10,000 TACOS

Taco Freakin Holders     Today on this episode we explore my opinion of taco holders. Not going to lie, I freakin hate them. I think taco holders are superfluous at best and colonial hierarchy at worst. But on this episode we'll just focus on the good.   I tell you a quick story of how taco holders are like scheduling apps that don't work if you are not going to deliver on what was promised.   I also flip the tortilla and tell you about a recent trip to Kansas City, Missouri. On this trip, my wife and I went to a highly recommended barbeque spot that served me two pork belly tacos made of flour tortillas and served on taco holders. In short, I was served……..  And it made me change my mind (just a little) about taco holders.     _________________________________________________     TAQUOTE: “There are tacos that delight the eye but don't captivate the heart!”  Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and follow us on:   Instagram  TikTok twitter Facebook     Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

Welcome to the season finale of our podcast! This episode closes out a sazon of amazing conversations, topics, and of course, tacos. We're about to wrap up, no pun, with some fun tasting insight from our hosts.      We'll revisit some of the good takes from this season, introduce a new guest host, and look forward to what's coming next. Yes, new hosts – we welcome a new member of our 10kTacos podcast, Rodrigo Bravo.   Get ready for an unforgettable finale through discussion, reflection, and of course taco fun! _________________________________________________        TAQUOTE: “Tacos are like a parade, and nobody sits at a parade wishing that  everybody would stand still!”    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter –   Jose - Instagram  twitter TexasMonthly     Isidro - Instagram  TikTok twitter facebook   Rodrigo Jr. Bravo Instagram  twitter           Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

It that time of year! If you look around you, almost everywhere you go, you will see festive lights, crowds gathering at Christmas parks, packed ice rinks, and, of course, tons of suckers, I mean, people at shopping malls. Yes, the holiday season is in full swing!   But there is another season that is in full swing. A type of activity that involves tons of minutes of prep time. Perhaps tons of pair of hands and definitely tons of love, graciousness, and tons of gratitude.   The season I'm referring to is TAMALE Season! Most call it TAMALES! TAMALADAS "We're making tamales," to be more precise.   Making tamales around this time is special to a lot of people. It's a time to gather around in a small kitchen and spend the next several hours making tamales. And we're not talking making a dozen or two. We are talking big numbers here. In some cases, some people will make up to the hundreds.  TAQUOTE: “Tamales, just like their twin-the tortilla, have a deep rooted tradition and have helped get us to where we are now!”    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos and on TikTok @tenktacos       Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

When I think of Mexican sports and athletes, I think of golfer Lorena Ochoa or boxer great Laura Serrano. Speaking of boxers, I think of Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez. I also think of the relationship Mexicans have with their futbol (soccer) greats. I don't ever think of winter sports when it comes to Mexico and its athletes.     Today on the show, we speak to Regina Martinez. She is attempting to become the first Mexican woman to qualify for the winter Olympics in her sport, Cross Country Skiing. She's also a medical doctor specializing in emergency medicine.   Regina joins us today from her current home of Miami. And she shares with us not just what she thinks about burritos being tacos, chile rellenos, and tips on how to stay grounded while chasing a dream.   TAQUOTE: “Never be afraid to ask a taquero for more chile”       If you want to send us a message, have an ideal guest suggestion, or even want to send us hate mail, click here!    LINKS   Regina's website   TikTok   Instagram   Facebook

Today, we not only get to talk tacos, we also get to talk barbecue and where the two intersect. Today we speak to Joe Zavala from Zavala's Barbecue. Zavala's Barbecue is in Grand Prairie, Texas. It's owned by Christan and pitmaster Joe Zavala. Zavala's, the barbecue joint, began as a backyard pop-up before moving into a brick-and-mortar in 2019. It's been a hit ever since, finally gaining the esteemed honor of a spot on the 2021 Texas Monthly's Top 50 Barbecue Joints list, something he had been striving for since opening and celebrated by drinking champagne out of his shoe, after the F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo's signature celebratory move. I find it disgusting. Joe Zavala, however, is amazing.  Joe has his own podcast, Brisket and Main, named after the intersection where Zavala's is. He has a YouTube video series with Meat Church barbecue rub and sauce company. He's been a featured chef at Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks games. He also hosts regular barbecue classes at Four Corners Brewing Co.  Perhaps most importantly, after being diagnosed with cancer in 2019—the same year he opened his restaurant—Joe and his wife established the Zavala Family Foundation, which helps restaurant industry families dealing with cancer. Joe is currently in remission. Here's the kicker, Zavala's Barbecue and everything connected to it is a side hustle. So download and enjoy some of the takes of this episode like some of the briskets he throws down on a weekly basis. TAQUOTE: “When life throws you a cow, make carne asada” If you want to send us a message or have an ideal guest suggestion, or even want to send us hate mail, click here!  LINKS Click here for his story Map (Google) twitter Instagram TikTok YouTube  

Today on the show we bring you someone who studies TACOS, specifically the culture and food. As we've said before, “Tacos are bigger than us.” Perhaps no one knows this better than Steven Alvarez. A poet and professor at St. John's University in Queens, New York, Dr. Alvarez hails from the small mining town of Safford in southeastern Arizona.     Alvarez is a literacy scholar who walks the line through his academic books, including Brokering Tareas: Mexican Immigrant Families Translanguaging Homework Literacies, and in real-life applications—not just in tacos but also in his poetry in books like the Codex Mojaodicus. His work doesn't differentiate between English and Spanish nor is it, as previously mentioned, constrained to convention when it comes to layout, much less narrative. Literacy and typographical mestizaje     TAQUOTE: “If at first you don't succeed, warm up another tortilla”   BONUS TAQUOTE: “Like the heated tortilla, you too shall rise!” (Steven Alvarez)   If you want to send us a message or have an ideal guest suggestion, or even want to send us hate mail, click here!      LINKS   You Can Now Study Tacos at the University of Kentucky - VICE   twitter   instagram   tacoliteracy on Instagram

