1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Mike and I are both from Texas, so of course 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: we've got to talk about text mex food. We have to. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: This is exciting. My name is Eva Longoria and I 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: am and welcome to Hungry for History, a podcast that 5 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: explores our past and present through food. On every episode, 6 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: we'll talk about the history of some of our favorite dishes, ingredients, 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: and beverages. So make yourself at home. It's been a 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: thing for me in my marriage because I call text 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: mex for me is Mexican food, like I've always called 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: it Mexican food in Texas, and my husband, who's a 11 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: Mexican national, Um, we fight about a lot of things, 12 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 1: as we've talked about many times on the podcast, flower 13 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: tortillas versus corn tortillas, the burrito, breakfast, tacos, like, there's 14 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: just so much. And I I remember when I moved 15 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: to Los Angeles, was the first time I heard the 16 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: word text x in the like culinary lexicon. I was 17 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: just like, oh, well, I mean, yeah, it's Mexican food 18 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: from Texas, but yeah, it's tex mex Like. I didn't 19 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: really consider it a whole different thing until I really 20 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 1: got versed in in gastronomy and I realized, oh my god, 21 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: it is a it's a it's a whole category in itself. 22 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: It's a regional cuisine. It is its own thing. A 23 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: because even me growing up in Laredo, first generation, the 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: food that we had at the house was more Mexican food, 25 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: not necessarily tex mex right, but of course it's Laredo, 26 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: so it is part of that culture. So basically South 27 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: Texas it's it's a regional cuisine. It's one of the 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: oldest cuisines of the area. Right. And originally it's Texas 29 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: Mexican food, And like the rest of the you know, 30 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: pre colonial food and the rest of Mexico, it was 31 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: mostly planned based with lots of prickly pear and pecans 32 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: and venison and turkey, And it didn't become this sort 33 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: of yellow cheese, greasy fried food until post conquest, right. 34 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: And the term text mex didn't really appear until nineteen two. 35 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: So not because I don't remember it. I mean, I 36 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: know we're talking like conquest and and and stuff like that, 37 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: but I don't remember hearing it as an antiquated word 38 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: text max seems very modern. The word the word text 39 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: mix it is it is and actually Diana Kennedy, who 40 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: we talked about in one of the episodes of British 41 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: Born Authority on Mexican Food. She was the one that 42 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: first used the word text mex in the seventies. She 43 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: was basically making a clear distinction between Mexican food and 44 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: everything made north of the border, and it was sort 45 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: of dismissive. It's like, this is real and that's text max. 46 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: But text max food is a centuries old cuisine. This 47 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: text mex food that has a lot of cheese, yellow 48 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: chee ease and fried and all of that is an 49 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: Anglo contribution to the food. Because the first sort of 50 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,399 Speaker 1: tex mex restaurants appeared, or what is called text mex now, 51 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: appeared in San Antonio soon after Texas became part of 52 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: the US and the Mexicans were being driven out of 53 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: the city. But all of the Americans that were going 54 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: to the city on the text mix railroad um loved 55 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: the Mexican food. They just didn't like Mexicans. They like 56 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: their food. WHOA okay. In nine there was a restaurateur 57 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: from the Midwest. His name was Otis Farnsworth, and he 58 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: opened up a restaurant called the Original Mexican restaurant in 59 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: the San Antonio River Walk, right, So he created this 60 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: sort of model for tex Mex restaurants and people loved it. 61 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: That's the first time that we see like the combo plates, 62 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: you know, you have like and in La yeah, you're like, 63 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: I want the number five and I want the number 64 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: two or you know that has these sort of completes 65 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: at such a part of the text Mex cuisine. And 66 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: that was actually an idea of one of his employees, 67 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: a Mexican employee, who was like, oh, let's do this 68 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: so that non Spanish speaking Americans can then just see 69 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: the pictures in order the number one or the number two. 70 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: But the first sort of tex Mex restaurant was created 71 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 1: by a Midwesterner, so not even a Mexican, but in 72 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: San Antonio, in San Antonio, So would you say San 73 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: Antonio's the cradle of text mex Yes. And and actually 74 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: the people that really put Texas Mexican food on the 75 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: map were the San Antonio Chili queens. Who are the 76 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,799 Speaker 1: San Antonio Chili Queens. They were these amazing women that 77 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 1: in the eight hundreds would actually make chili, which is 78 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: a big part of of tex Mex cuisine. Is chili. 