Though the appeal of the hard-shell taco is cross-cultural and intergenerational, the way we name it obscures its origins. I called Steven Alvarez, an associate professor of English at St. John’s University in New York City, who teaches a taco literacy class focused on transnational Mexican foodways. “The language removes it from the immigrant experience,” he said. “But even this taco is an expression of migration.” “As people moved north, tacos moved north,” he said. Dr. Alvarez noted that iceberg lettuce made its way into the tacos of Southern California because it was grown here. Grated Cheddar cheese, another local adaptation, replaced queso fresco. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/dining/hard-shell-tacos-los-angeles.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UU4.RQ_Z.GeXNGxhRqiO6&smid=url-share
RITIC’S NOTEBOOK
The Hard-Shell Taco Deserves Your Respect
The version that once thrived at the midcentury fast food stands of Los Angeles is now a regional treasure.
By Tejal Rao
Tejal Rao is a critic at large, in Los Angeles.
Oct. 22, 2024
