# Tacos **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310 "2010-11-11T15:06:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/41 "2010-11-12T04:01:19Z")
Just about any kind of taco is delicious. The only exception is bad fish tacos. Good fish tacos are the best tacos of all, but bad ones are disgusting. Sometimes they use frozen-fish-stick-quality fish and don’t use the necessary soft corn tortillas. Tito’s Tacos anecdote: Last winter I went out to LA to visit my vegan sister & brother-in-law. We headed to Tito’s Tacos straight from the airport and waited in line about 15 minutes, but then my sister asked if the refried beans had lard, and they said yes. This meant that there was no vegan food at all, so we walked away without me getting to try the food. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/42 "2010-11-12T04:38:38Z")
And apparently my familiy’s taco recipe was taught to my Hillbilly Daddy by Mexican Migrants/Pickers from Tex-Mex (Northern border towns) out in the midwest countryside. 40’s and 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/43 "2010-11-12T04:48:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > From another thread: > > For me, a ‘traditional’ taco’s ‘shell’ is two small, steamed corn tortillas. Order a taco from a taco truck – even up here – and that’s what you get. Steamed tortillas? Just about every taco truck I go to in Los Angeles [Echo Park, Highland Park, Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock, Silverlake, Hollywood…] the two small tortillas are cooked on the grill next to the meat that is being cooked. I’ve only seen steamed tortillas once, and that was years ago at a truck in Atwater Village. Grilled are the norm - it keeps the holding power of the tortillas; steamed are too soft and can get mushy. There is one taco truck in my neighborhood [actually it’s just a makeshift stand with a table and portable grill…quite common in these parts] that makes their tortillas by hand right there on the street and grills 'em up fresh. Carne asada, al pastor, and carnitas are good, but a juicy lengua taco is awesome. A slightly sweet chorizo taco for dessert…yum. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/44 "2010-11-12T05:18:39Z")
But back then 40’s and 50’s - the standard taco was probably homemade Flour Tortillas, made with lard or crisco, and bleached all purpose flour, ground beef and old El Paso (since '38), fresh veg and maybe a homemade salsa or pico de gallo (picking season), sour cream (crema), cheddar or velveeta, the flour tortillas were lightly refreshed and fried in crisco.or lard. For a snack, they would usually have fresh flour tortillas and butter. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/45 "2010-11-12T05:31:34Z")
Tacos Vaqueritos. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/46 "2010-11-12T05:33:11Z")
This post cost me money and probably nullified my workout. Just stopped off for four truck tacos – al pastor, and three of the salty beef (what’s the name for that?), with radishes and spicy sauce and lime. Steamed corn tortillas. Worth it I guess as it was tasty as all get out. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/47 "2010-11-12T05:59:02Z")
And we weren’t the farmers exploiting them. My Grandpa was a coal miner that migrated and found work North in the Oil Industry, But he bought a country home and raised a Garden and livestock. These were neighbors that naturalized. I have always known migrant families that have evry right to be here. That is why I am quite disconcerted and sad with the current conservative militance and dickishness as concerns the current border wars… I believe this a secret Homeland Security mastubatory big brother push. This war wouldn’t be going on if not for the propaganda arm of Homeland Security. I think it should be abolished. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/48 "2010-11-12T07:43:49Z")
Homeland security is essentially a redundant military and fascist, civilian party of the D.O.D. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/49 "2010-11-12T07:50:51Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Homeland security is essentially a redundant military and fascist, civilian party of the D.O.D. Would this be because they would seek to impose a certain _kind_ of taco (say, carnitas because Muslims would refuse them) or because they would use taco consumption - or the lack thereof - in some kind of authoritarian profiling exercise? Tequila! ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/50 "2010-11-12T08:10:00Z")
Well, all I know is that My Grandpas’, my Dad, and Uncle’s family made great strides in worker equality and worth. We awere Origunal Miner Union Men and UAW Presidents. And I am ashamed of the propaganda and moneytalk that has set us into this tailspin and the sorry state of American Corporations. They blame us when really their unregulated, Republican, GreedBloodLust has led us here. The republicans wil be our undoing as a Nation in history and time. They destroyed the middle class. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/51 "2010-11-12T10:07:29Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > They blame us when really their unregulated, Republican, GreedBloodLust has led us here. The republicans wil be our undoing as a Nation in history and time. They destroyed the middle class. I can certainly see that tacos induce greed. But I thought they were largely bipartisan. Though the thought of industrialists sending those poor children to work down the taco mines is certainly distressing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/52 "2010-11-12T11:39:17Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > **You have to be kidding.** I can’t imagine a _taco de carne asada_ without _balas_ (frijoles de la olla). Have you ever been to México? (bolding mine) > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I knew that. I was just poking fun. 😉 I had too–it made me :D. I have to admit, when I use the term taco, without any qualifiers, I do mean the American variety with the hard shell. If I want the _auténtico_ version, I say something that sounds to American ears more like daco. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/53 "2010-11-12T13:27:40Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > And we weren’t the farmers exploiting them. My Grandpa was a coal miner that migrated and found work North in the Oil Industry, But he bought a country home and raised a Garden and livestock. These were neighbors that naturalized. I have always known migrant families that have evry right to be here. That is why I am quite disconcerted and sad with the current conservative militance and dickishness as concerns the current border wars… I believe this a secret Homeland Security mastubatory big brother push. This war wouldn’t be going on if not for the propaganda arm of Homeland Security. I think it should be abolished. Could Taco Bell be part of the plot? A local food blogger posted this last August: > [@](#): > > Taco Bell is owned by Yum! Brands , the largest restaurant company in the world. In addition to their recent market strategies such as getting 50 Cent to sue them, the “Drive-Thru Diet” campaign, starting a petition to have the Federal Reserve print more $2 bills, and most recently, their effort to replicate authentic taco trucks, Taco Bell has purchased a massive taco truck, which they are taking around the United States. Now they’d like to come to Houston. Taco Bell changed its/their mind about Houston, no doubt because of the counter-demonstration planned. A Real Taco Truck was going to park nearby & sell Real Tacos–so people could compare & contrast. (The blog is called “Guns & Tacos” but no violence was suggested. Honest!) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/54 "2010-11-12T14:44:37Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > And we weren’t the farmers exploiting them. My Grandpa was a coal miner that migrated and found work North in the Oil Industry, But he bought a country home and raised a Garden and livestock. These were neighbors that naturalized. I have always known migrant families that have evry right to be here. That is why I am quite disconcerted and sad with the current conservative militance and dickishness as concerns the current border wars… I believe this a secret Homeland Security mastubatory big brother push. This war wouldn’t be going on if not for the propaganda arm of Homeland Security. I think it should be abolished. > [@devilsknew](#): > > Well, all I know is that My Grandpas’, my Dad, and Uncle’s family made great strides in worker equality and worth. We awere Origunal Miner Union Men and UAW Presidents. And I am ashamed of the propaganda and moneytalk that has set us into this tailspin and the sorry state of American Corporations. They blame us when really their unregulated, Republican, GreedBloodLust has led us here. The republicans wil be our undoing as a Nation in history and time. They destroyed the middle class. I assume these were intended for a different thread. If you tell me which thread, I can redirect them thither. **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/55 "2010-11-12T15:40:18Z")
I like to use my soft tortillas for curried rice or potatoes or other Indian dishes. Helps use up any spare tortillas and lets me set a serving size for the meal. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310/56 "2010-11-12T15:53:31Z")
I had a Navajo taco last night at a local eatery. Flat bread with pinto beans, shredded pork, green chili, cheese, etc. piled on top. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tacos/560310.md?page=2)