(Top 5 Mexican, taco, and margarita spots in Nashville at the end)
According to The Oxford dictionary, a taco is a Mexican dish consisting of a fried tortilla, typically folded, filled with various mixtures, such as seasoned meat, beans, lettuce, and tomatoes. According to Wikipedia, a taco is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand sized corn or wheat tortilla topped with a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and cheese, allowing great versatility and variety. According to the Urban dictionary, a taco is a reference to the female… well, I’m not going there. The reference here is purely on the Mexican food item that is just as American, as it is Mexican. If you read my Bio you will have learned that I worked at Taco Bell when I was Sixteen. I get that most people don’t consider Taco Bell to be “authentic” Mexican tacos but for a teenager growing up in Hawaii, it was authentic and a testament to one of my all time favorite foods. Simple yet delightful, how did the taco originate?
The Smithsonian has an intriguing article about Jeffrey M. Pilcher, a professor of history at the University of Minnesota. For the past 20 years, he has investigated the history, politics and evolution of Mexican food, including how Mexican silver miners likely invented the taco, how Mexican Americans in the Southwest reinvented it, and how businessman Glen Bell mass marketed it to Anglo palates via the crunchy Taco Bell shell. The origin of the taco is murky at best but the professor theorizes that it dates back to the silver mines in Mexico around the 18th century, because in those mines the word “taco” referred to the charges they would use to excavate the ore. These were pieces of paper that they would wrap around gunpowder and insert into the holes they carved in the rock face. One of the earliest recollections of the first types of tacos described is called “tacos de minero” or miner’s taco.
Fun fact: The World’s Biggest Taco (in a flour tortilla) was made by the city of Mexicali in 2003. It was 35.9 feet long and included, among other things, 1182 pounds of grilled steak! This is according to the Guinness World Records. Update! In November 2019, the state of Queretaro earned the new Guinness World Record for the biggest carnitas taco. Stretching an entire city block, the enormous taco measured 102 meters long (334.64 feet long) and weighed in at 1200 kilograms (2645.55 pounds) of tortillas and 1507 kilograms (3322.37 pounds) of seasoned pork meat. After the official record and measuring, it was served to 15,000 spectators.
Fun fact: Americans consume over 4.5 Billion tacos each year.
Fun fact: The World’s most expensive taco cost a whopping $25,000. This super deluxe taco made with Kobe beef, beluga caviar and served on a gold flaked taco. The taco is also stuffed with langoustines, black truffle, brie cheese and is fully dressed with homemade salsa. It is served at Frida, the resort’s fine dining enclave specializing in gourmet Mexican cuisine and named after famed artist Frida Kahlo. Frida is located along Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.
Fun fact: Did you know that the founder of Pink Taco restaurant chain Harry Morton is the son of Peter Morton who co-founded Hard Rock Café and the grandson to Arnie Morton who co-founded Morton’s The Steakhouse. Talk about a family tree of restaurateurs.
October 4th is National Taco Day in the United States.
Top 5 Taco Spots
Mas Tacos Por Favor
La Hacienda
Carniceria y Taqueria Don Juan
Taco Mamacita
Taqueria Del Sol
Top 5 Mexican Spots
Saint Anejo
Cerveza Jack’s
Pancho & Lefty’s Cantina
Bakersfield
Nada
Top 5 Margarita Spots
Rosepepper Cantina
Local Taco
Butchertown Hall
Pancho & Lefty’s Cantina
Nada
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