The Real History Behind Burritos

Subscribe to #ATTN: on KZbin: attn.link/2kkjQIP
In this episode of #DishHistory, we sat down with Gustavo Arellano, a renowned food critic based in Los Angeles and discussed the history of burritos.
In a new original series, ATTN: explores the origin of popular American dishes that have become cultural staples in Dish History.
-
ATTN: is a media company that breaks down important societal topics and conversations into digestible, entertaining videos and series across all platforms. Check out more videos worth your ATTN: and subscribe to our channels below:
KZbin: / attn
Facebook: / attn
Instagram: / attndotcom
Twitter: / attn
Snapchat: / attndotcom

[@edgryff]

This man takes his burritos seriously

[@frontier_conflict]

Love how she was trying to feed him these questions trying to push it towards identity politics and he was having none of it , good food is good food

[@mademansandro]

thats right!

[@DelovelyD]

If you were listening he said the problem comes in when they (nonMexicans) say their food is better than the mother country. I swear y’all have selective hearing and are so ready to make comments about your own political beliefs or lack there of.

[@frontier_conflict]

I didn’t say him I said her ? She was trying to push it towards identity politics and he was giving honest and fair responses. Before you get triggered next time take a bit more time to read the comment mate

[@heyyo6122]

Yuup

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

Hispanic people are often pretty conservative. They're not terribly interested in wokeism.

[@emad9202]

she was trying to bait him so hard lmao

[@filo_1963]

Fr

[@hado33_]

yeah she is kind of annoying and dumb

[@420AlucardMr]

Look at this lady struggle to make it political or about race but the man was like nope and here's a burrito lesson

[@williamturk1330]

Everything was great until she brought up her biased politics into it.

[@daniellazaro4571]

True and Mexicans eat with sour cream on they’re food too

[@thomascoca5064]

She's totally a blm puppet

[@joaquinflores3547]

@@daniellazaro4571 yea Crema and also nata

[@cherrypieconsumer4982]

Y'all wanna hate her so bad. But all she did was ask about authenticity ,

[@joalfred76]

Burritos are originally from Juárez/El Paso and the guy who created them was Juan Méndez in the 1910's, who used to transport and sell his food on the back of a Donkey = Burro, so people used to say where is the guy with the donkeys = burros. And yes they are kinda thin compared to Chipotle's but usually made from at least 20 types of stew on freshly made tortilla, actually you'll see the ladies making them. And that my friends is the real burrito!

[@Lyndanet]

that’s a great story much appreciated 🙌🏽

[@BlackiceR34]

Yup this is the story! But the only thing I would add was “here canes the guys with the burritos” and the rest is history 😅

[@DaveVargas90012]

Agreed!

[@setiset516]

No they are not! Burritos are from California..stop the cap 🧢..we don’t eat the burritos in mexic which was only made with rice or a meat!

[@hado33_]

@@Lyndanet literally what the guy in the video said

[@Adamfromthevalley]

The whole point is the, Burritos🌯 are Mexican food and that It originated from Mexico and was invented in Mexico. Viva México 🇲🇽

[@darthjarjar5309]

Really sick and tired of all these Americans trying to steal the origin of our food with all this “Tex-mex” crap. Texas was part of Mexico, anything originating from there is by default Mexican. Texmex falls under the Mexican umbrella.

[@miltonbuu]

I just ate a burrito of carnitas and now i'm feeling my body tingling with all the juicy calories of energy. Pure Heaven. 😋

[@shruglifecomedy5709]

Burritos in San Francisco are the superior burrito

[@matthewlewis7513]

The interviewer here keeps trying to goad him into saying bad things about Americans and not once does he take the bait.

[@alansands256]

I caught that and admire him for it. I usually hate the word "problematic" but I appreciated the way he used it in regards to authenticity.

[@etholus1000]

He’s a great guy, unlike the scummy far left trying to find a way to hate White people

[@TakeUpYourCross]

He was awesome

[@WhiskeyCrack]

Stop making food political.

[@ROBERTO415]

WhiskeyCrack Thank you!

