Happy National Taco Day -- which this year also satisfactorily falls on a "Taco Tuesday!" Tacos have been traced all the way back to the Mayan and Aztec cultures, but tacos looked much different back then. Traditionally tacos were made from a soft tortilla filled with spicy meat -- usually organs or even tongue. This is the iteration that was introduced to America in the early 1900's by Mexican migrants. In the 1920's, the Americanization of the taco was in full force -- adding ingredients such as cheddar cheese, sour cream, lettuce and tomato, and replacing organ meat with the more locally accepted ground beef and chicken. But it was in the 1940's that the taco became a real staple of the American comfort food menu with the introduction of the crunchy shell that allowed for quick production of this favorite snack in fast food restaurants.
Today, the taco has been spread across the globe and is accepted in many styles -- such as vegan cauliflower tacos, fish and shrimp tacos, and even dessert tacos, featuring ice cream and chocolate dipped shells. Though traditionalists might argue that these aren't "real" tacos, I don't think anyone can argue about them being tasty!
What are your favorites?