TacoProject

taco documentation

Opinion

Which Taco Are You? A Very Scientific Quiz

Answer these five questions honestly (we will know if you lie) and discover your true taco self. Results have been verified by zero scientists.

The Questions

  1. It is Friday night. You are: A) at a party B) on the couch with a slow cooker going C) at the beach D) arguing about something online
  2. Pick a salsa: A) roja with pineapple B) salsa verde C) pico de gallo D) chile de árbol, extra
  3. Your ideal vacation: A) a big city B) grandma’s house C) Ensenada D) Guadalajara
  4. Your texting style: A) all caps B) long, thoughtful paragraphs C) emojis only D) voice memos, seven minutes each
  5. Pick a drink: A) jarritos B) horchata C) cold beer with lime D) a mug of consommé
Flautas with guacamole
Photo: Jon Sullivan / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Score Chart

Your answers     Result
---------------  --------------------
Mostly A         AL PASTOR        ###
Mostly B         CARNITAS         ###
Mostly C         BAJA FISH TACO   ###
Mostly D         BIRRIA           ###
Tie              TACO DE SAL      #

Scientific accuracy:   [##........]  20%
Delicious accuracy:    [##########] 100%

Your Results

Click to reveal. No peeking at the others. (You will peek at the others.)

Mostly A: You are Al Pastor

Flashy, social, a little dramatic. You love a crowd and you always make an entrance (with pineapple). Everyone wants to be near you at 1 a.m.

Mostly B: You are Carnitas

Reliable, warm, patient. You take your time and it always pays off. Friends call you when they need comfort.

Mostly C: You are a Baja Fish Taco

Breezy, bright, allergic to stress. You own sunglasses in six colors. Your spirit animal is a lime wedge.

Mostly D: You are Birria

Intense, a bit messy, impossible to ignore. You come with your own dipping sauce and your own opinions.

A tie: You are a Taco de Sal

Minimalist. Pure. Maybe a little smug about it. Honestly, we respect it.

Share your result in the comments. Birrias, please keep it civil.

Hard Shells Are Fine, Actually

Look. We know. The folded, pre-fried hard shell is not how tacos are traditionally served in most of Mexico. Fried tacos exist there, of course (tacos dorados are wonderful), but the U-shaped shell from a box is a very American thing.

And yet. Ground beef, shredded iceberg, a snowfall of cheddar, a spoonful of mild salsa, and that crunch. It is a taste of childhood Tuesdays. It is fine. It is, in fact, pretty great.

It shatters on the first bite? So does every good croissant. Stop apologizing for enjoying things.

Final answer: eat the hard shell. Then go get real tacos al pastor tomorrow. You can have both. Nobody is keeping score. (We are keeping score.)

Corn vs. Flour: A Definitive Ruling

Every taco household eventually faces the question. Corn or flour? We have heard the testimony. We have examined the evidence. We have, frankly, eaten too much of the evidence. The court is ready to rule.

Corn tortillas cooking on a comal
Photo: Artemisa Martínez / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

The case for corn

Corn tortillas are the original. Nixtamalization, cooking dried corn in an alkaline solution of calcium hydroxide (cal), has been practiced in Mesoamerica for thousands of years. It unlocks niacin, improves the dough, and gives masa its unmistakable toasty flavor. Most taquerias in Mexico use corn for most tacos.

The case for flour

Flour tortillas come from northern Mexico, especially Sonora, where wheat grows well. A good Sonoran flour tortilla is thin, stretchy, and nearly translucent. In Texas, flour is the undisputed king of the breakfast taco.

CornFlour
FlavorToasty, earthy, sweetButtery, mild, rich
TextureTender, can crack when coldSoft, stretchy, forgiving
Best withAl pastor, carnitas, fish, barbacoaBreakfast tacos, carne asada, Sonoran-style
WeaknessFalls apart if not heated rightCan taste like cardboard from the supermarket
TraditionThousands of years in MesoamericaNorthern Mexico, post-Spanish wheat

The tortilla should serve the filling. The filling should never have to apologize for the tortilla.

The Honorable Court of Tacos

The ruling

Corn wins for most tacos. Flour wins for breakfast and anything from Sonora. Anyone serving a cold, un-griddled supermarket tortilla of either kind is held in contempt. Case closed. Court adjourned. Someone go get more salsa.