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The importance of Tasting Sessions for Taco-Catered Weddings

This is more than a foodie fun event. A wedding reception tasting session is a chance to work out ideas that will give your special day your signature … especially if tacos are on the menu. 

For those who do not work in the event planning industry, a food tasting event sounds like a party. Let’s be clear about this upfront: it is not a party. The meeting between caterers and the bride and groom (and perhaps a parent; more on that in a bit) is an important part of wedding planning. The fun will come later, but it won’t go well if this isn’t approached with the seriousness of any other purchase of this magnitude and significance. 

But not to be too Debbie Downer about it, it’s also an occasion for the betrothed to put their own stamp on the event. When your menu is taco-based, you really have wide latitude for what exactly that will look like. This is a creative brainstorm to not only pick items from a menu but to also discuss beverage choices with your taco caterers and possibly to add some unique themes and perhaps even to tweak the menu if necessary. But truth be told, most who provide taco catering for weddings provide some pretty impressive wedding fare. 

To put a finer point on it, consider these points of reception menu tasting sessions: 

Two’s company, three’s ok, but five’s a mess: Again, this is not a party. The Maid of Honor doesn’t get to come. One or two parents, maybe. But the bride and the groom should make the decisions here (or bride, groom and bride’s mother, or bride and groom’s father, or whomever knows food the best). The more people present, the more opinions you get – and the harder the decisions become. 

Limited menu, expansive choices: Mobile taco catering companies are able to adapt to many more venues because each service station is a self-contained kitchen, and they provide lots of choices because tacos are adaptable to a broad range of ingredients. So that precludes truly tasting everything. Try to narrow the focus early in the conversation (e.g., chicken, goat, and vegan selections). 

Food is important, but so is everything else: While the amount of flatware is blessedly limited with taco menus, you really should give thought to everything else: napkins, plates, décor, music and the timing of everything. Your taco catering professionals should have ideas. 

Talk beverages, but keep it mostly to talking: A mobile margarita bar is a natural for this occasion. But bring up other ideas for bar drinks as well as what gets served in other ways (wait service, table wines, etc.). Could a local craft beer be paired with your tacos? Bring this up in advance of the tasting to ask your caterer what might be possible and perhaps to test the pairings. Then keep the sipping to a minimum. 

Remember, the celebration will happen on the day of the wedding. Everything that comes before it really should be regarded as work.

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Taco-Catered Weddings: Trends that Make Receptions More Inviting

The sit-down reception worked in days past. But couples are redefining the whole wedding experience – in ways that honor guests as much as the happy couple. 

Every year has its wedding trends and 2017 is no exception. In for the foreseeable future will be bolder colors, organic (no pesticide) flowers, days other than Saturdays, unique locations, body veils (akin to sheer, floor-length capes) – and no sit-down dinners. 

To that last point about the mill-about, roam-around, socialize-with-many style of dining, there are some complications to what seems like a simple idea. They include foods requiring minimal to no cutlery, nothing too drippy, and still versatile enough to satisfy the range of dietary preferences (carnivores, vegetarians, etc.). Fortunately, the default to taco catered weddings seems to answer all of these needs. 

The hand-held nature of tacos is an obvious advantage. The diner can do it with ease, sometimes even while holding a drink in the other hand. Some diners may wish to sit while others might want high-top tables for a brief interchange with other guests. They might even park their tacos there momentarily when making a trip to the mobile margarita bar; some hosts hire wait staff to pour margaritas for diners wherever they may be. 

Mobile taco catering also covers the trend toward unique locations. Everyone loves the idea of nuptials on a bluff looking out on the ocean, or a poolside ceremony and reception. But the engineering of efficient meal service can be a nightmare: either the food is brought in from elsewhere and warmed over on banquet service tables, or the site has to accommodate an on-site kitchen. 

But importantly from a quality perspective, taco cart caterers are able to set up multiple stations that enable one-on-one service. This is made-for-you dining, where guests can have one or more tacos with ingredients of their choosing, as well as in quantities that match their appetite. There are no half-eaten chickens or prime ribs or untouched baked potatoes at taco-catered weddings. The minimal waste is all an indicator that guests got exactly what they wanted. 

An important distinction needs to be made between the mobile-cart style service and taco buffets. The former are more appropriate for dressier events such as weddings or business events. Taco buffets might be found at little league sports events or other mass feedings where a lower price-per-attendee is a priority. For cleaner and more personalized service multiple taco carts are recommended. 

So the weddings of 2017 offer some surprises and welcome additions to the traditions of marriages and other important family gatherings. The rule is simplicity, cleanliness – and personalization to make every guest feel almost as important as the bride and groom.

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Outdoor Event Planning: Business Taco Catering Reduces the Worries

Event planning pros push outside events for companies that are tired of hotel ballrooms and office cafeterias. Tricks like taco cart catering make them work. 

Al fresco taco-themed events are increasingly popular for business events. No one is complaining - and there are reasons why a love of the outdoors for corporate and employee events has taken off in recent years. 

People are naturally disposed to outside special events: Whether it’s for employees, senior executives, key customers, or suppliers, just about everyone but landscapers and roofers spend the bulk of their working days indoors. Plan an event in a park, at a country club, in a backyard, at a miniature golf course, or a promontory point with awesome sunsets and you’re providing a place that will draw them out and leave them with lasting memories. Also, there aren’t too many hotels that will allow you to play tug-of-war, water balloon tosses, or Velcro wall jumping inside. 