[@brendonrookes1151]

its just virtue signaling like he said every culture makes money off another cultures food

[@neff___3658]

Why the heck would she bring the commander in chief into this conversation?? 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@mmkjijhuks1841]

I'm from Mexico, but live in the US. I just wanted to know the history of burritos. I hate it when they make it political.

[@dillioncollins7303]

Yes the part that fustrated me is when she kept on Bringing up Trump controversy and White ppl and race and Stuff like can we just enjoy the documentry smh

[@cu9424]

To make history long, the burrito is a NORTH STYLE MEXICAN TACO.

[@rodrigogavilan3104]

Lmao

[@victorsantiago1795]

So it’s a taco but the northen style way

[@BlackBubblesJblack]

You weren't paying attention it's a Texas California thing, Mexicans just eat soft tacos and mole

[@cu9424]

@@BlackBubblesJblack Don't be silly, the burritos are originally from Ciudad Juárez, but with the theft of territory by the gringos, El Paso del Norte - as it was called before - was divided and half remained on the gringo side and the other in Mexican side. But the burrito was created in Juárez, and people took them on a donkey (hence its name in Spanish "burritos") to sell to the other side of the city, that's why the gringos feel like creators of a dish known worldwide as part of the Mexican gastronomy as well as the totopo that is from Coahuila. Even if it hurts, that's the story.

[@BlackBubblesJblack]

@@cu9424 I heard what you're saying but the first burrito on" record "came out of Los Angeles CA

[@humzahj.]

I love how this guy shut down every opportunity the reporter took to try and make this about culture appropriation. "Does authenticity bother you?" "Does it bother you white people make this food?" Like come the hell on, it's food. White people loving it and making it should be considered flattery is anything. But like I said, he put it to her straight.

[@Hello-d5q]

Yeh!

[@theForrestGalantey]

Only reason this has likes is cause the man was awesome and intelletcual on his burrito game.

[@MrSeals1000]

*America looks at the original burritos*- "Mmm... Needs to be bigger."

[@thrakerzad5874]

to be fair we like to do that to most foods that make their way over here :)

[@rjtheripper931]

And damn it. It is beautiful!!!!!!

[@MrSeals1000]

@@rjtheripper931 Eating baby sized burritos brings me way too much joy

[@rjtheripper931]

@@MrSeals1000 same here. But we can all agree that burritos are one of god's greatest blessings on earth. Thank you jesus!!!!

[@tichtran664]

And then there are those mexicans who said there is no such thing as burrito in mexico. Even though it is found in northern mexico. Just like there are italians who said spaghetti and meatballs is not italian. Yet in TERAMO there is spaghetti chittera con palottine(MEATBALL IN THAT LOCAL DIALECT). Or how Ittalish, a youtuber from ROME THE CAPITAL, who admitted his nonna fed him spaghetti con polpottine(the standard italian word for meatball).

[@90Outside]

My grandma and grandpa just call them tacos they never heard the word burrito.

[@miraclebby4499]

It be like that believe it or not

[@AraucoVibrador]

A whole life, the taco wrapped in flour tortilla has been called a burrito in Mexico, in northern Mexico, at least. Son mexicanos tus abuelos? Toda la vida ha sido llamado burrito el taco envuelto de tortilla de harina en México, en el norte de México, al menos.

[@daniellozada3408]

They probably from central Mexico or southern Mexico

[@joaquinflores3547]

your family is probably from central or southern Mexico

[@yseson_]

Go on a date or burrito? Awkward interaction or a satisfying tasty treat? That’s not a choice really

[@fleiva30]

Old man and his burrito is the original creator of the burrito 🌯 end of story

[@DannyRossa]

Somebody ordered the WOKE burrito....

[@joaquimrodriguez8961]

scrambled egg and bean burritos in flour tortilla, was the norm. When I was growing up.

[@natebrothers8828]

Since dislikes are gone , like this comment if you’re sick of people bashing on white peoples every chance they get! To sum up this ladies opinion: (burritos good, white people bad)

[@theForrestGalantey]

She biting it like she dont like it and sounding scripted like a rookie, terrible hostess. We need people that eat the food, speak on its history, flavor culture etc but do not bring up politics and race into food!

