A History of Tacos

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  • čas pƙidĂĄn 4. 07. 2022
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    LINKS TO INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT**
    Comal: amzn.to/3u9bxSI
    LINKS TO SOURCES**
    Taco USA by Gustavo Arellano: amzn.to/3u7joQD
    Planet Taco by Jeffrey M. Pilcher: amzn.to/3y1sdwt
    El Cocinero Mexicano: biblioteca.herdez.com.mx/publi...
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    Subtitles: Jose Mendoza | IG @worldagainstjose
    PHOTO CREDITS
    Carnitas, carne asada and al pastor: By Larry Miller - Flickr: Tinos Tacos, Roseburg, Ore., CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
    Flautas: kae71463 via flickr
    Tostadas: Dahyana Yasada R. R., CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Chilaquiles: Victorsmb, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Quesadilla: By Popo le Chien - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
    Street tacos: stu_spivack via flickr
    La Taqueria: Thomassin Mickaël via flickr
    Cumin: Ajay_suresh via flickr
    Cilantro: HitroMilanese, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Hatch Chili: theturquoisetable, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Pupusas en comal: ​​JMRAFFi, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Aztec Calendar Sun Stone: Kim Alaniz via flickr
    #tastinghistory #tacos

Komentáƙe • 3,8K

  • @TastingHistory
    @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +1006

    Thank you to all my Patreon Patrons for their support this past month when I was ill. You all keep me going.

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +58

      You might say they gave you a license to ill.

    • @PoppycockPrincess100
      @PoppycockPrincess100 Pƙed rokem +59

      I didn't know that you had been ill. Really glad you're feeling better!

    • @JanKowalski-wb8ih
      @JanKowalski-wb8ih Pƙed rokem +17

      I SO want to see you on The Hot Ones! I think you're big enough of a celebrity to deserve an episode, but do you think you would be up to the challenge? :D But I'm not in it purely for the spice, I would love to see the chemistry between you and Sean, he is a great host and the questions he asks are just *chef's kiss*

    • @loritahubbard5623
      @loritahubbard5623 Pƙed rokem +11

      I'm so happy you are better. I love your videos.

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +96

      @@loritahubbard5623 thank you! I’m glad I’m better too. That Covid is a beast. My voice is still rough 😆

  • @libiabrenda3148
    @libiabrenda3148 Pƙed rokem +4227

    As a mexican (from the central part of the country), I would say one thing: a taco can be made out of ANYTHING, there is not recipe, you can have a tortilla, put whatever you want in the middle, from fried eggs to leftovers, from a sprinkle of salt to an entire piece of meat, plus salsa and some condiments, make a roll or at least fold it over itself and bum, you have a taco. I know there are specific tacos and recipes, of course, like al pastor or suadero or fish tacos or tacos de canasta, etc, but my point here is that a taco, as a concept, is so ingrained in mexican culture, that coloquially you can say "I'm gonna get a taco" in reference to eat, in general. Taco= food, even if you don't include tortillas. A mexican writer used to say that a tortilla is a plate, a spoon and nourishment, all in one; well, a taco is kinda like that. ✹🙂

    • @federicohanhausen9431
      @federicohanhausen9431 Pƙed rokem +145

      "A que hora vamos a echar el taco?" "At what time are we going to eat?" sin leer tu comentario me di cuenta que escribĂ­ lo mismo casi. que bueno que coincidimos.

    • @jordanlr1577
      @jordanlr1577 Pƙed rokem +33

      Hi from Jalisco :)

    • @jordanlr1577
      @jordanlr1577 Pƙed rokem +71

      @Dick Izzinya Korean BBQ tacos are one of mankind's greatest inventions

    • @BELCAN57
      @BELCAN57 Pƙed rokem +54

      EVERYTHING fits inside A taco. It's sort of the "universal food holder" and I love them !

    • @NoName-ue8kk
      @NoName-ue8kk Pƙed rokem +37

      I just discovered Birria and I'm obsessed

  • @kilotun8316
    @kilotun8316 Pƙed rokem +861

    I love that nearly every culture on the planet has some variation of "delicious food wrapped in starch". It is a great unifier.

    • @PicturesqueGames
      @PicturesqueGames Pƙed rokem +30

      You can thank modern trade for that. That universal "quick to make food wrapped in thin baked bread" is most definitely spread through it. Gyros in Greece, donker kebab in Turkey in 19th century, but probably even earlier examples around the world.

    • @user-zj2iu4lu1z
      @user-zj2iu4lu1z Pƙed rokem +7

      @@PicturesqueGames "Souvlaki" was actually brought by an Armenian in Greece and the term "ÎłÏÏÎżÏ‚" actually in fact refers to the turning process *not* the meat itself. It was *MOST DEFINITELY* never a Neogreek invention. Neogreeks hijacked it as such for marketing purposes. *"Î“ÏÏÎżÏ‚"* literally means "turn (noun)".

    • @user-zj2iu4lu1z
      @user-zj2iu4lu1z Pƙed rokem +1

      @@PicturesqueGames In fact, *I don't think he even invented it.* Lebanese, Armenians and Turkish actually have these kind of recipes *from MIDDLE EAST.* Neogreeks never actually had then beforr until that Armenian who changed his surname to a Neogreek one brought it to Greekistan. Neogreeks being dŃ†ĐŒb-cunning and ֆnДаĐșy made a fool out of foreigners and passed as a Neogreek invention.

    • @user-zj2iu4lu1z
      @user-zj2iu4lu1z Pƙed rokem

      @@PicturesqueGames that is the sneaky neogreek mentality

    • @cathpalug1221
      @cathpalug1221 Pƙed rokem +5

      So I will ask that question: is dumpling a taco?

  • @JoePrice77
    @JoePrice77 Pƙed rokem +425

    An old teacher of mine once told us that “in order to really educate, you first have to entertain.” Let me just say that this is one of the most entertaining and educational shows on all of CZcams. Congrats on all the success, Max
it’s well-deserved!!!

  • @majcrash
    @majcrash Pƙed rokem +320

    The Mexican restaurant that Bell copied his taco recipe from is still operating in San Bernardino, CA. It's called Mitla Cafe, founded in 1937. There are videos about it, if you are interested.

    • @AnahiemerOC
      @AnahiemerOC Pƙed rokem +3

      Wow 😳

    • @jerryhernandez1895
      @jerryhernandez1895 Pƙed rokem +17

      The original Mcdonalds and Taco Bell in San Bernandino. I honestly didn’t know.

    • @johnking6252
      @johnking6252 Pƙed rokem +3

      They used to have some of the best Mexican markets in that town? Don't know anymore. âœŒïžđŸ‘

    • @hildahilpert5018
      @hildahilpert5018 Pƙed 9 měsĂ­ci +4

      Mark Wiens the food blogger went there with some friends.He has a video about it.

    • @squiremuldoon5462
      @squiremuldoon5462 Pƙed 3 měsĂ­ci

      @@hildahilpert5018wow Mark Wiens the food blogger ate somewhere and also made a video about it ? Amazing.

  • @georged.5595
    @georged.5595 Pƙed rokem +2152

    A pre-Columbian recipe with cactus (if possible) would be highly interesting, and since that's not a thing most of us are likely to experience (and you're good at describing the taste of the food), it could possibly help give us some idea even if we never actually try it.

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +932

      I do have plans to make something with cactus đŸŒ”

    • @TakeUpYourCross
      @TakeUpYourCross Pƙed rokem +229

      Where do you live? Here in Texas nopal (cactus) is sold in the produce section of most grocery stores.

    • @georged.5595
      @georged.5595 Pƙed rokem +93

      @@TakeUpYourCross that sounds so cool tbh and I legit didn't know that. I currently live in Germany, I've never been to the USA and would really love to visit one day, especially somewhere on the Southern States, I'm really curious about their cuisines.

    • @agimagi2158
      @agimagi2158 Pƙed rokem +22

      Yes cactus would be really awesome!

    • @naiaddore1797
      @naiaddore1797 Pƙed rokem +76

      I've had grilled cactus before and the flavor's hard to describe but it's pretty good and from my experience it's best to eat it hot, fresh, and small. If it gets cold the texture is not exactly like okra but it's in the neighborhood lol.

  • @The_Kentuckian
    @The_Kentuckian Pƙed rokem +233

    When you're trying to hit a word count for a college essay: "She was a maker of tortillas, a tortilla maker."

    • @jmiquelmb
      @jmiquelmb Pƙed rokem +24

      Hey, if Dickens could ramble when he was paid by word, so can we

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Pƙed rokem +19

      @@jmiquelmb
      Dickens got so used to rambling that he did it even when he _wasn’t_ paid by the page or whatever it was.
      “Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change-not a knocker, but Marley's face.”

    • @mellie4174
      @mellie4174 Pƙed rokem

      Yes!

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +20

      @@ragnkja To be fair to Dickens, rambling sentences that otherwise exist primarily to baffle students of literature two centuries later were kind of the fashion of the time, being as They were Descriptive and Occasionally Oddly Capitalised as the Narrator saw Fit.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Pƙed rokem +6

      @@SimuLord
      Serialised stories were quite popular at the time, so Dickens was hardly the only one who had an incentive to ramble.

