There is nothing more depressing for this blogger than National Taco Day, when everyone – and their abuela – take to social media to share what they think are … tacos.
The good news is that it’s also National Vodka Day, so I’m off for a very early one to be able to take the pain.
Throughout a long and not-necessarily successful career covering all-things Hispanic, I’ve encountered all kinds of marketing tactics pitching “culturally-relevant” products to Latinos.
However, of all the things out there making us, Latinos, feel right at home here in the U.S., the Hispanic lettuce (found this weekend at a Harlem bodega) takes the cake. Besides, how much do you think this bodega owner spent on targeted media?
“Hola, mi gente!” My favorite YouTuber continues to kick butt
Doña Ángela, the adorable abuelita behind the super successful YouTube channel De mi rancho a tu cocina, continues to reign on the video channel, where she has amassed (pun intended) over 4 million subscribers –and counting.
Doña Ángela is not TV famous, and her kitchen does not boast any Michelin stars, and that’s because she’s the real enchilada, cooking all kinds of delicious stuff from her humble kitchen in Michoacán. Watch her make everything, from juicy carnitas to cheese-stuffed chayotes (yum!)
But the best part of the whole thing (at least for this blogger) is that Doña Ángela continues to get way more pageviews than other folks pretending to cook online, including Martha Stewart (and her molcajete cat) and Gordon Ramsay, who once said dulce de leche tastes like shit (yup he did.)
200 grams of Grah CRV Kuk Meks Umak is only 1.70 euros!
It will never not be funny to me that beans and corn have come to become synonyms with Mexican food. No matter how varied and wonderful our cuisine actually is. Here is the latest specimen found at my local Konzum in Zagreb.
Taquitos Bandidos in Downtown Zagreb. Photo: Laura Martínez, July 2022
Good morning from Zagreb!
So, here I was, strolling through the capital of Croatia, taking in the sights and sounds of this gorgeous city, when I bumped into “Taquitos Bandidos,” a small joint in Downtown Zagreb luring visitors with the promise of “Street Food.”
Of course I didn’t come all the way here to eat make-believe Mexican food, but I was intrigued and walked in to see the menu, which was brought to me by a family of flautas dressed like “bandidos,” complete with mustachios and sombreros, with one of them even waving a gun.
The menu features your regular taquitos, quesadillas and “spicy dips,” but of course, being from someone totally clueless about what Mexican food is all about, it includes chilli con carne and… chicken salad wraps.
The only good thing I found here was that they actuallly sell Jarritos, which of course cost as much as a bottle of Corona and way more than what they believe is tequila.
As for the food, well if it looks like this … so don’t blame me if I go in there soon to ask them to DELETE THEIR MENU.
I get it, “cola” is a type of carbonated soft drink, but if you promise me a bigger butt at a moment when I’m trying to shed my COVID weight, well, just move on. Nobody here needs a bigger cola.
Move over Con-chamacos! Mexican Mother’s Day is today, so Panadería KaryCar, a pastry shop in Jalisco, had the awesome idea of launching the con-chanclas, a concha/chancla combination that is going to make your mamá very happy.
Now… if they only worked a bit harder on their grammar, because, as y’all know: #AccentsMatter
There seems to be a ton of Cinco de Mayo festivities in the Tampa area –for some reason.
No matter how many bizarre holidays Americans come up with, Cinco de Mayo will forever be my favorite. And not only because it’s an excuse to drink all day and yell ¡Viva México! while thinking it’s Mexican Independence (it’s not) but because it is also the time of year that brings out the stupidest most creative marketing brains to sell Americans everything, from DIY printable fiesta kits and taquito shooters (whatever that is,) to senseless drink mixes, “ethnic food” and even life-size cardboard Mexicans as scene setters.
Etsy T-shirts, anyone?
Nacho de Mayo, because why not?
This time around, though, in honor of that amazing marketing tool known as Twitter, I’ve put together a few tweets making their way to my timeline using the #CincoDeMayo hashtag. This has only begun, so, please help me by tweeting me your own personal horrors for 2021 Cinco de Mayo and let the “Mexican” madness begin!
Ah yes, the special churro doughnut
Happy #CincodeMayo! Chef Christine has a special Chocolate Churro doughnut today at all shops! Enjoy this cinnamon sugary, chocolate ganache-y beauty with a cup of @CompassCoffeeDC.
Pizza Hut Australia tweeted the above image to its followers asking what they’d prefer on their pizza: “avocado dip” (whatever that means) or -I assume- a regular topping. I’m too busy to elaborate right now, but it is my opinion that multinationals should just leave aguacates alone.
The reason? Apparently, some Mexicans feel it’s super offensive to depict “one of our own” with a caricature of a mustachioed dude, wearing a giant sombrero and flanked by a cactus.
I get it, with the exception of yours truly, not all Mexicans like to wear giant sombreros when attending “culturally-relevant” parties. Yet, I’m much more offended by the look of these sad chips -and their apparent lack of delicious spicy flavor (or should I say “flavour?”)
Ever wondered how to make a Dominican quesadilla? Easy!
Just prepare a gringo quesadilla (flour tortillas, yellow/orange plastic-y cheese and pico de gallo) and serve with a side of French fries; something you think is “chipotle sauce,” and a 12 oz. small-caps “pepsi.”