Category: Mexico

The Coronavirus Corrido Is Here and it Was Inevitable

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Mexican duet Alan y Roberto dedicate latest creation to a pesky virus.

It took Alan y Roberto (a Mexican duet) barely two hours to write a corrrido dedicated to the coronavirus, but the song is on its way to become a YouTube hit.

“I told him we are going to make a theme for them [Latinos impacted by COVID-19]… give them encouragement, hope and a positive message. Because the truth is something that many people are going through”, Alan Meza, told Univision Arizona.

“We have never had to experience something like this, really,” added Roberto Meza. “I know that there was a lot of fear, a lot of uncertainty on the part of the people and the truth was that was our mission, to carry that message.”

As is mostly the case with corridos, the tune is monotonous and kind of generic but what seals the deal are the lyrics. Always. Here’s a taste

Everyone was very scared, because of the coronavirus

We ran out of toilet paper, rice and even beans

Water is also becoming scarce

But fear not, it will all be over soon

Stoers, restaurants, schools and bars have closed their doors

But better be safe and be alert…

¡Ajúa!

Biden Beats Trump and this Is the Tabloid Cover for the Ages

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I’ve spent many, MANY, years on this blog trying to explain “Latin things” or “Mexican things” to a mostly monolingual, crowd and I believe I’ve been pretty good at it.

Until now.

The above cover by a Mexican tabloid perfectly captured (prematurely, mind you)  what happened on November 7, 2020, when the presidential election was finally called for Joe Biden, making Trump one of the few incumbents to lose a bid for reelection (thank God!) It also makes it harder to explain, so I will let the wonderful people from Urban Dictionary to take it from here.

Thanks, perro!

Elon Musk Launches Teslaquila, a Tesla-branded Tequila, Because 2020 Is not Ridiculous Enough

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As if I needed another reason to despise Elon Musk, the annoying mogul has officially launched Teslaquila, a Tesla-branded liquor that can be yours for “only” $250.

The first time I heard of Teslaquila was back in April 2018, because it was supposed to be an April Fool’s Day joke about the automaker filing for bankruptcy. But Musk being Musk this thing is here now, making it yet one more hideous 2020 surprise.

Via: Tesla.com

Mexican Restaurant Owner Has a Message for the Haters

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The bigger, more simple version of a sign advocating for social justice is even better.

Looks like advocating for equality and social justice doesn’t go down well among some people. Take some Iowans, who found a sign posted outside a Mexican restaurant a little too… politically correct.

The story goes like this. Alfonso Medina, owner of La Carreta Mexican Grill in Marshalltown, Iowa, had placed the below sign outside his restaurant as a way to take a stand in favor of science, social justice, equality… crazy, right?

The original sign posted outside La Carreta Mexican Grill in Des Moines, Iowa.

According to CNN, the offending sign brought lots of hate mail to Mr. Medina, including one letter that actually blew up on social media. Said letter came from a customer, who addressed Mr. Medina by name, said he had recently spent a lot of money in his restaurant but that –upon seeing the sign– he’d never eat there again. This person actually ended the misive by calling Medina “a leftist Marxist.”

Mr. Medina took to Instagram to respond by saying: “We’re sorry your burrito had to get political, but it was the only way y’all would listen.” The IG post ended with a bang: “No Love, No Tacos.” Then, just like any genuine “leftist Marxist,” would do, Mr. Medina copyrighted the No Love, No Tacos slogan; adopted it for his restaurant and even paid for a large billboard to display it.

Filing under Mexicans: How can anyhone not like us?

Via: CNN

Oct. 4 is National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day. I’m Happy

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Only in America, the land of opportunities, you can have a yummy, double celebration which looks to have been conceived specifically with this blogger in mind.

Today is National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day, so please don’t come expect too much from me today, OK? I’ll be gulping down a few tacos de cabeza and enough martinis to make me end up, well, de cabeza.

Source: National Taco Day and National Vodka Day.

I hereby declare Oct. 4 Laura Martínez Favorite National Holiday. Ever.

How to NOT Market your ‘Mexican-Flavored’ Snacks

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Spanish food conglomerate Frit Ravich might want to learn how to use mexicanismos when marketing their “Mexican-flavored” snacks.

According to the packaging of these Mexican-flavored sunflower seeds, the taste of these babies will leave you shaking your maracas and playing your guitar while feeling … well, a bit stupid. You know? Because Mexicans!

