Today is National Taco Day - a good reason to learn something about the history of the delicious food that even received the honor of a U.S. holiday! Did you know that tacos were first mentioned in the early 16th century in a letter to the king of Spain?
The conquistador Hernando Cortez wanted to describe what he experienced in the new world and just had to mention a delicious traditional dish that he had never eaten in his own country. As he was writing to King Charles V of Spain, he said the Aztec inhabitants, a certain ethnic group of central Mexico who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th century, prepared a meal called "tlaxcalli" or "tortilla". The letter dates to 1520 and is the first reference to taco in history!
However, the taco predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. "There is anthropological evidence that the indigenous people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish," Wikipedia says, and adds: "It is not clear why the Spanish used their word, "taco", to describe this indigenous food."
A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety. A taco is generally eaten without utensils and is often accompanied by garnishes such as salsa, avocado or guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, minced meat, onions and lettuce.
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