Planet Taco facts for kids
Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food is an interesting non-fiction book written by Jeffrey Pilcher. It was published in 2012 by Oxford University Press. This book explores the long history of Mexican cuisine and also Tex Mex cuisine. It also looks at how people around the world think about "Mexican food."
Kristen Gremillion, a reviewer from Ohio State University, said that the book does more than just tell a simple history. It also looks at how people see Mexican food.
Contents
Exploring the World of Mexican Food
This book dives into many cool topics about food. It talks about how French cooking styles influenced fancy Mexican food a long time ago. It even mentions a real event called the Pastry War! The book also explains how Tex Mex cuisine started developing in the 1800s, especially in places like Texas.
How Mexican Food Spread Globally
Planet Taco describes how food inspired by Mexico became popular all over the world. It shows how the idea of what "Mexican food" is changed as it traveled to different countries. This process is called globalization, which means ideas or things spread worldwide.
The Story of the Taco
You might think tacos have been around forever, but the book explains something surprising. The invention of the taco actually happened later in the long history of Mexican cooking. It wasn't one of the very first Mexican dishes.
Understanding Tex Mex Food
Jeffrey Pilcher, the author, also talks about Tex Mex food. Some people used to think Tex Mex wasn't "real" Mexican food. Pilcher argues that this idea is wrong. He says it misunderstands where Tex Mex really came from. He also suggests that this idea might come from people who think their food is better than others.
A Handy Food Glossary
The book also includes a helpful list of words. This glossary explains many of the special terms and vocabulary used when talking about Mexican cuisine. It's like a mini-dictionary for food!
