what is worm salt used for

What is worm salt used for? Worm salt, or sal de gusano as it is known in its native Mexico, is a traditional condiment for tequila

, cocktails, salsas etc. There is really only one thing you must know about this slightly smoky, savory salt: it's made out of worms.

Full Answer

What do you do with worm salt?

Fattened on sweet agave nectar, they might be sautéed and folded into warm tortillas or toasted and ground up with rock salt and dried chile peppers for sal de gusano: worm salt.

What is worm salt made of?

Don Bugito uses red chinicuil worms and New Mexico peppers. Marca Negra, a mezcal brand, makes its worm salt with Oaxacan mije chilies, chunky sea salt, and belatobe worms, which are “not easy to come by and expensive,” according to cofounder Pedro Quintanilla. It’s sold in a handful of states and on Amazon.

Can you use worm Tequila salt to get worms in your Tequila?

If the traditional worm in the bottom of the mezcal bottle, or the recently released English Garden Worm Gin just aren't wormy enough for you, you can use Worm Tequila Salt to get a bit of worm in every bite. But be sure to heed our favorite warning on Firebox's website: "Contains worms, not suitable for vegetarians."

Where does Don Bugito’s worm salt come from?

Martinez sources certain insects locally, but the gusanos in Don Bugito’s worm salt come from Hidalgo, harvested from the fields of agave syrup producers. “There is something poetic about eating the animal that lives in the agave plant,” says Martinez.

How do you use worm mezcal salt?

In Mexico, they pulverize them and add them to salt. That's worm salt.” He recommends a two-ounce pour of mezcal (in a jicara), accompanied by a half-wheel of orange sprinkled with worm salt. “You sip your mezcal, then take a bite of your orange, so you keep cleaning your palate and keep tasting the mezcal.”

What is salt of the worm?

Sal de Gusano is a traditional Oaxacan spice made from sea salt, toasted and ground agave worms and variety of dried chiles. A distinct Oaxacan flavor to accompany your Mezcal, Tequila, Michelada, fruits and salads, or in signature Mexican dishes. .

What can you do with Sal de Gusano?

When ground with salt and dried chiles, the worms lend an earthy, umami-rich flavor to the salt that illuminates the wide spectrum of mezcal varietals, eaten in pinches, or sprinkled onto fruit to awaken and reset the palate.

Why is there a worm in tequila?

So, why is there a worm in mezcal? Larvae began appearing in mezcal bottles in the 1950s, when a mezcal maker discovered a moth larvae in a batch of his liquor and thought the stowaway improved its taste. He started adding “worms” to all his bottles as a marketing strategy.

Why is it called worm salt?

Made from the larvae that inhabit the agave plant, worm salt is a spicy-salty condiment that comprises toasted and ground up “worms”, chiles and salt and is traditionally served with orange slices as an accompaniment to Mezcal.

Are worm salts vegan?

It's vegan, gluten-free and backed by George Clooney – what more could you ask for? If you wind down the window of your rental car on federal highway 91 in Oaxaca, Mexico, you can smell it.

Is the worm in tequila or mezcal?

So tequila is a type of mezcal, but mezcal is not tequila, and only mezcal has worms. According to Anthony Dias Blue's Complete Book of Spirits, that "worm" is actually a larva from one of two types of moths, known as maguey worms, that live on the agave plant.

What is the difference between tequila and mezcal?

Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots.

What is the powder that comes with mezcal?

The gusano, or worm, at the bottom of a bottle of cheap mezcal is actually moth larva. Prized as a source of protein since Pre-Hispanic times, the larvae live in the agave plants used to make tequila and mezcal.

Why do they put a scorpion in tequila?

Dousing the stung body part in tequila may help, as the spirit's anti-toxic effects can lessen the pain, burning, and tingling that accompany a scorpion sting.

Is mezcal illegal in the US?

Is Mezcal Tequila Illegal? There is no such thing as an illegal act. The practice wasn't legal at one point. (It would not be legal to export mezcal until 2006, when John Rexer, owner of Illegal Mezcal, had decided to sell mezcal in his Antigua, Guatemala, bar.

When did they stop putting worms in tequila?

1977Once tequila was granted protected status in 1977 (on October 13, if you'd care to celebrate), the worm system was rendered unnecessary.

Why does mezcal have worms?

The worm itself is actually a moth larvae called a gusano de maguey—since it feeds off of the maguey plant. Some think the worm in the bottle started as a marketing ploy, to get people to drink more mezcal in the 1940s and 1950s.

