#1: Regarding the James Beard Award for Agave Spirits, why do you think it took so long for one of so many books on tequila or mezcal to hit the right note with the Beard Foundation?
David Suro: The category of agave spirits has become more and more popular in all aspects, from the inevitable mass production and celebrity brands to the highly educated and demanding niches of consumers. Consumers are just starting to discover the rich and vast culture and flavors that agave spirits have.
Gary Nabhan: Like David, I think it is a spirit and a topic whose time has come. But I also believe that we took a broader view of writing about spirits, offering perspectives on the wonders AND the plunders, the science and art of growing and distilling agaves, and both the women and men involved. That may have intrigued the judges who probably see a rather routine format for most books on wines and spirits.
#2: Were you surprised that Agave Spirits beat out two very sophisticated books on wines for the honor?
David Suro: I was more surprised about our book winning at all than the category in which it was honored. Our two competitors put out really amazing work and are sophisticated wine experts.
Gary Nabhan: You know, wine will always be important, but James Beard Foundation judges have recently shown more interest in the foods and drinks that have emerged from American soil. That’s why we are both so proud that our forager friend Danny Childs also won a book award for his collaboration with his wife Katie, Slow Drink. Katie’s stunning photos and Danny’s innovative text clearly inspire readers to draw upon the riches of the American continent, many of which are in their own backyards. …. Along with Danny and Katie, we hope we all set a high bar for what reflections on any sprit should be, given the complexities of our time.
#3: You all bring up some pressing issues that the agave industry needs to resolve if it is to be sustainable and its workers healthy. Were you afraid of being perceived as critics rather than as allies to distillers of agave spirits?
Gary Nabhan: Anyone who knows David or I know that we have long-term friendships with mezcal and tequila distillers and agave growers. We took that risk with our eyes wide open because both of us genuinely wish that tequilas and mezcals can be more highly regarded for their distinctiveness, diversity and sustainability. We want the industry to be healthy, but that can’t occur if there is an “anything goes” attitude that undermines quality and heritage. But remember, more than being critics, both of us have always shining the light on innovators who will make the future brighter.
David Suro: Agave Spirits are paying a high price for their global market success. The accelerated pace of growth in the industry brings us great benefits, but also great challenges. We feel the need to raise our voices and make objective observations and objective criticism because we care deeply about the growers, the workers, the distillers, the plants and their pollinators.
#4. So what are the most pressing issues in the world of mezcal and tequila that need to be resolved?
David Suro: There are sensitive issues that need to be dealt with in all aspects of the Agave Spirits industry, from social and economic aspects to the predatory practices used in the agricultural sector. Sadly, there has been cultural dilution and a lack of proper education to raise awareness of what is really at risk. And the general the lack of adequate, unbiased regulatory mechanisms to protect people and ecosystems remains an issue affecting many people’s health and welfare. As a co-founder of the Tequila Interchange Project, I am working with teams of colleagues to positively solve problems on all of these fronts.
Gary Nabhan: For me, number one is taking better care of the jimadores and other field workers in the face of record-breaking temperatures and ongoing climate change. In bacanora country of Sonora where I work and live part of each year, temperatures have hit 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52 Celsius) this summer in the core area of production. You can hardly breathe let alone work under such conditions, so outdoor workers are the most vulnerable of any professions. Even for desert-adapted plants and hardy people, there are mounting stresses that can seriously impair or even kill workers and the plants they are tending. Number two is the fact that nearly 60 percent of all agaves studied have shown declines over the last two decades, and more are endangered than at any yime in history. That’s why we support the work of the Borderlands Restoration Network and Bat Conservation International that are putting wild agaves back on the land.
#5: And what’s on the horizon for each of you?
Gary Nabhan: I’ve recently launched the Sacred Plants Biocultural Recovery Initiative to assure that agaves and other plants that have spiritual and ceremonial importance are not lost. On a personal note, Danny Childs and the Slow Beverage community have inspired me to take a deep dive into the desert’s “slow ” cocktails based on bacanora, mezcal, araq and sotol. Some of the recipes will be featured in a new book coming out in early October with food writer and chef Beth Dooley, who has also won James Beard Awards. It’s called Chile, Clove and Cardamom: A Gastronomic Journey Through the Fragrances and Flavors of Desert Cuisines, from Chelsea Green Publishing. And I’ll have my first solely authored book in a long time coming out in early September. It is called Against the American Grain: A History of Resistance in the Desert Borderlands. So, I hope to see many of our friends when I go on the road again in late October through February.
David Suro: I’m very motivated to continue our journey with agaves to a place of safety, sustainability and diversity. I am humbled by the number of intelligent, innovative people who have embraced all things Agave; they are amazing allies, and we regularly get together at Agave Festivals in Tucson Arizona and Marfa Texas. This last year—after a fire badly damaged my old restaurant in downtown Philadelphia, we decided to reopen Tequilas Restaurant with an entirely new design and menu concept. We are calling it La Jefa, and it is a huge step forward for me, my family and my professional family as well. The other big news is the reactivation of the Tequila Interchange Project, an organization that I have the honor of cofounding several years ago. You will see a lot more coming of it through my collaborations with Francisco Terrazas and many others.
