Apr 25 2012
Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America
A popular Mexican restaurant in New York’s Greenwich Village has been banned from selling tacos, burritos, or fajitas by the owner of its building. The ban was part of the conditional terms under which the popular Gonzalez y Gonzalez was allowed to return to occupy part of a location whose lease it lost to the corporate chain, also serving Mexican style food, called Chipotle. At first glance, the ban appears to be in place to protect Chipotle’s Americanized fare from a more authentic competition. But Gonzalez y Gonzalez is not owned by siblings of Mexican origin. Rather, it is a name made up by its owners, Evan Cohen and Joey Dee Cirillo. And while the story is an illustration of how corporate food chains are dominating the restaurant business, it is also a story of how ubiquitous Mexican food is in the United States today.
A new book by OC Weekly Editor and food critic, and frequent KPFK guest host, Gustavo Arellano, explores the history of it came to be that Mexican food is now as American as pizza. Arellano, whose nationally acclaimed syndicated column Ask a Mexican! was the basis of his earlier book, expresses his exhaustive research of Mexican food in the US, in his signature humorous style. ‘Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America’ is a story of the chili queens of San Antonio and the tamale Kings of Chicago, of the Mexican origins of chocolate and vanilla, of the the invention of tacos, taco frying machines, and the rise of Taco Bell. Ultimately, it is an exploration of the unquenchable national thirst for tacos and burritos, or at least “gringo-ized” versions of foods that may only remotely resemble their Mexican counterparts. Even though the great American past time of vilifying immigrants continues unabated, how is it that Mexican food, representing the culture of the most dominant and most deported immigrant community, continues to be consumed with such gusto?
GUEST: Gustavo Arellano, award winning journalist and writer, whose column Ask a Mexican has a circulation of over 2 million. His earlier books include “Ask a Mexican,” based on his column, and “Orange County: A Personal History.” His latest book which we’re discussing is called “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America”
Gustavo Arellano will be speaking on Wednesday April 25th at Book Soup at 7 pm. Book Soup is located at 8818 West Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Visit www.gustavoarellano.net for more information.
One Response to “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America”
The facts on this story are incorrect, although the owners may not be Mexican, the chef is mexican and the menu created is authentic mexican street food fare. Therefore it isn’t “Americanized” Mexican it is actual traditional food. Just because the owners aren’t Mexican doesn’t mean other people involved in the business aren’t either. The food served here is excellent and authentic.