The Quest for Authentic Tacos: Navigating Flavor Town in Thailand

Whether you're a fan of crispy Al Pastor, hearty Lengua, or the simple pleasures of ground beef sprinkled with a packet of seasoning and topped with the infamous Orange Cheese, the world of tacos is vast and diverse. A taco's defining characteristic is the tortilla encasing the filling, much like how a pizza is recognized by its dough base. As long as it's a tortilla surrounding anything, it's a taco - native or not.

Adventures in Lent with Nopales Tacos

During my time in Mexico, during Lent, we often ventured downtown to a small taco cart where the street vendor would serve Nopales tacos. Nopales, or cactus leaves, were seasoned with fresca salsa and crema. They were simply divine, an unique alternative to the traditional tacos I was used to. Now, I haven't had them in years, and I believe those memories will always be a special part of my dining history.

From Mexican Comfort to Thai Delights

Imagining the early childhood experiences of growing up and living in California, surrounded by Mexican cuisines like sopes, tamales, birria, menudo, posole, and pan dulce, can be a sensory delight. But then, the narrative shifts to retirement in Thailand, a country with a unique culinary twist that's both familiar and strange. Thailand and Mexico share many ingredients, such as seafood, beef, pork, chicken, goats, and sheep. However, the balance of flavors and the use of additional ingredients like oyster sauce, soy sauce, Thai chocolate, shrimp paste, pla ra (fermented fish sauce), lend a unique flavor profile to Thai dishes.

With these two distinct gastronomic worlds, it proved to be a challenge to find a truly authentic Mexican dining experience. Despite efforts, the authenticity often fell short. Yet, rather than succumbing to disappointment, I embarked on a quest to recreate these beloved dishes, homemade from scratch. From birria de res to homemade Mexican rice, refried beans, corn tortillas, chipotle salsa, and pickled jalape?os, all these elements come together to create that familiar, comforting taste I so desperately missed.

The Day I Made My Own Tacos

The process was demanding, requiring a full day of work in the kitchen. Every bite of these tacos was a testament to the journey and the love put into them. The process of making birria de res and homemade corn tortillas was particularly time-consuming, but the results were undeniably rewarding. So, this is more than just tacos; it's a celebration of flavors and traditions, bridging the gap between two worlds with ingredients and dedication.

Now, armed with the knowledge that I can recreate these beloved tastes, the journey continues, each taco a reminder of home and a taste of the best of both worlds.

$$Buen Provecho$$