  • @_meeps
    @_meeps Pƙed rokem +122

    A little historical addition: Glen Bell took his original crunchy taco recipe from a little restaurant in the west side of San Bernardino located on Route 66 called Mitlas Cafe. They are a cornerstone of the community and have been in continuous operation by the same family since 1937. If you ever find yourself in the area it’s still a great place to eat.

    • @mikeh6177
      @mikeh6177 Pƙed 11 měsĂ­ci +8

      â€đŸ‘ Mitlas IS still great! The grandson is running it now, to my last understanding, and doing it wonderfully imo

  • @isaimojica2804
    @isaimojica2804 Pƙed rokem +303

    As a Mexican we know that once you put something into a tortilla it become a taco , no matter what you put in there (tortilla is basically our bred for every food ,every day)

    • @AnahiemerOC
      @AnahiemerOC Pƙed rokem +5

      This comment says it all LoL

    • @nattance1
      @nattance1 Pƙed rokem +9

      My Texas Spanish teacher defined a "taco" as a "sandwich on a tortilla instead of on sliced bread."

    • @FuturoAnacronico
      @FuturoAnacronico Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci +5

      if the tortilla is fried and hard, its called tostada. Tacos start with a soft nixtamal tortilla, you can fry it and your taco is fried, like flautas. but if you start with a tostada, then its a tostada. If the tostada is flat, irregular or it has a U Shape. Its still a tostada. In some places they have dobladitas, which are fresh hand made tortillas filled with salsa, sometimes cheese, they are soaked in salsa and fried, like a fancy taco de canasta. Tostadas and tacos are different things. the US hard tacos are tostadas.

    • @HinataUchihaInuzuka9
      @HinataUchihaInuzuka9 Pƙed 9 měsĂ­ci +1

      "When there's a will, there's a taco."

    • @ozymandias3456
      @ozymandias3456 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci +3

      I had a Mexican coworker and she said that after big celebration dinners the next day they’d have leftover tacos and I found it cute that we both had the equivalent of something like a thanksgiving dinner leftover sandwich

  • @JWRogersPS
    @JWRogersPS Pƙed rokem +199

    I think of the word "taco" being similar to the word "sandwich" in that it doesn't mean a specific dish, but a group of dishes mad in a similar fashion.

    • @farrex0
      @farrex0 Pƙed rokem +23

      Precisely, I live in Mexico and this is exactly how it is used. We even casually say things like "I am going to make it a taco" just by heating some tortillas and eating it in a tortilla. As far as I can tell, a taco is anything eaten inside a tortilla while the tortilla is still soft. If the tortilla gets hard it is called a tostada, which means toasted.

    • @shammydammy2610
      @shammydammy2610 Pƙed rokem +5

      @@farrex0 But some tacos are in a hard shell that started off as soft at the beginning of the process. The traditional tacos in the area of Mexico I live in are corn tortillas, stuffed with potato, and then fried.

    • @farrex0
      @farrex0 Pƙed rokem +8

      @@shammydammy2610 Yeah, I have tasted those. But as I said, fried tacos are extremely different from hard shell, tho.
      Fried tacos aren't like tostadas which are crumbly. Fried tacos still retain some of the softness and likeness to a tortilla. And while they can get a bit crispy, they NEVER get crumbly.
      Hard shell is what happens when you fry the tortilla by itself, which becomes like a tostada or chips.
      It is like comparing glass, and metal. Both might be hard, but one bends while the other breaks.

    • @KikeNavarrete68
      @KikeNavarrete68 Pƙed rokem

      @@farrex0 well here in cdmx we have the tacos de seso or brains tacos, and are fried tacos super crispy and the flautas too are super crispy

    • @borjesvensson8661
      @borjesvensson8661 Pƙed rokem

      @@farrex0 Run across that exact thing but with toast on a show about food in rationing europe. a sandwitch filled with a piece of toast with some salt and pepper on!

  • @teesiemom
    @teesiemom Pƙed rokem +466

    When you mentioned Bell opening his taco stand in Cali. in 1964, it sparked an incredible memory for me! My dad was stationed at Port Hueneme naval Base near Oxnard in 1966 during the Vietnam war, so we had moved from New Orleans where we had been living (originally from MS), to the base. I was wasn't quite 7 at the time, but I remember my mom taking us out in our big old red and white Dodge sedan (yeah, it had the back fins😄) to get lunch, and for some reason she chose a Taco Bell. I distinctly remember sitting on the back good of the car, in the shade, holding my very first taco, wrapped in paper, with half of it uncovered, and mom showing me how to tilt my head so all the filling didn't fall out on my clothes! 😄 Wow, talk about a trip into history! My folks are gone now, and my 63rd birthday is in 4 days. Thanks for bringing such a wonderful memory back to me, Max. It's a fabulous birthday gift! đŸ˜Šâ€

    • @DangerSquiggles
      @DangerSquiggles Pƙed rokem +24

      Thats a very precious memory. Thanks for sharing it Teresa!

    • @pkg8709
      @pkg8709 Pƙed rokem +12

      Happy Birthday!

    • @lisahinton9682
      @lisahinton9682 Pƙed rokem +7

      @Teresa Hobgood
      What a lovely memory, Teresa. Happy almost birthday to you! The question is, how did your mom know how to eat a taco so the filling wouldn't fall out? (I imagine there were no taco stands or Mexican restaurants in MS or in Louisiana back in the 1960s. Had she traveled? Born in Latin America? Something else? Just curious! :-) )
      Hope you have a marvelous birthday, Teresa. :-)

    • @katarjin
      @katarjin Pƙed rokem +3

      Eyyy, My dad was stationed in Point Mugu around 2000 went to Hueneme often , kinda miss that area now that I am all the way on the East Coast

    • @SoleMan117
      @SoleMan117 Pƙed rokem

      Was your dad a Sea Bee?

  • @fruitlooprainbow
    @fruitlooprainbow Pƙed rokem +326

    "I'm not going to say Mexican food...". Classic Max, truthful and accurate.

    • @gdiaz8827
      @gdiaz8827 Pƙed rokem +1

      Mex

    • @texmex8815
      @texmex8815 Pƙed rokem +5

      Mexican food. Yall always want to take that from us like yall done to other cultures

    • @babaghanoush1124
      @babaghanoush1124 Pƙed rokem +48

      @@texmex8815 He was referring to Taco Bell being not Mexican food, unless you’d like to claim dog meat advertised by a chihuahua as yours?

    • @alalalala57
      @alalalala57 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci +1

      ​@@nateman10You love Taco Bell that much? I mean, you can have it lol.

    • @Itzpapalotl.
      @Itzpapalotl. Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci +2

      @@texmex8815Seriously. Mexican living in the UK, all the Americans from Michigan claiming Mexican food as their own 🙄

  • @ludwiggarnica
    @ludwiggarnica Pƙed rokem +96

    Tacos sudados, while bathed in oil, still retain the softness of the tortilla. Tacos dorados on the other hand are deep fried to the point where the tortilla becomes hardened

  • @legoqueen2445
    @legoqueen2445 Pƙed rokem +421

    I'm Australian and was at Venice Beach near some restaurants. There was a sign announcing Taco Tuesday on the pavement. I saw a young guy, maybe in his twenties, just going about his business when he saw the sign and out loud said "Taco Tuesday!" and sort of hit himself in the head in devastation for forgetting it was Taco Tuesday. Then he carried on doing whatever he was doing. As a tourist it was probably the funniest thing I saw when I was in L.A. except when the Scientologist woman kept grabbing my arm to try to drag me to their blue building because she thought my son and I were genuinely interested in Scientology. We were asking her a lot of questions not because we wanted to sign up but because we thought it was hilarious that actual Scientologist stand around street corners in West Hollywood trying to convert people.

    • @timmccarthy872
      @timmccarthy872 Pƙed rokem +113

      Tacos and scientology: The Los Angeles experience

    • @mellie4174
      @mellie4174 Pƙed rokem

      Be careful... They might try to kidnap you!

    • @mirnasimmi4901
      @mirnasimmi4901 Pƙed rokem +24

      Shit that sounds like a cool asf experience, usually when i go to LA i get told through a mega phone that if i dont accept God, I'm going to hell. See im broke asf so they'd probably have me leave when they found out.

    • @ThePhaeriephox
      @ThePhaeriephox Pƙed rokem +25

      Oh, I'm surprised they (Scientologists) still try that. I remember when they had a place in Westwood back in the 80s and they tried that with us. With all of the exposure about them these days, they're usually a bit more low key. Gold Base is not that far from where I live. SCARY!
      Oh and yes...Taco Tuesday is definitely a thing! 😁

    • @ashleysovilla2037
      @ashleysovilla2037 Pƙed rokem +7

      That’s where I grew up. Sounds about right! Lol

  • @lisaspikes4291
    @lisaspikes4291 Pƙed rokem +313

    I worked with a guy who was of Mexican heritage, and he told me that in his house growing up, a taco was a snack that consisted of any kind of leftovers inside a tortilla.

