Photo by the chingona Carolina A. Miranda

Taquitos at Cielito Lindo

Nearly a year ago, I pitched the KCRW-FM 89.9 brass with a bold idea: give me an hour to turn my then-rough Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, into a one-hour special about the history of Mexican food in the United States. They not only liked the idea, they one-upped me: they allowed me to sit in alongside food goddess Evan Kleiman on Good Food.

The results aired today, and they're AWESOME!!!
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I've obviously known about this for a while, but had to keep it under wraps for the obvious reason that one never knows what might happen in news. But as of today, the New York Times' dining section has published a big ol' piece on my book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America--and with more than a few kind words thrown my way.

OH, DEAR...
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I've known about this for a while, but didn't want to say a peep until it occurred: NPR's All Things Considered did a story about my book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.

It aired this afternoon. HELL YA!!!
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UPDATE: Tomorrow, I have my first book signing for the book at the Fullerton Library's main branch on Commonwealth. 7 p.m.--see you there!

ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 2: Gentle readers: it gives me great pleasure to announce the first leg of my book tour for Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. I'm burning the midnight coal with both ends of the candle's oil (or however that pinche metaphor goes) putting even more street corners on the agenda, but below is what I have so far. Go to them, bring a cousin or 50, and buy a book or a million! And, whenever possible, there'll be food!

All the events are FREE (unless noted); all the books, BARATO.
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Taco Bell's original mascot...

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Taco Bell, the Mexican fast-food giant everyone loves to hate, celebrates its 50th anniversary this week and...yeah. Heaven knows it's an easy whipping boy for everything wrong with Mexican food in this country: the bastardized meals, the incessant appropriation (this week: I finally reveal the name of the restaurant whose taco recipe Glen Bell took for himself and subsequently became a millionaire while leaving the family behind), the bad food, the many bizarre crimes committed at its premises. They'll play a big role in my book on Mexican food in the United States (out April 10), and not always a positive one

But that's the easy part. Fact  is, the Bell also immeasurably helped out the progress of Mexican food in this country. Yes, Virginia: there are nice things to say about Taco Bell--great things, actually, for without it, we'd be at a much-worse spot for Mexican food. So next time you want to slam the Doritos Loco taco...don't. At least for this week, out of respect for this taco titan.
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This country needs more panocha!

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Wow! I didn't expect my post on the my choice for the five most influential cities in the development of Mexican food in the United States to inspire so much debate and so much anger from Houstonians aghast that their eternal rival, Dallas, beat them (it's obviously a Texas thing; funny how no Californians gave me shit for putting three Lone Star cities over two Californian entries). So to continue the discussion, and to throw in another gratuitous plug for my upcoming Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, behold five more influential cities, this time in descending order of importance.

IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU BITCH ME OUT: This list involves cities with influence, not cities with the better Mexican food scene. If that were the case, San Diego and Denver would be on this list. Now, onward to the rant.
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Out April 12

​SO...my much-promised book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America finally hits the bookstores next month (April 10), and review copies are slowly making their way around the nation's newsrooms. So I might as well start giving out bits and pieces to entice ustedes to preorder the damn thing.

For the next couple of weeks, I'll concoct lists and drop other bits from the book to serve that end. This week? Settling once and for all what city helped define Mexican food in the United States more than any other. Note this isn't a debate about the BEST Mexican city; this is about which burg hosted the most pioneers, inspired the most people, and helped spread the cult of tacos, tamales, margaritas further than anyone.

Unsurprisingly, it's a fight to the death between California and Texas (sorry, Chicago, but as great as your city is, merely hosting an arrogant, second-rate chef isn't enoughl). The list after you-know-what!

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Today is National Margarita Day, a made-up holiday so food critics like myself can do listicles like these and ensure more readers will click through our posts to read regurgitated facts like how the margarita is the nation's most popular cocktail (somewhat true) to that Emiliano Zapata invented the margarita (huh?). However, this one is different: you'll actually learn things you probably don't know about margaritas, because I've been researching the drink for the past couple of years for my Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America book (out April 10!). Anyhoo, the listicle. More >>

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I've written two books before, but neither of them were ever reviewed by Booklist, the official review magazine of the American Library Association, and the bible for librarians nationwide to determine what books to buy for their collections. Gracias a Dios, the publication not only decided to review my upcoming Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, but also give it some love! More >>

Gracias, Disneyland?

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Over the weekend, I gave my short history of Mexican food in Orange County at the Segerstrom Center's Samueli Stage as part of its hosting of the awesome, ribald Chautauqua! show. Since I doubt I'll ever grace any stage at the Segerstrom again, I decided to focus my 10-minute lecture on OC's two greatest contributions to Mexican food in the United States: Kogi tacos and Doritos.

Now, I wanted to keep the latter story--never before documented completely, one that runs contrary to the official Doritos genesis as endorsed by the Frito-Lay Company--secret until the publication of my book, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, but I've got to start drumming up publicity for the pinche tome! And since I spilled the proverbial beans at Samueli, might as well share it with ustedes gentle readers. Anyhoo, behold the abbreviated story of how Disneyland most likely gave America Doritos.
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