Today on the show we speak to Ali Khan, a native of St. Louis. Ali Khan has been in food writing and showbusiness for a long-o time. He went to film school at USC. He's written for L.A. Taco. And he got his big break in 2015 with the Cooking Channel series Cheap Eats. The show ran for five seasons and visited almost 60 cities in 40 states. Ali is currently the host of the Spring Baking Challenge on Food Network and a recurring judge on the Chopped series.    Ali also has a big online presence with series with Travel Texas, his own YouTube channel, Good Sauce, and podcasts, including one about Major League Soccer team Austin FC. He also recently began a brand partnership as an official spokesman for FARE, a non profit organization dedicated to helping 32 million American who live with food allergies.      TAQUOTE   “Live life like a taco, always be open to whatever life can fill in it”    LINKS   https://alikhaneats.com   Ali's Podcast   Ali's Instagram   Ali's You Tube

Tacos In Verse   This week's guest infuses culture, food–which is culture—and Spanglish in inspiring ways. His work has appeared in chapbooks, anthologies, and the streets of San Antonio. He's traveled the country to perform his work, including, most recently, Louisville, KY, where he won a haiku contest. He is the host of the Sunday open mic at Dakota Ice House in San Antonio, a native of Texas' Rio Grande Valley, a longtime resident of the Alamo City, a high school teacher, a co-founder of the International Taco Council, and a good sport when it comes to criss-crossing San Anto for tacos, allow me to introduce Eddie Vega.    FACO Denver's taco scene   TAQUOTE In the world of tacos, there has never been evidence of discrimination when it comes to yellow, white, blue, and/or brown tortillas.   Links: @tacolico on all social media, including IG (https://www.instagram.com/tacolico/?hl=en)

Today's show is a special one. We're going to talk about one of Jose's articles, specifically, his review of The Mexican, a fancy new restaurant in Dallas, specializing in—wait for it, yes, you guessed it—Mexican food.   But not just any Mexican food: Overpriced Mexican food with commodity tortillas and a $250 margarita named after a famous revolutionary. That revolutionary was Pancho Villa.   The cocktail and the tortillas, we'll get to those shortly, underscore what José calls cognitive dissonance.   TAQUOTE   “Don't waste your sauce on Tacos you will never eat!”   Your sauce is your energy. There are tacos out there that aren't worth your energy. Your sauce is precious so guard it and use it wisely!     NOTE   If you want to be considered as a guest or would like to comment, please send us a note             jose@tacopodcast.com             isidro@tacopodcast.com   LINKS Review: https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/the-mexican-dallas-review/

Today on the show, José and I welcome Martha Niño, a Silicon Valley veteran who has a good story to tell. It's a story I'm very familiar with. Beneath the Silicon Valley lies the Santa Clara Valley, which really should be called TACO VALLEY. When I first met Martha, I referred to her as my Silicon Valley twin.  Martha's story is one of cracking the code - making it past a barrier. A barrier that gets established by the gatekeepers. And sometimes, a barrier that may be self-imposed.   Martha shared her story on stage in front of hundreds of her coworkers in 2019. Today you'll be hearing some of that day's talk as well as her take on how tacos influence the tech world.    FACO A FACO is a person or an organization that misrepresents the taco and or the culture.  This week's FACO: Santa Monica police mobile command center in a parking lot near the Santa Monica Pier on Jan. 22. The city is pushing out unlicensed vendors who sell on the pier on weekends. To enforce the rules is one thing but the response to this was similar to BLM protests in D.C. back in 2020. OVER the TOP!  TAQUOTE: “A TACO sin nada is still better than a FACO con todo!”   SOCIAL MEDIA Isidro Salas: https://twitter.com/10ktacos José R. Ralat: https://twitter.com/TacoTrail   * This episode was originally recorded on FIRESIDE .  

There is something magical about combining ingredients to make a delicious plate. It's like creating a work of art with every meal. And, just like an artist, you can use different seasonings to create different flavors. For me though, the magic comes from watching others add a healthy dash of pepper, a muscle-memory pinch of salt, or blind handful of oregano to make magical plates. To watch others do it with a mental measuring spoon and be confident the food will come out mouthwatering. How do you describe that magic? How do you tell others about it in a way that makes their minds wonder there is both magic and method behind that? What is the magic behind that? Is it experience? Is it national origin? Is it gender? Is it regional? There is such a word, in Spanish, to describe that magical method. Its literal translation is Seasoning, which is SAZON. But Sazon has a more powerful meaning in our culture than just seasoning. Some may say that SAZON comes with a punch. Others may describe SAZON as a zing. It is the flavor that takes your taste buds on a journey. A journey they will never forget. Sazon is an emotional journey that involves chemistry, artistry and mental calculation within our hands.   FACO   Chipotle's tortilla chip robot, Chippy, deliberately makes imperfect chip. https://www.foodandwine.com/news/chipotle-tortilla-chip-robot-chippy   TAQUOTE You don't always get the taco you want, sometimes you get the taco you need. SOCIAL MEDIA Isidro Salas: https://twitter.com/10ktacos José R. Ralat: https://twitter.com/TacoTrail   * This episode was originally recorded on FIRESIDE .  

