On the topic of learning, why didn’t anyone ever teach me how good tequila can be? I’m all for drinking as infotainment now, but back in the old days, tequila was just a quick means to a sloppy end. Jose and Pepe were on my top shelf, but only because it was a good hiding place.Last night I hit Spitfire’s new first Thursday event, where chef James Earl pairs bites from its Latin-inspired menu with classy top-shelf tequilas. When I tasted the Herradura Anejo with my sub-worthy Meatballs in Spicy Chipotle Sauce, I was nicely surprised by how rich and smooth the anejo (tequila aged more than one year) was compared the esophagus-rippers of yore. I’m still not sure I really got the concept of pairing tequila with food, though. Maybe it’s because I got so dizzy every time I took a deep sniff.But say your tequila consumption usually involves teaching someone how to lick, shoot, and squeeze. Twenty bucks will show you that not all tequila requires a shudder; in fact, some of it is downright sip-able, which means maybe you can drink three generous pours of tequila without ending up on the floor. The food is better than your average sports bar fare, and much more creative, but the tasting is just bites – so expect to buy a little more food at the end.And no, you are not encouraged to spit. Bring your driver.SPITFIREThree-course top-shelf tequila pairing menu, first Thursday of each month for 20072219 4th Avenue(206) 441-7966