Planet Taco : A Global History of Mexican Food

As late as the 1960s, tacos were virtually unknown outside Mexico and the American Southwest. Within fifty years the United States had shipped taco shells everywhere from Alaska to Australia, Morocco to Mongolia. But how did this tasty hand-held food--and Mexican food more broadly--become so ubiquitous? In , Jeffrey Pilcher traces the historical origins and evolution of Mexico's national cuisine, explores its incarnation as a Mexican American fast-food, shows how surfers became global pioneers of Mexican food, and how Corona beer conquered the world. Pilcher is particularly enlightening on what the history of Mexican food reveals about the uneasy relationship between globalization and authenticity. The burritos and taco shells that many people think of as Mexican were actually created in the United States. But Pilcher argues that the contemporary struggle between globalization and national sovereignty to determine the authenticity of Mexican food goes back hundreds of years. During the nineteenth century, Mexicans searching for a national cuisine were torn between nostalgic "Creole" Hispanic dishes of the past and French haute cuisine, the global food of the day. Indigenous foods were scorned as unfit for civilized tables. Only when Mexican American dishes were appropriated by the fast food industry and carried around the world did Mexican elites rediscover the foods of the ancient Maya and Aztecs and embrace the indigenous roots of their national cuisine. From a taco cart in Hermosillo, Mexico to the "Chili Queens" of San Antonio and tamale vendors in L.A., Jeffrey Pilcher follows this highly adaptable cuisine, paying special attention to the people too often overlooked in the battle to define authentic Mexican food: Indigenous Mexicans and Mexican Americans. As Late As The 1960s, Tacos Were Virtually Unknown Outside Mexico And The American Southwest. Within Fifty Years The United States Had Shipped Taco Shells Everywhere From Alaska To Australia, Morocco To Mongolia. But How Did This Tasty Hand-held Food, And Mexican Food More Broadly, Become So Ubiquitous? In This Book The Author Traces The Historical Origins And Evolution Of Mexico's National Cuisine, Explores Its Incarnation As A Mexican American Fast-food, Shows How Surfers Became Global Pioneers Of Mexican Food, And How Corona Beer Conquered The World. The Author Is Particularly Enlightening On What The History Of Mexican Food Reveals About The Uneasy Relationship Between Globalization And Authenticity. The Burritos And Taco Shells That Many People Think Of As Mexican Were Actually Created In The United States. But He Argues That The Contemporary Struggle Between Globalization And National Sovereignty To Determine The Authenticity Of Mexican Food Goes Back Hundreds Of Years. During The Nineteenth Century, Mexicans Searching For A National Cuisine Were Torn Between Nostalgic Creole Hispanic Dishes Of The Past And French Haute Cuisine, The Global Food Of The Day. Indigenous Foods Were Scorned As Unfit For Civilized Tables. Only When Mexican American Dishes Were Appropriated By The Fast Food Industry And Carried Around The World Did Mexican Elites Rediscover The Foods Of The Ancient Maya And Aztecs And Embrace The Indigenous Roots Of Their National Cuisine. From A Taco Cart In Hermosillo, Mexico To The Chili Queens Of San Antonio And Tamale Vendors In Los Angeles., The Author Follows This Highly Adaptable Cuisine, Paying Special Attention To The People Too Often Overlooked In The Battle To Define Authentic Mexican Food: Indigenous Mexicans And Mexican Americans. Introduction: A Tale Of Two Tacos -- Part I. Proto-tacos -- Maize And The Making Of Mexico -- Burritos In The Borderlands -- Part Ii. National Tacos -- From The Pastry War To Parisian Mole -- The Rise And Fall Of The Chili Queens -- Inventing The Mexican American Taco -- Part Iii. Global Tacos -- The First Wave Of Global Mexican -- The Blue Corn Bonanza -- Conclusion: The Battle Of The Taco Trucks -- Glossary. Jeffrey M. Pilcher. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 268-282) And Index. Planet Taco asks the question, "what is authentic Mexican food?" The burritos and taco shells that many people think of as Mexican were actually created in the United States, and Americanized foods have recently been carried around the world in tin cans and tourist restaurants. But the contemporary struggle between globalization and national sovereignty to determine the meaning of Mexican food is far from new. In fact, Mexican food was the product of globalization from the very beginning -- the Spanish conquest -- when European and Native American influences blended to forge the mestizo or mixed culture of Mexico. The historic struggle between globalization and the