# Old El Paso extra mild taco kit. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129 "2012-11-26T05:31:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/1 "2012-11-26T05:31:43Z")
There is now extra mild taco kits. [http://www.oldelpaso.com.au/products/dinner-kits/extra-mild-super-tasty-taco-kit-438g/56.aspxIs](http://www.oldelpaso.com.au/products/dinner-kits/extra-mild-super-tasty-taco-kit-438g/56.aspxIs) anyone else confused by this?šŸ˜• In my experience, taco kits arenā€™t hot too start with. I do like hot food, but Iā€™ve feed them to young children (5 and under) without any problem, at all. Is my family just full of really tough children? Or are there people out there that are THAT sensitive? ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/2 "2012-11-26T05:50:12Z")
I dunno, Iā€™m pretty sensitive to spicy. I couldnā€™t even finish a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendyā€™s today. Butā€¦Iā€™ve never had a taco and thought ā€˜omg too spicyā€™. I meanā€¦it does seem slightly ridiculous. But I suppose thereā€™s some people out there who just canā€™t stand spicy at all. And really, what options are there for those who wish to introduce their infants to taco meat but donā€™t want to deal with the spicy diaper explosions? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/3 "2012-11-26T11:10:34Z")
My late H used to love hot and spicy food, the hotter the better. After he had a kidney transplant, the cyclosporine and other meds made his mouth sensitive to the slightest hint of spiciness. But he still liked the Mexican food flavors. A kit like this would have been good for him. In like spiciness, too, but I buy the San Marcos brand of mild jalapenos, so I can dump half the can in my beans and get a pervasive jalapeno flavor without making the heat problematic. Sometimes too much heat obscures the flavor of a dish. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/4 "2012-11-26T11:19:20Z")
GERD, IBS, Crohnā€™sā€¦lots of people have innards that donā€™t do well with capsaicin. It may not be about wimpy mouths; sometimes itā€™s about inflamed GI systems. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/5 "2012-11-26T13:58:49Z")
Up here in Nahngland, the basic recipe for all foods (including the regionalized versions of standards like canned chili) is ā€œremove all spices and add sugar.ā€ I have been searching for a Mexican or Something-Mex place that had spices on their shelf for almost two years, without success, and I canā€™t eat one more plate of enchiladas that taste like cheese puffs. So we just make our own, using illegal spice mixes smuggled in from the warmer climes. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/6 "2012-11-26T17:29:22Z")
Taco kits are one step below an Easy Bake oven anyhow. I canā€™t believe people buy that shit. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/7 "2012-11-27T22:54:34Z")
I have known two people that could not tolerate the slightest hint of anything spicy. One had some type of stomach problem and could not eat anything acidic (including tomatoes) or spicy. The other just found it too hot. Her husband put a _half a cup_ of Frankā€™s Red Hot into a pot of spaghetti sauce and didnā€™t tell her. She knew as soon as she tasted it, could not finish more than about a third of her portion, and was up half the night with indigestion. So yes, there are people who are _that_ sensitive to spices. Iā€™d be surprised if it was a big share of the market but apparently thereā€™s _some_ demand for extremely mild tacos. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/8 "2012-11-27T23:08:56Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > GERD, IBS, Crohnā€™sā€¦lots of people have innards that donā€™t do well with capsaicin. It may not be about wimpy mouths; sometimes itā€™s about inflamed GI systems. Concur. Itā€™s not always the top end of the tract people are worried about. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/9 "2012-11-27T23:39:27Z")
Iā€™m reminded of a radio ad for digestive aids from Minnesota: Customer: Iā€™ll take the chili. Waitress: Would you like that mild, extra mild, or North Shore? Customer: Iā€™m feeling daring, Iā€™ll try mild. Waitress: Woo, I better get more waterā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/10 "2012-11-28T00:24:13Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Taco kits are one step below an Easy Bake oven anyhow. I canā€™t believe people buy that shit. I know. The ā€œkitā€ is hard taco shells, a pack of ā€œlime seasoningā€ powder to dump in your sour cream that you buy separately, and a pack of seasoning to dump on your ground beef that you buy separately. What exactly is the point of this product? The ā€œextra mildā€ beef seasoning is, I am certain, almost entirely powdered onion, powdered tomato and salt. People donā€™t have their own salt? You need cooking instructions to dump the meat in a skillet and pour on some flavorings? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/11 "2012-11-28T00:37:50Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > I know. The ā€œkitā€ is hard taco shells, a pack of ā€œlime seasoningā€ powder to dump in your sour cream that you buy separately, and a pack of seasoning to dump on your ground beef that you buy separately. > > What exactly is the point of this product? The ā€œextra mildā€ beef seasoning is, I am certain, almost entirely powdered onion, powdered tomato and salt. People donā€™t have their own salt? You need cooking instructions to dump the meat in a skillet and pour on some flavorings? I first heard of them from this supremely frustrating thread: > **[Eating out is cheaper than buying groceries.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=450607)** > > ā€œYouā€™d save so much money if you buy groceries instead of eating out so much.ā€ - This is one of those truisms that Iā€™ve come to disbelieve over the past few years - in fact, I think that the opposite is true, with some caveats. I just made a basic... ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/12 "2012-11-28T00:56:09Z")