    • @testicool013
      @testicool013 Pƙed rokem +2

      Mexican heritage? You mean Spanish conquistador heritage

    • @i2ndsight
      @i2ndsight Pƙed rokem +54

      @@testicool013 Often, when Europeans say "Mexican" they mean Native Americans, but when Mexican people say "Mexican", they mean a person with some European or Conquistador heritage. My dad referred to us as Mexican, because we are of Irish-French heritage, while he called darker people either Indios, usually saying the tribe name, or the Spanish word for black, or Veracrusano for Mexicans of African heritage. I know language was a bit coarser in the 1920s, and I still criticize racist usage. Not all Mexicans are of Conquistador descent unless you do not consider Native Mexicans as Mexican.

    • @Corrodias
      @Corrodias Pƙed rokem +22

      As an American, near as I can tell, in Tex-Mex cuisine (I know nothing about actual Mexican cuisine), the only real difference among tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and taquitos is how the tortilla is folded. And fajitas, enchiladas, and chimichangas are just minor variations on those.

    • @farrex0
      @farrex0 Pƙed rokem +21

      Yep, I love Max but I think he wanted to sell controversy when there is none. Everyone I know agrees on that definition. A taco is just any food inside a tortilla. A tortilla is called a tortilla when it is soft, if it becomes hard it is called a tostada.
      Fried tacos (taco dorado) are still soft. Hard shell is not a taco, because it has a tostada.
      Imagine as if, taco is a sandwich and tostada is a toast. Which interestingly enough, tostada means toasted.

    • @testicool013
      @testicool013 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@i2ndsight yes but people will always differentiate between native Americans and white Americans and would never refer to people with American heritage,fairly racist really

  • @marthdaeglin
    @marthdaeglin Pƙed rokem +52

    I had a coworker from Mexico for a while. He would often offer me one of the chilis that he brought with his lunch. He said for a Mexican lunch you have to take a bite of your lunch followed by a bite of green chili. Some days he'd hand me a jalapeño, other days a serrano. When I asked why he got different types he replied that it didn't matter to him as long as they were green.

    • @Fulcrum205
      @Fulcrum205 Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci +7

      He wasn't totally wrong. Chili peppers are hotter or milder depending on growing conditions and when they are picked. I used to grow a bunch of different peppers including anchos, jalapeños, and Serrano. Some years the jalapeños are hotter. 1 weird year my usually mild anchos were hot as fire. Once, I had cherry tomatoes growing in the same planter with the Serrano and the tomatoes were spicy.

  • @georgewebber6313
    @georgewebber6313 Pƙed rokem +75

    I work in a Tex-Mex restaurant. And when he talked about cutting up the chiles without gloves. I laughed. I know the effects of "spicy hand". LOL

    • @missvidabom
      @missvidabom Pƙed rokem +6

      It feels great when it gets under your nails and won’t. Wash. Off.

    • @user-sw4qd2up2s
      @user-sw4qd2up2s Pƙed rokem +9

      I learned the hard way while working with spicy chilis without gloves....and then using the bathroom, or rubbing your eyes.
      I always use gloves now when working with spicy product.

    • @hege4318
      @hege4318 Pƙed rokem +1

      I used chili just a few hours ago, and just used scissors đŸ˜…đŸ€Ł Often also use a knife, but never gloves 😅 Never had a problem with it 😅

    • @shadowmancy9183
      @shadowmancy9183 Pƙed rokem +1

      Habanero was a fun experience. About as bad as tear gas.

    • @hanson544
      @hanson544 Pƙed rokem +7

      I fried a few pounds of homegrown habaneros in a wok. I finely minced the habanero without gloves and then fried it all at once. The spicy hand lasted at least 2 days and the fumes from frying the habanero spread throughout the air and made the air spicy. Everyone on the first floor had to evacuate LOL

  • @RicardoLuna
    @RicardoLuna Pƙed rokem +419

    A small note: The author mentions this can be done with xitomate or tomate. In the center of Mexico we call Jitomates (Xitomate) to what you usually call red tomatoes. And we call "tomate" what you would call green tomatoes.
    It's possible that the author intended this recipe to be made with red tomatoes since he mentions "xitomates" and then just clarify that in other parts those are called "tomates".

    • @RicardoLuna
      @RicardoLuna Pƙed rokem +54

      Or it's possible the author says this can be done with both red or green tomatoes. Which is a little weird because we don't consider those interchangeable nowadays.

    • @LostSwiftpaw
      @LostSwiftpaw Pƙed rokem +40

      Wait really? That might be a regional thing. Both my parents are immigrants, my mom is from Leon and says Jitomate, my dad is from Durango and says tomate (Tomatillo for green tomatoes). Me and my dad moved back to Durango later on and ive noticed that younger people use Tomate but elders use Jitomate. Really interesting!

    • @bastet9994
      @bastet9994 Pƙed rokem +28

      @@LostSwiftpaw it is a regional thing. Nobody from the center of the country would use the word "tomatillo" (and even less "tomatiio" or whatever sound you guys from the north give to the"ll") the green one is always just tomate or tomate verde.

    • @RicardoLuna
      @RicardoLuna Pƙed rokem +19

      @@LostSwiftpaw Practically everywhere outside central and west Mexico people say tomate and "tomate verde", so, i'ts possible that modern communication is deprecating jitomates.
      But I can tell you in Guadalajara even big store chains like WalMart call it jitomate.

    • @Losttoanyreason
      @Losttoanyreason Pƙed rokem +24

      Mexico like the US is going to have regional variations on names of plants and foods. Especally in the countryside in small towns and villages away from the big cities. One of the main issues with old recipes is insuring you are using the actual ingrediants listed in the recipe and measurements as measurements really only became standard in the 20th centery. Ask Townsend who does the reinactment cooking. Even today a Britich cup is not the same as an American cup.

  • @GotEmAll1337
    @GotEmAll1337 Pƙed rokem +688

    As time marches on, it slowly becomes obvious the genius of your channel here. You basically have unlimited content to work with that's educational, entertaining AND that people can interact with/cook for themselves. And you do it in a superbly professional manner. Well done man, this is S-tier CZcams

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +94

      What a compliment! Thank you

    • @dayc5933
      @dayc5933 Pƙed rokem +6

      TIME MARCHES ON METALLICA

    • @angryoatman766
      @angryoatman766 Pƙed rokem

      @@dayc5933 TAKE A LOOK TO THE SKY JUST BEFORE YOU DIE

    • @IAmNotYourProblem
      @IAmNotYourProblem Pƙed rokem +7

      I thought the same when I first found this channel- there are so many foods and recipes, he will never run out of ideas for videos. Foods are a constant in human history, and so many ingredients have a history of their own. This channel could make an episode a week for YEARS and not run out of content

    • @stashzero8300
      @stashzero8300 Pƙed rokem +4

      @@TastingHistory He's right! I don't know if you'll see this but this channel has certainly inspired me to be a home cook and I am now writing my first recipe book. This channel is a wealth of knowledge and we really couldn't thank you enough for you and people like you making all our lives better with this fabulous food.

  • @BVtok26
    @BVtok26 Pƙed rokem +37

    When you were saying how taco meant everything else besides the food it reminded me of when I was a kid (native spanish speaker but non-mexican) and encountered the word taco meaning the food for the first time. I spent my early childhood in the Dominican Republic before returning to the US and the word taco to me meant a high heeled shoe. I remember looking at the elementary school lunch menu in the US, seeing tacos were going to be served, and being REALLY confused as to why they were going to serve woman's shoes as a meal. Someone described to me what it was but I just pictured a hard tortilla shell shaped in the form of a woman's shoe, filled w/ meat and shredded cheese where the foot would normally go. I had never had mexican food before so I thought that it was some strange and elaborate mexican dish. I was confused but also very curious to see these edible shoes. When I finally saw what it was I thought that the english speakers at the school must have mistranslated something...or something very strange was going on w/ mexican spanishđŸ€š
    Years later I learned from some mexican friends that high heels to them are called tacones but to me tacones are the thick, chunky heeled version of a high heeled shoe, not the thin ones which are tacos. So if I'm with family and speaking in spanish the word taco will first and foremost mean a high heeled shoe... w/ the mexican/american food being a minor, secondary meaning since it's not a food we would typically eat so it would almost never come up in conversation w/ that meaning.

    • @ceemartin5624
      @ceemartin5624 Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci +3

      In Spanish, the heels of a shoe is called 'tacĂłn' (tacones in plural). High heels would be 'tacones altos'.

