If this country wants to elect someone with no political experience who is racially insensitive and golfs… In my first 100 days, I will make Taco Tuesday the law.
The humble taco might be the most successful street food to originate in the Western Hemisphere. Thank’s in large part to San Bernadino hot dog entreprenuer Glen Bell “borrowing” his next door neighbors recipe for tacos with a spicy beef filling, which was then transported around the globe by his Taco Bell chain of Tex Mex take out joints, the taco has become one of the world’s most coveted comfort foods. BTW, this episode of Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History delves into the history of Taco Bell (and Pat Boone) to tease out the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation and why Taco Bell is on the latter end of the spectrum.
Anyhow, tacos are great quarantine fare. A taco filling can be made ahead of time in bulk and most freeze well. Tortillas are pretty long lasting delivery devices. Flour tortilla’s last pretty long in the fridge, and corn tortilla’s last even longer and actually freeze really well. And if you want to get even more basic you can make corn tortillas at home pretty easily, the MacGuyver of home cooks Alton Brown has a recipe for each (flour here, corn here.)
I make up a three pound batch of simple ground beef taco filling every couple weeks or so in my Instant Pot and parcel it out over a few days in all sorts of dishes. This Food Network recipe is a pretty good approximation. And of course the simple beef taco is just the beginning, the taco is a great vehicle for exploring new foods. The fun factor is high and the “build it yourself” nature of the dish can help young ones feel more comfortable with new flavors and textures. You can even vegan the crap out of them.
What’s your favorite way to Taco Tuesday? Drop a link or tell us a story in the comments!
PS. This recurring feature will be called Taco Tuesday for alliteration purposes. But it will be about all sorts of food related stuff.
Featured Image: Taco’s by the lovely Sue, Buzz on Flickr, licensed for Creative Commons reuse,