That said, you cannot host an event involving taco cart catering indoors. Why? Each one of those carts is a self-contained kitchen, using gas grills and a small amount of cooking exhaust. Both evoke memories of festive events, but neither is allowed inside buildings. 

While that might seem a limitation, business taco catering outside might better be described as a useful differentiation. 

Wherever a taco cart can travel there can be a taco-catered event. Corporate taco catering events overcome what party planners know as “the kitchen cool off problem.” With other types of cuisine and party themes, the food has to be served entirely in a short window of time, which then requires a buffet line or even table service. If the food has to be made offsite or in a mobile kitchen, it then has to be kept warm in chafing dishes; the execution of that is spotty at best and can limit the menu options. 

Taco events are usually looser, with a window of time for food service that might stretch over several hours. What the event loses in formality it gains in conviviality. Guests not only can move about and network as they do, but they also get a fresh, made-to-order taco (or tacos) with the very specific ingredients they want. Fish, carne, or vegetarian offerings are never a problem with taco cart catering. 

In addition, even gourmet tacos can be served for hand eating. This simplifies logistics and reduces waste.  Fish, shrimp, vegetarian and Caribbean carne tacos are just a starting point for the types of tacos that can now be served. 

The obvious reason this is notably more popular in Los Angeles and elsewhere in Southern California is the weather. Event planners in other parts of the country have to have a tented backup or indoor contingency plan. 

So unless you’re planning a business taco catering event for landscapers and roofers, let your imagination run wild on outdoor venues that can best your objectives. Chances are the taco option is hot - and so is the food.

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Backyard Entertaining With Tacos: It's Kid and Adult Friendly

Things have changed since you were a kid. The mommy bloggers show pretty pictures of impossibly whimsical events; catered tacos make it possible. 

If you’re someone without children, chances are you don’t peruse the mommy blogs. But if you work in the world of mobile taco catering, you should. Because mommies and their kids are onto something: backyard parties rock. 

The place where taco caterers come in has of course to do with the food. Tacos and outdoor entertaining go together like piñatas and sticks, like gummy worms and ground-up chocolate that looks like dirt (one of the mommy blog ideas), and cake plus ice cream (an awful lot of backyard entertaining has to do with birthday parties, of course). Tacos aren’t restricted to kids, of course. It’s kinda the universal party food, versatile enough to satisfy the palates of kids and adults, vegans and carnivores, picky eaters and those blessed with hearty appetites. 

But spend a little time on the family-oriented entertainment part of the Internet and you get an idea of how freaking competitive things have gotten in the realm of backyard parties. Here are a few other things the mommy bloggers recommend about children’s backyard parties: 

Have your babies in the summer months. Winter kids require renting an indoor venue; summer parties expand the budget for other things (clearly mommy blog fans are really into planning). 

Themes are so awesome at backyard parties. You can bring in a pony. A real, live pony. Scavenger hunts can get pretty serious. Messy stuff like slime cake and silly string are allowed. Slippery slides bring the waterpark idea home (note: bouncy houses are kinda last year). 

Margarita bar for the adults. Yes you can. A taco theme demands it. Taco caterers often partner with beverage specialists that offer mobile margarita bar service. Everyone knows, gourmet tacos and gourmet margaritas go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. 

Fireman, Alice in Wonderland, Butterflies, Flowers… You really have free reign on themes that brim with authenticity when you’re outdoors, in part due to easier clean up and less worry about damaged sofa fabrics. Including having real fires and real hoses or real butterflies around real flowers. 

Room to run them down and acoustics to let them squeal it out. No worries about returning the kids to their parents all hopped up on sugary treats. They’ll go down for naptime or the night pretty soon after arriving home. 

With so many theme-oriented details to tend to, mommies and daddies and other backyard party hosts might choose to outsource the cooking. That’s where mobile taco catering comes in handy. With self-contained kitchens, made-to-order meals, minimal requirements for cutlery – and justification for the parents’ margarita bar party annex – a south of the border food theme offers multiple pluses. 

In case just thinking of this wears you out, just remember: It’s only a few years before the kids stop having parties with their parents and more mysteriously partying with their friends. There are no easy answers in parenting.

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The Margarita Truck and the Science and Art of Margarita Making

If your taco caterers offer a margarita bar for your event, that’s Step One. Step Two is to provide kickass margaritas with something extra. 

The fiesta of your dreams might be just around the corner. Mobile taco catering companies are upping their game with not just great tacos but also margaritas that will get guests singing, dancing and romancing before, during and after the meal. This they accomplish through providing gourmet margaritas by way of mobile margarita bars on wheels. 

The basic margarita done just right is all it really takes. Some better brands of triple sec, tequila and lime or lemon juice, served with sugar or salt around the rim of the glass (after the mix is shaken with ice for those who like it that way), make a lively beverage. If your budget and event venue allows it, use glass instead of plastic. 

The magazine Bon Appetit, however, doesn’t believe in the humdrum. One writer of an article on the perfect margarita says that it must be made with 100% agave tequila – “preferably a reposado” – and use lime, preferred over lemon, juice. “A slice of lime as a garnish, while not strictly necessary, is a civilized touch,” says the article. 