  • @vcat8136
    @vcat8136 Pƙed rokem +27

    The whole “the spicy is coming in waves” made me laugh. 😂 Great description! As a Texan who has brought many out of state relatives to Mexican restaurants
I know that look! đŸ€Ł

  • @mistertaz94
    @mistertaz94 Pƙed rokem +727

    I am 100% convinced this episode is the result of Jose just going "Honey, I'm fine with all these exotic foods you make for your channel, but can we have tacos tonight?" Lol

    • @samanthastahl7041
      @samanthastahl7041 Pƙed rokem +13

      đŸ€ŁđŸ€ŁđŸ€Ł

    • @AM-hf9kk
      @AM-hf9kk Pƙed rokem +47

      See, I though there was a Hispanic in the house! I had to go back to make sure I didn't mis-hear something when he "Accidentally got Serranos, and they're ten times hotter." Does not compute! About the only thing Serrano and Poblano have in common is that they're green! Serrano are short and skinny and very firm while Poblano are much much larger and wider and slightly soft. Having just made a big pot of chili (kitchen sink / chili beans / tex-mex), I just roasted a handful of each.

    • @seileach67
      @seileach67 Pƙed rokem +75

      @@AM-hf9kk Jose probably said, "Honey, next time let ME get the peppers"

    • @ginninadances
      @ginninadances Pƙed rokem +2

      Yes! 😜😝😄

    • @carlam4986
      @carlam4986 Pƙed rokem +46

      I was thinking it was more to show off the fancy Tequila and be able to use it as a business expense. lol

  • @ucebuffer9946
    @ucebuffer9946 Pƙed rokem +453

    I'd love to see some historical Polynesian recipes! Maybe we can find out what Queen Liliuokalani was eating back in the 19th century, or even better: what Polynesians were eating when we first encountered Europeans đŸ€™đŸœ

    • @sarasilly
      @sarasilly Pƙed rokem +40

      Yes! I would also love to see some African recipes, outside of Egypt.

    • @HipposHateWater
      @HipposHateWater Pƙed rokem +8

      I would love to see both! You have lots of varieties with bot has well, which is heaven for a content creator

    • @LordOceanus
      @LordOceanus Pƙed rokem +10

      Well the lack of a written record may make that difficult but it would be very interesting!

    • @scruffy281
      @scruffy281 Pƙed rokem +4

      What a great suggestion. That would be fun!

    • @lysanamcmillan7972
      @lysanamcmillan7972 Pƙed rokem +7

      @@sarasilly Max and Ethiopian food. He'd make his own injer and the spiciness would be interesting to see him confront after this situation. Then he could also check out sub-Saharan cuisines. That idea of yours is perfect.

  • @samanthab5006
    @samanthab5006 Pƙed rokem +30

    I'm currently 13 weeks pregnant and tacos have been my main form of sustenance as they are the only real food that has sounded good and sat well. Specifically, black bean tacos with mango pico, guacamole, shredded cabbage and a lot of lime on a corn tortilla made with a little flour for flexibility. I batch cook Mexican style black beans in the summer and freeze two dinner sized servings per bag. I'm nearly out of my stock pile at this point though.

  • @DefaultFlame
    @DefaultFlame Pƙed rokem +32

    My approach to onion in tacos is to treat it like feta cheese in a salad, just enough to give that extra edge, not enough to overwhelm the other flavors.

  • @SimuLord
    @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +447

    Did you hear about the Japanese restauranteur who served octopus on a tortilla?
    He called it Tako Bell.

    • @pidott
      @pidott Pƙed rokem +26

      God dammit dude

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +36

      @@pidott Welcome to Fox's House of Dad Jokes and Bad Puns. :)

    • @sasquatchdonut2674
      @sasquatchdonut2674 Pƙed rokem +22

      I’d actually pay to have an octopus taco. That’s sounds pretty good

    • @WrenTheFaelock93
      @WrenTheFaelock93 Pƙed rokem +14

      Imagine if it was served in a bao

    • @TakeUpYourCross
      @TakeUpYourCross Pƙed rokem +12

      Get out.

  • @suzanneleslie5105
    @suzanneleslie5105 Pƙed rokem +149

    When I was a kid in the 50's we would often eat at Taco Tia in Redlands CA. I can tell you that Mr Bell's tacos are nothing like the ones served today at Taco Bell. But as I have become an old woman, I seldom eat tacos outside of Mexico.

    • @porkchopproductions0314
      @porkchopproductions0314 Pƙed rokem +3

      What were the original tacos like?

    • @IvanVKlik
      @IvanVKlik Pƙed rokem +7

      @@porkchopproductions0314 for one thing, i would imagine they were made with meat, not "meat*" lol

    • @elizabethkeen7851
      @elizabethkeen7851 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@IvanVKlik I’m pretty sure it’s not plastic bagged “meat” boiled till warm and put in a shell.

    • @porkchopproductions0314
      @porkchopproductions0314 Pƙed rokem

      @@IvanVKlik Lol that is true

    • @suzanneleslie5105
      @suzanneleslie5105 Pƙed rokem +9

      The meat tasted like meat with a little bite to it and seasoned just enough. The last time I ate at the corporate Taco Bell the meat was wet and you couldn't taste the meat.

  • @edgarraya7657
    @edgarraya7657 Pƙed rokem +24

    I’m Mexican and I really enjoyed how extremely knowledgeable you are with our culture. Great video!

  • @leuchebreu26
    @leuchebreu26 Pƙed rokem +23

    I'm a Brazilian and we still have the word TACO mean a lot of different things like the old Spanish. In Portuguese it means a big shoe, wood floor, a piece of wood used to hit things ...and the list goes on and on

  • @powwow151
    @powwow151 Pƙed rokem +99

    I really appreciate Max putting himself on the line for this recipe, ironically one of the less extreme recipes on the channel but still took one for the team between the peppers and onion XD

    • @alexsis1778
      @alexsis1778 Pƙed rokem +1

      Yeah when he mentioned they were Serrano peppers and i saw how much he was using in that salsa I was like "oh no!". He definitely could have cut down on the number of peppers to reduce the spice.

  • @jaredwright5644
    @jaredwright5644 Pƙed rokem +175

    For a man that uploads his content on Tuesday, this was 2 years overdue. 😂 Great stuff as always, Max

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +53

      Seriously đŸ€Ł

    • @MossyMozart
      @MossyMozart Pƙed rokem +1

      @Jared Wright - How do "taco Tuesday" come about? I make tacos a lot, but doubt that I ever did so on a Tuesday.....

    • @petergray7576
      @petergray7576 Pƙed rokem +3

      @@MossyMozart It's hard to say. The earliest documented case is the Snow White Drive-in of Rapid City, South Dakota, which first advertised a "Taco Tuesday" by name in the local newspaper on 20 August, 1973. But the existence of USA restaurant promotions joining Tacos and Tuesdays (Martes in Spanish) appears to be very old, because of the obvious alliteration.
      Edit: It seems to have evolved among working class Catholic families to have themed meals for every day of the week. Fish Friday is the most obvious, due to fasting requirements in the liturgical calendar. Therefore it was a small leap to cafeteria style menus tied to every day of the week to ease schedules: Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday, Leftover Wednesday... etc... being some examples.

  • @JCchan99
    @JCchan99 Pƙed rokem +77

    Felicidades por un video excelente, por realmente proyectar la cultura mexicana con precisión sin el filtro de Hollywood y por la pronunciación perfecta de las palabras en español y nahuatl. I watched the ads in full and thumb-up.

  • @DaViiloW805
    @DaViiloW805 Pƙed rokem +19

    Mexican food varies from north to south. Californian Mexican American here and my family down in Mexico trip out on my recipes I upload on social media, they say it looks exotic and delicious. At 9 years old i started cooking because both parents went to work. I was always in the kitchen when mom made food, learning. đŸ‡ČđŸ‡œđŸ‡șđŸ‡Č💯

    • @truth4004
      @truth4004 Pƙed rokem

      well where's your blog?

    • @KevinJDildonik
      @KevinJDildonik Pƙed 4 měsĂ­ci

      Most Americans also know more Tex-Mex than Mexican. And YucatĂĄn has Lebanese influence. And...

  • @SamaraCNeyra
    @SamaraCNeyra Pƙed rokem +93

    One time I tried to make salsa verde at my abuelo's home, once he saw me removing the seeds from the serranos before roasting them he immediately laughed at me and swiftly threw in a fist full of whole random chillies he kept in a sour cream container, It wasn't long before I discovered what hellfire tastes like when he offered me tequila to "help" with the spice...

    • @farrex0
      @farrex0 Pƙed rokem +15

      Uff, I can imagine.... the tequila shot after an spicy meal is one of the most common pranks done to foreigners. It apparently makes everything a lot spicier. But I do not know since I have never tried it, since a lot of people here in Mexico know that prank all too well. But judging by their reaction, it is quite effective.

    • @lisahinton9682
      @lisahinton9682 Pƙed rokem

      @Samara C. Neyra
      Except it's not the *seeds* that have the heat - it's the *white pithy part* (some people call this the "ribs" or the "veins" of the pepper) on the inside of the chile pepper that has almost all of the heat. Yes, the flesh has some, but the seeds have no heat at all. But I did enjoy your story about your grandfather.

