequila at the Lost Horse Saloon, in Marfa.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
The liquor arrives at a warehouse in El Paso . . .
Photograph by Joel Salcido
. . . after crossing the Franklin Mountains on the way north.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Barrels line the walls at a distillery near El Arenal, Jalisco.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Aeration, the beginning of the fermentation process.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Blue agave cores, or piñas, about to be loaded into ovens.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
A tequilero stirs a pot during fermentation.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
An old copper still.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Old fermentation pits (early 1800’s) at Herradura’s tequila museum, on the site of a former distillery in Amatitan, Jalisco.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Master agave harvesters are knownas jimadores.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Gears drive the mashing equipment.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
A mature blue agave piña.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
Agave cores await the ovens.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
A horse plows the agave fields near the highlands town of Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco.
Photograph by Joel Salcido
- More About:
- Libations
- Photo Essay
- Mexico
