蓝色龙舌兰田，墨西哥哈利斯科州龙舌兰酒产区 Tree in blue agave field in the tequila producing region near Atotonilco, Jalisco, Mexico (© Brian Overcast/Alamy)

蓝色龙舌兰田，墨西哥哈利斯科州龙舌兰酒产区 Tree in blue agave field in the tequila producing region near Atotonilco, Jalisco, Mexico (© Brian Overcast/Alamy)

这种蓝色多汁的植物就像黄金一样珍贵 This blue succulent is as good as gold here

Cinco de Mayo

Many celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, owe a debt to these rolling fields of blue agave, or agave Azul, the source material required to make genuine tequila. The distilled spirit is to Mexico what Scotch whisky is to Scotland and sake to Japan. Tequila is also the base ingredient in the beloved margarita cocktail certain to be served in abundance today.

Blue agave is native to Jalisco, a coastal state of Mexico, where it grows head-high in the rich sandy soils of Jalisco's highlands. Its flowers are pollinated, not by bees or birds, but by the Mexican long-nosed bat, adding to this succulent's mystique. The bat's favorite food is the pollen and nectar of agave. Tequila is made by roasting the heart of the plant and then crushing or squeezing it to release a sugary, clear liquid called aguamiel, which translates to honey water. That liquid is distilled to produce tequila. Authentic tequila, by law, can be made only in Jalisco and a few municipalities outside it, and its authenticity is protected by trade agreements.

Tequila's association with Cinco de Mayo in the US probably owes to the fact that Americans observe the day with an upbeat celebration of Mexican culture in general. Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken for Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually on September 16. In Mexico, the holiday commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French Empire in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Whatever side of the border you're on today, if you toast the table with a glass of tequila, take a moment to remember the azure fields where it all started.

五月五日节

许多庆祝五月五日（Cinco de Mayo）的活动都要归功于这些蓝色龙舌兰（又称龙舌兰蓝）的滚滚田野，这是制作真正龙舌兰酒所需的原料。蒸馏酒之于墨西哥，就像苏格兰威士忌之于苏格兰，日本清酒之于日本。龙舌兰酒也是深受喜爱的玛格丽塔鸡尾酒的基本成分，今天一定会有大量的玛格丽塔鸡尾酒供应。

蓝色龙舌兰原产于墨西哥沿海州哈利斯科，生长在哈利斯科高地肥沃的沙质土壤中。它的花不是由蜜蜂或鸟类授粉，而是由墨西哥长鼻蝙蝠授粉，这增加了这种多汁植物的神秘性。蝙蝠最喜欢的食物是龙舌兰的花粉和花蜜。龙舌兰酒的制作方法是将植物的心脏烘烤，然后压碎或挤压，释放出一种称为aguamiel的含糖透明液体，转化为蜂蜜水。这种液体经过蒸馏制成龙舌兰酒。根据法律规定，正宗的龙舌兰酒只能在哈利斯科和其他几个城市生产，其真实性受到贸易协议的保护。

龙舌兰酒与美国的Cinco de Mayo酒的联系可能要归功于这样一个事实：美国人在庆祝这一天时，通常都会对墨西哥文化进行乐观的庆祝。Cinco de Mayo有时被误认为是墨西哥的独立日，实际上是9月16日。在墨西哥，这个节日是为了纪念墨西哥军队在1862年普埃布拉战役中战胜法兰西帝国。无论你今天身处何方，如果你用一杯龙舌兰酒来敬酒，花点时间回忆一下这一切开始的蔚蓝田野。