    • @SamaraCNeyra
      @SamaraCNeyra Pƙed rokem +1

      @@farrex0 I was quite young, I've since earned the respect from my abuelo by eating the pickled habaneros he likes to make and I only cried for a couple minutes lol

    • @SamaraCNeyra
      @SamaraCNeyra Pƙed rokem

      @@lisahinton9682 I know, but if you are hinting there's a way to reduce capsaicin without removing the seeds first I love know

    • @7drunkenmermaids431
      @7drunkenmermaids431 Pƙed rokem +1

      LOL. That sounds just like my grampa đŸ€Ł

  • @margot-td9nc
    @margot-td9nc Pƙed rokem +160

    After trying out the historic way of making a dish, do you find yourself still sticking to our modern way of making a dish or incorporating the historical way partially or wholly? Are there historical or foreign ingredients that have become staples for you now?

    • @sparklypoof
      @sparklypoof Pƙed rokem +20

      GREAT question! I also wanna know, Max!

    • @ladyraven3418
      @ladyraven3418 Pƙed rokem +7

      Definitely hard tack. CLICK! CLICK!

  • @lucio.martinez
    @lucio.martinez Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci +10

    Mexican Food, "Cultural Heritage of Humanity", Unesco.
    One of four foods, among---French, Japanese, and Mediterranean.
    Viva MĂ©xico! đŸ‡ČđŸ‡œ

  • @1stevenreid
    @1stevenreid Pƙed rokem +13

    I surveyed my friends about the "correct" order of toppings for a taco. It was a fascinating and heated discussion because there's obviously a correct way (the way I do it) and many incorrect ways (all ways that don't match mine). 😁

  • @godsowndrunk1118
    @godsowndrunk1118 Pƙed rokem +147

    I'm in my 60's and I grew up eating tacos at least twice a month....my folks were stationed in Japan with the Army of occupation in 1950/53 and mom learned to make tacos from their Japanese house girl, who was taught by her former employer from Texas.

    • @joanhoffman3702
      @joanhoffman3702 Pƙed rokem +20

      What a wonderful story of passing on culinary knowledge!

    • @druidriley3163
      @druidriley3163 Pƙed rokem +9

      Love when there is globalization of cuisine. In the Southwest US, many folks celebrate Cinco de Mayo with great Mexican food and patio parties...even though it's not a US holiday. We're celebrating another country's holiday.

    • @oldfrend
      @oldfrend Pƙed rokem +9

      ahaha that's hilarious. i live in socal and the best salsa i've ever had is made by my vietnamese mom who learned it from her mexican coworkers.

    • @tcphll
      @tcphll Pƙed rokem +6

      Where did you grow up? I'm from Texas, and have been married to a Mexican woman for 23 years. Tacos twice a month is like almost never having tacos in my book. Tacos of some sort are on the menu several days a week in my house. Two times a month would be so strange to me.

    • @levoices
      @levoices Pƙed rokem +4

      In Okinawa Taco rice has been a specialty for years even before rice bowls became a thing in the states. Normally it is ground beef with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, other spices served with diced tomatoes, onion (sometimes green onion), and sour cream/salsa. Used to cost like 300-400 yen (3-4?USD in early 2000’s) depending on toppings

  • @PoppycockPrincess100
    @PoppycockPrincess100 Pƙed rokem +190

    So perfect that you normally upload on Tuesday. Taco Tuesday!

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +6

      I'm frankly surprised it's taken him this long.

    • @MsAnpassad
      @MsAnpassad Pƙed rokem +5

      In my country, it's Taco Friday.

    • @Saalor100
      @Saalor100 Pƙed rokem +4

      @@MsAnpassad How about taco Tuesday, on a Friday?

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Pƙed rokem +6

      @@Saalor100
      Just Friday-taco, as it’s called in Norway, would do just fine.

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +39

      Sometimes things just work out 😁

  • @CarlosGonzalez-tx4cb
    @CarlosGonzalez-tx4cb Pƙed 9 měsĂ­ci +12

    I’m Mexican and live in Spain. People were shocked when I went to a Mexican restaurant ordered habanero salsa and didn’t flinch when I ate it. My friend was like I can do it too and almost died. I once made some homemade salsa and had tacos with friends. One of my friend’s friends said she eats spicy food and almost died eating my salsa. For Mexicans, the salsa isn’t considered spicy.

  • @DamonNomad82
    @DamonNomad82 Pƙed rokem +13

    Your adventures with the chilis remind me strongly of something that happened to my mom when she was a kid living in Thailand. She was on an overnight camping trip with an organized group that was something like the Thai equivalent of the Girl Scouts. Some of the girls found some wild growing peppers near the campsite, which looked like sweet peppers, so they gathered them to add to the night's dinner. While they were preparing the peppers, they found out the hard way that they were actually very hot peppers (Thailand has some of the hottest peppers that predate the recent varieties that have been selectively bred). The juice from the peppers they had gathered was so hot that it made their hands blister! Fortunately, they hadn't added them to the food yet when this happened, or their dinner might have been more fiery than they had bargained for!

  • @lokisgodhi
    @lokisgodhi Pƙed rokem +87

    Max is soooooo cute when he's pretending he's not going to chug a whole gallon of milk after the camera shuts off after eating a spicy taco. ;-)

    • @lenabreijer1311
      @lenabreijer1311 Pƙed rokem +1

      Yogurt works better.

    • @oldfrend
      @oldfrend Pƙed rokem +2

      @@lenabreijer1311 ice cream best of all.

    • @nahor88
      @nahor88 Pƙed rokem +11

      Max TOTALLY needs to go on Hot Ones!! Would LOVE to see him take on the wings of death! Sean Evans, MAKE IT HAPPEN!
      Also, Max, where are you buying your peppers that they don't label which are which? In Texas the idea of that is unfathomable. Serranos, Hatch and Jalapenos are always distinctly labelled.

    • @J1995M
      @J1995M Pƙed rokem +1

      @@nahor88 In NY its a total crap shoot depending on the store and your location. If the local demographic likes spicy food the peppers will be labeled individually. If its an area where spicy is not consumed (like where I am in Long Beach) They'll just put out 4 boxes with habaneros, jalapenos, poblanos, and serranos right next to the bell peppers, I guess expecting anyone looking for spice knows what they want already. Ive caught my grocery store selling green habaneros under every name you can think of OTHER than habanero.

    • @nahor88
      @nahor88 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@J1995M New York seems to be a crap shoot period, peppers aside LOL. I've visited NYC several times and it's always an adventure.

  • @federicohanhausen9431
    @federicohanhausen9431 Pƙed rokem +77

    Thank you Max, I love that you wrote "xitomate" as the old colonial way instead of the modern "jitomate".
    The way "taco" is used in the word ram rod comes from the verb "retacar" that is roughly to compact with a stick or literally a ram rod, the billard cue taco comes from similarities with ram rod. Also the word meaning short piece of wood come from the word "taquete" that is a dowel, the sound is simillar but is not writen the same.
    I have never heard that of the minerÂŽs tacos but i like the theory.
    As a Mexican i can tell you the general rule is, taco is anything wraped with a soft tortilla,it can be even rice tacos or egg tacos even bone marrow tacos (tuetano).
    Fried tacos get other names depending on their shape like "flautas" or "tacos dorados".
    The ones you showin a picture as being the original tacos are the "tacos sudados" you mention before. Those get lightly fried and stored in a basket wraped with cloths so they "sweat". They are also called "tacos de canasta".

    • @JRiddelle
      @JRiddelle Pƙed rokem +6

      I love that I can come to these comments and get a mini lesson in history and linguistics. Just wanted to thank you for the additional information!

  • @terryt.1643
    @terryt.1643 Pƙed rokem +12

    Oddly enough I had to research the history of burritos and quesadillas not too long ago and like you, discovered that while the words used to name today’s foods is mostly 19th or 20th century, the concept of tortillas used to deliver food to the mouth goes way back pre Hispanic. Flour tortillas were an innovation that was introduced with wheat brought into the new world by the Spanish but corn was a new world crop. Thanks for this video! đŸ„°đŸ’•â€ïžđŸ‘
    As far as I’m concerned there is nothing like a corn tortilla cooked on a comal with vegetables and/or meat, some salsa and a little cheese. It is my summer go to meal, takes only a few minutes, and is easy cleanup. One of my favorites is chopped zucchini tacos, 😂. I go for weeks without having to go to the grocery store.

  • @user-tr3py5nz2j
    @user-tr3py5nz2j Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci +4

    Had my first taco in 1978 at a friend’s house. His girlfriend made the soft flour tortillas and they were out of this world. There is a Mexican restaurant run by some Mexican guys in the next town over from us and we eat there often because their food is excellent and always satisfies that urge when the Mexican taste buds move us! I think this video woke up my taste buds after seeing these Mexican dishes.

  • @70foolio
    @70foolio Pƙed rokem +35

    Tip: if you soak the raw onion 🧅 in water for a bit, then drain and dry off, it will take that bitter bite out of the onion and more tasty. 🌼😋

  • @JonathanStrickland
    @JonathanStrickland Pƙed rokem +37

    The fact that the definition of taco changes depending upon region and time period finally explains Taco Bell.