On this episode we talk with Jason Stanford, former chief of communication and community engagement for the Mayor of Austin, Steve Adler. We speak to him about the Great Breakfast Taco War, the book he co-authored, Forget the Alamo, and other taco wars. We begin with José telling us how Texans take everything personally. Especially as it relates to food. That character trait or flaw, whatever you'd like to call it, occasionally causes a big to-do. One of those occasions occurred in February 2016. That's when Eater.com writer Matthew Sedacca's story about Austin being the birthplace of the breakfast taco. Many San Antonioans lost their minds and took to social media. A  tongue-in-cheek Change.org petition to ban Sedacca from Texas was also published. Eventually, Eater quietly revised the text to state Austin popularized the breakfast taco. But the writer's misunderstanding of the Texas staple remained. In his story, the journalist writes, “The recipe is simple: take a tortilla, and stuff with desired breakfast ingredients—eggs, processed yellow cheese, pork, etc.” Anyone who has glanced at a breakfast taco menu in San Antonio and South Texas knows this is untrue. The range is great, including carne guisada, barbacoa, pork chops. The diversity is greatness. Soon after, Texas radio stations got involved, TV stations threw in their hats too. Then the mayors got involved. The vitriol was palpable. Austin Mayor Steve Adler didn't help things. He held rallies where he shouted the bona fides of Austin tacos and even in a fervor declared he would lead a march on San Antonio.   It was never known if that claim was scripted but there were scripted takes on the breakfast taco war and other things. The person behind that was Jason Stanford. Stanford's newsletter explained that San Antonio didn't understand that Austin's mayor was joking at the time. Like many of Austin's moves, it was a PR stunt with a sprinkling of cynical humor. San Antonio was ultimately a punchline. FACO: “Remember The Alamo” is a phrase sprinkled with racism. It's a dog whistle.   TAQUOTE: “The odds always favor the tortillas like the salsa flavors of the taco.”   SOCIAL MEDIA Jason Stanford: https://twitter.com/JasStanford   Isidro Salas: https://twitter.com/10ktacos   José R. Ralat: https://twitter.com/TacoTrail   LINKS   https://austin.eater.com/2016/2/19/11060078/breakfast-taco-austin-history   https://www.change.org/p/city-of-austin-texas-exile-matthew-sedacca-from-texas-for-taco-negligence   https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/can-any-texas-city-claim-the-breakfast-taco-as-its-own/   https://www.vice.com/en/article/d7kxaj/the-real-texas-breakfast-taco-history-involves-cannibalism-ted-cruz-and-war   https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Alamo-Rise-Fall-American/dp/1984880098   https://jasonstanford.substack.com/p/for-the-first-time-heres-the-real?s=w&utm_medium=web   * This episode was originally broadcast on Fireside.

In our previous episode, we touched on the history of Cinco de Mayo. We also spoke a little more on the French and their ambitions to help, you know, Racistas del Sur, we mean the Confederacy. We also touched on the way some people celebrate this day, and dress up like a Mexican.   This week, we're discussing how to best celebrate Cinco de Mayo, how to celebrate the commemoration of the pivotal battle turned into a Corona and margarita-fueled drunk fest. It's actually really easy.    Our special guest this week is Memo Torres, director of partnerships and doer of de todo un poco at L.A. Taco. Que onda, Memo?   FACO The Miami Marlins $25 deal for a game ticket, a beer, and two chicken tacos. The saddest chicken tacos on Mission-looking flour tortillas. https://twitter.com/MarlinsComms/status/1518998697463455745?s=20&t=JIflVjeXm3s6IRcEoJYjyQ   TAQUOTE  Taco greatness is within grasp.   SOCIAL Isidro Salsa: @10ktacos José R. Ralat: @tacotrail Memo Torres: @el_tragon_de_LA/@el_tragon_de_los_angeles   This episode was originally broadcast on Fireside.

The nineteenth century was a year of almost constant war for Mexico. One of those wars was against the French who invaded the country because Mexico's president, Benito Juarez, refused to pay its debts to France. Secretly, though, the French dreamt of expanding their empire, installing a puppet ruler, and then marching northward to assist the Confederacy in the Civil War.   Before that was possible, the French army needed to capture Mexico City. To do that, they needed to pass through Puebla. The invading forces, 6,000 strong, expected this to be easy. They did not expect to get their butts whooped by a band of 2,000 poorly outfitted Mexicans, mostly indigenous villagers and South Texas vaqueros, under the command of 32-year-old Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. That skirmish is called the Battle of Puebla. It occurred on May 5, 1862.   Its more common name is Cinco de Mayo, a minor holiday in Puebla, where it is commemorated with parades and reenactments. It's not a federal holiday. It's not Mexico's Independence Day. In fact, Mexicans across the republic don't even get the day off. North of the Rio Grande and across the globe it's another story.   Cinco de Mayo is as much about heroics as St. Patrick's Day is about a holy man. Both are the result of well-executed campaigns that turned specific holidays into drinking amateur hour. But this isn't an episode about vomiting on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral—yes, I've witnessed that. This is about May 5, which Isidro and I call Cinco de Gringo.   FACO Favor delivery app searching for Chief Taco Officer https://blog.favordelivery.com/now-hiring-chief-taco-officer-9a292e780706   TAQUOTE If you live life as if your next taco will be your last, one day you will be right!   SOCIAL MEDIA Isidro Salas: @10ktacos José Ralat: @tacotrail   LINKS https://www.caller.com/story/news/2018/05/14/significance-cinco-de-mayo-and-its-south-texas-connection/609369002/   https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/the-hero-of-cinco-de-mayo-was-a-texan/   https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo   https://news.utexas.edu/2016/05/05/cinco-de-mayo-and-the-battle-of-puebla-have-relevance-today/   https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/how-corona-made-cinco-de-mayo-an-american-holiday/   https://txglo.medium.com/the-texas-hero-of-cinco-de-mayo-ignacio-zaragoza-and-the-origins-of-the-celebration-8e1e3df27118   https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fiestas-patrias-and-cinco-de-mayo    

Is a burrito a taco?  In this new season, we tackle this question. I know the answer, but 10,000 TACOS now has a new voice as of this moment. And this voice has a different answer to mine.  We take this moment to introduce you to José Ralat. He is the author of American Tacos, A History and Guide. As the first of his kind, José is also the Taco Editor for the Texas Monthly.  We are excited to have him on this show, and we hope you are too!  

Growing up in East San Jose, hearing the phrase "Neighborhood Watch" had a different meaning. It meant watching out for one another. Yet in some cases, it meant watching out for the cops.    Today on the show, we take you back to my college days when a FACO commented why he thought crime was high in the area where I grew up. His comment led me to explain what Neighborhood Watch means in Eastside San Jose. I also tell you a story of what led to me getting slapped and what came of that day.   But more importantly, we end with why I think tacos come with two tortillas!       TAQUOTE: "In our neighborhood, once we were accepted, once the taco truck became a fixture in our driveway, everyone seemed to have our back."     If you've not heard of Clubhouse (a new Social Network), you should consider joining. But if you are on Clubhouse, please join our Club. It's called Taco Culture Club, and you can also find me at my handle - @10ktacos  Download the app here Clubhouse (now open to Android users also).      Please join go to www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show.    Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos  Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