nation continued in the nineteenth century, as Mexicans searching for a national cuisine were torn between nostalgic "Creole" Hispanic dishes of the past and French haute cuisine, the global food of the day. Indigenous foods, by contrast, were considered strictly d class . Yet another version of Mexican food was created in the U.S. Southwest by Mexican American cooks, including the "Chili Queens" of San Antonio and tamale vendors of Los Angeles. When Mexican American dishes were appropriated by the fast food industry and carried around the world, Mexican elites rediscovered the indigenous roots of their national cuisine among the ancient Aztecs and the Maya. Even this Nueva Cocina Mexicana was a transnational phenomenon, called "New Southwestern" by chefs in the United States. Rivalries within this present-day gourmet movement recalled the nineteenth-century struggles between Creole, Native, and French foods. Planet Taco also seeks to recover the history of people who have been ignored in the struggles to define authentic Mexican, especially those who are marginal to both nations: Indians and Mexican Americans. As late as the 1960s, tacos were virtually unknown outside Mexico and the American Southwest. Within fifty years the United States had shipped taco shells everywhere from Alaska to Australia, Morocco to Mongolia. But how did this tasty hand-held food--and Mexican food more broadly--become so ubiquitous? In Planet Taco, Jeffrey Pilcher traces the historical origins and evolution of Mexico's national cuisine, explores its incarnation as a Mexican American fast-food, shows how surfers became global pioneers of Mexican food, and how Corona beer conquered the world. Pilcher is particularly enlightening on what the history of Mexican food reveals about the uneasy relationship between globalization and authenticity. The burritos and taco shells that many people think of as Mexican were actually created in the United States. But Pilcher argues that the contemporary struggle between globalization and national sovereignty to determine the authenticity of Mexican food goes back hundreds of years. During the nineteenth century, Mexicans searching for a national cuisine were torn between nostalgic'Creole'Hispanic dishes of the past and French haute cuisine, the global food of the day. Indigenous foods were scorned as unfit for civilized tables. Only when Mexican American dishes were appropriated by the fast food industry and carried around the world did Mexican elites rediscover the foods of the ancient Maya and Aztecs and embrace the indigenous roots of their national cuisine. From a taco cart in Hermosillo, Mexico to the'Chili Queens'of San Antonio and tamale vendors in L.A., Jeffrey Pilcher follows this highly adaptable cuisine, paying special attention to the people too often overlooked in the battle to define authentic Mexican food: Indigenous Mexicans and Mexican Americans. "In Planet Taco, Jeffrey Pilcher traces the historical origins and evolution of Mexico's national cuisine, explores its incarnation as a Mexican American fast-food, shows how surfers became global pioneers of Mexican food, and how Corona beer conquered the world. Pilcher is particularly enlightening on what the history of Mexican food reveals about the uneasy relationship between globalization and authenticity. The burritos and taco shells that many people think of as Mexican were actually created in the United States. But Pilcher argues that the contemporary struggle between globalization and national sovereignty to determine the authenticity of Mexican food goes back hundreds of years. During the nineteenth century, Mexicans searching for a national cuisine were torn between nostalgic "Creole" Hispanic dishes of the past and French haute cuisine, the global food of the day. Indigenous foods were scorned as unfit for civilized tables. Only when Mexican American dishes were appropriated by the fast food industry and carried around the world did Mexican elites rediscover the foods of the ancient Maya and Aztecs and embrace the indigenous roots of their national cuisine"--;Introduction : a tale of two tacos -- Part I. Proto-tacos. Maize and the making of Mexico ; Burritos in the borderlands -- Part II. National tacos. From the pastry war to Parisian mole ; The rise and fall of the chili queens ; Inventing the Mexican American taco -- Part III. Global Tacos. The first wave of global Mexican ; The blue corn bonanza -- Conclusion : the battle of the taco trucks. Planet Taco examines the historical struggles between globalization and national sovereignty in the creation of "authentic" Mexican food. By telling the stories of the "Chili Queens" of San Antonio and the inventors of the taco shell, it shows how Mexican Americans helped to make Mexican food global.