New Podcast Episode: "Mezcal's Dance with Extinction"
When the world suddenly wants an abundance of authentic, homespun goods, how do their authenticity—and the artisans who can only produce them in small quantities—survive?
Dear Friends,
When an artisanal product becomes widely popular, the surge in consumer demand can benefit those who have been handcrafting it for generations—or, it can destroy their traditions, and ultimately their livelihood. Mezcal, the agave-based relative of tequila that has been handcrafted in Mexico for centuries, is now tangling with this conundrum. The spirit hit the global market with a splash in the early 2000s and demand has been growing ever since. But an explosion of truly authentic mezcal is impossible—for reasons our correspondent discovered when she went to Oaxaca to learn how this hyper-local spirit can be sustained.
This week, we bring you a new audio version of “Mezcal’s Dance with Extinction,” written and narrated by Grace Rubenstein. As with all of our podcasts, you can download or play it directly from our site, as well as from a number of popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. You can also read the original story here.
Our Summer issue on “The Craft of Resilience” will continue through mid-July. Each Friday, we release a feature story, short article, mini-documentary, or podcast related to some aspect of our theme. We also try to offer a few stories on other topics each quarter so that there's something for everyone — currently free of charge, and always free of ads. So please, stay tuned.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read — or watch, or listen to — within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause when you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Sincerely,
Todd Oppenheimer
Editor & Publisher, Craftsmanship Quarterly
Summer 2022: The Craft of Resilience
Given our mounting travails these days (climate chaos, ongoing pandemic, worsening summer wildfires, among others), we're focusing this summer on pioneers who are rising to these challenges. From indigenous people in Mexico who reclaimed their ancestral lands from eco-terrorists, to a highly developed community in Italy that holistically treats addiction, you will meet artisans and innovators who are creating unique paths to help people thrive in our fast-changing world. By mixing ingenuity, tenacity, and hope, these brave souls highlight what might be called the craft of resilience.