National Taco Day – October 4, 2022, history significance
Consider National Taco Day, October 4 every year, a concentrated and intensified version of the “Taco Tuesdays” many restaurants offer in a bid to bring in Happy Hour-like crowds. Come to think of it, to further whet your appetite for the subject, get this:
the phrase “Taco Tuesday” was actually trademarked across the country in 1989 by a Wyoming-based fast-food chain called Taco John’s, except in New Jersey, where the trademark had already been claimed by Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar back in ‘82.
However, nobody needs to worry about the legality of what their dinner is called. On National Taco Day, we only need to grab some tortillas and stuff them with savory fillings, from the traditional carne asada, cheese, tomato, lettuce and sour cream, to more exotic gustatory delights like fish, chorizo, even tongue, to name only a few of the “meat component” alternatives. Even the word “stuff” is no accident; many believe that the word taco derives from the Spanish “ataco,” meaning “to stuff.”
History of National Taco Day
The Exact origin and history of National Taco Day are unknown. Taco has its traditional history anyhow. A taco is a traditional Mexican food prepared by corn or wheat tortillas folded or rolled around the filling. With great versatility and variety, a taco will be made with a variety of fillings like beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and cheese.
A taco is eaten without any utensils. The fillings are folded inside a soft or hard tortilla. Garnishes often accompany it likes salsa, chili, pepper, avocado, cilantro(coriander), guacamole, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.
The word taco describes a typical Mexican cuisine of a maize tortilla folded around the food. The Tacos has anthropological evidence that says the indigenous people who lived in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico had traditionally eaten tacos filled with small fish. There are several mentions about the Tacos in history.
The first historical reference to tacos dates back to 1520. It was during this period the conquistador Hernando Cortez wrote to King Charles V of Spain to explain his happenings in the New World. In his letter, he had mentioned a delicious meal the Aztec inhabitants had prepared with “Tlaxcala” or “tortilla.”
It is universally believed that in the 18th century the first tacos were served up in Mexico. It consists of a tortilla wrapped around some spiced meat. Later, in the 19th century, it is considered that the Mexican immigrants were the first to bring tacos into the United States. Over the years, the popularity of taco has grown exponentially.
According to Jeffrey M. Pilcher, a taco expert, the word taco has originated from the silver mines in Mexico during the 18th century. The taco refers to the little explosives workers who extract the ore. There are many traditional varieties of tacos like Tacos al pastor/de adobada, Tacos de Asador, Tacos de Cabeza, Tacos sudados, Tacos de Pescado and more.
NATIONAL TACO DAY TIMELINE
1929
In time for the Roaring Twenties?
The popular cookbook “Ramona’s Spanish-Mexican Cookery” is published and contains six taco-related recipes, including one for pork tacos and one for gorditas from Santa Nita.
1962
Usted quiere?
Taco Bell is founded, leading to the availability of tacos and other Mexican-American meals in American regions that otherwise may have had to wait much longer.
1983
An affair that lives on today
Ralph Rubio of San Diego, CA, opens Rubio’s, specializing in fish tacos made from a recipe he borrowed from a Baja native named Carlos, and California falls in love with “Ensenada.”
2019
Appropriately, through a “shell” company
NBA star LeBron James attempts to trademark the use of the term “Taco Tuesday,” which is a tradition in his family, as used in electronic communications like podcasts and social media, but his application is denied by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, who call “Taco Tuesday” a “commonplace term.”
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5 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT CORN TORTILLAS
Caribbean corn?
The word “maize” was first used by the Taino peoples indigenous to the Antilles and the Bahamas, though technically their word was “mahiz” and only changed to “maize” when adopted by Spanish explorers.
“Get your motor running …”
A popular use of the earlier gas-powered engines and electric motors was to grind grain for “masa,” the dough or paste that was then flattened into tortillas.
Even if you’re skeptical of the popular
Though there are fluctuations in the market involving more variables than we can list here, it’s Mission that is the top-selling tortilla brand in the U.S., out of about 450 distinct vendors.
Uno mas, por favor…
In terms of tortilla consumption, the typical Mexican family of four eats more than two pounds of tortillas per day (imagine holding a single tortilla in one hand, and eight sticks [two pounds] of butter or margarine in the other, and compare).
The market is anything but “flat”
As of August, 2019, the tortilla-production industry employed over 21,000 people in the United States alone.
How to Celebrate National Taco Day
Celebrating National Taco Day is very simple. Go to the nearest sandwich shop or restaurant to taste the Taco to spice up the celebration. You can even taste the new one which you had not tasted before. Prepare traditional tacos for your family and serve them with love. Post and share your Taco day celebrations using the hashtag #NationalTacoDay on social media.
