In the land of Pisco... Pisco Sour Day
Cocktail Magazine edition No 50, grateful for the opportunity.
Another important day for Pisco during the year that, by mistake, I didn't include in my previous article. It would be number 8 on the list. It goes like this: on October 18th, 2007, through National Directive Resolution No. 1180/INC, the National Institute of Culture, today the Ministry of Culture, declares the "Pisco Sour", a traditional cocktail that's part of the republican cuisine of Peru, a cultural heritage of the nation. This is worth noting.
I bring this up because the "Conapisco" (National Pisco Commission), of which I'm a member as an associate of "ASPERCAT" (Peruvian Association of Tasters), asked me to participate in some interviews for different media outlets for Pisco Sour Day. As we all know, this event has been celebrated every year since 2004 on the first Saturday of February. We can even say that it's not only celebrated in Peru but all over the world. Bars, hotels, restaurants, barwomen or bartenders celebrate it and make it.
These interviews allow us to show the work of "Conapisco", which is a multisectoral commission of a permanent nature made up of producers, tasters & different organizations, both private and state. The mission is to promote this cocktail, responsible consumption, the Pisco A.O. "Appelation of Origin", as well as supporting the national promotion of the flagship drink of our nation. The coronavirus pandemic and the health crisis that ensued from it have seriously affected the pisco sector, especially with a considerable drop in sales during 2020 and 2021. For example, according to "Produce," from 5.5 million liters in 2019, total sales in the following year were 4.9 million, and between January & November 2021, 5.8 million were sold. This latest increase is due to the resumption of economic activities, the relaxation of social immobilization, and the capacities in hotels and restaurants.
I consider that the activity in this sector is very fragile and depends on many factors, especially the field. Without the presence of small and medium-sized farmers, some of whom only produce pisco grapes, it would be impossible to make the drink in question. They have been among the most affected in the midst of the pandemic context. Likewise, those who produce it have also seen their incomes reduced during this crisis. Let us remember that more than 500 authorizations for the use of the Pisco A.O. were granted, and on that list, we also find the majority of producers. One of our tasks as "Conapisco" is to support the reactivation of sector activities, recovering the levels of consumption affected by the Covid-19 health emergency. We are working on that.
Allow me to leave a final message. In one of the interviews, I was served several cocktails, one of them being a "Pisco Sour," as I consider the others simply "sours." On Saturday, February 5th, we celebrate Pisco Sour Day, of which there is only one recipe. There's no other. There is no "classic," nor for chicha morada, passion fruit, or mango. We call those cocktails chicha morada, passion fruit & mango sour, respectively. The first Saturday of February is not the day to celebrate "sours." Otherwise, we celebrate the day of our most outstanding cocktail, Cultural Heritage of the Nation. I propose scheduling another day for the others types of sours. Always with responsibility.
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
@elmagozurdo
Cocktail Magazine No. 50, march 07, 2022.
Cocktail magazine (spanish) in issuu
Pisco & music
March 2022.
Where pisco is the only protagonist!
#lapiscoteca #piscosour #winelover #pisco #pasionporlacata #bar #elpiscoesdelperu #vino #vinosdelperu #pisco #piscolover #Lima #Peru #Moquegua #Tacna #Arequipa #Ica
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