tequila
A Mexican spirit distilled from the blue agave plant; in cooking it shows up mainly in marinades and pan sauces, contributing an earthy, faintly sweet agave aroma along with alcohol.
Buying guidance
Choose a '100% agave' blanco (unaged, clear) tequila for cooking -- it's the least expensive style, has the cleanest agave flavor, and mixto tequilas (labeled just 'tequila,' blended with other sugars) taste noticeably rougher. There's no need for anything aged (reposado, anejo), since the barrel notes mostly cook off.
Substitutions
- Mezcal -- similar agave base with a smoky edge; use it if you want that smokiness.
- White rum plus a squeeze of lime -- roughly matches the clear-spirit sweetness and acidity, without agave character.
- Lime juice plus a small amount of agave syrup -- nonalcoholic option; gets the tartness and sweetness but none of the aroma alcohol contributes while cooking.
Tips & common mistakes
Unlike wine, its higher alcohol content means a splash poured into a pan near an open flame can flare or ignite -- add it off the heat, or pull the pan away from a gas burner before pouring.
Storage
An unopened or opened bottle keeps indefinitely at room temperature away from direct light -- it doesn't need refrigeration and, unlike wine, won't oxidize or go 'off' once opened.