Why 100% agave? “If it isn’t there, then up to 49% of your tequila is actually fermented cane sugar,” warns the gourmand. He (or she…the writer’s first name is Chris, so it really doesn’t matter) says that one might substitute Cointreau for the triple sec, the former being stronger (40%) in alcohol content. Chris says the flavors of both are quite similar, both being made from the skins of oranges. 

Chris also says that lemons can be substituted for limes if one cannot find the right kind in the necessary quantity. Limes can vary by type, season, weather and origin – note that these are limes you squeeze yourself, not from a bottle. 

So since you – or your taco catering bartenders – are going to squeeze limes, maybe you are willing to venture further into margarita bar awesomeness. A London barrister created something called the Don Julio Kaffir Margarita, in which the drink is actually served INSIDE a frozen hallowed out lime. Specifically, one end of the lime is cut and the fruit is then hallowed out, leaving room for the drink. Serious mixologists will infuse the tequila with kaffir lime leaves and zest, then serve the drink with a second lime filled with sea salt placed on kaffir leaves (a light gelatin coating on the leaf with kaffir essence holds the salt). Guests are to lick the leaf before drinking the margarita. 

If that sounds like a drink so sophisticated it would only be served at a wedding or C-suite corporate event, you’re probably right. Taco events with shrimp, tilapia, carnitas and vegan fillings have risen to the occasion, providing the right mix of casual and gourmet that allows diners to truly interact and eat as they wish. Serving drinks to remember is a way to complete the occasion.

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For Events in Beverly Hills and Malibu, Taco Catering Cuts It

They’ve traveled far from street fare to Hollywood’s elite, but the essential nature of tacos is why the tortilla and its fillings have achieved star status. 

Tacos are not just an LA thing. Tacos are turning up on five-star restaurant and private club menus across the country – and are being welcomed with open hands to hold them. But while it’s been a long trip from the $1 tacos sold for decades to workers lucky enough to be near a taco cart – think East Los Angeles, Maywood, and Walnut Park – in fact there’s a taco for almost every taste and every price from taco cart catering companies. Including in the Hollywood Hills. 

A Four Seasons resort and club in Dallas unveiled a prix fixe menu in 2015 that included three tacos and a cocktail – for $100. Justifying the price were Japanese wagyu, Maine lobster, Hudson Valley foie gras, micro cilantro, truffle bearnaise sauce and duck confit filling out those tasty tacos. The margarita is reportedly up to the task of complementing the food (it includes an edible gold leaf). Beverly Hills taco catering hardly seems a foreign concept by comparison. 

Closer to home, the excellent LA Weekly food writer Sarah Bennett wrote about an upscale taqueria in the Arts District where tacos were more reasonably priced at $6 each, but disappointingly small in size even if pleasingly tasty. She decries how there seems to be a leap from $1 (more recently, $1.25) tacos that Angeleños adore and these newer versions that might be made with grass-fed beef and heirloom blue-corn tortillas. 

Where is the middle class taco?, she asks, concluding they do exist for the intrepid restaurant/taqueria explorer. Still, it’s clear the once-lowly taco has risen to gourmet status – such as with Malibu taco catering events. 

Taco caterers serving Southern California – think Beverly Hills, Malibu, Bel Air, La Jolla, Pacific Palisades, etc. – have found wild popularity in the toniest of parties for reasons that include taste and versatility. It helps that mobile taco catering is uniquely suited for the outdoor climate as well. Those carts can carry, cook, and serve made-to-order tacos to event guests where kitchen-based catering cannot. If a vehicle can tow the cart there, it’s a party place. 

Those go-everywhere taco cart caterers might also be exceptionally popular in Los Angeles because they are easy to serve on location for the entertainment sector. From stars to extras and directors to grips, the universal popularity of the food and its ultimately democratically nature seem to bridge all strata of society. 

Planning an event of any kind – a wedding, bar and bas mitzvah, graduations, anniversaries, business events – begins with talking through the mix of attendees and budget. Chances are the caterer will be able to devise a menu to satisfy all tastes and dietary restrictions.

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Avocado: A Vital Component of Tacos and Taco Cart Catering

We assume that “alligator fruit” is available in all tacos sold. Most taco caterers are open to alternative ideas – just remember that diners love avocados.   

No law anywhere says a taco should have some avocadoes in the ingredients. But as most taco caterers will tell you, it’s a crime if you don’t offer avocado slices (or guacamole) as an option at a taco-themed event. 

The facts are that tacos and avocadoes go together quite neatly and naturally, and have for a very long time. And that’s for some very good reasons. 

One reason those green slices (or green sauces) have long been associated with each other is geographical: Both tacos and avocadoes originated in Mexico. The avocado tree and its fruit (avocadoes are technically a fruit, related to the fig) were first found in south central Mexico, although since the days of the explorers the tree has been cultivated throughout the world where Mediterranean climates prevail. Tacos too originated in Mexico – and have found popularity the world over. 

Look no further that the U.S., where per capita consumption of avocadoes has risen almost four-fold in just the last 15 years, from 2 pounds to 7 pounds between 2001 and 2006 (source: “USDA: Avocado Consumption Has Skyrocketed in the 21st Century,” Mother Jones November 2016). This was helped somewhat in trade agreements between the U.S. and Mexico. Also, California grows a large portion of what Americans eat. Taco catering throughout the country, beyond just California, has played a role in this growth as well, given the ease with which fiesta-themed events are executed with mobile taco cart catering (i.e., many more venues possible as taco carts and trucks are self-contained kitchens). 