The announcement of the International Taco Council with discussion following.   Panelists Isidro Salas is a proud son of a taquero and host of the 10,000 Tacos podcast. José R.  Ralat is the Texas Monthly taco editor and author of American Tacos: A History and Guide. Serena Maria Daniels is the Detroit-based editor-in-chief of Tostada magazine and the president of the International Taco Council. Eddie Vega is a poet and educator in San Antonio, Texas. Diana Medina is a poet and educator in Los Angeles. Luis Silva and Antony Macias are Instagram influencers in Dallas-Fort Worth. Jeffery Merrihue is world-traveling gourmand, restaurant owner, and tour guide based in Santa Monica, Calif. Rodrigo Bravo, Jr. is radio host and producer in San Antonio. Amado Lopez is the taquero/co-owner of Casa Amado in Detroit. Memo Torres is a writer and director of partnerships at James Beard Award-winning news site L.A. Taco. Andrés M. Garza is a culinary anthropologist, chef, and the owner of Neighborhood Molino tortilleria in McAllen, a Texas border city in the Rio Grande Valley. Charlie Vela is a documentarian and composer in McAllen, Texas. Tami Thomsen is a music manager and the producer of the Taco Libre taco and music festival. Toby Wilson is a chef and taquero in Sydney, Australia. Alejandro Escalante is the author of La Tacopedia. All panelists are members of the International Taco Council.   Also Heard Regino Rojas is the James Beard Award nominated owner of Revolver Taco Lounge in Dallas. Jorge is the owner of JMJ Gratification in Texas' Rio Grande Valley. Elizabeth Velasco is the owner of ThatSoCuteShop in Los Angeles. Cesar Cano is a chef and culinary educator in Houston.   Web and Social Media Handles International Taco Council — Twitter: @IntlTacoCouncil Isidro Salas — Website: 10Ktacos; Twitter: @10ktacos; IG: @10ktacos; FB: 10ktacos José R. Ralat — Website: texasmonthly.com/category/tacos; Twitter: @TacoTrail; IG: @tacotrail; FB: @tacotrail Serena Maria Daniels — Website: Tostada Magazine; Twitter: @serenamaria36, @TostadaMagazine; IG: @serenamaria36; tostadamagazine; FB: @tostada Magazine Eddie Vega —Twitter: @ElTacolico; IG: @eltacolico Diana Medina — Website: offtheclocker.com; Twitter: @offtheclocker; IG: @offtheclocker; FB: @offtheclocker Luis Silva – Website: foodie-munster.com; Twitter: @foodiemustertx; IG: @foodie_munster Anthony Macias — Twitter: @amdmmm; IG: @ant_eats214 Jeffrey Merrihue — Website: xtremefoodies.com; Twitter: @JeffreyMerrihue; IG: @jeffrey_merrihue Rodrigo Bravo, Jr. — Twitter: @mrbravo365; IG: @mrbravo365 Amado Lopez — Website: casaamado.com; Twitter: @casa_amado; IG: @mexicano_cocinero; @casa_amado Andrés M. Garza — Websites: www.neighborhoodmolino.com, www.andresmgarza.com; Twitter: @molino000; IG: @neighborhood.molino Charlie Vela — Twitter: @charlievela; IG: @charlievela Tami Thomsen — Twitter: @TamiT; IG: @tamtam2819 Toby Wilson — Twitter: TK; IG: @tobywilson, @ricostacotruck   Links International Taco Council Manifesto: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hMYk6FxSynCxBZvvx0s8CEQIFs34uxvIIo55jPBlioI/edit?usp=sharing. The True Story of National Taco Day by Gustavo Arellano: https://www.lataco.com/the-true-story-of-how-national-taco-day-was-invented-then-appropriated/   Detroit Chigona named inauguaral President of International Taco Council by Serena Maria Daniels: https://tostadamagazine.com/2021/09/16/detroit-chingona-named-inaugural-president-of-international-taco-council/   Taco Life on Clubhouse: https://ios.clubhouse.com/club/taco-trail-taco-life  

What do we mean by a soft-shell fallacy? It's a phrase used to describe tortillas and therefor tacos. And for many years it's gone unchecked. Today on the show we give you our take as to why it's a fallacy. Soft and shell are two contradicting terms. Yet not much is made of it. Simply put, tortillas are called tortillas and tacos are called tacos. There is really no need for translation. Why is this important? For thousands of years the process of making tortillas is considered sacred. It's, in my opinion, disrespectful to all the women and men who do this daily to call them something other than its name. It is called a tortillas and it is  freakin great.  TAQUOTE: " Sometimes you have to taste the hottest salsa to find what's cool!"     If you've not heard of Clubhouse (a new Social Audio App), you should consider joining. But if you are on Clubhouse, please join our Club. It's called Taco Trail Taco Life “Breakfast Tacos”, and you can also find me at my handle - @10ktacos  Download the app here Clubhouse   Please join go to www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show.    Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos  Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

Panelists: Andrea Aliseda is a Tijuana-born journalist living in Los Angeles. Andrés M. Garza is a culinary anthropologist, chef, and the owner of Neighborhood Molino tortilleria in McAllen, a Texas border city in the Rio Grande Valley. Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman is a first-generation Tejana and the executive chef of José in Dallas. Emmanuel Chavez is a chef and co-owner of Tatemó, a pop-up and molino-tortilleria. Edgar Rico is the executive chef and co-owner of Nixta Taqueria in Austin.   Also heard: Evil Cooks is a taqueria and Mexican food pop-up owned by Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta. Toby Wilson is the chef and owner of Ricos Tacos in Sydney, Australia. Diana Martinez is a food consultant. Karla Plancarte is the owner of Tortilleria Taiyari in the Netherlands.   Web and Social Media Handles Andrea Aliseda — Website: www.andreaaliseda.com; Twitter: @alisedaandrea; IG: @andrea__aliseda Andrés M. Garza — Websites: www.neighborhoodmolino.com, www.andresmgarza.com; Twitter: @molino000; IG: @neighborhood.molino AQ Pittman — Twitter: @ChefAQPittman; IG: @aqpittman Emmanuel Chavez — Website: www.tatemohtx.com; IG: @dishwasher89, @tatemo_htx Edgar Rico — Website: www.nixtataqueria.com; IG: @nixtataqueria, @edgarrico   Links Unlocking Nixtamal by Andrea Aliseda: https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/what-is-nixtamal-article   Masa Harina Is Good for Plenty More Than Making Masa by Andrea Aliseda: https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/masa-harina-drinks-dredge-bread-article   Nixtamalization Is the 3,500-Year-Old Secret to Great Tortillas by José R. Ralat: https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/tex-mexplainer-nixtamalization-is-the-3500-year-old-secret-to-great-tortillas/   You Put What in My Tortillas? Chefs Are Adding New Colors and Flavors to Masa by José R. Ralat: https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/chefs-adding-colors-flavors-tortillas/

