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The Mexican sombrero is an experience everybody should try!

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Written by: Martin Pramatarov

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• Mexico
• Mexican culture
• Mexican artesanal

When I visited Mexico for the first time, I had a very exciting, maybe childish, objective. I really wanted to wear a real Mexican sombrero!

I have seen it everywhere! It’s a fun accessory that can appear in bars or costume parties. If you like sports and there are Mexicans participating, it’s very easy to spot their supporters. No matter the size of the stadium or venue, Mexican sombreros can’t be unnoticed.

 

Once in Mexico, I could see different Mexican sombreros’ styles, from cheap ones to some really refined and expensive with handmade embroidery. I also discovered interesting facts about this popular accessory that I will share with you in this article.

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What is the origin of the hat?

This is very interesting because the hat seems not to have a specific origin. It was not a brilliant idea of someone, but a brilliant idea of different people around the world. Hat’s creation was motivated by a simple and clear reason: hot weather. People living in really hot places felt the need to protect their heads and faces to avoid insolation and sunburns.

Something it’s clear, hats were created a long time ago. Some early hats were traced in Ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, and the Middle Ages. And after time, it became a fashion and popular accessory worldwide.

 

Is sombrero Mexican?

Yes, the sombrero is Mexican, at least what we know now as Mexican sombrero. But historians mention there’s a direct Spanish influence on it. First of all, the origin of the name sombrero it’s absolutely Spanish. It comes from the Spanish word sombra (shade), and it started being used in the 15th century. It’s a fact, Spanish was not the native language in Mexico. 

Talking about the hat, it’s documented there was a wide-brim hat in Andalucía, Navarra, and Salamanca. In the first two regions, it seemed to be an accessory for wealthy landowners. And in Salamanca, it was part of the horse rider outfit. When Spanish conquerors arrived in Mexico, for sure the use of sombrero also did. 

An own Mexican sombrero got created in Central Mexico and used by Mestizo cowboys. And then, it spread around the rest of the country.

The exact origin of the Mexican hat has been the subject of debate. Some recognize it as a Mexican creation. Others attribute their origin directly to Spain, despite the fact that the differences between the mentioned Spanish hats and the Mexican hat are visible.

 

What is a Mexican sombrero?

Mexican sombrero is sombrero de “charro” - a big, sometimes even massive, circular hat. This sombrero type has become a Mexican symbol, part of the folklore and culture of the country.

Historically and nowadays, Mexicans have worn different types of hats. Mexico is a big country. The hat’s design (style) varies based on the part of the country where you are. Materials, short or high crowns, narrow or wider brims are different.

But when people say Mexican sombrero, usually they mean, the traditional and popular sombrero de “charro”. This is exactly the kind of hat that Mexican cowboys, horse riders, and mariachi wear.

Charro in Mexico refers to horse riders or cowboys that traditionally worked with livestock in the “haciendas” or ranches. Their outfit became popular and easy to spot. Tight-fit pants, belt, short jacket or only “sarape”, vest, wide bow tie, boots, and sombrero (hat). Ornaments, quality materials, and colors on “charros” suits were different based on the “hacienda” they came from.

By the way, now I know that when the hat is massive, the reason is you didn’t get the proper size. The size of the ideal sombrero for you is defined by the head measures and the height of the person who will wear it. 

 

How is a Mexican sombrero (de charro)? 

The Mexican sombrero or “charro” hat varies based on the geographical location you are. In the North of Mexico where you find some of the driest areas, sombrero’s materials are lighter, cooler and the brim is wider. This changes if you are in wooded areas, and in the South, where humidity is higher. 

Therefore, a sombrero can be made of palm, wheat straw, wool, leather, suede, or rabbit hair. Materials must be balanced to make the sombrero a solid piece that can stand on the users’ head. It’s a wide-brimmed hat, raised at the back. Its crown can be flat, but usually, it’s shaped with a number of creases, called “pedradas” in Spanish (frequently four) to provide resistance to the sombrero in case of an impact (mostly falls).

Ornaments are an important detail and usually vary based on personal taste. The most refined sombreros have embroidered designs. Flower figures are usually the most preferred design. Sombreros can have “toquillas”, ornaments placed around the cylinder that shapes the crown, mostly in the lower part. They can be made of chiffon, ribbon, etc. “Ribetes” are also included, narrow strips or trims (ribbon, lace, etc.) to reinforce and adorn the edge of the sombrero. They can be embroidered or openwork trims.

 

Why should I wear a Mexican sombrero?