79 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: So these women would actually make chili, which is basically 80 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: meat with it's basically a molle, but more just with chile. 81 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: It's more a sort of a simple mole, and then 82 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: they would actually sell them make it at home, and 83 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: this was their home cooking, right, basically the original text 84 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: Mexes like home cooking. So they would take this to 85 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: the place as in San Antonio, and people that were 86 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: coming into the city. It was such a hub for 87 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: tourists and it was like, oh, this new Mexican world, 88 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: and they were introducing this Mexican food to this Anglo population. 89 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: And it was called garnet con chile, and they would 90 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: serve the carne con chile with flower tortilla and gard or. 91 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: Originally it was called garnet con chile, and then it 92 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: became anglicized into chili concarne, and then it was a chili, 93 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: and then it was just chilli. So they would make 94 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: it at home and then like loaded onto their wagons 95 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: and then go sell it to uh tourists mostly right, 96 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: it was tourists. It was people coming through the city, right, 97 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: And this was a big part of the allure of 98 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: going to San Antonio is to taste the chili from 99 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: these women, and they really sort of it became famous. 100 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 1: Everybody wanted to taste the food of these women. Um. 101 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: And they were these like sort of badass women. And 102 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: sometimes they would play guitar and they were said to 103 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: have you know, rolled their own cigarettes with you know, 104 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: tobacco and they would roll it in corn husks. But 105 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: they were these just incredible businesswomen and they created this 106 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: sort of mystique of the Mexican senorita. It was the 107 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: San Antonio chili queens. They started in the eighteen hundreds 108 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: and then eventually, you know, as time went on, as 109 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: a lot more Anglos were moving into San Antonio, they 110 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: were being pushed out of the area. First they were 111 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: sort of outside of the plazas because it seemed you know, 112 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: dirty or unsanitatory um. And then you know, in ninety 113 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: seven is when it was like, oh, these women, it's 114 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: in sanatory. They were banned and by three they were 115 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: completely banned. So we didn't see any of the chili 116 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: queens um selling their chili at all anymore. But their 117 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: their presence is well documented in like the newspapers like 118 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: San Antonio Daily Express in had a review of them 119 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: and they were talking about, you know, how these chili 120 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: queens were jolly and they were so they were like 121 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: ever attentive. And so there's like all of this documentation 122 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:47,679 Speaker 1: about this food in and then there were some food 123 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: reviews that also were not favorable because they were like, oh, 124 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: this is you know, too hot, too spicy to Mexican. 125 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: One of the reviews was the chili queen's food is 126 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: fire bricks from Hades. So I'm assuming that I'm assuming 127 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: that meant spicy. How yeah, like this is definitely from Hades. 128 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: But also that, um, I can see it now because 129 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: I you know, we're both from Texas. We have to 130 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: take Texas history. Um, growing up, But how the upper 131 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: class of San Antonio stall a Mexican food as a 132 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: threat to not only white workers, but like the standard 133 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: of living. They were like, god forbid, this becomes more 134 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: popular than you know, Anglo cuisine. And so I think 135 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: that's really interesting how food and politics are pretty parallel. 136 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: In the birth of tex mex food. Absolutely, there was 137 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: this German born man. His name was William Gebhard, and 138 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: he lived in New Brown Falls that's like just just 139 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: outside of center. It's like half an hour away. From 140 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: San Antonio and he used to go into San Antonio 141 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: in the nineties early dred and loved this chili from 142 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 1: the chili queens. But it was fresh, chee less. It 143 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: was just really good home cooking. And he was like, ah, 144 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: I want to recreate this. So he developed a chili powder. 145 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: The gap hard chili powder is a famous chili powder 146 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: in Texas that a lot of people use in their chilies. 