Is mezcal smoked?

Mezcal gets its smoky flavor during the production process. The hearts of the agave plants, piñas, are cooked in pits in the ground in a style that's similar to that for making barbacoa. (Tequila agaves, by contrast, aren't cooked.) The cooked agave is then crushed, combined with water, and allowed to ferment.

What is Wormsalt?

Worm salt, or sal de gusano as it is known in its native Mexico, is a traditional condiment for tequila, cocktails, salsas etc. There is really only one thing you must know about this slightly smoky, savory salt: it's made out of worms.

What is Grasshopper salt?

The chapulin salt is a combination of toasted grasshoppers from Oaxaca with a mix of local peppers that intensify the characteristic flavor of this insect. This salt is an ideal product for signature cuisine as well as for the creation of original cocktails.

Does mezcal give you a hangover?

Jimenez says this is because good mezcal contains no additives: “Many alcohols have a ton of sugar and other chemicals. Your body just recognizes the difference.” Of course, alcohol of any kind can and will give you a hangover if you drink too much too fast, but that's not how mezcal is meant to be consumed.

Does mezcal make you hallucinate?

Contrary to popular belief, the worm in mezcal isn't a worm at all, it's actually a larva. Despite the worms' prevalence among mezcal brands, the larvae are not necessary. And no, it won't make you hallucinate.

What is the best way to drink mezcal?

Sip it neat “The best way to drink mezcal will always be clean, in small sips similar to small kisses, always accompanied by a little water to cleanse the palate and hydrate,” Medina says. “In this way you can appreciate the different flavors and aromas of mezcal.”

What is worm salt?

One of the most popular preparations is Sal De Gusano (worm salt). This involves drying the agave worm and toasting it in a "comal". After it is toasted, it is then mixed with Oaxacan sea salt and dried Oaxacan chile peppers.

What kind of salts does Gran Mitla use?

Gran Mitla also has a variety of of different salts, You can check out their Grasshopper Salt, Habanero Salt, and Hibiscus Salt. A variety pack of all four salts is also available here.

What is the name of the agave worm?

The traditional name for the agave worm is Chinicuil and can also be called gusano de maguey.

What is the best way to serve sal de gusano?

One of the most common ways to serve this type of sal de gusano is on top of orange slices. Others may prefer to top apple or pineapple slices with worm salt.

What did the Aztecs do with agave larvae?

These larvae are pests. If left alone, they’ll grow and eat away at the agave plant. Thus, when Aztecs first started harvesting the agave, they needed a way to dispose of the larvae. Eating them simply turned out to be the most convenient option. The Aztecs apparently loved the taste of the larvae, and the tradition of consuming them was born.

When do agave worms appear in the agave?

It is important to note that they appear in the agave on a seasonal basis (August to September).

Did the Spaniards eat agave worms?

However, when the Spaniards arrived, they adopted much of the native cuisine, but agave worm consumption was not one of them. Its use in cuisine eventually faded away with the exception of some natives that passed down the tradition.

Where does Don Bugito's worm salt come from?

farms are breeding critters for consumption. Martinez sources certain insects locally, but the gusanos in Don Bugito’s worm salt come from Hidalgo, harvested from the fields of agave syrup producers.

What kind of salt does Don Bugito use?

Don Bugito uses red chinicuil worms and New Mexico peppers. Marca Negra, a mezcal brand, makes its worm salt with Oaxacan mije chilies, chunky sea salt, and belatobe worms, which are “not easy to come by and expensive,” according to cofounder Pedro Quintanilla. It’s sold in a handful of states and on Amazon.

Where do worms live in mezcal?

Prized as a source of protein since Pre-Hispanic times, the larvae live in the agave plants used to make tequila and mezcal. Fattened on sweet agave nectar, they might be sautéed and folded into warm tortillas or toasted and ground up with rock salt and dried chile peppers for sal de gusano: worm salt. Until recently, this spicy, smoky condiment was just about impossible to find in the U.S. Thanks to a broader array of Mexican food available and a couple of mezcal brands that started importing their own, sal de gusano is gaining something of a cult following.

Does sal de Gusano cover mezcal?

Unlike the salt-and-lime ritual of tequila shots, sal de gusano is not meant to cover up the taste of mezcal, but rather to complement it. The gentle smoke and spice of the salt adds an extra umami-rich dimension to salsas, cocktails, and ceviche, too.

Is sal de Gusano a part of our roots?