You definitely should wear a Mexican sombrero to have fun! That was absolutely my case. It feels rare at the beginning, especially if you are not a regular hat user like me. But it totally gives an accent, a unique touch to your image.

Besides, you should wear a Mexican sombrero because of its benefits. Its wide brim protects you from the sun, wind, dust, and rain. Either if you walk or if you ride. You can be protected while keeping your hands free! That’s better than holding an umbrella. It means protection for your head, a sort of helmet, in case of impact (stones, tree branches, or falls).

And if you have seen old Mexican movies, you know sombrero can be very useful for different purposes.

• To stir up the fire of a bonfire.
• To collect water for drinking yourself or sharing it with your horse.
• To play and dodge a bull pretending you are a bullfighter.
• To use it as a shield in case of a fight or a knife attack. It will be a one-shot resource, but still, it can save you.
• To protect (cover) your identity.
• To kiss your loved one avoiding prying eyes with the wide brim.

Charros seemed to be very creative to take full advantage of their sombrero!

In any case, the Mexican sombrero is an experience everybody should try! Don’t miss it on your next travel to Mexico.

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What to do before, during, and after an earthquake?

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Written by: Martin Pramatarov

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• Mexico
• natural disasters

Hi guys, when I was living in Mexico City, I experienced two very strong earthquakes. I was totally unprepared, and I was really scared. The earthquakes I have felt in the past have been as a maximum of 6 on the Richter scale, so not really strong. But those two were, 8.1 and 7.1!

 

The first one hit us during the late night, around 11:40 pm. As usual, me and my girlfriend, we were watching TV, so it was easy to go out on the street and wait until it passes away.

 

The second was a different case. It hit us during the day, around 1 pm. I didn’t prepare after the first one. I didn’t check a thing, and again I got scared as hell. Trapped in the office environment and with the communication cut down due to overload. What should you do when an earthquake starts?

 

Finally, after this nightmare, I did my research, and I want to share with you the earthquake protocol “What to do during the earthquake”?

 

 

If you hear the earthquake alarm, don’t ignore it, follow these pieces of advice depending on your location.

 

What is an earthquake?

An earthquake is the shaking and vibration of the Earth’s surface. It is a natural disaster, that is related with releasing of a lot of energy that creates waves. The waves can cause a lot of damage.

 

What to do during an earthquake If you are inside a building?

Try to run out only if you can escape in 5 seconds or less. 

If you are on a higher floor, just forget about this option and wait until the earthquake stops. Many of the injuries happen when people try to go out in a panic. Try to stay calm, as much as you can. It is scary, but you should not panic. 

Get down, crawl and cover!

 

1. Get DOWN

Get down on the floor. Lower your body and you will be more stable. A standing person will suffer a lot more from the vibrations that the earthquake will produce.

 

2. Start CRAWLING

The best way to move during an earthquake is crawling. Moving close to the ground and use both your hands and legs. It is a lot easier to crawl during this natural disaster.

 

3. Search for COVER and HOLD ON

Search for something to cover yourself from falling objects. It should be something hard enough to protect you. A sturdy table or desktop is perfect. If there is nothing around, cover your face and get to any of the inside corners of the building.

 

Don’t stay close to windows, glasses, outside walls and doors, and anything that can fall on you.

 

Don’t go downstairs and don’t use the elevator! The stairs can easily break, you can get hurt, and the power can go down for a while. You won’t like, to be stuck in a small, dark box without knowing when the help will come. So, don’t use elevators during an earthquake.

 

4. Leave the building and take the most necessary stuff with you

Follow the instructions that are located on the wall of every building. Use the emergency exit route. There should be a picture on the wall, with clear signs on which doors should be used in case of disaster. 

Take the most important items with you. If you have prepared an earthquake bag, with everything you could need, take it, if not go out with your most important items like documents, water, and some money.

Keep evading the elevators. There could be an aftershock, so better go down using the stairs, if they don’t have structural damages, or wait until professional firefighters come to help you.

 

5. Stay outside until the danger is gone

Stay outside for at least an hour. Be sure that no aftershocks are coming before you move to another place. During this time the communication might be problematic, so try to remain calm and send a message to your family or close friends when you can.

Inform yourself from the news, about the consequences of the earthquake and the current situation in the area where you are. You can get very important information.

 

What to do during an earthquake If you are outside?

1. Keep staying outside during an earthquake, obviously!

Don’t try to be a hero and rush to a nearby building, in an attempt to help people. You will help them by not blocking their exit route. The time to help will come after the ground stop moving and everything seems calm again.

