FitSugar

What Makes a Taqueria Truly Epic?

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:14:55 PDT

There is nothing better than finding your taqueria. I'm referring to that moment when you fall upon that gem of a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant with carne asada that melts in your mouth, or chiles rellenos that makes everything you've ever tasted - ever! - pale in comparison. After living in the Midwest for a few years, I forgot all about the fervor people have for taquerias until I moved to San Francisco, a city where everyone you come across has a favorite go-to spot that makes their favorite inexpensive, unassuming Mexican fare. And when you ask anyone who loves Mexican grub where their favorite burrito lives, nine times out of 10, they've got an automatic answer lined up. No thinking required.

The politics of taquerias intrigue me; I'm a little more than curious about the requisites for what makes a taqueria truly epic. I get that it's personal, but here are five of the things people have shared as integral when falling in love with their taqueria for the very first time. See what they are when you keep reading.

Fajitas and Tacos: What's the Difference?

Susannah Chen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:35:19 PDT

In Texas, much like the cattle that dot the Lone Star State, Tex-Mex dishes like enchiladas, queso, and chimichangas dominate. As a native Houstonian, I've devoured more than my fair share of Tex-Mex fare. Nonetheless, I have a deep, dark confession to make: I've never understood the real difference between beef tacos (like tacos al carbon) and fajitas. After all, they're both hot Mexican plates that involve wrapping tortillas around sizzling meat. So is there really even a difference? Turns out there actually is. Lisa Fain of the Texas cooking blog Homesick Texan helped set the record straight: "The difference between a fajita and a taco is that the former refers to a type of meat, while the latter refers to a method of presentation," she explained. Find out why this is the case when you read more.

What's Your Favorite Kind of Mexican Hot Sauce?

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:15:22 PDT

Considering their extensive use of all kinds of chiles, Latinos really know their hot sauces. Since I stock my fridge with several kinds of hot sauce (each one has a different use!), when it comes to Mexican cuisine, I have one brand I can't get enough of: Valentina salsa picante. This slightly smoky, thick, and spicy sauce is wonderful on everything from eggs to tacos.

How about you? What's your favorite kind of Mexican hot sauce? Tapatio? Cholula?

Gorditas!

Yum Community — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:14:41 PDT

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, zacatecanita has shared her images of homemade gorditas! Don't they look delicious?

Gorditas literally means "Fattie." It's like a fat tortilla freshly cooked and opened to be filled with all kinds of tasty filings.

Have you made something awesome recently? Upload the photos in the YumSugar Community so we can all see your masterpiece; we may just feature your story here!

What's Your Favorite Taco Filling?

Mandy Harris — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:56:06 PDT

Cinco de Mayo is finally almost here, and we're already drooling over the fiesta we plan to indulge in tomorrow. Here at Yum, we're pretty partial to tacos of all kinds. Hard shell, soft shell, chicken tacos, fish tacos - you name it, we'll happily eat it with a margarita or cerveza! There's something so satisfying about the simple combination of meat, salsa, and tortillas. Whether or not it's your favorite Mexican dish, what do you prefer in your tacos?

Source: Flickr User stu_spivack

Name That Mexican Dish!

Mandy Harris — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:43:51 PDT

We can't wait to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow with everything from chili con queso to roast chicken tacos - and, of course, plenty of margaritas! But before you dig in to your fiesta, find out what you know about some of the more traditional dishes of Mexico. I'll give you the description, and you give me the dish. Ready? Buena suerte!

Source: Flickr User Emily Carlin

Take the Quiz

10 Platos Para Celebrar el Cinco de Mayo!

Katie Sweeney — Mon, 02 May 2011 05:19:45 PDT

Wondering what to serve with all that salsa on Cinco de Mayo this Thursday? How about some delicious Mexican food? From nachos to tacos, there's much to love about this amazing cuisine. To encourage you to make something Mexican this week, I've rounded up 10 of our favorite dishes. Read on for the inspiration!

Family Fiesta! Chicken Fajitas Three Ways

Heather Maddan — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:00:21 PST

It's time for a family fiesta! During Winter who doesn't like their food - hot, hot, hot? We asked kiddie chef extraordinaire Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious and mother of two, to share some of her mouthwatering, low-maintenance, Mexican recipes with us. Check out Catherine's delicious options - chicken fajitas three ways, healthy refried beans, and big kid guacamole - that are a cinch to make and bound to become household favorites!

Burning Question: Are a Flauta and a Taquito the Same Thing?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:50:27 PDT

Following my latest Name That Dish! challenge, I was surprised to note that many people considered a flauta and a taquito to be the same thing. Being from Texas, I'd always thought they had subtle differences, but just to be certain, I conducted some further research.

Turns out my suspicions were correct. There are small, if distinct, differences between the two Mexican specialties. First, while taquitos are generally made with corn tortillas, flautas (Spanish for "flutes") are usually made from rolled-up wheat flour tortillas.

Second, in certain regions, taquitos are often the petite-sized, appetizer variety, while flautas are the lengthier form of the dish, made from burrito-sized tortillas and served as part of the main meal. However, in occasional situations and some places, the two terms are used interchangeably.

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

Source: Flickr User the.dugger

Corn vs. Flour Tortillas

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:30:00 PDT

Say olé if you like Mexican food! I love food from south of the border, but I'm not always too keen on the heavy calories and saturated fats that tend to go along with it. In an effort to make some heart-healthier meals, I've started using corn tortillas instead of their flour counterparts. They definitely offer a different taste but I'm actually starting to prefer the lighter version. My body certainly appreciates the effort as it doesn't have to work as hard to work it off.

Ready to see how they stack up against each other?