A History of Tacos

[@TastingHistory]

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

[@HerLadyship1800]

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

[@JanKowalski-wb8ih]

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]

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

[@TastingHistory]

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

[@marylee7467]

So glad you're feeling better. Coffee by the pool is recommended. 🫂

[@libiabrenda3148]

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]

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

[@jordanlr1577]

Hi from Jalisco :)

[@jordanlr1577]

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

[@BELCAN57]

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

[@NoName-ue8kk]

I just discovered Birria and I'm obsessed

[@JoePrice77]

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 KZbin. Congrats on all the success, Max…it’s well-deserved!!!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you so much!

[@kilotun8316]

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

[@PicturesqueGames]

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.

[@ΘανοςΠετρέλαιο]

@@PicturesqueGames "Souvlaki" was actually brought by an Armenian in Greece and the term "γύρος" 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. *"Γύρος"* literally means "turn (noun)".

[@ΘανοςΠετρέλαιο]

@@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 dцмb-cunning and ֆnеакy made a fool out of foreigners and passed as a Neogreek invention.

[@ΘανοςΠετρέλαιο]

@@PicturesqueGames that is the sneaky neogreek mentality

[@cathpalug1221]

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

[@edgarraya7657]

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

[@teesiemom]

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! 😊❤

[@DangerSquiggles]

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

[@pkg8709]

Happy Birthday!

[@lisahinton9682]

@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]

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]

Was your dad a Sea Bee?

[@GotEmAll1337]

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 KZbin

[@TastingHistory]

What a compliment! Thank you

[@dayc5933]

TIME MARCHES ON METALLICA

[@angryoatman766]

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

[@IAmNotYourProblem]

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]

@@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.

[@JWRogersPS]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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]

@@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]

@@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!

[@BVtok26]

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 spanish🤨 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]

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

[@georged.5595]

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]

I do have plans to make something with cactus 🌵

[@TakeUpYourCross]

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

[@georged.5595]

@@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]

Yes cactus would be really awesome!

[@naiaddore1797]

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.

[@legoqueen2445]

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]

Tacos and scientology: The Los Angeles experience

[@mellie4174]

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

[@bologna3048]

I mean.. we do like tacos on tuesday in the states...

[@mirnasimmi4901]

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]

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! 😁

[@RicardoLuna]

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]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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]

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.

[@marthdaeglin]

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]

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.

[@The_Kentuckian]

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

[@jmiquelmb]

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

[@ragnkja]

@@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]

Yes!

[@ragnkja]

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

[@vilena5308]

I can ramble about anything anytime. However, the moment there is a word count, there is suddenly nothing of interest I can recall about that particular subject.

[@mistertaz94]

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

[@Cryostat2131]

🤣🤣🤣

[@AM-hf9kk]

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]

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

[@ginninadances]

Yes! 😜😝😄

[@carlam4986]

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

[@majcrash]

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]

Wow 😳

[@jerryhernandez1895]

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

[@johnking6252]

They used to have some of the best Mexican markets in that town? Don't know anymore. ✌️👍

[@hildahilpert5018]

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

[@squiremuldoon5462]

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

[@samanthab5006]

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.

[@_meeps]

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]

❤👍 Mitlas IS still great! The grandson is running it now, to my last understanding, and doing it wonderfully imo

[@suzanneleslie5105]

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]

What were the original tacos like?

[@IvanVKlik]

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

[@elizabethkeen7851]

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

[@porkchopproductions0314]

@@IvanVKlik Lol that is true

[@suzanneleslie5105]

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.

[@ucebuffer9946]

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 🤙🏽

[@sarasilly]

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

[@HipposHateWater]

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

[@LordOceanus]

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

[@scruffy281]

What a great suggestion. That would be fun!

[@lysanamcmillan7972]

@@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.

[@JCchan99]

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.

[@jet_flyer]

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]

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.

[@ghostofthefuture]

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]

Red onion especially! 😋

[@Tk3997]

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]

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]

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

[@user-sw4qd2up2s]

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

[@mnbrzy]

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.

[@michaelpavon9743]

Thanks!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you!

[@michaelpavon9743]

you are most welcome, I am always looking forward for your new videos

[@lisaspikes4291]

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]

Mexican heritage? You mean Spanish conquistador heritage

[@i2ndsight]

@@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]

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]

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]

@@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

[@isaimojica2804]

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]

This comment says it all LoL

[@nattance1]

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

[@FuturoAnacronico]

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]

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

[@ozymandias3456]

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

[@DaViiloW805]

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. 🇲🇽🇺🇲💯

[@truth4004]

well where's your blog?