But flavor and texture play an equal role in making avocadoes popular. They are buttery, but without the worry about saturated fat. While other fibrous ingredients fill the taco wrap, the avocado smooths it out. 

Anyone paying attention to nutrition recognizes how avocadoes are one of the “good fats,” higher in monounsaturated fat, B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium. This melds well with the leaner meats, chopped vegetables and beans often used in tacos. 

For the chef, the versatility of avocadoes make it an excellent ingredient. A simple Internet search of “taco avocado” turns up a great volume and variety of recipes, including some where avocado boats are stuffed with meats, vegetables and cheeses. It all goes well with the margarita bar, we hear. 

So while it may seem as if all tacos should have avocado in them, the fact is Korean and several other variations on the popular food do not and probably should not. But never say never – tacos are a food for which great chefs like to experiment.

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Taco Caterers Offer a Variety of Potato Tacos

While unfamiliar to many, the potato taco is finding more fans by being so versatile. As with tacos, there are many types, recipes and flavorings. 

Taco trucks and taco catering chefs didn’t celebrate the potato taco. The first-ever food critic to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize was Jonathan Gold, restaurant reviewer for the LA Weekly. And the body of his work examined by the prize committee was articles written in 2006, which included his praise of a potato taco (taco de papa) served by an unassuming taqueria in Los Angeles’ Glassell Park. 

“Thin corn tortillas folded around bland spoonfuls of mashed spuds and fried to an indelicate, shattering crunch,” he wrote, adding how those potatoes functioned as “a smooth, unctuous substance that oozes out of the tacos with the deliberate grace of molten lava.” 

That is truly prize-winning copy for what is reportedly an increasingly crowd-pleasing menu item, especially with the rise of the non-meat-eating culture that has become chic today. Vegetarian and vegan foodies love potato tacos! 

But not all potato tacos are created the same. 

Gold’s love of the mashed potato taco shouldn’t overshadow some of the other creations by potato taco connoisseurs. Taco catering firms are famous for adapting a recipe to the interests and preferences of event planners, including the following: 

Fried-to-crunchiness wedges, flavored with     cilantro, oregano, cloves and cumin. 

Diced potatoes, boiled and mixed with sour     cream, salt and pepper, cumin, garlic, and oregano (cotija cheese     recommended as a topping). 

Sweet potatoes spiced to delirious excitement,     with black beans, avocado and corn (if you need “delirious excitement”     defined, ask your taco     cart caterers for what’s new this year). 

These are a mere set of thought starters, as the potato is as versatile as tacos. Both are exceptionally adaptive to spices, adjacent texture (i.e., crunchy vegetables), salsas and other toppings. 

To illustrate, consider the forms that potatoes can be cooked before insertion in the corn or flour tortilla: boiled, baked, steamed, roasted, microwaved or fried (it’s conceivable a late night chef with the munchies somewhere has tried potato chips inside a wrap, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea). Add how there is a broad variety of potato types in brown, yellow, white, blue, purple, orange (sweet) and pink, each with a slight variation in taste. Some potatoes are starchy, others waxy. Some diners prefer the fiber and nutrients found in the skin be left on the finished dish while others like them skinned clean. 

Mobile taco caterers get requests for potato tacos, however they are not carried by all vendors as they are less known in the taco crowd. More typically the taco diner, after a few trips to the margarita bar, thinks more in terms of the meats, poultry and fish that constitute a taco filling. 

It takes more than the words of a Pulitzer Prize winning food critic to make a potato taco taste great. Chefs who know how to be creative with the spuds are the real champions.

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Jackfruit Tacos: The Perfect Solution for Vegan Taco Eaters?

The huge, rough-skin fruit can grow as big as watermelons. In an un-ripened form the fruit itself has a meat-like texture that goes well in tacos. 

One of the more interesting fruits to come out of the jungles of far off lands lately is the jackfruit. A dietary staple for centuries in southeast and south Asia, this ungainly, huge piece of produce is turning up in hip Western restaurants. Here in the U.S., jackfruit is a surprisingly good substitute for meat in vegan recipes – including in tacos. 

That substitution is possible because the non-ripened form of the jackfruit resembles meat in texture (once it ripens it has a sugar content that puts it more in the category of mangoes and bananas). With proper seasoning, it can also have a convincingly meat-like taste. So particularly for vegetarians and vegans, the jackfruit is being tried in all kinds of recipes as a substitute for animal meats. 

Specialty taco caterers are beginning to provide vegan taco catering upon request. And they aren’t alone: an Internet search for “jackfruit tacos” turns up all kinds of combinations: as a substitute for pulled pork, one taco recipe might include garlicky chipotle sauce, paprika, tamari, maple syrup, a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro. 

In fact, cooks who are experienced with jackfruit find the ingredient to be broadly versatile. This includes those who provide generalized mobile taco catering, not just vegetarian taco caterers. 

What might disappoint anyone using jackfruit as a meat substitute is its low protein content. In a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) serving it will have about 1.72 grams of protein; a chicken taco will be closer to 13 grams. But it is high in dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Before cooking, jackfruit also is constituted of 73.5% water, a fact welcomed by those who want to avoid calorie dense foods. 