[@jeheheu23]

This man seems wholesome. Just ate a homemade bean chilli burrito whilst watching this kek :D

[@AdrianoSaenz]

El tradicional burrito de frijoles con queso en Cd. Juarez. #lapobreza

[@melaniebustamante2532]

Asi es muchos creen que es tex-mex pero no es de Chihuahua cd. Juarez. Igual que los nachos creen que son de USA pero son de Mexico nacieron en Piedras Negras 1943.

[@henryjw15]

@@melaniebustamante2532 but they were introduced in America before it spread through Mexico.

[@Pcordero87]

@@henryjw15 burritos spread through northern mexico since the 1900's, its a regional food consumed daily by thousands, the fact it spread before through the southern parts of the US has more to do with the regional cultural links, burritos and nachos are still not accepted as Mexican food by people in the center and south of Mexico, but it is.

[@henryjw15]

@@Pcordero87 yup, I really do much to connect that burritos we’re got popular in America before it reach out to other regions of Mexico. Like nacho the Mexican dish from coahulia become popular in America. Where do these dishes originate… on the border which just reinforces your statement about cultural links.

[@mrsconsolelog]

lol.. Ciudad Juarez/El Paso Texas are the Best... !

[@SUCKROSS]

The Burritos from Zac are really good.

[@fernandaortiz2120]

I agree also Villa Ahumadas burritos

[@germansherman7707]

haha no way, sonoran ones are far better

[@LilLonely915]

Rafas burritos

[@NikeTubeStudios]

Watching this while eating a Burrito Norteño from El Sarape in Green Bay, WI.

[@gc6096]

Nice

[@surferpaul420]

I eat a burrito every day and have been wondering about it's origins. I didn't know that the type I always eat is from San Francisco, very close to where I live. No wonder I love them.

[@markigomez]

Sour cream is not just American. In the Veracruz area its essential in their tacos

[@joaquinflores3547]

in Mexico its called crema agria so yea Mexicans do eat sour cream

[@MariaGasca-Reyes]

White people are just thieves their ancestors stole land now they want to take credit for burritos

[@meierphotography1975]

Yeah it was pretty pathetic that she was trying to bait him to say it's wrong for white people to "make money from Mexican food"... As if she doesn't benefit from something another culture has "supplied"....

[@ericktellez7632]

Believe it or not, burritos are a hot topic on Mexico and an example of the cultural divide between north and south. Burritos are a staple in the north of Mexico, meanwhile the southern states claim is a gringo, tex mex invention but thats not the case.

[@joaquinflores3547]

yea la gente del sur son muy ignorantes sobre la cultura Norteña

[@aboyhasnoname5356]

I liked the history, but not everything has to be political

[@thehauntedstream7206]

Very thoughtful guy, I’ll definitely visit if I’m ever in the area :)

[@user-sb8sw5sd4p]

The burro came out of México already made, all those styles mentioned are not Mexican burros, (hotdogs? Fries? Really?) and if you have seen a burro in heat, that's where the name, shape and size comes from, it's raw but that's the truth! 🌯, That's why the small ones are "burritos" Burro=donkey, burrito=little donkey ✌🏼

[@mikehong2691]

I Just-Eat A Super-Burrito&ENJOY!-Raymond "Mike" Hong!&(LA CATRINA-Mexican Food Truck Or Wherever-I'M HAPPY!-Mike!)😎👍!!!!!!!!!

[@markcurtis5228]

I really wanted to use this video for my day program for developmentally and intellectually disabled adults. I try to keep everything positive. We are a happy community with diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. Identity politics ruined this otherwise great video. We are all human beings, and we all have red blood running in our veins. I am an old white conservative Catholic man. Am I the enemy? I married a fantastic woman from Mexico. We have been happily married for 38 years. She loves the food from my heritage, and I love the food from hers and our kids learning the recipes from both sides of the family to pass on to future generations. Identity politics is racist and divisive. When will people wake up? "Love thy neighbor as thy self." My neighbor is not my enemy.

