The Skinny on Agave.

 Agave syrup or rather Agave Nectar is becoming more and more popular as a substitute for sugar. I wanted to know more about it so I did what every normal human being does and Googled it. 

The Blue Agave plant comes from Southern Mexico and has to grow at least 7-10 YEARS before it can be harvested and you thought Avocados were slow at 5 years !!! They are big spiky succulents very similar to cactus or Yuccas. Yeah not to be messed with 4 foot spikes can give you a nasty nip!!!

The Aztecs loved this plant and saw it as a gift from the gods... quite sensible really as it is amazing and EVERYONE is starting to use it now as a sugar substitute including Rawists as due to the low processing temperature it is classified as a raw food !!! 

Your friendly spiky Blue Agave plant 

Now the bit we are interested in for Nectar or syrup making is the Pina ... it's the bit that is in the middle of all of those loverly long spikes and is half buried underground as well. 

The Pina looks like this

Yes they are harvested by hand ... so start complaining about the price these guys don't earn a fifth of what's on that bottle !!! 

Have a chat to the poor donkey too who I can absolutely guarantee is paid in room and board !!! 

Agave Syrup is a bit like honey, it is less sweet though than honey and I have to admit I am quite grateful for that. 

For those of you who are a bit canny and might have put 2 and 2 together .. yes Agave is also the plant responsible for this .... yes you guessed it Tequila!!! 

its no wonder really when you have loverly fellas like this... lugging those things to the trucks by hand!!! 

the average Pina can weigh anywhere between 50 - 150lbs !!! that is a whole person !!!! or a pregnant skinny person !!! that's 2 whole people !!! (yeap my mind is still going off on a tangent !!!) 

Not content with being a substitute for sugar and the worlds most sung about adult beverage the humble Agave is also a medicine!!! Yes you read that right the Aztecs and locals have been using is as a skin balm to help itchy skin or mixed with salt as a poultice for open wounds for centuries !!! Modern medicine has found there is a very good reason for this as it has a wonderful ability to stop pus forming !!! yeap it got icky but hey anything that stops nasty open wound infections has to be a good thing. 

So there you have it the skinny on Agave, if you wish to know more then I suggest you do as I did and check out Google or better still you local library!!!