The low protein content can be compensated for with other ingredients. For example, taco catering firms can and also do supplement the protein content with beans, avocadoes and cheese. The tortilla shells have protein as well: 1 gram in corn, 3 grams in flour. 

And for diners concerned about sustainability, all produce including the jackfruit will be naturally advantaged over animal protein sources. Beef, pork, goat and chicken require far more resource inputs such as water and feed (sourced from agriculture, which requires significant amounts of water, fertilizer, pesticides and herbicide use), in addition to antibiotic use in most industrialized animal feedlots. Jackfruit trees grow naturally in the hot, humid climates of south India, and similar climates in Asia, Africa, Hawaii, Brazil and the East Indies. While requiring irrigation only in drought conditions, the biggest environmental impact is they need to be shipped to all other regions. 

Taco purveyors are among the first to introduce jackfruit to American diners. Expect to see them more frequently in years to come as chefs experiment further with recipes.

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How Taco Caterers Spice Up Tacos - Beyond the Obvious Salsa

There are many flavorings – spices, seasonings, chills and rubs – that make tacos exquisite gourmet catering food. It’s part of the fillings, not dependent on salsa.

Across the vast array of American kitchens, tacos and Mexican food in general are a blending of American gastronomy and the original, south of the border cuisine. While a good thing in many ways, much has been lost in translation. But at least a few taco cart caterers have revisited the original ingredients, spices and preparation and service methods from Mexico to return to authentic or more adventurous versions of tacos. 

The uninitiated cook in mid-America – let’s say, in Indianapolis – approaches a taco like it’s a hot dog. The shell is the bun, the fillings are the hot dog, and on top goes the salsa, just as one might put ketchup and mustard on a ball park frank. Bless his or her heart, but a taco is so much more complex than that. 

The flavoring begins with the tortilla, be it corn or flour based (they don’t taste the same). Fillings can range from shrimp to tilapia to tofu, chicken, pork or beef, but each of those might be marinated or otherwise flavored prior to grilling. Added toppings such as tomato, onions and greens can add flavor as well, but so too can avocadoes, cilantro, lime juice and Mexican cheeses (Cotija, Añejo, Enchilado and Chihuahua, Penela, Queso Asadero and Queso Fresco). It’s possible to dispense with salsa altogether if the diner so chooses – most mobile taco catering setups allow for individual diner variation as they provide cart service at various event locations. 

From a health standpoint, the herbs, spices and spicy vegetables used to flavor an authentic or creative taco is a welcome break from simple salt and red pepper. Here is a partial list: Archiote seed (sometimes called annato), anise, avocado leaves, basil, Cacao powder, Ceylon cinnamon, cilantro, cloves, coriander, cumin, spazote, garlic (powder, granulated and roasted), spearmint, nutmeg, sage, thyme, and chills (ancho, chipotle, cascabel, de arbol, guajillo, habanero, mulato, pequin, passilla de Negro, pasilla de Oaxaca, puya and serrano). 

For anyone contracting with a mobile taco catering company, it’s wholly appropriate to inquire which of these flavorings are used in their recipes. It’s great to be able to tell guests the food is authentic and well planned. 

So as not to disrespect the vast majority of salsa lovers, many of these same spices are used in salsa preparation as well. It explains why taco-themed parties are so well received – it’s not just because of the effects of having a margarita bar. 

Whether in Indianapolis or Palm Springs, Atlanta or Los Angeles, caterers are upping their game in the taco business. Smart, healthy and exciting spices have a lot to do with that.

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Taco Catering, Cheese and Tacos: What are the "Rules"?

It’s true that tacos in Mexico are authentically made with certain indigenous cheeses. But with such a dynamic and adaptable dish there are few rules. 

Something to acknowledge upfront is that cuisine – particularly food that has traveled from its original culture to elsewhere – resists restraint and social convention. Some diners may not prefer certain dishes, but if a chef can provide a reasonable rationale for combining tastes, textures and nutrients that some people find enjoyable, it’s a mission accomplished. 

Calling more experimental dishes “fusion food” may seem like marketing sleight-of-hand. But it’s not unlike what happened when New World explorers took spices and potatoes back to Europe. Renaissance people loved their new food choices. 

Cheese is a great way to illustrate this point. Cheese is largely a staple of Western diets, but take some to a remote village in China and you’ll face revulsion. Cheese is, after all, by definition a decaying dairy product. But in France fromage is practically an art form (but put shredded American cheese on a French fish taco, expect a disdainful sacrebleu response). 

But this is America. Restaurant and home chefs and – especially – gourmet taco caterers are a bit more open minded, muchas gracias. 

While it’s true that the taco – how do we put this? – has evolved since crossing the border northward about 100 years ago, that doesn’t mean that you’ll please discerning diners with a ridiculous bastardization of this fine dish. It helps to think through your creativity with a little historical background. 

Start with what authentically are Mexican cheeses used in Mexican tacos in Mexico. This varies by region, but top on the list are Cotija (crumbled or grated) Añejo, Enchilado, Chihuahua, Penela, Queso Asadero and Queso Fresco. Mobile taco cart catering companies got this part right when they popped up in Texas and California about 100 years ago. 