[@KevinJDildonik]

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

[@HerLadyship1800]

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

[@MsAnpassad]

In my country, it's Taco Friday.

[@Saalor100]

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

[@ragnkja]

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

[@TastingHistory]

Sometimes things just work out 😁

[@hfreyschildren1265]

Taco 🌮 Tuesday perfection

[@fruitlooprainbow]

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

[@gdiaz8827]

Mex

[@texmex8815]

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

[@babaghanoush1124]

@@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]

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

[@azborderlands]

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

[@godsowndrunk1118]

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]

What a wonderful story of passing on culinary knowledge!

[@druidriley3163]

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]

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]

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]

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

[@DefaultFlame]

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.

[@SamaraCNeyra]

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]

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]

@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]

@@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]

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

[@7drunkenmermaids431]

LOL. That sounds just like my grampa 🤣

[@jaredwright5644]

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

[@TastingHistory]

Seriously 🤣

[@MossyMozart]

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

[@petergray7576]

@@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.

[@ludwiggarnica]

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

[@StefanoFierros]

came here to comment this

[@alanmichelsandovalcardona4938]

yeah tacos sudados are always super soft, because of the steam, not crunchy

[@chrismayer3919]

Have you tried tacos de infierno? It’s a taco with jalapeños, Serrano, poblete, Carolina reaper, scorpion and bhut Jolaki peppers on it! (I heard they waved this under the space shuttle to ignite its boosters…)

[@gasolinaboots3577]

Tacos sudados, tacos de canasta, tacos al vapor, are similar preparations with lots of oil soaked into a soft tortilla, none are hard shelled.

[@terryt.1643]

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 are 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! 🥰💕❤️👍 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.

[@pablodelsegundo9502]

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]

O No! Sin cebolla, mi amigo??

[@arienrhod4166]

¡Siempre con cebollas!

[@cindykalionzes4259]

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

[@oldfrend]

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]

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

[@federicohanhausen9431]

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 miner´s 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]

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!

[@butterbear3042]

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]

It’s just my mom hitting refresh.

[@butterbear3042]

@@TastingHistory we love mom 🧡😂

[@Valhallavirtue]

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.

[@agustinamagpie]

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.

[@bloodmyst987]

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

[@kailypipkin4237]

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

[@Crazycatlady-inTennessee]

Great idea. I will try it

[@davidbraun6209]

I go with a steak knife and fork.

[@donnavorce8856]

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

[@draeath]

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

[@gerriebell2128]

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

[@lucio.martinez]

Mexican Food, "Cultural Heritage of Humanity", Unesco. One of four foods, among---French, Japanese, and Mediterranean. Viva México! 🇲🇽

[@margot-td9nc]

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]

GREAT question! I also wanna know, Max!

[@ladyraven3418]

Definitely hard tack. CLICK! CLICK!

[@lokisgodhi]

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]

Yogurt works better.

[@oldfrend]

@@lenabreijer1311 ice cream best of all.

[@nahor88]

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]

@@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]

@@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.

[@vcat8136]

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! 🤣

[@1stevenreid]

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). 😁

[@70foolio]

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. 🌮😋

[@robertgreen1131]

Hello Yvonne How are you doing today ?

[@BrentLorend]

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]

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]

@@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]

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

[@timmccarthy872]

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]

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!!

[@frankieamsden7918]

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

[@bawbbawbins]

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

[@MasterGeekMX]

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

[@julieneff9408]

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]

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]

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

[@julieneff9408]

@@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]

@@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]

Hello Julie How are you doing today ?

[@georgewebber6313]

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]

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

[@user-sw4qd2up2s]

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]

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

[@shadowmancy9183]

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

[@hanson544]

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

[@leuchebreu26]

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

[@m420-nd1if]

wow, how do you know Brazilian, spanish AND portuguese? 😮

[@Vicarium]

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

[@gregmuon]

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.

[@znachkiznachki5352]

As soon as I saw that cookbook - I'm like - WANT!

[@DIEGhostfish]

I love the scam in in Zorro.