Itā€™s self-selecting. People that make tacos from Old El Paso taco kits are probably not going to be very used to spicy foods. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/13 "2012-11-28T01:15:44Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Taco kits are one step below an Easy Bake oven anyhow. I canā€™t believe people buy that shit. > [@Lemur866](#): > > What exactly is the point of this product? The ā€œextra mildā€ beef seasoning is, I am certain, almost entirely powdered onion, powdered tomato and salt. People donā€™t have their own salt? You need cooking instructions to dump the meat in a skillet and pour on some flavorings? [Do not click this link. No, donā€™t. Just donā€™t.](http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Recipe-Inspirations.aspx) I \*told \*you not to click the link. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/14 "2012-11-28T01:43:06Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > I know. The ā€œkitā€ is hard taco shells, a pack of ā€œlime seasoningā€ powder to dump in your sour cream that you buy separately, and a pack of seasoning to dump on your ground beef that you buy separately. > > What exactly is the point of this product? The ā€œextra mildā€ beef seasoning is, I am certain, almost entirely powdered onion, powdered tomato and salt. People donā€™t have their own salt? You need cooking instructions to dump the meat in a skillet and pour on some flavorings? There are some people who donā€™t have the slightest clue how cooking works. One time I was feeling lazy so I made some rice-a-roni and threw in some diced chicken and my roommate looked at me and said, ā€œWhoa, you can put chicken in that?ā€ She is the kind of person who would benefit from the McCormick stuff that **WhyNot** linked to earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/15 "2012-11-28T03:04:02Z")
Olā€™ Elpaso Mild is just flavored waterā€¦I have no Idea what less would be. šŸ˜• I have a recipe for Mexican thatā€™s good. I use an old tube of spice to put it all inā€¦ 4 tsp dried oregano, crushed 3 Tbsp ground cumin 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp ground red pepper/Cyan 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp chicken bullion 1 Tbsp Corn Starch Use 2 tbsp +/- per 1/2 cup waterā€¦for regular heat, cooked with 1 sliced chicken breast. If you simmer it down uncovered to a thick sauce itā€™s a perfect heat, ā€œhotā€ but not insane. Use 1/2 Less spice for mild and still have enough flavor. Need Lime and that Soapy Flavored Cilantro to even it all out. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/16 "2012-11-28T03:54:21Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Do not click this link. No, donā€™t. Just donā€™t.](http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Recipe-Inspirations.aspx) > > I \*told \*you not to click the link. Not everyone has a full spice rack. That shit is expensive. And most people who have a full spice rack have grossly expired spices. So if I want to make a one-off fancy recipe for one (me and 4 leftovers) using fresh spices, then Iā€™d probably do well to get one of those packs instead of a $7 jar of sage. And yeah, taco seasoning can be too spicy for some. I use half a pack of mild to 1# of beef. Oooooooh. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/17 "2012-11-28T04:15:38Z")
Those are neither fancy, nor fresh. And theyā€™re more expensive per ounce than regular jars of spices. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/18 "2012-11-28T04:19:47Z")
Actually, you would utilize the bulk in one of several different combinationsā€¦for your personal preferences. Once knowing after time, you used one more than the other, you would therefore grab a larger portion of one and not the others. Making your own concoctions is the nirvana of cooking. šŸ˜‰ Waste is only the beginningā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/19 "2012-11-28T10:57:15Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Those are neither fancy, nor fresh. And theyā€™re more expensive per ounce than regular jars of spices. Yes, more expensive per ounce. But if a person wants some homemade tacos, and knows that s/he isnā€™t likely to want homemade tacos for another couple of years, itā€™s cheaper to buy the packet of seasonings, rather than several jars of spices which will have a quarter teaspoon used from each, and then the rest thrown away. Itā€™s like buying a side of beef when all one wants is a T bone. Sure, the cost per pound is lower when you buy the sideā€¦but if you throw away most of it, youā€™ve spent more money in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129/20 "2012-11-28T12:39:36Z")
> [@Jamicat](#): > > I use an old tube of spice to put it all inā€¦ I read that as a tube of Old Spice :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-el-paso-extra-mild-taco-kit/642129.md?page=2)