Who here likes being challenged? It's rarely a good time to be critiqued or challenged.  Today on the show, I want to tell you about a time when my (older)  brother stepped in and corrected a mistake I was about to make. A possible mistake as it came to serving our customers burritos made the correct way.  It's a time that helped change my outlook on how burritos should be made and how it was essential to fulfill our parents' wishes—the lesson of taking the time, the proper time, to do something correctly. I also tell you how that lesson came to help me many years later, as I made burritos for my wife.  And how on the day our TAQUERO was set free to rest eternally; this brother showed me why he is my hero!  

In this bonus episode, we update you on our move to Colorado. I also come to this moment in my podcast journey to see what my "WHY" is. I'm passionate about tacos and the culture. But what I'm more passionate about is the word TAQUERO. I believe the word TAQUERO should be elevated to that of Executive Chef. No disrespect, but I feel a taquero is more than just a taquero. Join us on this bonus episode and find out why I am super stoked. I also want to apologize for not releasing episodes in the last few months. The move from California to Colorado took longer than expected, but we are finally here and are very humbled by the experience of moving to a new area. Please, if you've not heard of it already, join Clubhouse - a new social media platform for audio. It's where you can hear great conversations and join some of them. My handle is @10ktacos. Thanks again for your support!

Do you remember when you learned to brush your teeth? Do you remember who taught you how to tie your shoelaces? If you're as old as me, that may take you a while to recall those things. But the truth is that perhaps those are the little things that we forget, and as life goes on, our brains do those little things for us automatically.    But how important is that? And, how important are the other things that you've learned to do that contribute to a better life for you today?   For me, learning how to make tamales was very important. Not just because it's a staple in our culture, it was important because that experience got me closer to my mother, and it allowed me to look up to her.    Today, I'll tell you of the first time I made tamales with my mom. And how that experience and the feelings behind that experience are helping me today. Those precious memories are helping me to get through this treacherous holiday season.    And my wish to you all is to get through these tough times as safe as possible. Please stay safe and take special care of yourself.    TAQUOTE "You are no good to your loved ones if you do not take care of yourself!"

Imagine being able to get credit to buy as much food as you can from a taco truck. Imagine not having a credit limit. Also, imagine not having to have a background run on you to get this credit. If you cannot imagine a world where this exists, then you may want to listen to this episode. My father used to have a notebook in the taco truck. We would often refer to it as La Libreta. This notebook had in it all the names of people who my dad extended credit to. This meant, those who could not afford to pay him or those who couldn’t pay at the time of purchase. This notebook, La Libreta, was part of the truck. It was kept in a very accessible part of the truck. It was located next to the coffee station where customers could get their fixings for their morning coffee. It was easy to access. You just opened the little door, and there it would be – in plain sight for anyone to see. In this notebook was probably a lot of money owed to my folks. It was perhaps the modern-day blockchain. It was accessible to everybody and everyone who wanted to be a part of the IOU system, which was more of a friendship economy, was in it.  It was indeed a peer-to-peer arrangement. But that wasn’t why it was important. The importance of the libreta was that it meant people got to eat. TAQUOTE: “We are lucky to be in this position, we are lucky to have a food truck - we are lucky to have this libreta!”  - Juan Salas, The Baddest Taquero   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

What does a street (avenue) and wearing a mask have in common?   McCreery Ave is a street in East San Jose that we used to use to get to that infamous corner to sell tacos every weekend. And because it was narrow, having to pull to the side to let incoming cars go through helped me see that being considerate was such an important part of making a living.     Download this episode to get a different perspective on why we should wear a mask.     TAQUOTE: “The Friendship Economy flourishes when we’re considerate!”     Please help the show grow by recommending it to your friends!   You can also follow us on most social media platforms @10ktacos  