[@colinchampollion4420]

People : There are a lot of "WHITE MEXICANS " that invented Mexican food like the "Chile "Relleno"[

[@user-sb8sw5sd4p]

Burritos are from at least middle 1800's named after a donkey in heat,(hence size and shape) and got an entry on the dictionary of "mexicanismos" at least in late 1800's, if you fry one, you get a chimichanga. if it's big= burro, if small= burrito. Filling, anything goes ✌🏼

[@MariaGasca-Reyes]

Culture vultures!!!! burritos are Mexican Burritos were originally from cd juarez mx Just like nachos ignacio anaya creator

[@luismohamedcondori5037]

los mejores burritos son los de las islas y NO SE DICE MAS

[@wenkaiyang1487]

OMG, why am I watching this at late night ? Am I looking to suffer ?

[@rjaysingh2868]

I don't know why this channel is underrated.....He explained it so beautifully about burrito and Mexican culture ❤️. Support them guys ...we need good food reviewers like them

[@pedropenna7480]

LOLZ.... bringing racism out of burritos... jesus... this aged bad.

[@assoverteakettle]

5:58 "How do you feel about Mexican restaurants that the customers might be all non Mexican Americans and they're going to make food that might not necessarily be as traditional or authentic to where they came from..." Yeah but then all the cooks and staff at The Panda Express Chinese restaurants in Vegas are Latino, and all the customers are Latino and African-American ordering orange chicken and cream cheese rangoon which were invented in America. Lol. But, hey, as the fellow in the vid says: as long as it's good.

[@gavinthecrafter]

As long as it tastes good, the race of the person doesn't matter

[@mugensamurai]

I am amazed at what people come up with for lunch around the world. Where I come from we have maki rolls which are also not suppose to be fancy but really a simple meal of rice and leftover food from the day before wrapped in seaweed.

[@gabrielsanchez1644]

Burrito’s didn’t become what they are nowadays until the braceros who would come to the US for seasonal work under the bracero program, started packing them with beans rice and meat.. my Grandpa told us the story behind them. R.I.P Grandpa Ruben!

[@alantyson5339]

That what I been reading. They came out of the struggle.

[@alansands256]

And she failed the mention the stolen wages was by the Mexican government.

[@gabrielsanchez1644]

@@alantyson5339 Exactly.

[@funkmonster]

Yeah this documentary mentioned the bracero program so why do we need your commentary behind it? Make your own damn documentary if you want to get all uppity.

[@gabrielsanchez1644]

@@funkmonster Eat a burrito. Feel better.

[@richardpeddie5420]

I find this to be a very interesting topic. There is no doubt in my mind that burritos are Mexican. However, the more I dig, the more I am inclined to believe that they first appeared in Central Mexico (Guanajuato). After all, even before the Mexican Revolution, the word "burrito" appears in the 1895 Diccionario de Mexicanismos. See lasficheras.com/burritos Having searched on the internet until I found a copy of that reference material, I think it is beyond dispute that a burrito-like dish was served even in the late 1800s and was called "burrito" - although I suspect that this earlier form involved exclusively corn tortillas. I would love your thoughts on this subject!

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

Snd so what if some non-Mexican people make a burrito that's better than the Mexican ones? Food is universal, it doesn't belong to one culture or person it belongs to everybody.

[@josiptadic2252]

she spent the entire 8 minutes race baiting, so sad.

[@DouchebagT]

6:30 seriously? That ruined the entire interview smh.

[@ROBERTO415]

I usually like to stop by a pick up a burrito on Sunday afternoons, and as I’m eating my burrito today (today’s selection was prawn) from La Corneta on Mission street, I decided watch a video on the history of burritos. At 3:40, the interviewee, Gustavo Arellano mentions the Mission burrito, named after the Mission district, where I’ve lived my entire life. I love those burritos. I like the way he talked about burritos and the history of them. The disappointing part was when the interviewer gets political at 7:10. Can’t we even enjoy our food without getting political? Still, I like Gustavo’s passion for burritos and the things he had to say about the food.

[@luckyduckydrivingschool3615]

Any video that starts off by presenting a statistic about "millennials" - you know they are going to try and inject some sort of pseudo-intellectual commentary about race, class, blah blah blah...

[@ALLtwoEAZY]

3:17 el paso got burritos smaller then this.... Me (an el paso native): and i took that personally...

