There is no worm at the bottom of a tequila bottle. Officially, only mezcal is supposed to have the worm, which itself is a caterpillar of the mariposa butterfly. The tequila worm, random house llc, 2007 208 pages. Objects play an important role in the novel the tequila worm. The tequila worm the tequila worm by viola canales is the selection for the laiis vamos a leer book group meeting held on november 3, 2014. In the 1940s, a few brands started a marketing ploy attributing aphrodisiac and magical qualities to the.
The milestone was marked on sunday, june 26, during the 2016 ala annual conference in orlando, fl. The tequila worm the tequila worm by viola canales is the selection for the laiis vamos a leer book group meeting held. Use it to top everything from eggs to steak to fish to corn on the cob to ceviche to cucumber salad. Like many of the students in our class, viola canales is a mexicanamerican native of mcallen, texas born on april 21, 1957. Depending on the color of the critter lounging at the bottom of some mezcal bottles, the gusano is an edible caterpillar from either a moth or a butterfly the red worm comes from larva from the comadia redtenbacheri or hypopta agavis moth. Although the bottle is still sealed, evaporation of the contents has occurred over many years so the bottle is less than half full.
There is a law in jalisco, mexico where all tequilas originate and are cont. You can now book tours that take you to different regions of the state. Orange candy slices and other secret tales a book of short stories. Worm is still there but he may be shrinking in size. The larva is usually either a gusano rojo red worm or a chinicuil maguey worm, the caterpillar of the comadia redtenbacheri moth. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our pro connect email alert. She must make a hard decision to go and leave her family or stay sofia lives in texas in a mexican community. Mezcal is the name for the family of mexican alcoholic spirits distilled from various species of the agave genus, known as maguey. This book was written around 70 ad so there is some ancient. Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio in mcallen, texas, full of the.
In fact the larvae that pliny wrote about may be of the same cossidae family as the red mezcal worm. The tequila worm follows sofia as she tries to figure out the different intricacies of life while trying to stay close to her family and home. Self sofia gets a scholarship to one of the best boarding schools in texas. Dias blues complete book of spirits, that worm is actually a larva from one. When sofia is singled out to receive a scholarship to an elite boarding. Various legends attribute great strength to anyone brave enough to gulp down. Monte alban mezcal con gusano everyone has seen monte alban on a liquor store shelf, and its what many people think of when they hear the word mezcal. In his book, dias blue writes that the insect serves as evidence of a mezcals potency. In theory, if were digging all this virilitypurity worm infusion stuff, a gusano rojo is a better worm to have in your bottle, since it feeds on the. Parents need to know that the tequila worm is the moving fictionalized memoir of a mexicanamerican girl from the barrio in mcallen, texas, who enters a mostly white protestant boarding school hundreds of miles from home but stays connected to her family. Find books like the tequila worm from the worlds largest community of readers. Canales herself grew up in mcallen, texas, as part of such a family that she writes about. Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions. The following information comprises a standardsbased educators guide that the laii has produced to support using the tequila worm wendy lamb books, 2005 in the classroom.
Ulises gutierez leadrythm rolando salas leadrythm travis struckhoff drums carlos gonzalez bass. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers. Tequila bottles do not contain a worm or gusano only some mezcal bottles. The tequila worm is a culturally filled book that is filled with humor and a lot of love. If you are looking for a bottle with a worm, dont look for it in a bottle. Goodreads members who liked the tequila worm also liked. The uninitiated may think that some bottles of tequila have worms in the bottom, but experienced tequiladrinkers know that its actually mezcal, a similar mexican liquor, that features a wormy surprise at the bottom of the bottle. For your reference, we provided these the tequila worm quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book. In honor of the awards anniversary, we have been highlighting the winners of the narrative and illustration awards. Tequila, is often decribed as a subcategory of mezcal. Why is there a worm in tequila mezcal and tequila worm effects. A look at the latino culture using the tequila worm age group 1015 years old goalsobjectives to introduce and celebrate a diverse culture in a fun and rewarding way.
Tequila worms to eat or not to eat that is the question. Top 5 quotes from the tequila worm free book notes. There has never been a worm at the bottom of a tequila bottle. Jsa this unusually warm, loving family story probably will be best enjoyed by those close to the mexican american heritage. To present and evaluate the lessons learned in the tequila worm. Papa sorts and cleans each individual bean, relaxing himself from the stresses of work and. A mezcal worm is an insect larva found in some types of mezcal produced in oaxaca, mexico. Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio in mcallen, texas, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions. The tequila worm character chart flashcards quizlet. The positive role models in the book are a big part of the success of the story and the book in general. The tequila regulatory council does not allow gusanos or scorpions which are sometimes also added to mezcals to be included in tequila bottles. This book was written around 70 ad so there is some ancient history there after all.
The novel also won awards, such as being designated a notable book by the american library association and winning the pura belpre medal for narrative, to name a few. It is made from 100% agave mezcal reposado and is produced in oaxaca, mexico. What are the effects of drinking a worm from a tequila. The tequila worm or as it should be known as the mezcal worm is. Only certain mezcals, usually from the state of oaxaca, are ever sold con gusano with worm. When sofia is singled out to receive a scholarship to. The larva is usually either a gusano rojo red worm or a chinicuil maguey. The tequila worm ebook by viola canales rakuten kobo. Stores and prices for gusano rojo with worm mezcal prices, stores, tasting notes and market data. They are added as a marketing gimmick and are not traditional. When it comes to the effects youll feel after eating the worm, however, opinions vary.
The tequila worm is a young adult novel by viola canales that was published in 2007. These days, most premium mezcal doesnt contain a worm, but the invertebrate. The tequila worm or as it should be known as the mezcal worm is normally only found in mezcal. Read the tequila worm by viola canales available from rakuten kobo. In theory, if were digging all this virilitypurity worm infusion stuff, a gusano rojo is a better worm to have in your bottle, since it. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The tequila worm has earned a variety of awards and recognitions. Why do people eat the worm inside a tequila bottle. Viola canales theme never forget who you are or where you. I had it on my tbr shelf for a while and finally picked it up from a local book store. Mezcal worm news newspapers books scholar jstor december 2015 learn how and when to remove this template. As a ten ton bomb version of tabasco and bbq sauce combined, yet it is somehow utterly modest, approachable, friendly, and practical. And the gusano blanco, the white caterpillar, transforms into the aegiale hesperiaris butterfly a.