Welcome to our fourth season of 10,000 Tacos! While we were away, we lost a sail of our podcast. Juan Salas, my father, took his last breath on May 12, 2020. This podcast is about him, my mother, and my siblings. This podcast is a collection of stories and experiences around how growing up in a taco truck shaped the wonderful life I have today.    This podcast is a tribute to them, my parents.    In honor of his passing, we are dedicating this season to what we call "The Friendship Economy." My parents practiced this way of living, and it helped shape how I view this world. Empathy, compassion, discipline, and accountability are some examples of what the Friendship Economy looks like and how it works.    This season, we will share some stories around the Friendship Economy and how it plays out in our community.   We hope you can get some inspiration and direction as to how you can practice it.  As COVID -19 has impacted our planet and our way of living, we, too, were indirectly affected. Because of this pandemic, we could not celebrate my father's passing in the way we preferred.    I chose this episode to give my father's eulogy.    Here is his Eulogy: Juan Salas, that was my father's name.   He was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, in 1936. He was a father to eight children, three from his first marriage, and five from my mother.    My dad grew up in a small family size business. My grandmother operated a local butcher shop back when he was a kid. It was there, where I believe, he learned the many cuts of meats and preparation techniques that would enable him to make those kick-ass tacos that I grew up eating and ultimately selling.    In his early years, he was an amateur cyclist. In his late teens and early 20s, he took part in what was called la Vuelta Ciclista de Mexico, which was a big event for cycling.  In his early professional career, he was a civil engineer in the public sector. He traveled throughout Mexico as part of his job. I believe that it was then when he discovered his love to drive around, getting to know place after place just to wander and be adventurous. He used to refer to it as "a Puro Conocer." It was exercising curiosity. To me, it was basically - not fear the unknown- This was a tremendous attribute to have, which would later help him explore his own journey to the States.   In the spring of 1978, he went to California to find work. Later that fall, he sent for his wife, my mom, and their four children, including me. Nine short months later, though, their fifth child was born. I don't know. Do the math.    The following year, in 1980, he purchased our first food truck, our first taco truck, our first catering truck. With that truck, he set off on his entrepreneurial journey, along with my mom and my siblings. This is where we got started. With that truck, my dad gave us a front-row seat to how Silicon Valley was evolving - from orchards of the Santa Clara Valley to the bustling high-tech buildings and the freeways known today.   Now, people call it street food. Today, it's trendy to get street food. People love it. They weren't calling it street food back then, at least in friendly terms.   Street food was always popular in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and in many parts of busy Metropolitan places where somebody just sets up a little cart and start selling this type of food. And it's great!    He wasn't the first. But back then, here in San Jose, you did not see a lot of taco trucks on every corner.    I believe he helped usher homemade Mexican food to the mainstream, and I believe he deserves a little bit of credit for that.   He would go anywhere with that truck. He would go to construction sites, office buildings, schools, universities, and even police academies.    For a while, for a long while, he would provide lunch and dinner for many of the cadets who were going through the San Jose Police Academy, back when it was being held at Evergreen Valley College in the east foothills of beautiful San Jose, California.    And on weekends, he would go to the nightclubs and not to dance. No, no, no, not to dance or get his drink on. He would go out to those nightclubs, to go sell tacos and burritos. And we sold a lot of them.   My dad, he finally retired in 2006. When he was about 70 years old. If there is one thing I would say about my dad, it would be this: He was a devoted husband first. My dad, he truly loved my mom. He was not afraid to admit that she was his trophy wife. He would do anything for her. He was also a father who loved nothing more than to be surrounded by his children and his grandchildren.    He was an awesome, funny, and very welcoming person. Anybody he met for the first time, they would get what he would infamously call, "How are you?" - with his heavy accent. Those are the very first words he learned when he came to America. And he would call it by its name, "El How are you?" How are you? He cared. My dad didn't set the bar that high. I could only imagine being born to a rocket scientist, right? I'd say, "Oh man, how the F@#% am I gonna top that!" Nah - My dad did not set the bar high. But he did not set the bar low either. My dad was a very good friend to many people.    And he was a badass TAQUERO!   In 2013 he was diagnosed with End of life Renal Kidney disease, and he was given up to two years to live.    His endurance, his grit, the love from his family, and - lastly - the care from his beloved wife, we believe, allowed him to outlive the two years he was given initially to live.  He left us on May 12, 2020.   We believe that there are two lines in heaven right now.  One is to get in, and the other is to get TACOS!   TAQUOTE: ""(intentionally left blank – It's in his eulogy)         

How do you flip tortillas? For me, it’s always been normal to flip tortillas with my bare hands. I’ve always thought that flipping tortillas with tongs, or any other device (a forklift) is not normal. But somehow, I’ve got it flipped. Today on this episode I tell you why I think it is normal. And how and why it’s important to flip tortillas with your bare hands. I guess people play it safe by using tongs. I guess people just don’t want to get burnt. It turns out, flipping tortillas with your bare hands is not normal. People have often said to me, “Are you crazy?” But by playing it safe, you miss out in life’s greatest gift. And that gift, in my opinion, is exercising your senses. Though it may burn a tiny bit, flipping tortillas with your bare hands is worth trying. It’s worth trying because it gets you closer to your senses. And your senses are key to your awareness. Being aware puts you closer to the earth, it grounds you, and it helps you to make better choices.   TAQUOTE:  “Better choices lead to better tacos!” A big thanks to Flobama, Screech Beats and CZRMGA for the theme song! Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

Today’s episode originally published in JUNE 2018. It’s also my father’s birthday. So today we take some time to look back at the connections that brought my siblings and I to this country. We go back to a time when I went to a World Cup match with my dad. The year was 1994. It was a special time because - not only was I celebrating my dad’s birthday – I also was in attendance while the US National Team was up against one of the best soccer clubs in the world – Brazil National Team. All this on the 4th of July. One of the biggest surprises of that day was not that the US team almost beat the Brazilians but the fact that my and my best friend’s dad had met one another before, unbeknownst to me and my friend. I go on to describing how they met and what was the link between them. Get ready for another emotional taco truck ride as I also pay tribute to my uncle, the man responsible for helping my dad move our family to the United States in 1978. It’s an episode that takes aim at what a “Network” looked like in that time. TAQUOTE: “The hidden ingredients that go into making a great taco, aren’t seen but they are always tasted ” A big thanks to Flobama, Screech Beats and CZRMGA for the theme song! Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

In loving memory - Juan Salas 06-24-36 to 05-12-20 If you wish to help cover funeral expenses, you can contribute to: 10,000 TACOS Podcast https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=iICQO7qptLnckAnQlqrLn7pzJZr9euIW_ogcpwcCocLYTzrB6QIjdKKJL0V-JjyOPM--AW&country.x=US&locale.x=  

With the ongoing and fast-changing COVID-19 pandemic, I'm shortening these episodes to take less of your time. This episode speaks about the questions we ask that serve us no real purpose. And it stems, for me, at least, from a time I'd been robbed while working in the taco truck.   "Questions that Waste Time"   What are the lessons I learned from the day someone took 5 dollars from my hand and ran away?     TAQUOTE: "Be kind to one another and be kind to yourself"   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to see the merchandise we have to offer to help support the show.    Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos    Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

  Would you get into a self-driving car? If you say no, then you are not alone. As for me, I would. I actually do it every day. You see, I do it as a full-time job. I drive an autonomous vehicle every day as part of my job.   It's a pretty cool job. Sometimes a bit scary, but for the most part, it is fun. I get to be part of the generation that helped get that started.   When I applied for the job, I had to meet several requirements. I had to have both a clean driving record and a clean (non-criminal) record. I also had to demonstrate, via a test, that I could type 50 words per minute with a 100% accuracy rate. That's not easy.   What if I told you that it would not be possible today if it wasn't for a friend who stood up for me back when I was 15 years old? A friend who "took a bullet" for me to avoid severe punishment because of something dumb I had done. Something that would have prevented me from learning how to drive, going to college, and ultimately being able to apply for the job I have today.   Today in this episode, I tell you about this friend of mine named Nacho and how he did not snitch (tattletale) on me and how that ultimately changed the course of my young life.    TAQUOTE: "You mean to tell me you are a double-fisted drinker?" Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to see the merchandise we have to offer to help support the show.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos  Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