147 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: Um So he would go to San Antonio, he would 148 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: taste the chilies. He was figure out how the way. 149 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: He would then in port chilanchos from San Luis Potosi 150 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: dehydrated these cheeless first he called this powder chili powder 151 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: dampico dust and then eventually he made this powder and 152 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: he developed this eagle chili powder. This man eight he 153 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: published the first text mex cookbook. A German published the 154 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: first sort of Texas Mexican cookbook called Mexican Cooking to 155 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: educate the America in public about Mexican food. This is 156 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: a German guy who did this. And he he was 157 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: also the first person to make canned chili and his 158 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: chili powder is still super famous. I mean they sell 159 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: it everywhere at the A. T. B. It's like it's 160 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: like sort of the chili powder, the oldest one. But 161 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: it is interesting that the reason you did that was 162 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: because if you cooked with fresh chilas, it had to 163 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 1: be seasonal, and so he wanted to create a different 164 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: way to have this spice all year round. And so 165 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: I thought that was pretty uh innovative of him at 166 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: the time, to go, how do we keep this flavor 167 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: year round because the chilas were limited seasons. Do do 168 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: they do the availability? And so yeah, interesting, But you 169 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: know a lot of people don't understand German settlements were 170 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: alive and well in Texas. There's so much German heritage 171 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: in Texas. That's why that's why banda music is actually 172 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: polka music. That's why they no music has a bit 173 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:07,199 Speaker 1: of polka in it because German coming up next Mite. 174 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: Then I discussed the background and the idea of being 175 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: the handle. Where did the kanoak first come from? That 176 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: that word, according to the Texas State Historical Association, it 177 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: was defined in denoting a Texan of Mexican descent, So 178 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: it's basically a Mexican Texan and Texas Texan Mexican and 179 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: it can be you know, the hando could be like 180 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 1: you said, they had no music, had no arch the hand, 181 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: no cuisine. It could just be sort of anything from 182 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: this area. But one thing that is really interest thing 183 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: I think about the area is that we think, you know, 184 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: there have been indigenous populations in this area of northern Mexico. 185 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: There's like fifty different indigenous nations that lived in the 186 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: state of Texas even before the conquest. Right. So there's 187 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: the Dongas and the Comanches and the and it's all 188 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: of these indigenous groups that when the Spanish came, they 189 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: became Hispanic sized and they became sort of Mexican even 190 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: though they have deeper roots than that. So this area 191 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: is so you know complex, So a lot of Texans 192 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: that identify themselves with being Mexican even pre date that 193 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: when Texas was Mexico. Right. So it's so many layers 194 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: and layers of history. So it's like, oh they hand 195 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 1: o could be that, you know, people that have these 196 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: indigenous roots, or it could be people like us. Right, 197 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: you've been there for your family has been there for centuries. 198 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: My family has been there since the seventies, right, so 199 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: not that long. I know you studied Chicano studies, right, 200 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: is sort of your thing? Is it the same? Chicano 201 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 1: is more California based. Um, It's a word I never 202 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: heard of or used until I moved to a Los 203 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: Angeles And I mean Chicano was a politicized invention when 204 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: they put it on a census one year to try 205 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: to group together basically what we now call Latinos. And 206 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: so they were like, let's put this word. And I 207 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: think California Mexicans, which are different than Texas Mexicans. California 208 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: Mexicans reclaimed the word Chicano and and made it their own. 209 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: And so so Chicano became an identity that was full 210 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: of pride and was powerful and you know, really aggregated 211 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: the Mexicans in California to not only unite against policies 212 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: that were targeted to pear down our communities, whether it 213 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: was English classes or any other racist policies that were 214 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: instilled in a certain time in California. But we kind 215 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: of reclaimed the word and it is now evolved into 216 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: something I'm very proud of. I'm proud to be called 217 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: a Chicana because it is a word that is now 218 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: has a bigger spectrum of what it means. It has 219 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: a bigger umbrella of what what is under it. But 220 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: it is different than at because at Teano is a 221 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: Texas Mexican. And so I remember my first class getting 222 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: my master's in Chicano studies, and it was just clear 223 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: that we were just such a diverse group that we're 224 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: not monolithic. You know, all the Hispanics slash Latino slash 225 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: Latin X slash whatever we want to identify as we're 226 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: We're all so different and in the most beautiful away. 227 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: And so I think that where that's most reflected is 228 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: in food. It is absolutely in food. Okay, So when 229 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: we talk about text mex cuisine were and we talk 230 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: about the yellow cheese, we're talking about cheddar cheese, and 231 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: cheddar is not really used in Mexico. We don't really 232 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: see yellow cheeses. Yeah, yeah, it's ca ceo, which is 233 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: also called wahak and cheese. Um, mozzarella is used a 234 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: lot in Mexico more than cheddar. You don't see yellow 235 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: cheeses at all, Like in Mexico, you don't really see 236 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: see and it's probably in Texas it was just more available, 237 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: especially with the railroad right that it's easier to get 238 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: yellow cheeses from the Midwest than it was to get 239 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: cheeses from from Mexico, so it was just more available. 240 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: I just get really mad that text Mex food is 241 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: really defined by this yellow cheese, which is very processed 242 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: American cheese. And I'm like, I wish text mix was 243 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: known for something else because it's like popular tex Mex foods. Ok, 244 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: so number one, number one, yeah, And so I just 245 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: feel like, you know, the definition of of a lot 246 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: of tex Mex food is this highly processed American cheese. 247 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: So can we make the correlation that it's not the healthiest, 248 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: it's not the healthiest because it has become not the healthiest, 249 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: but the original food of the region. It does not 250 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: have the yellow cheese and does not have all of 251 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: this stuff. It's this home cooking that's a lot of 252 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: you know, mostly plant based, just like most other Mexican food, 253 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: the yellow cheese and the you know, deep frying and 254 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: the all of that. That's much more of an Anglo 255 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: addition to the food of the region. Craft cheese invented 256 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: by James Kraft in the nineteen tents, and he invented 257 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: this method that involved heating the cheddar cheese and whipping 258 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: air into it, and then it made it more shelf stable, 259 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,239 Speaker 1: which we like to call processed exactly so that so 260 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: that it could be it could be shipped. And Velvita 261 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: is like the culmination of his dream to produce this 262 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 1: like creamy, consumer friendly cheese, but that has a lot 263 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: of things in it. It's highly processed, it lasts forever, 264 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: and so it was it worked. It was easy for people. 265 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: You don't have to go to the store that often. 266 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: And it's just it's it's he developed this this stuff. 267 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: And there are early you know, cookbooks like Junior League cookbooks, 268 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: Ladies Club cookbooks from the area or from Texas um 269 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: with recipes for Velvita or American cheese, which is this 270 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 1: cheddar cheese that we're talking about, suggesting that people of 271 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: all classes ate it. Right. So it's so interesting when 272 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: become food becomes a class thing, right, it's like, oh yeah, yeah, 273 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: everybody eats this this yellow cheese. After the break, we're 274 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: going to talk about some of our most popular text 275 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: Mex dishes and the Freedo Pie. Don't go anywhere I 276 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 1: use Rotel in everything. I literally travel with Rotel because 277 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: to have tomatoes and green chilies together in this beautiful 278 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: marriage you can put. I put it in my in 279 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: my refried beans, I put it in my child beans. 280 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: I put it in my guest so I put it 281 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: in my fidel. I put it in my right I 282 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: put rotel and everything because it's so easy. And when 283 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: I'm in a country like I am in Spain right 284 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 1: now and they don't have obviously a cann of rotel, 285 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: I try to look for the ingredients separately and make 286 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: my own rotel, it doesn't come out the same. And 287 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: I was reading that rotel was birthed in Texas. Yeah, 288 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 1: I had honestly had never even heard of rotel before 289 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: I started doing the text mex research. Not I've never 290 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: heard of it. Now I have to get it. And 291 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: it's this signature blend of tomatoes canned with spicy green cheeless. 