Tacos

In Mexico the word taco, which means a bite or snack, came to refer to a particular genre of edibles—a tortilla wrapped or folded around a filling, the whole meant to be eaten with the hands. Standard taco fillings include beef (shredded or ground), chicken, pork, sausage, eggs, cheese, roasted peppers, and refried beans, singly or in combination, seasoned with a variety of sauces. (The traditional Mexican taco is made with a soft, fresh corn tortilla; “hard shell” tacos, made with tortillas fried in a basket to give them a sturdy “U” shape, are a creation of Mexican restaurants in the United States.) The first known English-language taco recipes appeared in California cookbooks beginning in 1914.