Today on the show, we dive right into "Forgiveness" – in Spanish, it means Perdon. Perdon is usually used to say, "Excuse me" or "Pardon me." That's not what we're talking about. We are referring to forgiveness. Forgiveness, in many cultures is seen as weakness. It's seen as a weakness because of the perception it assumes that the person who hurt you is allowed to get away with it. That by forgiving means you've allowed those who hurt you to take advantage of you. I used to believe in that too. But now I see it differently. True forgiveness is something I learned from my father while having, what I call, a strange conversation back one night when we were selling tacos. A conversation stemming from an incident my father was involved in many years ago. And how he used forgiveness to move on to the more important things in life. That lesson in forgiveness helped me deal with my crisis later on in his life. And the talk with my dad helped me see what true forgiveness does. To ultimately help me enjoy more of life today – which includes enjoying TACOS! TAQUOTE:  "Tortillas don't hold on to grudges, tortillas hold on to the meat!" A big thanks to Flobama, Screech Beats and CZRMGA for the theme song! Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

Have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery?    Today on the show, I'll tell you of a time I was in a conversation with an ex-coworker where the subject was just that — winning the lottery and my perspective of what it means to me to have won the lottery.    To win the lottery, one has to be extremely lucky. What is luck? It is success or failure brought not by one's actions but by chance.    My parents meeting one another, making children (having us), and eventually migrating us to the US to start a taco truck business was like winning the lottery.    And as luck would have it, my parents got into the food business. And not just any food business, they got a taco truck! Talk about being lucky.  And it didn't stop there!  Ultimately, we are all together because of luck. That is TACO LOTTO!    TAQUOTE: "If you want to make your own luck, you have to start by warming up your own tortillas!" A big thanks to Flobama, Screech Beats and CZRMGA for the theme song!  Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos  Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

It’s that time of year! If you look around you, almost everywhere you go, you will see festive lights, crowds gathering at Christmas parks, packed ice rinks, and, of course, tons of suckers, I mean, people at shopping malls. Yes, the holiday season is in full swing! But there is another season that is in full swing. A type of activity that involves tons of minutes of prep time. Perhaps tons of pair of hands and definitely tons of love, graciousness, and tons of gratitude. The season I'm referring to is TAMALE Season! Most call it TAMALES! TAMALADAS "We're making tamales," to be more precise. Making tamales around this time is special to a lot of people. It's a time to gather around in a small kitchen and spend the next several hours making tamales. And we're not talking making a dozen or two. We are talking big numbers here. In some cases, some people will make up to the hundreds. TAQUOTE: “Tamales, just like their twin-the tortilla, have a deep rooted tradition and have helped get us to where we are now!”    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos   We are also on VERO, an alternative to Facebook and Instagram. https://vero.co/10ktacos   Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

In today's episode (bonus), I'm a guest on the podcast called "Between 2 Mics" with hosts Zach Moreno and Rock Felder.    They are not just hosts. They are CEO and CFO, respectfully, of SquadCast – A professional – and arguably the best way to - platform that allows you to record remote interviews in studio quality.   Zach and Rock ask me about how the podcast got started, my journey in storytelling, and, most importantly, why I'm podcasting about my Taco Truck Life.    For more interviews and information on past guests helping to transform the podcast space, follow the link below – as well as the link to this episode.    https://squadcast.fm/blog/category/between-2-mics/   https://between2mics.simplecast.com/episodes/telling-stories-through-tacos-with-isidro-salas     TAQUOTE: "If you put good stuff out there, good stuff comes back. And when it comes back, you don't have to worry about where it came from, just continue putting out good stuff." 

Today on the show, I want to tell you about a young lady named Maria. A young mother from a central town in Mexico. More specifically, I want to tell you about the time Maria took her four children from the home they ever knew and traveled north. They traveled north to reunite with her husband and to start a new life in the United States of America. There were many obstacles in her way. And many of those were well within Maria’s will to overcome. But there was one obstacle that presented a challenge that took a lot of energy both physically and mentally. But most importantly, it took a lot of believing.   And this story is about that night. The night Maria had to watch her children get whisked away by strangers, she had no choice but to trust.  In essence, it’s a story of FAITH.    TAQUOTE: “If they want to sell me, they’ll have to kill me first!”    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos We are also on VERO, an alternative to Facebook and Instagram. https://vero.co/10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

Today on the show, we tell a story about a couple, a young couple who met at the night club where we used to sell tacos all those years ago.   A story of love, tragedy, and perhaps forgiveness without having to say it.   A story that helped me understand the importance of being a listener when someone is going through a dark time.   We tell you a story of being susceptible to making mistakes. We all make mistakes. Some are just more tragic than others.   Finally, this story reminds me of the valuable saying I once heard. When you do not know something, give it the kindest interpretation, and that act will bring you closer to the truth.     TAQUOTE: “If we are human, we are susceptible.”    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos   We are also on VERO, an alternative to Facebook and Instagram. https://vero.co/10ktacos   Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

In today’s episode, find out why I hate GUAC! Now, don’t take this the wrong way, I love Guacamole. I have a deep respect for Guacamole. It was imperative for us to offer it and not charge extra for it to our customers, and because of that, we had to make it every day. So my love for Guacamole goes deep. But I hate that people refer to Guacamole GUAC.  I have a problem with that because it reminds me of when I was growing up. I have a difficult name to pronounce, so I got used to people trying to call me by a different name. All because they could not pronounce it correctly. But eventually, I put a stop to people calling me by anything but my name.  And I believe the same should be for Guacamole. If Guacamole were here with us today, he/she would not like it if it were referred to as GUAC.  So download and listen to find out why I HATE GUAC!    TAQUOTE: “Its name is GUACAMOLE, please DON’T call it GUAC!”   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos   We are also on VERO, an alternative to Facebook and Instagram. https://vero.co/10ktacos   Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

