Before Patron appeared on the scene in 1989, super-premium tequila was virtually unknown in the U.S. The category has grown 800% since 2002, fueled by a massive surge of interest in upscale spirits and craft cocktails.

In back to back posts, we took an in-depth look at Casa Noble, one of the category leaders. We first reviewed their relatively new single barrel tequilas, and then conducted an interview with Jose' "Pepe" Hermosillo, who founded the brand in 1997 with Carlos Hernandez. Pepe's family has been involved in making tequila since the 1700s, and he was gracious enough to share his passion with us.

As you may know, the FDA recently mandated that chain restaurants include calorie counts on their menus. This has led to some very scary scenarios for those who read the fine print. The undisputed holder of America's Most Unhealthy Appetizer goes to the Loaded Bloomin' Onion at Outback Steakhouse, which weighs in at 2,360 calories when you include the dipping sauces. No wonder nearly 40% of the country is obese.

Here are the recent posts:

The Single Barrel Tequilas from Casa Noble

Talking Tequila with Pepe Hermosillo

The Unhealthiest Appetizer in America