What you don’t see in that list are Cheddar, Swiss, Brie, Gouda or American cheese product. Some will argue that Monterrey Jack, Parmesan, and Mozzarella make reasonably good substitutes. 

The authenticity snobs no doubt weep when foodie websites say you can use Greek feta (with pork belly, pineapple and mint), fresh Ricotta (with roasted poblanos), cheddar (with ground beef and pickled carrots) or Fontina (roasted garlic, roasted mushrooms and oregano) in tacos. 

Others will suggest the margarita bar can smooth things over for everyone. Which is pretty standard in taco catering. 

But to exclusively rule out Swiss or American cheese from all tacos from this time forth not only would upset a certain taco chain – one that singlehandedly introduced Americans to what a taco is back in the 1970s – but fails to recognize the history of food. Columbus fumbled his way across the Atlantic in search of black pepper, was initially disappointed with red peppers, but today the Anchos and Guajillos are beloved the world over and go just as well in a Tom Yum soup in Cambodia as on a pizza in Chicago and a beef brisket in Saskatoon. Humans like new things. 

So be it. The point is there are so many different ways to make tacos that an event planner should entertain ideas with their taco caterer according to whatever the guests might really enjoy. There really are no rules.

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Taco Caterers Can Accommodate Special Dietary Restrictions

If your guests are prone to food allergies or other restrictions, a taco-menu party might be the solution. This is adaptable food – you just need to plan. 

We’ve entered the age of dietary restrictions. How many parents of young children have found that something as simple as a birthday party can turn into a tragedy if there are peanuts in a bowl? You might as well put on the invitations there is a margarita bar for all the second graders. 

The facts are that adults have as many or more restrictions on what they can eat than children. Their goal may be to maintain a diet or, more seriously, avoid getting sick. People talk freely of having a gluten allergy, to some skepticism (unfounded, often), but in fact to those with celiac disease, a bread or dessert with gluten can in extreme cases send them to the hospital. 

Parties with taco catering might have an advantage in this arena. This is because a taco is really more a category of food than a specific dish. Allergic to shrimp? Get the chicken, beef or tilapia taco instead. After all, taco caterers today offer a wide range of taco specialties including fish taco catering and vegetarian taco catering. 

There is the matter of the taco shell, as well as the marinades or other fillings. And if the dietary restriction has to do with sodium content, kosher, or anything else, the diner should check with the host before the event to identify if anything needs to be avoided. 

For the host who may be concerned with pleasing their guests – and who respects restrictions – here are three questions to ask when planning a taco-catered event: 

Allergies?  The most common allergens are in     lactose/cheese (more than half the world is lactose intolerant), peanuts     and tree nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat and gluten-containing     products, and soy might be problematic. If you are using a mobile taco     catering company, a “special diets” station might be set up at your event     to avoid contact with allergen foods. 

Vegetarian? This is a simple     matter for all but the most inexperienced taco caterers. Soy, vegetable,     and chickpea (hummus or falafel) tacos are ideal for picking up the savory     taste of taco toppings. 

Ask the guests? If your event has     a formal RSVP, such as with a wedding, a line for “dietary restrictions”     could be included on the response card. But to be clear, offering such an     option implies a commitment to meet it. If the request is unusual or     extreme, it might be worth having a one-on-one conversation to identify     exactly what their restrictions are and how they might be met. They may     expect a limitation in what they can eat if the request is extraordinary,     or, a vague statement (“extreme nut allergies”) might be clarified with a     conversation that goes beyond the single line on the response card. 

Most people with restrictions are accustomed to encountering challenges at parties and events. But if you are sensitive to their needs, and find a qualified taco menu caterer able to accommodate them, you can stand above the average event host by doing what you can.

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Raging Cajun Tacos: More Than Just a New Taco Catering Fad?

The cuisine of rural Louisiana is popular everywhere. But put some of the gumbo ingredients inside a taco shell and the real magic happens. 

Fusion food is really just a fancy term for combining two cooking traditions into one. It’s happened throughout history, particularly as explorers from one area discovered foods from the places they visited. Today, the fusion is between Cajun cuisine and tacos. 

To be clear, it’s not hard to see how clever taco caterers have long known that the fastest way to liven up a party is to bring something new to the scene. Tacos are excellent vehicles for that: whatever can fit well between the folds of a corn or flour tortilla is hardly limited to ingredients typically found along the Tex-Mex border. Korean tacos, taco-Thai and even sausage-sauerkraut tacos have found fans in the most unlikely places. Fish taco catering, in particular, has become extremely popular. 

But the flavor sensations of Cajun cuisine bring tacos to a whole new level. Consider the possibilities, mobile taco catering vendors: 

Crawfish boil tacos – The basic ingredients in a crawfish boil – crawfish, potatoes, corn and onions, flavored with lemon, bay leaves, cayenne pepper and mustard seeds – make excellent taco fillings 

Boucherie/boudin tacos – Pulled from the traditional family events of rural Louisiana, this type of taco incorporates any of the types of Cajun sausages, which are white (pork sausage without blood) or boudin noir, a blood sausage. Originally themed around family parties, a good taco catering company can extend the menu to the overall event décor. 

Cochon de lait tacos – As the name implies, this is a pork dish. As an event in Cajun country, it involves a whole roasted pig (a suckling or an adult). Roasted pork with dirty rice, accented with pickled hot green peppers, make this a fiery, filling taco. 