[@christianmartinez2616]

I grew up in Jalisco, and I didn't know burritos existed until I moved to the US. I was also pissed off when I ordered tacos at chipotle lol

[@melaniebustamante2532]

Esque ustedes del centro y sur de Mexico. No comen ni saben que existen los burritos. Porque no forma parte de su gastronomia creen que es burrito de USA. Pero no el burrito nacio en Chihuahua cd. Juarez. Asi como yo no sabia que era una torta ahogada. Saludos.

[@christianmartinez2616]

@@melaniebustamante2532 Muy cierto, me falta conocer el resto de México.

[@melaniebustamante2532]

@Taco De Carne Deja de decir tonterias y informate primero. El burrito es de cd. Juarez chihuahua. Los gringos lo adoptaron de los norteños. Si te tomaras el tiempo de buscarlo en google o podrias ver videos donde los gringos mismos hablan del origen del burrito y como se volvio una comida muy popular en USA.

[@gc6096]

Lol

[@damageincorporatedmetal43v73]

My Mom used to work @ the Elcomador Restaurant. Tacos were cheap to make back then. And they would always give a basket piled with shoestring fries.

[@leonardolt]

Idk Mr. Escalante was well educated on 🌯

[@geonerd]

How the hell did a simple Burrito Video become an excuse for a racial diatribe? WTF, people? W.T.F.?????

[@BlackBubblesJblack]

Because people think burritos are Mexican food when it's actually American food

[@hockeyfan1799]

Mexico has sour cream too wtf

[@bhartiyasena9189]

From where tortilla came from indian roti came to Mexico from Collonozer wonder how

[@bennycostello2472]

She kept trying to make it about race lmao

[@etholus1000]

This is why I hate far-leftists. They are always being racists and calling us racists. It’s annoyingly stupid

[@mikeyme3283]

So wait... who in vented The traditional Mexican Pink Taco? 🌮😚

[@churchofguestmob4498]

Hugh Hefner lol

[@CalebBlock]

get woke, no more burritos

[@emmy4537]

now I want a fresh burrito

[@__-pl3jg]

Hello, I'll take a bean and cheese little donkey with a side of rooster beak...Por Aqui, gracias.

[@TakeUpYourCross]

😂

[@damageincorporatedmetal43v73]

The burritos I make are to Die for... I fry the Lean Meat Steak in a Cast Iron Frying pan! Now I've got this Foodi Ninja. I put them in for just the right amount of time. It comes out so tender...

[@tyrranicalt-rad6164]

I call em burriters !!!

[@MrSeals1000]

Depends on your definition of a "date" I suppose lol If you mean go on a courting experience with someone you hardly know or someone you dont know at all.. then yeah, burrito wins, easily Now if you mean going on a date with the person you have been with for a good while and are really close to them... then date wins, by far.

[@Thrashmetalman]

i dunno sometimes a burrito still wins...

[@alansands256]

@@Thrashmetalman You do realize you can make a date to go HAVE a burrito?

[@WatchingWithMyEyesClosed]

@@alansands256 doesn’t matter. Still taking the burrito.

[@matty54379]

Race baiting ****

[@ghostmedicine4691]

I grew up in southern California on beans and rice. my family was in New Mexico long before it was called that we didn't cross the border like people would think, rather the border crossed us.

[@CallMeDogmaVEVO]

I dont really see the angle of if this is "woke" signaling, i think shes asking relevant questions about not just the history of the burrito but also the misconception of whether or not its offensive to him. I would have liked to hear him possibly talk about french and latino cuisine fusions, it'd be cool to know more about how french sauces/french prepped proteins/veggies can be combined with burritos, south american/central american stews, quesadillas etc. Ive yet to find a single restaurant that takes the heritage of the Americas in French/Spanish histories and combines that with the food styles to make something a serious twist.

[@plopping-wetlyacademyofmot9639]

Race baiting, terrible interview by the host. Why crow bar your racism into a show about food? 🤦bottom of the barrel stuff🤦

[@kiss196161]

Juarez, is where they were invented! Not like anything the US makes! Look in the kitchen there's Mexicans in every restaurant! We cook the worlds food!

[@luelzone7474]

Thanks for making me hungry again

[@ivannevarez8478]

Well if your a woman who wants to make everything political. Of course men are going to prefer a burrito over a conversation with you. How is that not obvious. In fact all humans will prefer good food over a bad or awkward conversation.