292 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: It was invented by Carl Rotel in Elsa, Texas. I 293 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: don't even know where Elsa, Texas is. I know where Elsa, 294 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: Texas is in South Texas. Elsa, Texas is where where 295 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: our ranch were, Like it's in edinb near Edinburgh and McAllen. 296 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: It's like over there in Hidalgo County. Yeah. So it's 297 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 1: super South Texas. But is this guy. So his name 298 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: was Carl or Carlos, Carl Rotel, and it's it's spelled 299 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: r o e t t e l e so spelled different. 300 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 1: And then he thought that the customers would find it 301 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: really difficult to pronounce his name, so it was shortened 302 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: to row our oh dash t e l. It's it's 303 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: one of my favorite products to cook with. And maybe 304 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: it's because I'm a I'm text mex Yeah, yeah, totally, 305 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: that's so funny. A couple of other I think text 306 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: mix staples is the way we make in Chi Laudas 307 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: because there's in Chi Laudas in Mexico. But I think 308 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: in Chi Laudas and Texas are super different than oh gosh, 309 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: than in Chi Laudas in Mexico. Completely different, yeah, completely different. 310 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 1: I feel like in Chi Ladas in Texas it's mostly red, 311 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 1: the red sauce. It's more human, right, and there they 312 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: have the yellow cheese or they have the yellow cheese 313 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: on top. In Mexico, there are so many other variations. 314 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: There's the green ones, there's a more lan Chi Ladas, 315 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 1: there's a salt like different ones, but they're very different 316 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: than the Texas ones. Yeah, if I make Mexican in 317 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: chi la das, like in Mexico, I I cook my chicken, 318 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: I put it in my salsa. I usually use a 319 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 1: white cheese. I used Grandma Mexicana, Like it's definitely a 320 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: different sour cream, not sour cream when I cook. In 321 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: the States, there was this brand called Wolf Brand Chili. 322 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: Did you eat Wolf Brand Chili growing up? I never 323 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: had chili growing up at home because in my house 324 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,479 Speaker 1: it was you know, more Max not the texmex So 325 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: I've never had can chili. Like even to this day, 326 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: I would have, well, maybe I have probably like going, 327 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,479 Speaker 1: you know, somewhere else, but yeah, I never had an 328 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: chiladas with chili or anything like that. Oh my god, 329 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: that's the only in Chilada. I knew. My mom would 330 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 1: buy these cans of Wolf Brand chili, which is chili conte, 331 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 1: and there was a recipe on the back of the 332 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: can on how to make the anchi laudas. And that's 333 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: like I've searched my whole life for Wolf bar and chili. Um, 334 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: there's a place that sells it in California, but it's 335 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: mostly a text mex brand, and you just heat up 336 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: the chili and you cook your tortilla, roll it in 337 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: the chili topic with the yellow cheese and it's delicious. 338 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: My best friend from Texas for her birthday, she always 339 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: asked me, will you please make me wolf brand in 340 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: Chi la Las. Yeah, that's also that. The thing that's 341 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 1: very Texas, very thick on a very text Mex for me, 342 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,959 Speaker 1: I grew up with it was the Freedo pie. Grew 343 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: up with the Freedo pie and school, not at home, 344 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: but in school. It's basically a Freedo bag, opened up 345 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: the Freedo bag and then with adult with like a 346 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 1: huge scoop of chili. It's the text mix chila quiles. 347 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: I didn't realize it was basically chila quiles, you know, 348 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 1: but it is. But now I love Freedo pies. I 349 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: had it every day for lunch, I think for years 350 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 1: straight in high school and the fact that it was 351 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: like a lunch item at school was like, I wonder 352 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: if it's I mean, it's that is it's so Texas. 353 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: They would slice the bag, the snack bag, so like 354 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: the individual serving, you slice it on the side, not 355 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 1: the top, the side, and you just pour your chili 356 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: right into the Friedo bag and then you put the 357 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: cheese on it. I mean, honestly, anything with Friedo. Friedo's 358 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: are the most delicious thing in the world. I have 359 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: to say, I love Friedo's. They're the best o. Their 360 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 1: text mixings, the puffy tack. Yes, frying corn tortillas in 361 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: general is a text Mexing, not just for foppy tacos 362 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: I make I I fry more tortillas for a lot 363 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: of things. Uh, And so I think that the frying 364 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: of the corn tortilla is not Mexican. Mexicans just heated 365 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: