Cinco de Mayo celebrations are just around the corner, and Sacramento has its tequila bases covered. Made from the blue agave plant, tequila is a beverage whose journey to the table is not a speedy one. The agave plant must grow in the soil for 10 years, enduring drought, wind and pests, and, once harvested, must mature for an additional five years. But thanks to area restaurants, Sacramento won’t have to wait quite so long for a taste of the sweet spirit. In the coming week, there are plenty of opportunities in Sacramento to grab a margarita, check out a tequila tasting or indulge in the pairing of traditional Mexican cuisine and fine tequila. ZÓCALO For the chance to sample boutiqu

Sacramentans in the mood for specially made cocktails need to look no further than Midtown this week. The annual Midtown Cocktail Week kicks off on Monday with seven nights filled to the brim with cocktail culture. Co-founder Joe Anthony Savala began the event in 2008 with Erick Castro after attending San Francisco’s Cocktail Week. “We really love the whole Midtown vibe and how it’s growing, so [we thought,] let’s put something together here,” Savala said. After some planning in conjunction with local restaurants and bars in Midtown and some help from San Francisco’s best bars, MCW was born. In 2009, the Midtown Business Association joined in. MCW is more than just enjoying beverages,

It takes more than just top-shelf liquor to make a fine cocktail. It takes creativity with quality ingredients, inventive bartenders to mix them and establishments that like to be on the cutting edge. Starting Monday, the second annual Midtown Cocktail Week Sacramento begins a celebration of really good cocktails and the culture behind them: the people, the places, the spirits and the innovation of the city's growing artisan cocktail movement. "The cocktail movement -- it's just a movement toward quality," said 31-year-old bartender Erick Castro, considered by some to be the "godfather" of Sacramento's cocktail scene. "It's like the rebirth of a craft. And when you get down to it, it ju