Alligator meat tacos – Legally sourced from alligator farms – as well as from non-commercial hunting in Louisiana, Texas and several other Southeastern U.S. states – it is low in fat and high in protein and is mildly flavored with a firm texture. Yes, some say it tastes like chicken. More typically used in a Cajun gumbo, it should be noted that many Asian cuisines consider crocodile meat and the eggs of both species to be delicacies. 

Position the alligator taco station near the margarita bar and it might be the most popular place at the party. 

If you are planning an event and wish to theme it around a Cajun or possibly Mardi Gras theme, these are some thought starters to discuss with your taco catering vendor. 

Be sure to allow the process to be creative. The mobile cart or truck service capabilities of taco service offer many event advantages, including how they make non-traditional entertainment venues possible (i.e., no kitchen required).

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The Modern Taco Catering Cart: How It Works

A taco cart is more than a box on four wheels. The mobile service of tacos requires proper hygiene, fresh ingredients – and a qualified, experienced caterer. 

Taco carts have come a long way, baby. 

The first far-north version – a New England progeny of the tamale vendors in the Tex-Mex border areas – was a converted covered wagon with windows cut into the tent fabric for kitchen-to-customer interaction. But the food was sandwiches and coffee. It took a while (and a fast food chain) for tacos to become a beloved part of the American food landscape. 

Today, taco cart catering companies have transformed the cart into a food station used at special events. The cart itself is a self-contained kitchen that gives event planners many options of where to situate the food service instead of tying it to where a banquet table is close to a kitchen. Wherever the taco cart can be parked you have a party. 

But a taco-themed event and menu is more than just the taco cart. An effective and successful event involving taco carts has several key components: 

Technical requirements – This includes storage facilities, refrigeration, food preparation, cleanliness and appearance. Additionally, business and vending licenses and food handling permits are required in many municipalities, as are location approvals for street vendor taco carts. Operators are also required to hold business liability insurance to cover food borne illness claims and other bodily or property harm that might be tied to operation of the business. 

Human requirements – In addition to proper training, food-handling classes in the hygienic preparation and storage of food is required of business owners and their employees. 

Fresh ingredients – While almost every business strives to offer fresh ingredients in its menu items – when was the last time a restaurant advertised its awesome frozen and canned ingredients? – what matters is how that food is held, prepared and presented. The taco caterers hired for special events will always have refrigeration and cooking as a part of the cart itself. (And note: the margarita bar ingredients should be equally fresh.)   

Reputation of the taco caterers – When all the legal and technical requirements are met, and the menu is well designed and supplied with quality ingredients, the success of the modern taco cart business still hinges on the reputation of the caterer/vendor. Friendliness, accommodation and overall service levels matter. With mobile taco catering, there is often a social media component that will support that business – and which can inform customers as to where that cart might be found on any particular night. 

So while it may appear to be a simple service – “anyone can do this” – in fact a successful taco cart operation, even with the most modern taco technology available, might fail if it doesn’t include all these other components.

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Thanksgiving Taco Ideas: Not Just for Leftovers (But Can Be)

Post-Turkey Day taco meals are not new and entirely delicious. But there’s nothing that says you can’t make turkey tacos for Thanksgiving Day itself. 

It’s pretty easy to find turkey leftover taco recipes on the Internet. You don’t need taco caterers to make a southwestern-flavored turkey taco (use chili powder, dried oregano and ground cumin), a diet-themed turkey taco (substitute iceberg lettuce for the wrap), or even a gourmet turkey taco (the secret is to use fresh cilantro). 

All well and good. Adding a spiced-up cranberry relish makes for an awesome salsa, so have at it. It’s not at all hard to imagine a mobile taco catering company offering these during the holiday period. 

But one of the most enriching and affirming aspects of the uniquely American way of celebrating Thanksgiving is how the holiday is not tied to any religion or ethnic group. The Norman Rockwell dinner table might be the tradition of millions, but the diversity of the country can be found in kitchens and on dinner tables from sea to shining sea in late November. 

For example, Italian Americans have included tomato sauces in their Thanksgiving for many generations now. German Americans manage to slip in a sweet-sour cabbage. And Irish Americans might serve up colcannon, a creamy mashed potato mix with cabbage, onions and bacon. 

So why not try Thanksgiving tacos? Mexican Americans may or may not serve them, but tacos have become so universal that they hardly can be tied to any heritage. The advantage of tacos – well known to taco catering firms that serve meals for hundreds of event attendees – is that they are easy to eat in large group settings. The hand-held nature of tacos allows for service without flatware. That works just as well with the adults as it does at the kids’ table. 

The possibilities of a Thanksgiving taco are almost endless. Thin slices of turkey are the main ingredient, of course. But adding roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries, pecans and even a little sour cream makes for a tasty dish. Wrapped in a corn tortilla (flour will do, too) it’s a meal worthy of Myles Standish. 

Part of the reason for this – spoiler alert, this is about to get scientific – is that the basic foods found in traditional New England-style Thanksgiving dinners contain complementary aromas. The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) claims that 80% of the pleasure of meals and feasts are the smells of cooked dishes. The professional organization says that flavor compounds (tiny particles that are aerosolized and float in the air to meet the nostrils of hungry diners, right before the meal) of root vegetables, onions, potatoes, the squash family, cooked apples, cranberries, honey and turkey simply go together. Including in a taco.

