Taquito facts for kids
5 rolled beef tacos with guacamole, lettuce, and cheese
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| Alternative names | Rolled taco, flauta |
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| Place of origin | Mexico |
| Main ingredients | Tortillas, beef or chicken |
A taquito is a yummy Mexican dish. The word "taquito" means "small taco" in Spanish. You might also hear them called tacos dorados, rolled tacos, or flautas. A taquito is a small tortilla that is rolled up tightly. It has a tasty filling inside, like beef, cheese, or chicken.
After being filled and rolled, the taquito is cooked until it is crispy. This is usually done by frying or deep-frying. People often add yummy toppings to taquitos. Some popular toppings are sour cream and guacamole. Most taquitos are made with corn tortillas. If they are bigger, they are often called flautas. Flautas can be made with either corn or flour tortillas.
Contents
The Story of Taquitos
How Taquitos Got Their Name
The word "taquito" was first written down a long time ago. In 1917, a book about Spanish words used in New Mexico mentioned it. It said "taquito" was a "Mexicanism," meaning a word used in Mexico. Later, in 1929, a book for young people described taquitos. It said they were a popular snack sold by people at train stations.
Restaurants Make Them Famous
Two restaurants in Southern California helped make taquitos popular. One was Cielito Lindo, started by Aurora Guerrero in 1934. It was on Olvera Street in Los Angeles. Aurora's daughter used her mom's taquito recipe. She opened many restaurants in Los Angeles. Soon, other restaurants started selling similar dishes.
In San Diego, another restaurant called El Indio Mexican Restaurant began selling taquitos. This happened during World War II. Workers at a nearby airplane factory needed a lunch they could easily carry. Ralph Pesqueria, Sr., who owned a tortilla factory, helped them. He used a recipe from his Mexican grandmother. He even said he was the first to use the word "taquito" for this dish.
Taquitos in the Freezer Aisle
Taquitos were one of the first Mexican foods to be sold frozen. By 1976, a company called Van de Kamp was selling popular frozen taquitos. The United States government even has a rule about taquitos. It says that taquitos must have at least 15% meat inside them.
Taquitos in Mexico
In Mexico, crispy fried taquitos are often called tacos dorados. This means "golden tacos." They are also called flautas. People in Mexico often top them with shredded cabbage. They also add a special Mexican sour cream called crema. Other toppings include guacamole, green chili or red chili salsa. Crumbled Mexican cheese like queso fresco is also a favorite.
Sometimes, in Mexican border cities like Tijuana and Mexicali, "taquitos" means something different. There, it just means small tacos sold at food stands. It does not mean the rolled-up fried dish.
See also
In Spanish: Tacos dorados para niños
