Good Food
Cinco de Mayo Special: How the Taco Conquered America
Was the taco as we know it invented in LA? Hear from the giants behind mega chains El Torito and Taco Bell as we trace the history of the taco in America.
By Evan Kleiman • • 57m ListenGustavo Arellano, author of Taco USA sits in as Evan's co-host as the two trace the history of the taco in Southern California and across America. Before there were tacos, there were taquitos and KCRW’s Saul Gonzalez visits the birthplace of the taquito in Los Angeles - Cielito Lindo - and speaks to owner Diana Guerrero Robertson whose family has owned the stand since 1934. Taco tycoon Larry Cano reminisces about how he started El Torito and created the blended margarita that we know today. John Gorman, the original Chief Operating Officer of Taco Bell recalls the challenge of marketing tacos to the American public in the 1960’s and Fernando and Bricia Lopez remember how difficult it was to find Mexican ingredients when they opened their Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza in 1993. Plus, a gringo in the hot sauce business? Dexter Holland of The Offspring discusses his quest for delicious Mexican hot sauce and Jonathan Gold describes how the Mexican culinary landscape has changed since he began reviewing restaurants in 1984.
Banner image: Taco Bell founder Glen Bell and his wife, Martha, making tacos. Photo courtesy of Taco Bell
In this episode
8 storiesMarket Report
Roxana Jullapat is the co-owner and pastry chef at Cooks County . Jullapat is using first of the season cherries from Murray Family Farms to make a Chocolate Cherry Tart . The recipe has a chocolate shortbread crust filled with cherry compote and a soufflé-like chocolate filling.
Read the story5 minTaco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America
Gustavo Arellano is the editor of the OC Weekly , author of the popular Ask A Mexican column and, most recently, the author of Taco USA : How Mexican Food Conquered America. He sits in as Evan’s co-host as the two trace the history of Mexican food in Southern California and across America.
Read the story4 minCielito Lindo and the Birth of the Taco
KCRW's Saul Gonzalez visits with Diana Guerrero Robertson, owner of Cielito Lindo on Olvera Street. Her family has owned the taquito stand since 1934 and has been serving up their famous taquitos with tomatillo-avocado salsa ever since.
Read the story5 minTaco Tycoon Larry Cano
Larry Cano is the founder of El Torito . In 1954 he took over Bali Hai , a tiki bar in Encino, and turned it into a Mexican restaurant. There, Cano says, he invented what we know now as the blended margarita.
Read the story6 minTaking the Taco to the Masses: Taco Bell
John Gorman was the first Chief Operating Officer of Taco Bell . He remembers how difficult it was to sell tacos in Southern California in the 1960's. Customers were not familiar with the product and he had to hire staff to teach customers how to eat the tacos. At first, most customers would try to eat them like sandwiches, turned on their side.
Read the story13 minThe Quest for Authenticity
Fernando López is the founder and owner of Guelaguetza , one of the most revered Oaxacan restaurants in Southern California. He recalls how when he first came to Los Angeles in the early 1990's he would literally die for authentic Oaxacan food.
Read the story7 minGringo Bandito
Dexter Holland is the front man for The Offspring and the man behind Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce . It took him eight years to find his perfect hot sauce recipe. Music: "Keep Em Separated" by Offspring
Read the story9 minMexican Food in LA, 1984 to Present Day
Jonathan Gold remembers the culinary landscape of Mexican food in Los Angeles when he first began reviewing restaurants in 1984. He describes it as mostly "#2 combo plates," but in the late 1980's he began to see regional specialties appear on menus.
Read the story8 min