 

2. Stay away from buildings, high structures, and electric poles

There is a big risk that they were damaged during the quake. You don’t want something to fall on you. The same goes if you are on foot, in a car, or in another vehicle.

Try to find an open field, like a park, where there can safely wait.

 

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What to do after an earthquake?

1. Check yourself about injuries

Help yourself, or find somebody that can give you first aid. Bleeding could be a very big problem, so you need to stop the blood as fast as possible.

 

2. Stay away from the damaged buildings

If you were in one, now is the time to leave it. Stay outside, because there could always be secondary earthquakes. They can be lighter, but they can finish an already broken building.

 

3. Notify all your family and friend about your status

The first minutes are full of fear and chaos. Everybody will try to call his/her dear ones. The mobile network will probably go down, and it can take hours to get them back on. Use the data on your phone or any Wi-Fi Internet around. My latest experience showed me that Wi-Fi was the most reliable option.

Write in your social networks that you are ok and check on your people. Facebook offers a good option; you can mark yourself as “Safe” and check on certain people.

As I told you, a good connection could be hard to find, so write a short public message “I am safe.” If you use Mobile Data for the Internet, it will eventually post it when it gets a signal again.

 

*Optional

Help the rest of the people. Maybe you manage to get out of the natural disaster without being harmed, but others were not so lucky. Try to help them the way you can. If you know CPR and how to give first aid, you can really save lives during an earthquake.

 

If not, but you are strong, you can help with moving debris and cleaning the route for other people to escape from the building.

 

You can also help those that were left homeless. Bring them tents, and blankets and help them with information about the help they can get from the government.

 

You can even host some people at your place until they get a place to live.

 

You decide where and how you are willing to help. Me and my girlfriend, we went to help families in the next neighborhood, Roma (in Mexico City), and we brought food, boxes, and clothes.

We didn’t try to enter the broken building or move heavy stones, because we didn’t feel like we can help a lot in this, and it was risky.

 

What to do before an earthquake?

Prepare an earthquake emergency backpack. Keep there some ID that you usually don’t use, for example, your international passport. Put some cans of dried food and a bottle of water. A good addition could be a blanket. Don’t overfill it. The idea is that it is light enough that you can grab this emergency earthquake backpack and go in a hurry when you hear the early warning earthquake siren.

 

Pay attention to the earthquake drills. Take the earthquake drills seriously. If you are living in an earthquake zone, you will have an obligatory earthquake drill that will prepare you for such an event. Check where the emergency exits are, and how to move in case of a disaster.

 

Keep your home clutter-free. The quake can start when you are at home. Keep your home tidy. Fewer objects around mean fewer potential hits and obstacles to avoid during your exit. Also, you will need a clear escape room, so don’t be messy.

 

*Optional

Use an earthquake app. Many mobile applications can warn you about the upcoming earthquake. But, you need always to be connected to the internet, to use them. And also they might use your private data for their purposes. Better just pay attention to the earthquake warning siren in your area. If you hear it, start acting.

 

What country has the most earthquakes?

The single country, that has suffered the most earthquakes is China (according to Statista). The countries that suffer earthquakes often are:

• China

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Turkey

• Japan

• Peru

• USA

• Italy

• Afghanistan

• India

• Greece

• Mexico

 

How is an earthquake caused?

The main cause of earthquakes is the sudden release of stress (energy) along faults in the earth’s crust. The earth has many tectonic plates and they are in movement. Their constant actions and interaction with each other cause build-ups of pressure. The pressure gets so high, that in one moment the energy needs to be released. That tectonic pressure, created from the move of the tectonic plates causes earthquakes.

There are 3 main types of tectonic movements:

1. Trust fault (convergent). The Tectonic plates come together.

2. Normal Fault (divergent). The tectonic plates move apart.

3. Strike-Slip Fault (transform). The tectonic plates move past each other.

 

Can an earthquake cause a tsunami?

Yes, an earthquake can cause a tsunami (tidal wave). A large, strong, and shallow earthquake, with an epicenter on the ocean floor, can start a tsunami wave. There are regions where tectonic plates meet, and the movements they do doing the years cause such a disaster. A tsunami wave can travel as much as 1000 kilometers (the Great 1960 Chilean tsunami)! That temblor was 9.5 magnitude (Richter), and usually, it must be at least 7.5 magnitudes to cause serious damage. 

 

Can an earthquake cause a volcanic eruption?

Yes, an earthquake can cause a volcanic eruption. A strong temblor, with a magnitude higher than 6 (Richter) can cause a volcano to erupt if the epicenter is close enough. This happens, if the volcano was already close to erupting anyway. If it had enough magma and sufficient pressure.

