{"id":2529,"date":"2021-10-04T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/?p=2529"},"modified":"2021-10-04T09:01:56","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:01:56","slug":"national-taco-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/national-taco-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Taco Day: All About this Mexican Street Food"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"567\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054041\/daniel-arriola-v-UlAEJTSVw-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"taco\" class=\"wp-image-2530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054041\/daniel-arriola-v-UlAEJTSVw-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054041\/daniel-arriola-v-UlAEJTSVw-unsplash-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>October 4th marks National Taco Day in the US. A staple of Mexican street food, cooks can make this dish in a variety of different ways with a myriad of different ingredients. In today\u2019s blog, we\u2019re diving into the history behind this perfect hand-food. Plus, the plethora of variations it comes in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-is-a-taco\">What is a Taco?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A taco is a traditional Mexican dish. It consists of a small hand-sized corn or wheat tortilla topped with a filling. To eat, the tortilla folds arounds the filling. Eaters can use their hands. The filling includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Beef<\/li><li>Pork<\/li><li>Chicken<\/li><li>Seafood<\/li><li>Beans<\/li><li>Vegetables&nbsp;<\/li><li>Cheese<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, other garnishes include condiments such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Salsa<\/li><li>Guacamole<\/li><li>Sour Cream<\/li><li>Queso<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And, other vegetables such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Lettuce<\/li><li>Onion<\/li><li>Tomatoes<\/li><li>Chiles<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The taco is similar to other antojitos (Mexican street food) such as: the <em>burrito, <\/em>which is larger and rolled rather than folded; the <em>taquitos<\/em> which are rolled and fried; and, <em>tostadas<\/em> which is when the tortilla is fried before filling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"460\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054058\/jeswin-thomas-z_PfaGzeN9E-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054058\/jeswin-thomas-z_PfaGzeN9E-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054058\/jeswin-thomas-z_PfaGzeN9E-unsplash-300x195.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-its-history\">Its History<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The origin of the taco is not precisely known. In fact, the word is a Mexican innovation as in the <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.gooroo.com\/courses\/webinar-spanish-speaking-countries-history-culture-and-useful-expressions\/374\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spanish<\/a> language, in other contexts, it means \u201cwedge; plug; short, stocky person; or short, thick piece of wood\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because the taco predates the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico. There is evidence that the indigenous people living there traditionally ate the dish filled with small fish. In fact, this leads to the proposal that the word actually derives for the Nahuatl \u201ctlacho\u201d meaning \u201chalf\u201d or \u201cin the middle\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-traditional-and-non-traditional-variations\">Traditional and Non-Traditional Variations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As we mentioned, we can prepare a taco in a number of different ways. First, let\u2019s start with the traditional variations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-traditional\">Traditional<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Al Pastor. <\/strong>\u201cShepherd Style\u201d these tortillas fill with thin pork steaks seasoned with adobo seasoning. These steaks flame-broil rotisserie style.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>De Asador.<\/strong> This dish is composed of any of the following: carne asada; tripe, grilled until crisp; and, chorizo asado. Each type serves with two overlapped small tortillas garnished with guacamole, salsa, onions, and cilantro,&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>De Cabeza.<\/strong> \u201cHead Tacos\u201d. A flat punctured metal plate (from which steam emerges) cooks the head of the cow. Thus including: <em>cabeza<\/em>, a serving of the muscles of the head; <em>sesos<\/em> \u201cbrains\u201d; <em>lengua<\/em> \u201ctongue\u201d; <em>cachete <\/em>\u201ccheeks\u201d; <em>trompa <\/em>\u201clips\u201d; and <em>ojo <\/em>\u201ceye\u201d. The tortillas are served warm, in pairs, and also include salsa, onion and cilantro.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>De Camarones.<\/strong> Translating to \u201cshrimp\u201d, they originate in Baja California, in Mexico. Grilled of fried shrimp find themselves paired with lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado, and sour cream. This fills a corn or flour tortilla.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"709\" height=\"398\" src=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054118\/jarett-lopez-6WHl6T-fxU0-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054118\/jarett-lopez-6WHl6T-fxU0-unsplash.jpg 709w, https:\/\/gooroo-blog.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/2021\/10\/04054118\/jarett-lopez-6WHl6T-fxU0-unsplash-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>De Cazo.<\/strong> First, a metal bowl filled with lard serves as a deep-fryer. In it meats such as tripe, tender beef cuts, and oesophagus cooks. The name translates to \u201cbucket\u201d.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>De Lengua.<\/strong> This \u201cbeef tongue\u201d filling has its meat cooked in water with onions, garlic, and bay leaves for several hours until soft and tender. Then, it\u2019s sliced and saut\u00e9ed with oil. It is said that only real taquerias offer this dish.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>De Pescado.<\/strong> Again, originating in Baja California this dish is similar to the \u201cshrimp\u201d variation but with grilled or fried fish instead.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>Sudados.<\/strong> This \u201csweaty\u201d tortilla fills with a spicy meat mixture and is placed in a basket covered with cloth. Thus, keeping the dish warm and trapping steam (\u201csweat\u201d) which softens them.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As an accompaniment to the dish, sliced red radishes, lime slices, salt, and pickled or grilled chilies come with the taco.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"h-non-traditional\">Non-Traditional<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As the taco popularised around the world, other countries made their own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gooroo.com\/blog\/lasagna\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">variation<\/a> of the dish.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Hard Shell.<\/strong> This crispy shell is a tradition developed int he United States. While the filling is similar, the corn tortilla is crisp-fried. Thus, making it harder for it to maintain its shape.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Native American. <\/strong>Also known as Navajo tacos, this dish uses fry bread instead of tortillas. Tradition indicates they came into play in the 1860s when the government forced the tribe to relocate from their homeland in Arizona.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And there you have it \u2014 the many varieties of the diverse taco! Which will you be eating today?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>October 4th marks National Taco Day in the US. A staple of Mexican street food, cooks can make this dish in a variety of different ways with a myriad of different ingredients. In today\u2019s blog, we\u2019re diving into the history behind this perfect hand-food. Plus, the plethora of variations it comes in.&nbsp; What is a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":2530,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2648,2126],"tags":[2678,2677,2676,2679],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v16.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about this history of this Mexican Street Food this National Taco Day. 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