They are not only high in beneficial proteins, but are a part of our roots.”. Each sal de gusano recipe is unique thanks to different varieties of gusano and chile pepper, different ratios of salt to worm to chile pepper, and varying calibers of salt, from iodized to hand-harvested sea salt.

What is Sal de Gusano made of?

Sal de Gusano is made with the larvae of a moth that’s found in the agave plants used for mezcal and tequila production. There’s not only something poetic about consuming the larvae of something originally growing in the product that you are consuming, but it’s also rather efficient. If left to their own devises, these moth larvae can eat up the heart of the agave. So, by removing them, that just leaves more agave to convert into tasty drinks.

Is Sal de Gusano worm salt?

Okay, so the title is a tad misleading. It’s not really “worm” salt, but rather larvae salt. Does that make it sound better? Sal de Gusano is a Mexican condiment, primarily seen in Oaxaca, that comprises toasted and ground up “worms”, chiles and salt. And, while we’ve all heard about the worm in the bottle of mezcal (which is mainly gimmick) Sal de Gusano is something that’s regularly used and consumed.

What is worm salt?

Worm salt, or sal de gusano as it is known in its native Mexico, is a traditional condiment for te quila, cocktails, salsas etc. There is really only one thing you must know about this slightly smoky, savory salt: it’s made out of worms.

Can you use worm salt in mezcal?

If the traditional worm in the bottom of the mezcal bottle, or the recently released English Garden Worm Gin just aren't wormy enough for you, you can use Worm Tequila Salt to get a bit of worm in every bite. But be sure to heed our favorite warning on Firebox's website: "Contains worms, not suitable for vegetarians."

What is worm salt?

Worm salt is like ‘an explosion of salty, spicy flavour’, which experts say helps to bring out the earthy notes of the mezcal. The salt can span the gamut from a little spicy to seriously hot, depending on the recipe used.

Why do farmers remove worms from agave?

The delicacy came about after farmers in Oaxaca noticed that the red worms living on the leaves of their agave were slowly killing the plants, so they started removing them by hand. Not wanting the insects to go to waste, the farmers looked for a way to repurpose the worms into something useful, flavoursome and profitable.

When do worms appear on agave plants?

7.It’s a seasonal delicacy. The worms only appear on agave plants during Mexico’s rainy season, which lasts from May through to July. And because the worms have to be hand-harvested, the process is slow, meaning supply can dry up.

How to make sal de Gusano?

To make sal de gusano, farmers remove the worms from the agave and leave them to dry in the sun, or toast them in a hot oven. The worms are then mixed with chillies and sea salt, ground up, and placed in the sun again to dry out for two to three weeks. The result? A red spicy salt you can use to accent everything from cocktails to ceviche.

What is worm salt?

Sal de Gusano or worm salt, is a traditional condiment that can be found in Mexico and often used for salsas, dips, cocktails, tequilas or even on fresh fruit ( click here to find some featured cocktail drinks to try with your worm salt or Cricket Salt ).

Where is worm salt made?

So you are not alone if you are still wondering what it is and how it is made. Sal de Gusano or worm salt, is a traditional condiment that can be found in Mexico and often used for salsas, dips, cocktails, tequilas or even on fresh fruit. How do you make sal de gusano?

What is the best way to make sal de Gusano?

To start making sal de gusano, you are going to need the “gusano” or worm, used in traditional recipes – these are the Maguey worms that feed on the sweet nectar or roots of the agave plant. Once gathered, the Maguey worms are either sautéed or toasted to prepare them. Next you will want to use a mortar and pestle to grind them up ...

What is worm salt?

At bars throughout Mexico, a small pour of the spirit is commonly flanked by slices of orange, seasoned with a sprinkling of worm salt—that’s right, worm salt, or sal de gusano, is a salt flavored with ground, toasted insects. Before the high-end mezcal brands and bar-bros proselytizing the distinct qualities of agave distilled with breastplates ...

What is salt used for?

The salt is a great way to season sliced fruit plates or crudite platters at home. I also like to use it when seasoning pots of beans or earthy soups, like minestrone or squash. It can sing on platters of simply grilled vegetables—think corn, zucchini, and tomatoes.

What do chinicuil worms eat?

The larvae eat the fleshy interiors of the pencas, the thick, spiny leaves of the plant, fattening and growing sweet until they are 5 to 7 centimeters in ...

What was the salt in the mezcal?

Before the high-end mezcal brands and bar-bros proselytizing the distinct qualities of agave distilled with breastplates of rabbit, there was salt. And in that salt, there were ground worms, a natural evolution of the already common process in Pre-Hispanic México of eating insects.