Tacos! Delicious and Interesting

I like tacos.  They're tasty and fun.  But now that I know their history, I have a whole new appreciation for them!

In the late 1800's, miners in the town of Hidalgo, drilled holes in the mine walls, wrapped dynamite in cloth, and put the wrapped dynamite in the holes to blow up/separate the rock.  They called the wrapped dynamite "tacos".  Likely influenced by the Spanish who had long ago invaded Mexico, and used the word "taco" to mean a plug, rod, wedge, and other similar things.  

The wives and daughters brought the miners their lunches.  The traditional beans and meat in tortillas, carried in baskets lined with warm steamy towels.  This food, which resembled the dynamite tacos, came to be know as tacos too!  

By 1895, the word taco to describe a tortilla folded in half and filled with meat, beans, avocado, etc. was officially in the Mexican dictionary.  

Pictures

1) Tacos Y Mas- Tacos and More.  A new discovery in the neighbourhood!

2) We got to eat all this for 120 pesos, about $7.  You get to pick your main filling, then add a bunch of toppings, like a salad bar.  I discovered that 2 tacos is enough.

3) This little taco place is really well organized and clean!  They even have a recycling station!  It's the only working recycling station I've seen so far on this trip

4) This has nothing to do with tacos.  But this little restaurant made me smile.  The young woman in the window said she had been doing the painting.  I asked her about what kind of paint is best for this kind of thing.  She didn't know.  She was just using what was available.  But she was so pleasant!

5) Just fun Valentines donuts :)