Rick's on a mission to tell the world about tequila, and he's starting with a party for 25 at home. But it's not about doing shots and licking salt off your hand. He wants to open people's minds and palates to the complexities of Mexico's smooth, super-premium tequilas made from 100% blue agave-artisanal products on a par with the world's great brandies. So he's planned a tasting with tequila flights and plenty of fun, satisfying food to match. In the town of Tequila, Rick gives us a firsthand look at the production process, from the harvesting and roasting of the agave hearts to fermentation, distilling, and aging. Back in Chicago, he and his daughter, Lanie, get started on what's often called the Mexican party food: a big, bubbling vat of Classic White Pozole, a hearty stew of corn and pork that goes perfectly with the flavor of Tequila. As the Pozole simmers away, Rick and Lanie prepare the rest of the menu: a Help-Yourself Tostada bar with three toppings to welcome the guests, and luscious Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars for dessert. Rick treats his guests to a lively and informative introduction to the essentials of great tequilas. Then everyone gets served a steaming mug of Pozole, topped with all the traditional trimmings, from pork cracklings to homegrown oregano. Put two of Mexico's greatest hits-Tequila and Pozole-together, and you've got a fiesta that really takes flight.