So would a margarita bar, white wine or eggnog be better with that meal? The IFT doesn’t say. Perhaps a little more experimentation is needed on that.

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Tortillas, Tacos and Taco Cart Catering

Yes, there are several choices for which shell to wrap around your taco. What’s important is it’s more than a taste decision: nutrients differ significantly. 

It’s easy to make fun of all the consumer choices in food that are available in modern society. And while it’s true our grocery aisles, restaurant options and even what you can find on taco catering menus are full of an almost infinite number of selections, this is nothing new. 

How? Note that all the heirloom varieties of produce were the choices our great grandparents had in their own gardens and at farm stands. Much of the trade that involving ships and desert caravans for millennia were about expanding food (and spice) choices. 

An example is how when Jewish people were expelled from Spain many came to the New World to settle into Mexico (“New Spain” as it was then called). Already the indigenous people had corn tortillas, however the new arrivals considered corn to be non-kosher. They improvised with unleavened, water-based dough that could be pressed to look a lot like the corn cakes they rejected. The flour tortilla was born. 

Today we have both corn and flour/wheat tortillas available, but there is variety within those as well with gluten-free and whole-wheat flour versions. While satisfying everyone’s taste at a fiesta might be the stuff of nightmares for mobile taco cart catering companies, we can leave that to them as we make our own choices as diners. Here are some things to think about when making a selection: 

Corn tortilla – This is the original. According to Prevention magazine, a corn tortilla is preferable to the flour variety on several points: lower in calories, lower in fat (overall and saturated), more than twice the fiber, one-quarter the sugar, and three times the magnesium.  If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, corn tortillas are very low in salt 

Flour tortilla – Flour tortillas are the taste preference for many, which taco caterers know well. While their corn counterparts might win on some nutrition points, it’s not a slam-dunk. Flour tortillas have about 50% more protein, about twice the calcium (due to enriched flour) and about three times the iron. 

Whole-wheat tortilla – The whole grain tortilla looks and tastes different from its refined flour cousin. In terms of nutrients, it has about one-third the calories, one-fifth the fat, and it features a lower glycemic index (i.e., it digests more slowly). 

Gluten free tortilla – Yes, it’s possible to get these. They are a little more challenging to make at home but many of the tortilla manufacturers carry a gluten-free line. Note that corn tortillas are naturally gluten free. 

Keep in mind the nutritional makeup of each type of tortilla is less than half the story. Whether you choose creams and cheeses, tomato salsas and avocadoes, or tofu versus beef, each has nutritional impact. Oh – and how much you hang out at the margarita bar can be meaningful as well.

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Tacos: Soft Shells Made Hard Shells a Thing of the Past

Crispy tostadas originated a long time ago, but Americans turned them into hard taco shells in the 1950s. They no longer make sense in social settings. 

It takes a little sleuthing to figure out if Americans do or do not like hard-shell tacos. And one must do a fair amount of research to find out why hard shell tacos ever existed in the first place. But what we were able to find is that soft shelled tacos seem to have won the hard vs. soft battle some time in the recent past. 

And perhaps not a moment too soon for authentic taco catering providers. That’s because the hard shell taco is not only an invention (an adaptation, actually) from north of the border, and it’s just not good party food. Having to navigate the hard, u-shaped taco shell while wearing nice clothes, not to mention the decision to eat it sideways in an attempt to prevent it from exploding, which it does anyway, is just too hard for anyone trying to have a good time. 

(Note: taco catering has made taco dining a preferred way to entertain, taking it from the mundane Taco Tuesday night at the family dinner table to the level required of weddings, corporate events, film shoots and larger family events such as graduations, bar and bat mitzvahs, and birthdays.) 

So how were tacos meant to be made, and why are there two distinctly different types? A little history lesson is in order. 

Tacos were a Mexican staple for at least 150 years before appearing on the streets of border towns in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico in the early 20th century. There were early versions of mobile taco cart catering with vendors selling tacos to workers and others in places like San Ysidro, Tecate, Nogales, San Luis, Laredo, and Brownsville. 

But Taco Bell arrived on the scene in the early 1950s, and entrepreneur Glen Bell improvised on the tostada, a crispier version of the taco shell that was served flat with taco ingredients on top. Bell is now credited with the “fast food crunchy taco,” which obviously drew a large number of customers as his chain spread coast to coast. This is when lines were drawn between the traditionalists who preferred soft tacos and this fast nuevo cuisine that provided diners with the crunchy, and often messy, experience of the hard shell. 

So hard shells had an appeal, at least for a time. And there are some for whom that is the taco experience. Why? 

The answer might be found in science. Research has shown that the human taste for crunchy things – think potato chips as much as hard shell tacos – is rooted in our evolutionary history. Crunchy foods in nature, particularly vegetables, were the most ripe and therefore most tasty and perhaps less likely to be rancid or bug infested. When humans began to use fire to cook food, not only did that make more nutrients available in the food, but the crispy, tasty edges and exteriors also became associated with healthfulness. 

Today, the soft-shell taco – very often situated alongside a margarita bar – has regained its place as the preferred form of the dish. That may be due to how fresh ingredients, including vegetables and sometimes-grilled fish or chicken, offer the crunchiness that is innately satisfying to diners.