Tacos

A name with a working-class past

The word taco was originally Mexican Spanish slang for a “plug” or “wadge” — and was used by 18th-century silver miners to describe small charges of gunpowder wrapped in paper, shoved into rock holes. The food borrowed the name for its similar packed-and-rolled form.

Regional styles

• Tacos al pastor — Mexico City’s emblem: chili-marinated pork shaved off a vertical spit, topped with pineapple, onion, and cilantro. Inspired by Lebanese shawarma, brought by immigrants in the 1930s.
• Carnitas — slow-braised pork from Michoacán.
• Barbacoa — pit-roasted meat (originally agave-leaf-wrapped lamb), now also beef.
• Carne asada — grilled, sliced steak.
• Pescado — battered or grilled fish, popular in Baja California.

Anatomy of a great taco

The tortilla matters as much as the filling. Properly nixtamalized corn tortillas have a faint sweet aroma and the elasticity to hold juicy fillings without splitting. Toppings stay simple — diced raw onion, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salsa to taste.