 

Can a volcanic eruption cause an earthquake?

Yes, a volcanic eruption can cause an earthquake. The pressure that volcanoes generate, together with the vibrations from the moving magma can affect the surrounding rocks and trigger a small earthquake. Such earthquakes are called volcanic earthquakes or volcanic tremors.

 

Can an earthquake be predicted?

No, people cannot predict earthquakes, no matter what technology they use. No device or equipment can predict a tremor. The only type of devices that scientists use currently is to measure it and warn. The earthquake waves move slower than the communication, so you can get an early warning. But it is based just on the distance, from the epicenter to the place where you are.

 

Conclusion

Earthquakes are unpredictable, even having applications for early warning, still, most probably you will get scared. Just try to remember those tips and stay couscous before, during, and after an earthquake. Like this, you will have better chances of survival.

 

Other articles that can help you with survival tips: 

"Volcano, when the Hell breaks loose"

"Tsunami, the wave that you don’t want to see"

"Hurricane, what to do when it approaches?"

"Tornado, where and how to hide?"

"Avalanche, Surviving natural disasters"

 

Official sources used for this article:

https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready/quakesafe/what-to-do-in-an-earthquake

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/earthquakes/en/

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-earthquakes-trigger-volcanic-eruptions

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-predict-earthquakes

https://www.statista.com/statistics/269648/number-of-earthquakes-by-country/

 

The complete list of Mexican tacos you must try before you die!

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Written by: Martin Pramatarov

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• Mexican food
• Fast food
• Mexican fast food
• Mexico

Tacos! They are one of the most delicious Mexican food that you can imagine. Mexican tacos come in all shapes and sizes. You can have them with chicken, port, beef, fish, or even exotic meats like alligator and boar. The tacos’ potential is unlimited! But which types of tacos are the most popular?

Here you have all the best Mexican tacos, which you must try when you visit Mexico!

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​What is a Mexican taco? 

The taco is a traditional Mexican food, that has two main ingredients – tortilla and filling. 

The tortilla is a circular bread with a diameter between 5cm and 20cm and it is made of corn flour or wheat flour. 

The filling could be very diverse. Usually, it is some kind of meat – pork, beef, chicken, and a salad garnish. 

The extra ingredients that you can put on the tacos are: 

• Sauces – typically spicy sauces, but there are also more neutral ones. 

• Cream.

• Salad.

• Beans.

• Nopales (cactus). 

• Rice. 

• Lemon. 

• Radish.

• Cheese.

 

​Tacos al pastor – pork meat.

These are the most popular types of Mexican tacos in the whole Mexico. You can see taco stands in almost every street in Mexico City. From far, the tacos al pastor look like shawarma or döner kebab, because the chefs use the same kind of vertical grill. The truth is that the origin of this type of tacos is really the Middle East. Many immigrants from there, came to Mexico at the end of the 19th century and brought their food. The mixture with the Mexican culture and habits, change the lamb meat with the more popular in Mexico pork meat.

The meat that tacos al pastor have is spit-grilled pork. The typical marinate for the meat is chile guajillo or chile de árbol and other spices. 

The garnish is onion, cilantro, lemon juice, pineapple, and great sauce (salsa verde) or red sauce (salsa roja). Everything comes inside delicious corn tortillas. 

Tip: The taquero (the taco chef) will always ask you in the end “¿Con todo?” which means “with everything?". If you don’t like something, now is the moment to mention it. 

 

​Tacos Árabes – pork meat.

The tacos Árabes are almost the same as tacos al pastor. Again, they are pork meat, with onion, cilantro, and lemon. The main difference is the tortillas, which are wheat tortillas. The tacos Árabes are extremely popular in Puebla, a big city close to the capital. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and cheese. 

Tortilla – wheat. 

 

​Bistec tacos – beef meat.

The bistec tacos (tacos de bistec) are one of the easiest to cook, but they are amazing! They are very thin beef stakes, prepared on a grill. The usual garnishes are small onions and cilantro, and corn tortillas. Simple but great option. The big difference here is the sauces. You can have a great taste if you put chipotle sauce on it. And to top it off, you can add manchego cheese too. 

 

​Arrachera tacos – beef meat.

Arrachera is another type of steak that is known as the hanger cut. The arrachera meat is very thin, and that makes it very easy and fast to cook on the grill. The secret to its taste is the marinade. It includes different citrus like lime and orange, garlic, cilantro, hot chilies, oregano, cooking oil, and black paper. 