[@Scot-i1p]

I really appreciated all the things this gentleman said. What is funny about the Zacatecas burrito, is my wife is from there. She used to say that burritos were not a Mexican thing. She'd never had them where she was from. Then one day driving through her state, we stopped at a huge burrito restaurant. The point is, you can grow up in a state that is known for burritos and never have them. She is from a desolate area. lol With that, we all have our individual experiences with food, so of course there are a million takes on everything. It is like people talking about what the right hot dog is, or pizza or whatever. Then insert the dynamic of marginalized people, well, of course you are going to get ruffled feathers. We just need to try to be respectful of others by learning and sharing. Easier said than done, for some of us.

[@saya7939]

I’m lying in my bed at 4 am craving a burrito whyyy

[@MrCashoos]

Fun fact: lots of central and southern (especially the later) Mexicans don't even considere Burritos as mexican food and other ones that originated on the northern part of our country.

[@joaquinflores3547]

that doesn’t make the food less Mexican

[@gavinthecrafter]

Yeah cause the Mexican food they're used to is the food they grew up with

[@elmalanmalan2175]

I had a burrito Last night in japan lol

[@ezriderrc]

EXCELLENT JOB YOUNG LADY!! GREAT QUESTIONS AND PATIENCE LISTENING TO THE RESPONSES! YOUR GONNA GO FAR!!!

[@lobotomusprime1443]

" They Opressed Mexicans with Mexican Food" 🙄🤨 unsubscribed

[@themaestro3034]

How dare white people make versions of Mexican food or Mexican-Americans make versions of Japanese food… what the hell do they think America is, some kind of melting pot? 😂

[@GO-vm8yg]

Wow her look at the end of the video, she’s looking for stupid woke arguments and not learning about the culture of burritos… someone change the host… the guy is so genuine and direct, he should be a politician 😅

[@feetgoaroundfullflapsC]

06:56 Columbu-sing.. To Bullshit about you discovering something-discovered already..

[@innershade9679]

I really like that guy. Very down to earth

[@Fr0stbyteGamezz]

love the guy but shes really pushing a narrative. like im mexican and leftist but its crazy the lengths people go to make shit politicals. bruh just eat the burritos and be happy!

[@williamgoen1398]

I dont think burritos size mean anything, we prefer it bc it simply has more 🤦🤦😂😂

[@Salena905]

Thanks for this, now I know what a Borrito is. Now going to look forward to eating them 😋

[@ernestovargas853]

Did she realize she was speaking to a white Mexican? Jeeezzz people, let's get it straight: Mexican is not a race, it is a nationality!!!

[@TheHugginMonkey625]

My relatives in Jalisco just called them tacos.

[@TA-ne4nh]

Enjoy up until Trump reference, why everything has to be political - dislike

[@jacoblimon4448]

She asked like 4 question about the mission burrito in different wording pretty much lol

[@noahmiller8042]

i fucking love this guy!

[@TelfordJamerson-t7w]

❤😂🎉 thrusday st Andre house burrito dinner, NBC number 1 fan

[@Mdriver1981]

Anyone ever eat a burrito while having sex?

[@ocdashi5333]

san diego style california burrios wehre my passion for more than a decade. try one if you have not had it.

[@felipe8511]

Shes wearing a purple cabbage on her head

[@umarjongi3590]

Watching this while eating a Oak's burrito in brazil.

[@theodoregarcia8830]

The guy is great the girl isn’t talking about food , didnt care for the video

[@buscador2007]

Is he the Mexican version of Steve Buscemi?

[@BlackBubblesJblack]

Why do Mexicans look white?

[@briangrano7329]

Unfortunately she has to make this video political. So sad.

[@raven1462]

I love you 🇲🇽 much love from a Gringo from the 🇺🇸

[@setiset516]

Burritos were created in San Francisco! Not in Mexico..we not talking about taqueros what Hispanics identify with in Mexico..the mission style burrito 🌯 aka chipotle,Taco Bell is American original burrito

[@SrTele]

Nope

[@folkthat3720]

Was down with this whole thing until you had to make it an agenda organized social justice fed BS diarrhea mess.