[@pepefernandez7863]

Awesome video! The amount of research put into each one of these is astounding! I’d just add that “tacos sudados” , also called “tacos de canasta” (basket tacos) in other regions of Mexico are in fact fried using condimented lard or fats, but are NOT crispy nor crunchy, because right after they are taken out of the fryer they are individually wrapped in paper and stacked one on top of the other, generally inside a basket, which makes them keep their moisture for much longer time (hence both of their names hehe), and therefore are actually kinda soft and mushy

[@jessicatsao92]

As an Asian American woman, I became interested in your channel from about two years ago, and the History has captivated me just as much as the recipes. 🎉❤ This is one channel that I especially hope will continue for the ages. ❤ Btw, Merry Christmas! 🎄🩰🎁🥧

[@tyriliusmc9798]

Max, your hard work is greatly appreciated. I dont think I'm alone when I say I'm incredibly thankful that you decided to make this your full time passion. Your fans are passionate about your work and love you for it. Thank you.

[@Saeda88]

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]

Jalapenos can be very hot if you grow them properly.

[@kale9269]

he said spicier tgan the previous ones he mentioned

[@markmower6507]

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

[@lilafeldman8630]

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

[@sarahdoanpeace3623]

I’d love an episode on chilis too!

[@jonirnmomba4130]

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]

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.

[@guaycura]

@@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]

Pasties are more like empanadas than tacos

[@jonirnmomba4130]

@@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.

[@arlaabrell8658]

@@guaycura yep

[@ulexite-tv]

Oh my God -- you mentioned Olive Percival! What a remarkable woman she was. Her papers and some of her collections are held at UCLA. My mother helped catalogue her collections and letters. I cannot begin to tell you all the tales i heard during the 1950s of Olive Percival -- gardener, cook, poet, author, and collector HURRAY for bringing her name out of obscurity.

[@marthamacias6044]

P.S. I never miss your show. I just love learning from all of your research and great writing.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 🙏

[@kawawangkowboy9566]

"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.

[@kathleenamatangelo3713]

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 :)

[@juliehillebrand8923]

I completely nerd out on your delicious history. I just love this so very much. I would absolutely love more taco recipes and information, and lots of love to you, I hope you're feeling better!

[@trublgrl]

@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]

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

[@zakarymoninger7845]

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

[@Phobero]

@@SafetyBriefer A carrot

[@hereniho]

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

[@carolharris2357]

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.

[@DamonNomad82]

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!

[@aLexTaKaTu]

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

[@marthamacias6044]

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]

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]

Tacos dorados are fried

[@hulexable]

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

[@rocioleal6546]

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]

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.

[@thiadesg]

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]

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.

[@Mansplaination]

Max!!! I wish we were neighbors! 😆 Hey, have you heard the version stating tacos Al pastor are the little cousin of the Lebanese Shawarma/Gyro? You’re amazing 🤩

[@TastingHistory]

Both delicious! Just had shawarma on Tuesday again

[@federicohanhausen9431]

I dont think being the neigbor of someone who makes garum in his house is a good thing.

[@borjesvensson8661]

@@federicohanhausen9431 but could you say no to max's cute face?

[@palomamoya1715]

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!!

[@chickencheeks5444]

This was one of the best tasting moments. I could feel my throat clenching a cough and my eyes starting to water just watching you!

[@infantilesazcapotzalco5062]

Chalupa being a closest relative of Taco is a different animal of it's own kind, is a favorite Mexican Independence Dish in Central Mexico and comes from Puebla, it's consistency is a mix between a Taco and Tostada, but being fried with Pig's Lard (very important to Fried in Pig's Lard, not other else) give its spirit and unique flavor.

[@WitherFang]

I could see myself making this because I kind of doing something similar at home already. Tips! If you find yourself eating very very spicy food in the future, drip some fresh lime into it and/or a spoon of sour cream - it usually helps. Also extremely delicious!

[@jennyskeen3826]

Drinking milk during eating & vanilla ice cream for the dessert is how I was brought up to calm down the capsaicin from my father from Arizona.

[@karlajaeger2082]

Sour cream? Eww...

[@86eastbay]

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!!!

[@azborderlands]

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

[@danielrossetti4414]

This was great! I'd love to see you do a video on the history of chili. It's certainly a very delicious and controversial food (in regards to ingredients, e.g. beans or no beans) that I'm sure must have a wonderful story behind it. Also, love the subtle humor you slide into your videos!

[@jeanfalconer6377]

The brief 'Risk was calculated. I'm bad at maths' moment (re: spiciness) was my favourite part.