Garnish – onions, red peppers, cilantro, lemon, nopales (cactus). 

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Carne asada tacos – beef meat.

When we talk about carne asada, it means that it is roasted. It is a marinated steak that gets its smoked flavor from charcoal. Otherwise, it is the same cow meat as the bistec tacos. You can find this kind of tacos more in the north. Monterrey is a great city to try tacos de carne asada.

Garnish – onion, cilantro, and hot sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cecina tacos – beef meat.

Tacos de cecina are very similar to those of bistec. Again, we are talking about beef meat, but this time it has a special process. The meat is dried and salted. These tacos are coming from the state of Morelos, near the capital Mexico City. 

Garnish – nopales (cactus) and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn. 

 

Tip: Go to Yecapixtla (state of Morelos) to try tacos de cecina! I tried them there and fell in love with their taste. 

 

​Tasajo taco – beef meat.

Tacos de tasajo are Spanish-style tacos from beef meat, very similar to cecina. It is dried beef meat, cooked on charcoal, and you can find them in most of the southern states like Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz, and Campeche.

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, beans and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Machaca tacos – beef, pork. 

The tacos de machaca are special types of tacos made from salted and dried meat (usually beef), that later gets re-hydrated just before cooking. The drying process happens in the desert, under the hot sun. The typical spices are salt and garlic. 

The preparation comes from the state of Chihuahua. People there in the north, love to eat tacos de machaca with eggs for breakfast. 

The taste is similar to jerky meat. 

In the north, they prefer to prepare burritos, rather than tacos. The burritos are bigger breads, from wheat tortillas, that are wrapped around. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lime, radish, avocado and sauce. 

Tortilla – wheat. 

 

​Chorizo/longaniza tacos – meat beef, pork.

Tacos de chorizo or tacos de longaniza are some of my favorite. They are sausage tacos. Chorizo is premium-quality sausage (ground meat), while the longazina (minced meat) is second-quality, but both are very tasty. They have amazing spices like oregano, cumin, coriander, and chili peppers. You can find them in most of the taquerias (taco stands). 

Garnish – nopales (cactus), onion, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Moronga tacos – beef, pork.

The moronga looks very similar to the chorizo, but it is darker. The color comes from the fact that it is made of blood. It has a very strong taste, that is not liked by many, including me. 

Garnish – nopales (cactus), onion, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Campechano tacos.

Tacos Campechanos are mixing two great tastes – tacos de bistec with the tacos de chorizo. You can enjoy both steak and sausage in each bite! These tacos are amazing! As you can imagine, they are a bit more expensive, but if you are a real player, they are perfect for you

Put some cilantro and onions on top and a line of red sauce and taste paradise. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Suadero tacos – beef or pork. 

The suadero tacos can be made from beef meat or pork meat, depending on the state of Mexico you are in. The meat itself is very similar to the bistec. It is again a flank steak, but this time the difference is the method of cooking. Suadero is prepared inside a lot of lard. The more greasy it is the better! This one is not for people on diets. 

People in the capital loved them, especially in the late hours, after leaving a bar. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Carnitas tacos – pork meat.

Tacos de carnitas are pork meat tacos, from fatter cuts, cooked in a lot of oil. In such a taco you can find any type of parts from pork, even things like nose or tail! 

They originally come from the state of Michoacán, but now you can find them in almost every state. It is a very beautiful state, near Mexico City. 

For those of you, who are not very adventurous, it is better to skip this one. 

Also, as you see, these tacos are very oily and they are not good for your health and diet. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, sauce, and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Barbacoa tacos – sheep or goat meat.

The traditional barbacoa tacos are prepared from really slow-roasted meat from sheep or goats. The meat stays in fire pits for hours, before it became extremely well cooked. At that moment, it can drop down from the bone without any effort. 

You can find this type of tacos in small-town celebrations, important events like weddings, or another occasion with a lot of people. 

Of course, you can find them in many taquerias in Mexico City too, no matter what day it is. 

The tacos de barbacoa are very popular in the state of Hidalgo, where the people eat them accompanied by a soup (consomé). 

Interestingly, these hard-to-cook tacos are mostly consumed in the mornings. In many places, you can’t find them after 2 pm. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, sauce, radish, and avocado. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Birria tacos – goat or beef meat.

The birria tacos come from the state of Jalisco. The birria is a type of stew, usually made from goat or beef meat. The spices that you can find in a typical Mexican birria are adobo chilli, onion, and garlic. Thanks to the adobo, the meat has a red color, so, in some places, they are called red tacos. 

