The rich history and spiritual importance of mezcal in Oaxaca
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If you step into a cool cocktail bar today, chances are they have drinks made from mezcal, a Mexican spirit with an intense, roasted, smoky flavor. But just a decade ago, barely anyone in America had heard of it. You could call it the hot new thing in bartending, except that it’s hundreds of years old. And in Oaxaca, it’s much more than that. Bricia Lopez, who’s been called the Mezcal Queen of Los Angeles, is the owner, with her family, of Guelaguetza restaurant in Los Angeles. She talked with Francis Lam about the cultural and spiritual importance that mezcal plays in Oaxaca. Try her recipe for the mezcal cocktail Pasión de Oaxaca from her book Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico.
Bricia Lopez, outside of her family restaurant Guelaguetza in Los Angeles.
Photo provided by Guelaguetza
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