Tacos in Mexico

Did you know that tacos can talk? In fact they speak Spanish, and if the subtitles to the Netflix series "Taco Chronicles" are accurate, the taco voices are rather poetic in describing their own savory excellence. The six episodes are narrated by many experts and taco lovers as well as the voices of the tacos. From them, I have learned many many things about the culture of tacos in Mexico City and in many regions of the country. Tacos go with beer -- but there are morning tacos that ease your hangover. Despite the stereotype that we USA foodies have accepted, Mexican tacos can use either  flour or corn tortillas, depending on the region and the type of taco. Lovers of tacos include people of all professions, social classes, wealth or poverty, and all ages including kids. And it looks to me as if a typical portion of tacos would be enormous!

The types of tacos considered: al pastor, carnitas, canasta (that is, tacos placed in a "canasta" or special basket for street vending), carne asada, barbacoa, and guisado. Just about all of them consist of a tortilla, highly-spiced meat filling, and the diner's choice of salsas and guacamoles. Fillings other than meat that I associate with tacos in the USA like beans, rice, ground beef preparations, eggs, vegetables, and the like are classified as "guisado" -- stew, explained in the final episode. 

The most flamboyant seller of "basket tacos" -- Lady Basket Tacos.
One day selling tacos at the Pride Parade, Lady Basket Tacos
realized how to create a persona. As I say, the
presentation of taco people is amazing.

Native Mexican peoples before the European conquest cultivated corn, agave, tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, and chile peppers that go into the tacos. In the sixteenth century Spanish conquistadors introduced the animals that provide the meat -- cattle, pigs, sheep, goats. Native cooking methods using brick-lined pits were in use by the pre-columbian Mexican peoples. This part of  history is explained in cute little cartoons. Around a century ago, Lebanese immigrants introduced the vertical grills used for the al pastor tacos, but the meat was changed from traditional Middle Eastern lamb to pork seasoned with Mexican spices. In sum: tacos are fusion food and innovation is a constant!

As you watch, you see the workplaces of tortilla makers, of ranchers who raise the meat, of butchers and pit masters, of farmers who cultivate agave plants for flavoring salsa and for leaves in which to wrap meat, of the owners of taco stands, sellers in the main market of Mexico City, and even the foundry belonging to a traditional metal shop that makes huge kettles for cooking meat. Each episode is very fast, moving from place to place and taco to taco. The continuity in my view comes from the ecstatic diners who are munching into meaty, spicy, and usually greasy tacos.

Reading the subtitles is sometimes a bit distracting because there's so much going on: there are just a few snatches of conversation in English. In particular, a couple of episodes include taquerias in Los Angeles; however, the show is all Mexican-created, filmed, directed, and so on.

I would say that the director, Carlos Pérez Osorio, is a match for David Gelb who directed many of my other favorite food Netflix! Numerous interviews with food writers, chefs, taco makers, and intellectuals like anthropologists take place in what seems to be a split second. I enjoyed every bit, though I think I would only enjoy eating some of the tacos. Especially doubtful: one special salsa is made with some type of grub-like worms that grow in the roots of the agave plant. No thanks!

Tacos for Dinner in my House

When we eat tacos, we have lots of vegetables on them. In the photo, you
can see lettuce, cucumber, pickled pepper, chopped up roast beef, melted cheese,
corn salsa (from Trader Joe of course), and also other salsa. The flour tortilla
is suspected by American taco lovers, but in fact turns out to be favored
for use in at least one of the regional taco specialties.

Watching food shows on Netflix is one of many ways to
pass the time in isolation from the coronavirus. We have
begun to order curbside service for groceries and wine
from local markets -- photo is of one order, just so you know!

This post copyright © 2020 by mae sander for maefood dot blog spot dot com.
Photos from the Netflix episodes are screen shots. Other photos are my own originals.
A big thank you to the blog Beth Fish Reads  for pointing out this series, which was released last summer.