For some people, tacos de birria are considered low value, mostly because of their connection to drunk people. Mexican believe that eating greasy and spicy birria will remove the hangover. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cochinita pibil tacos – pork meat.

The cochinita pibil tacos of Yucatán, are a must-try if you are visiting Cancún. Cochinita means small pig and pibil shows that they are cooking in an underground oven. 

They are made with slowly cooked pork meat, which stays a long time underground in a special oven until the meat becomes incredibly soft. The meat is marinated in citrus juice, made of limes, oranges, and many spices. 

It is a bit like the barbacoa, but with pork meat. I prefer this one way more. 

Garnish – onions, chile de árbol, habanero chilli. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Lechón tacos – pork meat.

The lechón tacos are super similar to the previously mentioned tacos de cochinita pibil. And, as you could guess, they are also from Yucatán. 

The tacos de lechón use the same technique for slowly cooking the little pigs. The pigs here are lechones, meaning that they are the youngest pigs (up to 1-month old) that are still eating milk from their mothers. 

I didn’t find any differences, nor in taste, or look. Maybe I am not picky enough, but for me is the same meal as cochinita pibil. 

Garnish – onions, chile de árbol, habanero chili. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos dorados – chicken, potatoes (VEGETARIAN), beef. 

The tacos dorados, or golden tacos, are deep-fried tacos with different fillings like boiled potatoes, beef meat, chicken meat, or another. What is special about the way they are served is the fact that they are offered rolled up like a cigar, and on top of them, you get sour cream, fresh lettuce, and white cheese. Depending on the size, they might be called taquitos dorados (small tortillas), tacos dorados (normal tortilla size), or flautas (long tortillas)

If you are a vegetarian, you can get an order of tacos de dorados "de papas". For the vegan, this one does not work, because it is fried and served with sour cream. 

Garnish – lettuce, sour cream, white cheese (usually Panela cheese). 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de mixiote – beef, pork, sheep meat. 

Mixiote sounds very Mexican and it is. It uses an old method of slow cooking in a fire pit, like the barbacoa. Mixiote means mixed and they are a combination of beef, pork, and sheep meat. Perfect for the indecisive people who can’t decide on the type of meat they want. 

The meat is cooked with a variety of spices, and chillies, so in the end, you have very juicy meat. 

The mixiote tacos are popular in Mexico City, the nearby state of Hidalgo, and also Guerrero (Acapulco). 

Garnish – beans, avocado, nopales (cactus), sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Tinga tacos – chicken meat.

Tinga tacos are chicken tacos, from meat that is shredded to strings. Tinga means torn. What is great about them is that they are cooked with chipotle chilli, tomatoes, and onion and have an amazing taste. It is a simple, yet delicious choice. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de Canasta – pork, beef, beans, potatoes, chicharrón prensado.

Tacos de canasta or basket tacos are some of my favorite. You can see the cool guys, going all around the capital city on their bicycles, and selling you straight from the basket.

Canasta tacos are cooked on vapor for many hours, and that gives them their very soft touch.

Some say, that the tacos de canasta come from Tlaxcala state, but you can find them in many states including the capital.

You can find many different tastes:

• Tacos de canasta de frijol – bean tacos with onion. These are 100% vegetarian and even vegan.
• Tacos de papas – boiled potatoes tacos with onion. Another vegetarian and vegan option!
• Tacos de chicharrón – tacos from the fried skin of pigs, cooked in green or red sauce.
• Tacos de chicharrón prensado (compacted or pressed) – frying remains gotten from the bottom of the saucepots where the crunchy chicharrón is fried. These remains are fried again and pressed a little to compact them and remove some of the fat. It is dark brown when it is finally fried.
• Tacos adobados – beef tacos with onion and guajillo sauce
• Tacos de mole verde – chicken meat and green sauce.
• Tacos de picadillo – minced meat, boiled potatoes, and carrots with spices.
• Sauces – salsa verde (green sauce), or salsa roja (red sauce).

Tortilla – soft corn tortillas.

 

Tip: These tacos take a long time to prepare and go on sale from early morning. Buy them during the day, because in the afternoon, they might not be in their best condition and could be a health hazard.

 

​Guisados tacos – beef, pork, vegetarian (in some cases).

Tacos de guisado are tortillas with different prepared food inside. The traditional tacos de guisado are made of stew from meat and vegetables. Between the many varieties of these tacos, you could try the following:

• Rice and eggs.

• Nopales (cactus) and onions. This one is vegetarian and could be even VEGAN!