up on the comal. But then you also have things 366 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: like in Yucatan you have and those are fried It's 367 00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:00,160 Speaker 1: basically like a puffy taco. They're fried corn mass other 368 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: a little bit thicker, but it's the similar idea, right, 369 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: So sort of frying it and then shaping it and 370 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: also putting like the you know, the sweat of the 371 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: iceburg lattice. Yeah, you know all of that, and the 372 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: and the puffy cheese. And there's also fajitas of course, 373 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: that's a very Texas thing. Text max Northern Mexico, which 374 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: is grilled skirts, skirt steak, although and I don't know 375 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,439 Speaker 1: if that's it's text mex but also in northern Mexico 376 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: they just call it arara, so it's a different sort 377 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: of thing. But it's basically there's so much meat in 378 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: the area. Um texts is heavy, heavy, heavy meat. Well 379 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: we call in Mexico they called to stadas we call 380 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: It's same thing, right, but there was the same thing, yeah, 381 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: just because I grew up calling them both la status 382 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: at home, it was outside it was it's the same thing. 383 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: Here's the other thing in Mexico. Taquitos or tackles are 384 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:06,520 Speaker 1: a rolled flouts called in Mexico they call them taquitos. 385 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 1: And the other probably my favorite, this is my favorite 386 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: text mex food is breakfast tackles. So breakfast tackles is like, 387 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: there's like this whole controversy, right, San Antonio claims to 388 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: invent of the breakfast. That got time to invent of 389 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,880 Speaker 1: the frad fast second. But it's like, isn't breakfast? Aren't 390 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: they just like a thing? I mean, I remember there 391 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:33,160 Speaker 1: was a place in Laredo called It was a restaurant 392 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 1: and they used to have like their breakfast tackles were amazing. 393 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: But it's just a flower tortilla, right, right with. I mean, 394 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: how is it a text that's I don't understand how 395 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: it's a text Mexday. Well, first of all, because it 396 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 1: has a flower tortilla right in itself. That's okay. Because 397 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: here's the thing. In Mexico, even in the north where 398 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: they eat flower tortillas in Monterrey, they're very thin and translucent. 399 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: They're very different text. Mex flower tortillas are thick like 400 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 1: a pea bread. They're thick like non like Indian bread. 401 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: You know, they're thick. And so that in itself makes 402 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: a breakfast taco very different. So you make which I 403 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 1: make them every morning. I make breakfast tacos every morning. 404 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: I make my flower tortillas from scratch. They're very thick. 405 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: And then you make potato and egg. You can make 406 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: chod swan egg. I make bean tacos every morning. And 407 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: when you go in Texas, everybody has breakfast tacos in Texas, 408 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: and it's a whole competition of like who, especially in 409 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: San Antonio, where I also live, is like this competition 410 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: of who has the best breakfast tacos? And it's like 411 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: chod swag are my favorite bean tacos usually bean in 412 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: cheese is super popular, but I do bean. I don't 413 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: like the cheese. I there's this restaurant that every time 414 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: I go to Laredo, I always have to go to. 415 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: It's down the street from my house. It's called Danny's 416 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: and it's a it's like a local Laredo chain. They 417 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: have the best breakfast tacos. I don't eat eggs, but 418 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: there's I will eat eggs there. That's the only place 419 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: that eggs. But they have machado, which is the dried streateedy, 420 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: which is very northern norther Yeah, that's very Northern Mexico. 421 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: In Laredo you see it a lot as well. I 422 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: don't know if you could consider it text Max or 423 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: if it's more Northern Mexico. But in Laredo you see 424 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: a lot of machado, and it's that cooked together in 425 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: a breakfast taco. Oh my god, it's it's it's amazing. 426 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: It's the most delicious thing. So I guess it's more 427 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: of a of a of a Laredo text mex thing 428 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: because it's the I normally like them really paper thin, 429 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: but these are like thick and kind of chewy and delicious. 430 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 1: I'm so happy, y'all. Went on this uh basically tripped 431 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: down memory lane with Mike than I with Tex Mex 432 00:27:55,400 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 1: to Max. So good, so good, Thank you for list today. 433 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: Hungry for History is an unbelievable entertainment production in partnership 434 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: with I Hearts Michael podcast Network. For more of your 435 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 1: favorite shows, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 436 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.