[@klamath135]

In Zacatecas, Mexico we have big tacos called Tacos Envenenados, which translate to poisoned tacos. These tacos are deep-fried filled with frijoles adobados mixed with mashed potatoes and topped with ground beef and queso añejo. They are really good.

[@BSIII]

My grandfather is from Zacatecas. Those sound amazing.

[@Marshadow69]

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

[@mollyscozykitchen4693]

Great episode, Max! I love waking up to watch your videos. I would love to see more Middle Eastern recipes on your channel, maybe the history of falafel or kibbeh.

[@genericyoutubehandle.]

Can I ask where in the world you are? This was uploaded at 4pm UK time!

[@MsAnpassad]

I vote for Döner Kebab. I know it's not as popular in USA as here in Europe, but the Americans really should start eating it, as it's a fastfood that are relatively healthy (not with fries of course, but with the Pita bread, red sauce and fresh veggies) and super delicious.

[@mollyscozykitchen4693]

@@genericyoutubehandle. United States, West Coast. Uploads in the morning for me!

[@cam4636]

@@MsAnpassad I've seen plenty of gyro places in the US, but I can't say I've ever seen a Döner Kebab outside of Germany

[@MsAnpassad]

@@cam4636 They are all over Europe, many of us just don't call them Döner Kebab, just Kebab.

[@JonathanStrickland]

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

[@arlaabrell8658]

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]

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

[@arlaabrell8658]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Good call!

[@SlavicCelery]

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.

[@PB-tr5ze]

Lol when you mentioned that you have to pay attention to the type of chilies you are buying, I instantly knew you bought the spicy ones lol. My family was never fond of raw onions, so we typically grill or fry the onions before putting them on our tacos. Mmmmmm... many happy food memories....

[@xINVISIGOTHx]

i dont like alchohol but i've bought it just for the bottle multiple times (i usually taste it and pour the whole thing in the sink)

[@susie_xowie]

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.

[@angelarasmussen1800]

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!!!

[@rubenestradaglz.4735]

I hope you liked your visit to Baja California in Mexico, I really like when people talks good stuff about my state, by the way, here in TJ the tacos have guacamole and kind of lowers the heat from the sauce

[@SrAjolote13]

Cuanto conocimiento y diversión, gracias!! 😂🤓 Sigue practicando tu español y podrás acceder a los mejores sitios de comida original y deliciosa en nuestra hermosa Hispanoamérica , Saludos desde México!!

[@CavemanSynthesizer]

Pro tip: if you're ever handling chiles and find your hands starting to burn, you can take a handful of sugar and rub it over your hands. I'm not sure how it works, but it works. I learned this when I the same thing happened to me. I asked my local shopkeeper if he knew any remedies out of complete desperation... and it worked! I suspect another fine grain like salt - or maybe even flour - would also work. I haven't had the occasion (or the inclination) to experiment.

[@dashieldmasta177]

Sugar in general neutralizes capsaicin, as well as fat. The ultimate oh-fuck reaction to too much spice is to bite into a crème-filled doughnut.

[@user-sw4qd2up2s]

I heard baking soda works too

[@genericskimaskrapper7268]

I heard wearing gloves works too

[@pnjsmom26]

Kind of funny story that taught me an alternate definition of taco. My neighbor’s nickname was “Taco” given to him due to the many fights he was in using a pool cue when he was young. I knew him for many years before I learned his legal name, but no one (including his wife) ever used it. He was an excellent neighbor until his passing and his wife remains our wonderful neighbor.

[@lhfirex]

I am super jealous of that tequila bottle Max showed off. That thing's a work of art! The recipe (and history) is great, too.

[@vrownvegan3187]

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

[@HayTatsuko]

5:02 I feel ya, man. This one time, years ago, I decided to make some nice mild salsa for my roommates. I bought some lovely-looking banana peppers and green bell peppers from the local Kroger, and some spicier peppers for my own salsa. As I was chopping up the peppers and such for the mild version, I decided to try a nibble of the banana pepper, and _immediately_ felt my mouth catch on fire. Someone had shipped that Kroger a bunch of Hungarian wax peppers, which look nearly identical to banana peppers. They have a pretty wide range of heat levels -- from 1/2 the potency up to 3 times as hot as jalapeños. The manager of the Kroger was rather surprised when I called him the next morning to warn him of the mix-up, but when I visited later in the day, I found that the entire banana pepper bin had become 100% chilli-free.