• Eggs with tomato sauce.

• Rajas (chilli) with cream.

• Picadillo – potatoes, carrots, and minced meat.

• Chicken with chipotle sauce.

Tip: Always ask what the guisado is. If you are a vegetarian, you might find very good meals. Even vegans might have a chance to eat.

Tortilla – corn or wheat.

 

​Chicharrón taco – pork meat.

Chicharrón is deep-fried pork skin, that becomes crunchy like chips. The most typical type of taco de chicharrón is prepared in green sauce (salsa verde). The chicharrón becomes soft and incredibly tasty. You can add onion and cilantro on top, to have a perfect culinary experience. 

This is one of the not-so-traditional meats, but I can recommend it with two hands! 

You can find it made with different sauces like the red one, chipotle, guajillo, and others. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Cabeza tacos – beef meat.

Tacos de cabeza, are made of the meat from a cow’s head. I know, some of you might directly skip this one, but if you insist on trying it, you will get small pieces of meat of chicks, cow’s ears, nose, and more. The only thing that you won’t find here is the tongue, which Mexican separates for another taco (taco de lengua). 

So, the head is slow-cooked, in a very big pot with many spices. 

I don’t like these ones, but they might be your favorite, who knows. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

​Lengua taco – beef meat.

If you read the last one, now you know where the cow’s tongue goes, to the lengua tacos. The meat of the tongue is a bit harder to chew and has a very specific texture. It is not for anybody’s taste for sure. For me, it was a one-time try, and honestly, the tacos de lengua were not bad, but you can get better at the same price. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, and lemon. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de panza – pork meat.

Tacos de panza are tacos from the belly of a pig. When you are trying less common parts of animals you always get doubts. The taste is strange, and not everybody likes it, me included. The panza (belly parts) are tough to chew and not very tasty. Such a meal is usually offered with a very strong hot sauce, which further kills the taste. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Tacos de tripas – beef meat.

If you didn’t like tacos de panza, you will like tacos de tripas even less. The tripas are intestines of the animal (cow). The intestines are well cleaned, and then boiled for hours. After that, they are cooked in their own fat until they get to a rubbery texture. These tacos are also offered with a very hot sauce. 

I personally don’t recommend them. They just didn't taste good for me. 

Garnish – onions, cilantro, lemon, and sauce. 

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

 

​Pescado – fish.

The tacos de pescado are fish tacos. You can find them on every beach place. Cancún (Yucatán), Playa del Carmen (Yucatán), Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca), Acapulco (Guerrero), Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco), Los Cabos (Baja California), and others have their version of pescado tacos. Each place has a bit different method of preparation, but the most common is to fry the fish and add hot sauce. The garlic is also a very common ingredient, together with cilantro, lime, habanero chilli, mayonnaise.

The most common tacos de pescado are:

• Tacos de Marlin fish (Tacos de pez espada) – smoked swordfish tacos. Expensive, but delicious. 

• Tacos de filete frito de angelito – shark tacos.

• Tacos de cazón – small shark from Veracruz. 

• Tacos de bacalao – cod fish tacos. 

• Tacos de tilapia – tilapia tacos. You will find this one commonly written as filete, in the menus. 

• Tacos de magro – white fish taco. It could be any of the following acedia, abadejo, besugo blanco, coruxo, merluza, rodaballo salvaje.

• Tacos de atún – tuna fish tacos.

• Tacos de salmón – salmon tacos. These are a bit oily but very tasty.

• Tacos de bagre – catfish tacos.

• Tacos de mantarraya – manta ray tacos.  

Tortilla corn and wheat.

Tip: If you want to enjoy a fish taco, go to the beach. Yes, you can find fish tacos in the capital or any other big city like Monterrey or Guadalajara, but the fish won’t be as fresh as on the seaside. 

Also, evade the pescadillas (quesadillas de pescado) that you will see on every beach. The sellers offer them all day, and the sun can really damage them, and poison you when you eat. 

 

​Tacos de mariscos – sea food.

Tacos de mariscos unite all of the seafood – fish, octopus, calamari, oysters, etc. Many times, these tacos are a mix of everything that the restaurant has at the moment, so if you want to get more information, ask “¿De qué son?”. Mexico has a lot of seafood. It is on two oceans – the Atlantic and the Pacific. The garnish here is again lime, hot sauces, mayonnaise, onion, avocados, and more. 

There are plenty of choices and really fresh seafood. What you can see in the restaurants’ menus are:

• Tacos de ostiones – oisters tacos.

• Tacos de calamar – calamari tacos.

