A History of Tacos
Dame Jen Greenhalgh takes us on a culinary journey to discover the origins of the iconic taco.
It won’t surprise you to know that tacos come from Mexico. But how did they become the uber-popular, globally recognisable thing they are today?
Tacos—which translates simply as “light lunch”—have been around ever since some very clever people discovered that cooking corn in lye water, a process known as nixtamalization, not only makes it taste absolutely incredible and far more complex than fresh corn, but also makes it more digestible and nutritious. When ground, this corn becomes masa, which is the base for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and so much more. It’s literally the foundation of Mexican cuisine.
Americans were introduced to the taco via Mexican immigrants to the West Coast. Arguably, Los Angeles can lay claim to being the place where tacos really caught on with Americans. Women known as “Chili Queens” (which I think is the coolest name ever) sold soft corn tacos and other Mexican street food from carts. These snacks were cheap, fast, and quickly became popular. They evolved into their own “thing.”
Traditional Mexican tacos are often regional recipes, with specific areas known for particular fillings, such as pibil from Yucatán and al pastor from Puebla in central Mexico. These regional recipes, as we know from our own British cuisine, such as Lancashire hotpot, come with rules and expectations. Once tacos crossed the border, those rules and lines disappeared.That’s when the fun really began. Tacos became carriers for crunchy fried fish and mild fruity salsa in California, breakfast tacos in Tex-Mex culture loaded with scrambled eggs, avocado, and sour cream, and they even became Indian or Navajo tacos in New Mexico, where the corn tortilla was swapped for soft, puffy fried dough known as ‘fry bread.’
Chains like Taco Bell, Del Taco, and Moe’s Southwest Grill ran with the taco as a base for pretty much anything they wanted, including minced beef, lettuce, sour cream, and chilli-free, bland-as-beige-wallpaper salsa, now known as “white guy tacos.”Over time, tacos have traversed and transcended socio-economic and cultural lines.The size, simplicity, and price point of a taco creates endless opportunities for playful adaptations, and chefs have taken on this challenge and run with it.
From the staggeringly expensive Kobe beef, truffle, and caviar version, which sold for thousands of dollars at a restaurant in Vegas a few years ago, to Michelin-starred Kol here in London, which has a langoustine, sea buckthorn, and smoked chilli taco on their tasting menu, thousands of versions of tacos appear worldwide every day, including my own homage: Trailer Trash Tacos. I named them for their trashy but tasty fillings. I make everything, including sometimes the tortillas themselves, from scratch, and each one is crafted to be a three-bite wonder with big flavour and soft, chewy, and crunchy textures.
None of my creations could be considered in any way Mexican, and neither could I, but they are made with respect and love for the tacos and their makers who came before.
You can follow my taco adventures here Two Dogs (@twodogsldn) • Instagram photos and videos