[@kimberc813]

here in Tennessee banana peppers that are homegrown can turn out spicy. i think the water and sun have a play in how the heat develops or if it does but banana peppers can definitely become hot. Even if they are the only pepper being grown, so cross pollination wasn't the issue.

[@A.Clifton]

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

[@brendon1689]

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

[@SassyUnicorn86]

Whew Choco tacos are fire

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

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

[@JAY-gl5xd]

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

[@candycain1001]

😂

[@HootOwl513]

After I moved to LA, my sister-in-law, [a Chicana from Tucson] showed me how to ''bend tacos.'' In a 6'' cast iron pan, put 3/8'' of corn oil and get it hot. When the oil in the pan is hot enough to get a musical tinkling from a few drops of water, it's hot enough. Take a 5'' corn tortilla and hold it with tongs [she used the tines of a fork] and gently immerse one half of the tortilla in the boiling oil for 45 to 90 seconds. It will blister and brown. Then grab the fried side with the tongs and bend the tortilla over 180* and repeat. With the other side done, put the taco shell on a paper towel to drain, and grab another one. They get a chewy/crunchy texture you don't get with store-bought hard tacos shell. This may or may not be Sonoran-style. i Sabrosa !

[@TakBonez]

I do a similar method,i just drop the whole tortilla in the hot oil. Let it go for about 20-30 secs. Flip 20 secs, flip back over and lift half out. Hold for about 45secs to a min. Then you have to flip and balance the top part of the shell over the tongs. Otherwise it falls into itself and makes it too narrow to stuff said taco. A Tip to get them a bit crispier is to fry them all again a second time. On a higher temp, for less time. And salt IMMEDIATELY after frying, while oil is still hot.

[@HootOwl513]

@@TakBonez Thanks for the SALT IMMEDIATELY tip. I will try that tonight. To set up 3 or 4 tacos for filling. I do some origami on a couple of paper plates. Fold one in half and cut 3 or 4 V-shaped notches into the center spine. Take a second paper plate and cut two 4'' long slits parallel to each other for Slot B. Open out the first plate and push in the taco grooves, then cut two Tab As. Mount upper plate on lower plate by fitting Tabs A into Slots B and you have a Taco Rack. Your taco shells will drain off excess oil, cool down, and are now handy for filling. Usually I fill with meat first, and while it's still hot add shredded cheese. Then shredded lettuce, cubes tomato, and chopped raw onion, [or Pico de Gallo here if you have it]. Top with salsa or Chalupa. Gonna try Ground Pork tonight. Adios.

[@TakBonez]

@@HootOwl513 good luck with the tacos tonight. Let me know how it turns out. I put a small amount of cheese first then meat, then rest of toppings followed by more cheese. Then put them in the broiler for 20-30 secs. Nice melty cheese and even more crispness to the shell. If making american/taco bell style I also put in half a jar of chunky salsa and the taco seasoning.

[@HootOwl513]

@@TakBonez You're making me hungry, Dude. My kitchen sink is out of whack. P-Trap corroded out, and I can't use the kitchen sink or dishwasher. Went to Home Despot to get new plumbing parts. It was discovered at 9:17 PM Sunday but everything was closed by then, and also closed yesterday... There's a Taco Bell right outside of the Depot. I couldn't resist. I got 3 Regular Crunchy Tacos and a large Mt Dew for $7 bucks and change. Would have cost a Dollar [.25 +.25 + .25 + .25] in the old days. Had to try for reference and nostalgia. Really I preferred Jack In the Box's tacos, until they went up to $1.20/2. Mine are miles better, though.

[@jst25]

@@HootOwl513 Jack in the Box tacos are amazing, not really a taco like you'd get anywhere else, but somehow it works.

[@tixeright9120]

"Coming in waves" man, I love tacos that remind me of the ocean.

[@robertworden8559]

I wasn't too sure about your web series, but after your programme on the origin of the taco, I'm quite impressed. Your thoughtful use of the Spanish language (in Mexican dialect) is music to my ears, and your considerable research and editing to make a comprehensive, accurate and educational video is to be admired. You've sparked the interest of a world travelling TV Director and food critic and a devout historian on world culinary history. Nice Job Max!

[@hollowearthfujoshi]

I like your cookimg videos, you'll get there one day bud.