• Tacos de camarón – shrimp tacos.

• Tacos de pulpo – octopus tacos.

Tortilla corn and wheat.

 

Tip: Just like the fish tacos, evade seafood tacos if you see that the sellers or the restaurants don’t look like they are keeping the seafood in a proper environment. Eating bad seafood can lead to at least a few days of diarrhea, and that could easily ruin your fun beach trip.

 

​Tacos de chapulines – grasshoppers tacos.

Yes, you read this one right. Mexicans eat grasshoppers! They put them in tacos, add some delicious sauce on top and enjoy a crunchy snack. I have tried these ones and I really like the taste of the grasshoppers. For me, they are like chips with salt and lemon. 

Funny story with these tacos de chapulines. One Time I ate some from a food truck in Mexico City and I sent a picture to my grandmother in Bulgaria. She got extremely shocked by the grasshoppers. She told me that if I am so poor that I am eating insects already, it is time to come back.

She said that she will buy me a ticket and cook me whatever I desire!

Garnish – onions, cilantro, avocado, sauces.

Tortilla – corn or wheat. 

Tip: If you don’t feel brave enough to try, just close your eyes and imagine they are deep-fried potatoes. 

 

​Tacos de maguey – maguey worm tacos.

Sure, why not? If Mexicans eat grasshoppers, what could stop them from eating worms too? The maguey worm eats agave plants. This is the reason that you can see these tiny worms inside tequila and mezcal bottles. The Mexican thought, if the worms eat just agave and we already put them inside our drinks, why not put them on our pans? They deep fry the maguey worm with spices and lime and serve it inside a tortilla with guacamole sauce. 

It is not for anybody’s taste, but if you are passing through Oaxaca or Jalisco, it won’t kill you to try tacos de maguey. 

Tip: If you like alcoholic drinks, you can get a shot of tequila or mezcal to get the courage to try the worm tacos! 

 

​Tacos de escamoles – insects eggs tacos.

The escamoles are insect eggs, mostly ant eggs, and people called them the Mexican caviar. It sounds really strange to eat ants eggs, but you can imagine that there are a lot of proteins inside them. They are prepared with spices and butter and are considered an expensive delicacy.

I have tried them, and I can say that you mostly taste the spices, and the eggs feel just like a small exploding ball inside your mouth. Try, if you want to brag that you have tried everything, otherwise, there are far more delicious options for tacos.

 

​Tacos de ahuatle, huevos de mosco – mosquito eggs tacos.

Ahuatle or huevos de mosco are eggs of mosquitoes, the annoying insects that bother you while you are trying to sleep. Eating their eggs inside a taco could be nice revenge! I tried tacos de ahuatle in Xochimilco in Mexico City, and I didn’t like them at all. 

 

​How to choose the best Mexican tacos?

• Don’t buy tacos, or any other Mexican food inside, or near a metro station. The quality there is very low, and it is not worth trying. Yes, you can get a few tacos for less than 50 pesos, but that comes in a price of stomach pain, and hours in the toilet. Besides, you can get a very bad impression of what Mexico can offer. 

• Most taco stands and authentic small restaurants are fine. You can eat without worries about your health. If your belly is really delicate then go to a big Mexican restaurant or any of the restaurant chains like El Porton, Potzollcalli, Vips, Toks, El Tizoncito, or Sanborns.

• Try the chilli sauce, before you spread it all around your dish. Many times, the hot sauce could be really strong. Especially if it is chile de árbol or chile habanero. Try before, so you don’t cry later! 

• Don’t eat tacos de canasta in the afternoon. I am speaking here from experience. Once I ate some tacos de canasta de chicharrón and my belly was hurting for days! The taco de canasta sellers go out early in the day, and they don’t keep their tacos in a fridge. Just in a normal basket. Mexico is hot so you can get all kinds of intestinal infections. 

• Ask the locals. When you are visiting Mexico, you must get to know the local people. They are incredibly friendly and always ready to help a tourist. Ask them, which are their favorite taco places, and in many cases, they will be happy to show it to you. 

 

​Conclusion.

Wow! There are so many types of Mexican tacos out there! My favorite are tacos al pastor, especially after leaving a nightclub. But also I love tacos de bistec, tacos campechanos, and tacos de cecina. It is a shame that you can’t find true tacos outside of Mexico. 

 

Now that you can finally understand the menu in a Mexican restaurant, which one are you eager to try? Don’t be shy, get your order now. And put some sauce on them! 

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If you want to know more about the tacos see this article "Everything you wondered about tacos, answered".