    • @arlaabrell8658
      @arlaabrell8658 Pƙed rokem +3

      after spending a lot of time in Mexico, the real Mexico not any fantasy land resorts I have finally concluded that Taco Bell is a food group unto itself and it is not "Mexican" you have a craving for when all of a sudden you want Taco Bell - it's "Taco Bell" which is something completely unto itself.

    • @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721
      @vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Pƙed rokem +2

      @@arlaabrell8658 There's a reason the chihuahua in the commercials never just asks for tacos. It always specifies, "Yo quiero Taco Bell."

    • @arlaabrell8658
      @arlaabrell8658 Pƙed rokem

      @@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Good call!

    • @SlavicCelery
      @SlavicCelery Pƙed rokem

      To be fair, he learned the fried hardshell taco trick from a Mexican restaurant across the street from the AW stand he was owner of at the time. It pops up in documentaries on the topic.

  • @mudotter
    @mudotter Pƙed rokem +8

    Oh my, I laughed until tears came to my eyes as you went through those first couple of bites 😂 Thank you Max ❀

  • @aLexTaKaTu
    @aLexTaKaTu Pƙed rokem +2

    You are one of the few foreigner I’ve ever heard saying quesadilla properly, love your channel by the way

  • @butterbear3042
    @butterbear3042 Pƙed rokem +53

    Wow imagine getting 1k views in less than 10 minutes of uploading 😂 that's how you know the content is addicting hahah it's 8am why am I sitting here procrastinating work learning about taco history 😂 I love this channel

    • @TastingHistory
      @TastingHistory  Pƙed rokem +51

      It’s just my mom hitting refresh.

    • @butterbear3042
      @butterbear3042 Pƙed rokem +8

      @@TastingHistory we love mom 🧡😂

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +6

      "Sorry boss, I'll get moving here in about 15-20 minutes" just means it's Tuesday on the West Coast :)

  • @bawbbawbins
    @bawbbawbins Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci

    i always love how specifically in tune you are with mexican food and culture and it makes me laugh in a good way when you brings up specific things like la loteria because i never expect it out of you i love it

  • @86eastbay
    @86eastbay Pƙed rokem +2

    I have a new respect for Taco Bell lol. I always loved taco bell and hard tacos growing up but then it became this whole obsession with trying to find an authentic taco recipe. I always fry my corn tortillas when doing ground beef, but I generally always do my carne asada tacos the exact same way you did yours! Green sauce for the win!!!

    • @Itzpapalotl.
      @Itzpapalotl. Pƙed 7 měsĂ­ci

      They capitalised on Mexican cuisine and made it palatable for all average white Americans to enjoy and run with it.

  • @ghostofthefuture
    @ghostofthefuture Pƙed rokem +143

    I used to not like eating raw onions in things but I've found they're really good at balancing out really rich ingredients, like the meat in a taco or a big, juicy burger. Cuts through that richness nicely.

    • @mammamiia08
      @mammamiia08 Pƙed rokem +2

      Red onion especially! 😋

    • @Tk3997
      @Tk3997 Pƙed rokem +7

      I was the other way around ironically, and still am to a fair degree. I can only really eat onions two ways: totally raw and cooked until you can't really find them in the dish at all, but like onions that are cooked, but haven't fully broken down... I've always disliked the texture of them.

    • @carolharris2357
      @carolharris2357 Pƙed rokem +2

      I used to love the bog chopped onions in the 1/4 pounder at McDonald's until they changed it to sliced onion. It doesn't taste the same. I also like the rehydrated onions in the regular hamburgers and cheeseburgers. I used to work there and they smelled disgusting but tasted better. They're really good in a casserole dish of enchiladas too.y neighbor used to make them with green sauce and Colby cheddar that melted nicely.

    • @user-sw4qd2up2s
      @user-sw4qd2up2s Pƙed rokem +1

      I like raw onion sprinkled over chilli with cheese and a dollup of sour cream

    • @user-sw4qd2up2s
      @user-sw4qd2up2s Pƙed rokem

      @@mammamiia08 red onions are good in salads, that's about it.

  • @mnbrzy
    @mnbrzy Pƙed rokem +66

    As a Mexican, I love your beautiful presentation of our culture. You’re an incredible historian, cook, and presenter. I can’t get enough of your videos.

  • @zeta970
    @zeta970 Pƙed rokem +6

    When I was little, a neighbor of mine told me "taco" was just Spanish for "sandwich" so basically everything that is meat and/or veg and/or cheese on any sort of bread product has been referred to as a taco or sandwich interchangeably my whole life. I didn't know there was a debate, just eat your sandwich lol

  • @angelarasmussen1800
    @angelarasmussen1800 Pƙed rokem +2

    Fascinating. Your research is so impressive. I really appreciate the dig into etymology and where the words come from. It's the context you give for the world choice. Thanks so much!!!

  • @A.Clifton
    @A.Clifton Pƙed rokem +47

    In the US, we have choco-tacos. Everything is a taco if you BELIEVE.

    • @brendon1689
      @brendon1689 Pƙed rokem +15

      maybe the real tacos were the friends we made along the way

    • @SassyUnicorn86
      @SassyUnicorn86 Pƙed rokem +2

      Whew Choco tacos are fire

    • @BoxStudioExecutive
      @BoxStudioExecutive Pƙed rokem +5

      Why shouldn't one put ice cream in a taco?

    • @JAY-gl5xd
      @JAY-gl5xd Pƙed rokem +1

      Gyros? Heavily seasoned ground meat in a folded flatbread. In my opinion, totally tacos.

    • @candycain1001
      @candycain1001 Pƙed rokem

      😂

  • @agustinamagpie
    @agustinamagpie Pƙed rokem +7

    I have a friend who's a chef. He specializes in tacos and sushi. One time I asked him what had made him choose two specialties this different, he said: so I can be pretty much as creative as I want. Anything inside a tortilla can be a taco, and anything bite-sized can be sushi.

  • @moon__punk
    @moon__punk Pƙed rokem +8

    Oh, just when I was curious about the history of tacos and typed that in the search bar... for those few seconds I was trying not to get my hopes up that there could be a video by Max about it (not some generic crap)... and here it is! A video by Max! So happy, preparing my evening glass of wine and ready to watch as there's a large pot of birria already sauteing in the kitchen... â€đŸŒź

    • @86eastbay
      @86eastbay Pƙed rokem +1

      "My evening glass of wine." Punk is not dead, it just works 9-5 lmao.

  • @danielmoreno2969
    @danielmoreno2969 Pƙed rokem +2

    Fun fact the tomatillo, green with husk here in Mexico is called tomate like tomato, and the red 🍅 that you all know it's called jitomate here. Always confused me because I knew English since I was little various market trips and mama angry comments to get to learned it was different.

  • @jonirnmomba4130
    @jonirnmomba4130 Pƙed rokem +26

    It seems like Tacos are similar to Pasties. Foods made for miners that were easy to eat, kept well, and used leftovers from the meals before.
    The working class has an incredible mark on our culinary history.

    • @federicohanhausen9431
      @federicohanhausen9431 Pƙed rokem +1

      There is a diference, mainly that they are made with wheat flour instead of corn flour. In Mexico the ones miners ate that are like pasties are called "pastes" and are really popular in the state of Hidalgo. They originally from the area Mineral del Monte where all mayor silver mines were during the colonial era. They say they have that shape so the miners with dirty hands could grab them by the edges, eat the thing, and then toss the edges so they dont eat the dirt.

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Pƙed rokem +2

      @@federicohanhausen9431 In Spanish they mean something quite different than we do in the English-speaking world when we say someone's the kind of person to eat paste.

    • @guaycura
      @guaycura Pƙed rokem +3

      @@federicohanhausen9431 Hidalguense pastes are an adaptation of the British pasties. The tradition came with the Cornish miners who were brought to Mexico in the early XIX century.

    • @cindykalionzes4259
      @cindykalionzes4259 Pƙed rokem

      Pasties are more like empanadas than tacos

    • @jonirnmomba4130
      @jonirnmomba4130 Pƙed rokem +2

      @@cindykalionzes4259 it’s not a literal comparison. I was saying that tacos appear to be originated (according to Max) in the mines like pasties were. My point (as mentioned) was the mark of the working class on culinary history.

  • @kawawangkowboy9566
    @kawawangkowboy9566 Pƙed rokem +30

    "Now that I've had a bite of the taco, I think it's time to taste this tequila"... Those are words to live by, sir.

  • @nadelius1
    @nadelius1 Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci +1

    Max, my family made the Texas Chili, them broke the meat up and threw it in flour taco tortillas. We put a little roasted corn and cilantro in it, then fried them whole and stuffed.
    Best tacos ever!

  • @Marshadow69
    @Marshadow69 Pƙed 9 měsĂ­ci +2

    I love history, I love cooking, I love detective stories - and I love your presentations.

  • @gregmuon
    @gregmuon Pƙed rokem +80

    Now I'm totally curious about that Californio taco. Sounds like it's made from a mixture of corn and wheat, like mission bread. Californio food would in fact be a great subject for an episode. That period in history is generally ignored, except for the Zorro movies.