Hat tip: Ñam Ñam Barcelona

Chile Relleno and Wavy Carnitas Street Taco Lay’s Chips are Here… Because 2020 Is a Cruel Year

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And just because 2020 couldn’t punish us enough, Lay’s has decided to turn two iconic Mexican dishes into … snacks in a bag. Yes, my friends, I might have been too busy blogging about bad translations in Mexico to focus on what’s really important: Yet, another chapter in the desecration of Mexican food on this side of the border.

Sources close to this sad situation, tell me Lay’s “Wavy Carnitas Street Taco” have been inspired by El Torito restaurant in Los Angeles, while Lay’s “Chile Relleno” took their inspiration from Cocina Azul in Albuquerque.

Now if y’all excuse me; it’s only 9:30 a.m. but I think I’ll go have a María Sangrienta.

Photo via: BestFoods

The Mexican Tourism Office Wants you to Visit the Beautiful State of Warrior

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Mom, I’m in Acapulco, Warrior

Ah… Mexico! Land of beautiful landscapes, beaches, mountains and … incompetent people running the government.

In the latest example of the train wreck the current administration is, the Website to promote tourism to Mexico (Visitmexico.com) has been translated into English or, rather, into what the Tourism Office thinks it’s the English language.

Not only an automatic translator was use to turn Guerrero into Warrier, but you can find other jewels including: Progress, Yucatán; Coal Village, State of Mexico and Four Ciénagas, Coahuila.

There are also other more cryptic ones, like “Juniper” or “Jumpsuit” to describe places I cannot even begin to imagine.

JFC! Can this administration get something right for once?

Via: Animal.mx

 

No, Sellers Bros., Jalapeños are not Mexican Squash

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I’m not entirely sure why, but a Texas supermarket chain decided to jalapeñosplain what a chile jalapeño is by calling it “Fresh Mexican Squash.”

Really? After all these years in the USA I can safely say that both, Mexicans and non-Mexicans have a pretty clear idea of what a jalapeño is: a medium-sized chili pepper pod, which is widely used in Mexican and TexMex dishes (and even drinks!). If anything, a “Mexican squash” –at least for this blogger– would be nothing but delicious calabacitas my grandma used to prepare with ham, corn and sour cream when I was growing up in Mexico.

So, don’t try so hard, Sellers Bros: A jalapeño is a jalapeño is a jalapeño.

Photo via Reddit

Disney Wants you to Plunk Down $30 for Minnie Mouse Concha Ears Made in China

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I don’t know about you, but when I think of Disney, I think of a ton of things before thinking Mexican sweet bread. But the house of Mickey Mouse is proudly peddling the $30 Minnie Mouse Concha Ears, which can be found –where else?– inside the Mexico Pavillion at Plaza de los Amigos.

The Concha Ears are apparently very popular among little Mexicans, because of the whole be-proud-of-where-you-come-from-thing. Alas, on closer inspection, these so-called conchas have been assembled in China –as pretty much anything we consume these days.

Way to crush my people’s concha dreams, Disney!

Via: Shop Disney

This London Chef Wants you to Put Pineapple Ketchup on Cornflake-crumbed Tacos

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The lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on Thomasina Miers’ children. That is why the co-founder of Wahaca, London’s weirdly-named Mexican eatery, has concocted a recipe for tacos that are… well… sure to please Londoners.

We’re talking about Thomasina’s cornflake-crumb fish tacos with a “tangy tropical ketchup,” which apparently is a mix of pineapple and cayenne pepper. For children you know?

The train wreck recipe includes tossing cabbage, onion and coriander on these things and then sprinkle with sea salt and a bit of lime. Thomasina suggests we eat them at once with a cold beer.

Ok, I’ll do the beer and toss out all the rest. Thanks.

Via: The Guardian

Mexican Luchadores Ask Hispanics to Pleeeease Wear a Mask

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El que se quita la máscara, pierde la lucha.

As every Mexican knows, in any good Lucha Libre match, the one who loses their mask pretty much loses the fight.

With this premise in mind, advertising agency d’expósito & Partners has launched “Lucha vs. El Virus,” a PSA campaign aiming to engage Hispanics to protect themselves against COVID-19 and comply with public health practices during the pandemic, which has severely hit the Latino community in the U.S.

“We played with the double meaning of the Spanish word lucha,” Paco Olavarrieta, CCO at d expósito & Partners, told ADWEEK. “On one hand, lucha means to fight or to struggle and is used figuratively to express that one is working hard or continuing in the fight. On the other hand, lucha is embedded in the name lucha libre, where luchadores wear masks to hide their true identity.”

A Spanish-language PSA has been running on Univision, Telemundo and CNN en Español, while an accented English version of the video just got picked up by NBC and CNN.

The same spot is also available in an accented English version, which you can watch below:

Via: ADWEEK