  • @Saeda88
    @Saeda88 Pƙed rokem +114

    Everytime you make something Spicy, I wish you'd do an episode on the History of Chillies, from the original, wild fruit, how it was used despite the heat, to how today's breeders selectively cultivate the hottest varieties, but also recently, a switch away from pure heat and into more visually and aromatic ones.
    Then I remember that you consider a Jalapeno a very hot pepper and realize that's never gonna happen ^^

    • @majcrash
      @majcrash Pƙed rokem +3

      Jalapenos can be very hot if you grow them properly.

    • @kale9269
      @kale9269 Pƙed rokem +2

      he said spicier tgan the previous ones he mentioned

    • @markmower6507
      @markmower6507 Pƙed rokem +1

      I wonder how he would react to a Carolina Reaper Pepper, Hahahahahahahaha 😂!!!

    • @lilafeldman8630
      @lilafeldman8630 Pƙed rokem +1

      I'd like an episode like that. I am not used to cooking with chimes and peppers.

    • @sarahdoanpeace3623
      @sarahdoanpeace3623 Pƙed 8 měsĂ­ci

      I’d love an episode on chilis too!

  • @annalockwood3021
    @annalockwood3021 Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci

    The multi octave range of Max’s voice just cracks me up! Too funny.

  • @lindseyrauss9172
    @lindseyrauss9172 Pƙed 19 dny

    I feel like I just watched Max’s reactor suffer a nuclear meltdown right before my eyes. He held his composure like a champ. Bravo!! 👏

  • @pablodelsegundo9502
    @pablodelsegundo9502 Pƙed rokem +89

    DEFINITELY add coarse salt to the molcajete when mashing the tomatillo and chile. It's helps the grinding process along nicely (plus seasons it all).
    Twisted tortillas sound hilariously compelling. 😆
    Siempre sin cebolla...

    • @josephmclaughlin9865
      @josephmclaughlin9865 Pƙed rokem +2

      O No! Sin cebolla, mi amigo??

    • @arienrhod4166
      @arienrhod4166 Pƙed rokem +5

      ÂĄSiempre con cebollas!

    • @cindykalionzes4259
      @cindykalionzes4259 Pƙed rokem +1

      Do you suppose it could have been some kind of predecessor to the churro?

    • @oldfrend
      @oldfrend Pƙed rokem +2

      also i hate his grinding technique. too much effort and not very efficient. i prefer to push-drag the pestle around the bottom of the mortar in varying size circles. covers a lot more of the bottom a lot faster than max's stabbing method.

    • @pablodelsegundo9502
      @pablodelsegundo9502 Pƙed rokem +1

      @@oldfrend he's trying, at least. This video would've been a a fantastic collab opportunity with De mi rancho a su cocina.

  • @trublgrl
    @trublgrl Pƙed rokem +135

    @5:00 Concerning chilis, I think the best advice I have ever gotten was from Monsieur Jacques Pepin. If you watch him cook, he almost always tastes his produce as he's cooking. Are the carrots insipid? You might want to add something sweet. Are the tomatoes very acidic? You will want to cut them with something sweet or savory. And how hot are the chilis? There is only one way to find out. Taste them! And if you find them quite mild, cut them smaller, and you'll extract more flavor and capsicum from them. If they are too hot, use less, and cut them larger, so more of the heat remains in the pieces, rather than going into the dish. If your chilis are CRAZY spicy? Use them like a bay leaf; put them in for the cook and remove them before you serve.
    Thanks for another great video, Max! ♄

    • @SafetyBriefer
      @SafetyBriefer Pƙed rokem +5

      What on God’s green Earth is an ‘insipid carrot’?

    • @zakarymoninger7845
      @zakarymoninger7845 Pƙed rokem +13

      @@SafetyBriefer Technically insipid means flavorless, but some carrots can be bitter or dirty tasting, too.

    • @Phobero
      @Phobero Pƙed rokem +2

      @@SafetyBriefer A carrot

    • @trustytrest
      @trustytrest Pƙed rokem +3

      Sometimes the individual produces' taste won't matter much since the sauce or whatever they're mixed in, is so changed

    • @carolharris2357
      @carolharris2357 Pƙed rokem +3

      So did Morimoto on Iron Chef. He thought Asian peppers were hotter until he bit into a jalapeno to taste it, and his mouth burned through the whole show. It's not even high on the Scovill chart.

  • @BradleyVanTreese
    @BradleyVanTreese Pƙed rokem +5

    Such a good episode! I laughed so hard at the animated sweaty taco.

  • @ncpomns4945
    @ncpomns4945 Pƙed rokem +1

    Start watching 1 of your videos and now I'm on the 8 video. Great fun ,educational and food. Great work

  • @bloodmyst987
    @bloodmyst987 Pƙed rokem +40

    Hey there!! :D love the show, just to clarify, even though the tortillas for tacos sudados are fried prior to being filled and folded (they're actually fried to a point where they can still be folded) they are steamed afterwards, making them a "soft-shell" taco in the end :D

  • @Vicarium
    @Vicarium Pƙed rokem +32

    Every episode a chuckle...this time, the breathless "it's coming in waves..."

  • @lorettoponton7218
    @lorettoponton7218 Pƙed rokem +3

    Max, you make me so happy to see that you actually know that the sticky part of the tomatillo needs to be washed out. My sister (a real mexican as myself and older than me btw) didn't knew this fact until resently and her salsas verdes were the worst thing someone can taste but she swore that it was just how tomatillos tates and that's why she prefered the salsas with red tomato. But of course I knew that wasn't at all the taste of tomatillos and I couldn't get my mind on why that was until I saw her making the salsa and was traumatized for all eternity, thanks for teaching it the right way!

  • @rachelbrothwood3270
    @rachelbrothwood3270 Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci

    "There it is...
    It's coming in waves..."
    Max, you crack me up!!!
    😅😅😅

  • @BrentLorend
    @BrentLorend Pƙed rokem +121

    So, a bit of a tip I learned about handling chilis, specifically after trying to remove contacts after cutting up a bunch for some hot sauce, gloves are very handy when dealing with chilis. The chemical that causes the spice/burn is actually an oil and very chemically sticky and will stick your skin very well. Even cleaning your hands with soap and water and disinfectant won't always work.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Pƙed rokem +5

      Soap works better than water (which doesn’t work at all on its own), but might still be insufficient, especially for very hot chillis.

    • @BrentLorend
      @BrentLorend Pƙed rokem +6

      @@ragnkja Definitely. I have been told milk can work, much like in your mouth, but can not guarantee the veracity of either of them because I'd rather just use gloves than waste milk.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja Pƙed rokem +5

      @@BrentLorend
      If you have gloves, that’s definitely a lot easier than scrubbing your fingers in a bowl of milk.

    • @timmccarthy872
      @timmccarthy872 Pƙed rokem +14

      The best way to clean your hands is to rub in oil which binds to the chili chemicals, then wash with soap and water to remove the oil and chili chemicals with it

    • @globalwarmhugs7741
      @globalwarmhugs7741 Pƙed rokem +5

      And don't drink water when your mouth is burning. Yogurt or milk will help. I accidentally bit into a scotch bonnet and had to swish yogurt for about half an hour. I love spicy foods, so I'm no amateur, but holy heck... I thought I was dying!!

  • @kailypipkin4237
    @kailypipkin4237 Pƙed rokem +49

    When dealing with removing the seeds, ribs, and stems on hot peppers I use a grapefruit spoon. Works great!

    • @Crazycatlady-inTennessee
      @Crazycatlady-inTennessee Pƙed rokem

      Great idea. I will try it

    • @davidbraun6209
      @davidbraun6209 Pƙed rokem

      I go with a steak knife and fork.

    • @donnavorce8856
      @donnavorce8856 Pƙed rokem

      And if you've worked with bare hands don't touch any valuable body parts for a while. 😊

    • @draeath
      @draeath Pƙed rokem +1

      A small boning knife and some gloves does the trick for me.

    • @gerriebell2128
      @gerriebell2128 Pƙed rokem

      I would wear gloves. But I can’t handle spice so I would not be using hot chilies.

  • @user-vm6oz6wt5g
    @user-vm6oz6wt5g Pƙed rokem +1

    15:33, last words:
    “but not as spicy as you might think.”
    (Chews)
    It hits: “it’s coming in waves”

  • @markballard9942
    @markballard9942 Pƙed rokem +2

    In Spain the word tortilla means omelette. My uncle found this to his dismay when he ordered two tortillas the waiter said no you just want one. He insisted on 2 and was served two large omelets.

  • @marthamacias6044
    @marthamacias6044 Pƙed rokem +47

    In my experience, a taco is a tortilla with anything in it. A corn tortilla should be warmed until it blows up (the mark of a good tortilla) but is never crunchy, unless it is fried, in which case it becomes a flauta (flute). This of course is the modern view. The "Taco Chronicles" series on Netflix is a good source of current Mexican favorites. But once again, a taco is a tortilla rolled up with any kind of filling, even salt. A freshly made REAL nixtamal tortilla rolled up with a little bit of sea salt and squished together while still hot is a fantastic childhood snack (for onlookers of the tortilla making process) called a ranita.

    • @yoclark2723
      @yoclark2723 Pƙed rokem

      Se me hiso agua la boca when you talked about gorditas with butter and salt. I haven't had a fresh nixtamal tort in ages! We would pinch the edges so the butter wouldn't ooze out and the salt was perfect. I ate la ranita all the time.

    • @nataliajimenez1870
      @nataliajimenez1870 Pƙed rokem +1

      Tacos dorados are fried

    • @hulexable
      @hulexable Pƙed rokem +1

      Nada como una tortilla recien hecha con sal.... un manjar de dioses

    • @rocioleal6546
      @rocioleal6546 Pƙed rokem

      I love crunchy corn tortillas, especially for tacos de frijoles refritos. I leave them on the comal with a low fire and keep turning them around until they are heavenly crispy.

    • @julieb3996
      @julieb3996 Pƙed rokem +1

      I still heat my tortillas directly on the gas fire and not a Comal, so "when it blows up" is accurate to describe it is done.

  • @julieneff9408
    @julieneff9408 Pƙed rokem +70

    To my palate and tolerance, serranos are the perfect heat level for this kind of salsa verde. And that with grilled nopales on fresh tortillas sound super delicious. Huitlacoche tacos have onion and garlic sauteed in with the filling, so no cebolla cruda involved.

    • @HayTatsuko
      @HayTatsuko Pƙed rokem +3

      I'm still a bit terrified by the whole concept of huitlacoche, but I feel I shouldn't be. I just had a big ol' slice of Gorgonzola (non-DOP). Is it really that different? They both involve fungi. I've read descriptions of the flavor and _think_ I might like it, but what is the texture of it like? There are some textures that are 100% "nope" for me.

    • @KB4QAA
      @KB4QAA Pƙed rokem

      I find Serrano peppers to be milder heat level and mild in taste compared to jalapenos.

    • @julieneff9408
      @julieneff9408 Pƙed rokem

      @@HayTatsuko It's very soft when cooked, almost spreadable but not sticky. Like mushy peas, kind of, or very very cooked beans without their skins. The flavor is earthy/umami but also with a little sweetness from the corncob. Hard to explain, but that's how I recall.

    • @julieneff9408
      @julieneff9408 Pƙed rokem

      @@KB4QAA Jalapenos can be really variable. Some will burn your face off and some are just a little tingle. It probably all has to do with growing conditions.

    • @robertgreen1131
      @robertgreen1131 Pƙed rokem

      Hello Julie
      How are you doing today ?

  • @reinaldogarcia70
    @reinaldogarcia70 Pƙed rokem +5

    🌼😋 great information you did a super job with your Spanish as well Mr Max Miller keep up the good work đŸ€©I'm impressed
    on PBS cable TV
    Rick Bayless is also extremely impressive what is Spanish and his knowledge of everything Mexican food
    I am personally identified with American Hispanic Caribbean Island culture myself and Mexican food and culture is amazing and extremely well liked in Hispanic Caribbean island culture

  • @palomamoya1715
    @palomamoya1715 Pƙed 5 měsĂ­ci

    As a native Mexican your efforts and enthusiasm in this particular recipe/episode made my little heart jump with joy. You truly stuck to our authentic ways. Way to go!!

  • @thiadesg
    @thiadesg Pƙed rokem +22

    I foolishly thought Serrano peppers were mild. That explains why my hands and tongue were burning last week when I made Dragon Chicken. I think I used to do it with Anaheim peppers...
    Also, I'm from Quebec and if someone is talking to you about his "taco", it's an old falling-apart car.

    • @itsallfunandgames723
      @itsallfunandgames723 Pƙed rokem

      Serranos have been notoriously inconsistent on heat for me. Sometimes when I've bought them they have been very mild, and one time a particularly spicy one made half my face go numb.

  • @Discitus
    @Discitus Pƙed rokem +40

    Preparing stuffed jalapenos taught me to wear gloves when removing the pith. You wouldn't think that peppers would burn your fingers, but no, the skin under the fingernails is sensitive, and it's hard to get all the capsaicin out. The peppers were delicious though.

    • @fluidthought42
      @fluidthought42 Pƙed rokem +3

      You could always just use a spoon or a butter knife for that, tho I like to save some pith for spicing it up to taste

    • @GingerBun
      @GingerBun Pƙed rokem

      jalapenos aren't even spicy though

    • @jabberwocky8021
      @jabberwocky8021 Pƙed rokem

      I love the burn so I don't have to remove the seeds or ribs, just cut them up and add to whatever you wish. A fiery pepper is a thing of beauty.

    • @joshjones718
      @joshjones718 Pƙed rokem

      im assuming youre speaking of pickled whole jalepenos stuffed with tuna salad with corn lol. Either wear gloves or coat your hands in oil first. the oil works but is a little messier than a pair of nitrite gloves

  • @FULD72
    @FULD72 Pƙed rokem

    “
this thing writes itself.” GOLDEN!!!

  • @Valhallavirtue
    @Valhallavirtue Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci

    As a texan and welder who has spent 20 years working with men who might be considered taco experts my understanding is anything wrapped in a tortilla is a taco. Hell, we even call burritos tacos. Sometimes we wrap a tortilla around a hot link and call that a taco. Lol. One thing is for sure. Keep up the good work Max. I love the show.

  • @blorblin
    @blorblin Pƙed rokem +28

    I really enjoy when you explore pre-Columbian dishes! But also, i think that West African cuisines could be an interesting series. The effort you put in to pronounce things roughly correctly is admirable.

    • @julieneff9408
      @julieneff9408 Pƙed rokem +4

      Yes, I think Max would do a great egusi and fufu, or at least have fun trying.

    • @raziyatheseeker
      @raziyatheseeker Pƙed rokem +2

      Not *West* African, but the tlacho bit seriously reminded me of Ethiopian wat and injera. So... agreed, West African food would be cool to see here.

  • @frankieamsden7918
    @frankieamsden7918 Pƙed rokem +10

    You can fry those squash blossoms you decorated the plate with. Make a light batter of butter and flour and fry. Delicious!

  • @LeoFieTv
    @LeoFieTv Pƙed 2 měsĂ­ci

    Just gotta swoop in real quick to say that I appreciate the work you put into your subtitles.

  • @timothybrown1189
    @timothybrown1189 Pƙed rokem

    This is so much fun. I always day dreamed of what food was like throughout history. While cooking different things I've always thought life wasn't so bad back then if this is what they ate. I think food is the perfect way to experience history. It's the only thing we have that connects us to our ancestors. Thank you for this. I love it. History and food, my two favorite things combined.

  • @MasterGeekMX
    @MasterGeekMX Pƙed rokem +41

    Watched this while having reheated yesterday's beef tacos for breakfast. Lovely as always, Max. Saludos desde Iztapalapa, Ciudad de MĂ©xico.

  • @tenchraven
    @tenchraven Pƙed rokem +71

    The question "is it a taco" is easily answered- do cookbooks or grandmothers from Mexico call it a "taco"? If yes, it is.

    • @ArchArturo
      @ArchArturo Pƙed rokem +1

      The real debate (in Mexico) is: do quesadillas have cheese?

    • @-jank-willson
      @-jank-willson Pƙed rokem +3

      @@ArchArturo 'queso' means cheese. 'queso' is in the name. So by default, they have to have cheese...
      (unless queso fresco is not considered cheese in mexico)

    • @queerios9925
      @queerios9925 Pƙed rokem

      @@ArchArturo the debate is only in MĂ©xico city haha

    • @queerios9925
      @queerios9925 Pƙed rokem

      Well if it has a tortilla it's a taco. This rules out Taco Bells hardshell

  • @arlieliverman4771
    @arlieliverman4771 Pƙed 9 měsĂ­ci

    I really appreciate you bringing these types of ideas and recipes to the Forefront of thought of where they came from.

  • @vrownvegan3187
    @vrownvegan3187 Pƙed rokem

    One of the things i like from your videos is how detailed orientated you are! Very cool channel!

  • @susie_xowie
    @susie_xowie Pƙed rokem +22

    Ok but I paused this video about halfway through just to make myself a quesadilla so thank you for reminding me to eat, Max. It looked killer.

  • @kathleenamatangelo3713
    @kathleenamatangelo3713 Pƙed rokem +15

    I remember Taco Bell in Glendale, CA back in the late 60s. Just 5 things were on the menu each cost 19 cents. Extra cheese would cost 5 more cents. The good old days :)

  • @BradyPatterson
    @BradyPatterson Pƙed rokem

    One of my top 5 channels on CZcams! Thanks Max!!

  • @lilykatmoon4508
    @lilykatmoon4508 Pƙed 10 měsĂ­ci

    Wow! These look delicious ❀. I really appreciate how you describe the food as you eat it.