What is the first thing you think of when you hear that name, Birthday Sauce? You can whisper it to me. I promise I won't judge you. But what if I told you it has nothing to do with whatever you were thinking. Today on the show I'll tell you how switching to this name brought me a lot of luck in my fantasy football league. And not just fantasy football, Birthday Sauce has brought me success in other parts of my life. So download the episode, or tap listen (if you're on the 10Ktacos.com site) and find out how I got this name. Spoiler alert: I did not come up with the name.  It came from the unlikeliest of places and the unlikeliest of people. It came from someone who I did not like very much. As it turns out, this person is now one of my best friends. I owe it partly to this "Birthday Sauce."     TAQUOTE: “Birthday Sauce - You’ll find it when you are willing to look deeper!”   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

There are two schools of thought when it comes to tacos. There is the Taco Bell (the American taco) thought and the REAL (traditional) taco. Today on the show, we talk about these two schools of thoughts and how that leads people to feel the need to distinguish between the two. Some people think that they have to say “soft shell tacos” to describe the traditional tacos. I don’t believe that a soft shell taco exist. It simply is just a taco. You cannot have a taco without a tortilla. So what we are talking about is the tortilla. The tortilla is the STAR! I’ll tell you why it bothers me when people use that phrase, “soft shell taco!”

The word Taco is being Columbused. To find out more about what is “Columbused” please download and listen to it. But this time, the word taco is being Columbused by, not just FACOs who claim their Tacoma trucks are Taco Trucks. I have a problem with that. On this episode, we talk about what is NOT a Taco Truck and what IS a Taco Truck! We’ll share with you a short story on how I found out #tacotruck (hashtag) was being used for Toyota 4x4 Tacoma trucks. As you can imagine, I was none too pleased and got into an online spat with a FACO. But what is insulting was when Toyota aired an ad insinuating that their Toyota Tacoma trucks were better taco trucks!  And as you near the end of the episode, you’ll know why I take that very personal!    TAQUOTE: “Toyota, you do not make TACO TRUCKS!”   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.10ktacos.com - to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

Today's episode was originally published in April of 2018. It's one of my favorites. We wanted to replay it right before launching our 3rd season. It's about one of the hidden ingredients that went into making the great tacos we made, offered, then served. You'd never think it, but it was that, trust!

As we get ready to launch Season 3 of 10,000 TACOS, we introduce you to a new character on the show. It's a fictional character by the name of FACO or FACOS. As we get ready to launch Season 3 of 10,000 TACOS, we introduce you to a new character on the show. It's a fictional character by the name of FACO or FACOS.  FACO represents the people who make it a habit to misrepresent what a TACO really is. But it's not just tacos.  Why are we doing this? Well, it's because there is a problem. Not a big problem, but it's not a Chardonnay problem either - meaning it's not a small problem. The problem is that there are a lot of people who misrepresent what a TACO is. While doing so, they also distort Mexican cuisine along with the culture. FACO(s) spread falsehoods that eventually become a thing.  Some of the episodes this season will cover some of the following falsehoods: 1. TAQUITOS 2. Soft Shell Tortilla (Taco) 3. Tortilla Soup 4. Taco Seasoning 5. Mother of all FACOS; Toyota TacomaSo this season we will be discussing how these FACOS are misrepresenting my TACO LIFE!  Please join us this season, AUGUST 2019, as we discuss these topics in more detail.

Today is my father's Birthday. He turns 83 today. Though we are very lucky to still have him in our lives, he suffers from a wide array of ailments. One of those ailments, or conditions, is dimentia. But today I'd like to ask all of our listeners for a favor. If you can record Happy Birthday on your device's voice memo app and send it to us at "comments@10ktacos.com" or text, if your mobile plan allows it and does not charge you extra, to 646.926.2490.  Don't worry if you cannot sing very well. The plan is to take all the birthday memos and put them on one file so as if to sound like everyone is singing happy birthday to him all at once.  Thanks in advance for your help and thanks for listening to our podcast!    

Today’s episode is a replay of one of my favorite episodes. On this Father’s Day 2019 I tell you why my dad was one of the baddest taqueros ever to roam this earth. It’s the last episode of a three part series that was published back in January 2018. Join me as tell you how my dad was always GAME! This episode is difficult because - now that my dad is nearing his 83rdbirthday - it’s hard to see him age.  I’m thankful for having him around even though his health has deteriorated. But we are very blessed for still having him around. He, along with my mother, is the reason why we do this podcast. It truly is a tribute to them. Thank you for giving us your time!  

On this bonus episode, I want to thank all of you for helping me get to this milestone. Yes, in many other instances (podcasts) 10,000 downloads is not a lot. But to me, it's a significant number, and I don't take it lightly. It is difficult just to get one download, let alone 10,000! You cannot have a podcast called 10,000 TACOS and not commemorate 10,000 downloads! There are no downloads without YOU ALL! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Having just one call to make, not to bail you from jail, but to get you out of a tense or drastic situation, who would that call be to? I'd venture to guess most of you would call a dear, trusted friend. Or most would call a family member. Someone who they knew would answer that call. But have you ever wondered if the call would be answered? Would that someone answer the call? Today on this the last episode of Season 2, we tell you about a time I had to make this call - in order to get bailed out of a situation I had gotten myself into. And yes, you guessed it, that person was my mother. Not only did she answer the phone (who does that now?) but she also fixed the meal I happened to mess up. All for the purpose of feeding 20 co-workers who were expecting a Mexican dish called Menudo! Trust me – you don’t want to mess up Menudo and you don’t want to miss how it all turned out! So, download the episode and find out.   TAQUOTE: “When life throws you a cow, you make Carne Asada!”   Chardonnay Problem: GPS – for all the technological advancements in the last 50 or so years, why does it give lame instructions? “In a quarter of a mile, proceed going straight!” I mean, what the hell is that? That is so obvious. Thank you for joining us on this last episode of the season. If you are reading this then please excuse the poor audio quality in this episode. I had some unexpected travel plans that forced me to record out of a linen closet at someone’s house. Again, when life throws you a cow, you make Carne Asada!  Thanks for your understanding! Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

 "You get what you deserve" What goes through your mind when you hear that? Is it Karma? Do the hairs on your arms rise when you hear someone say that to you? No, don't worry, that is not what this episode is about...  This episode is about the concept of working for what you earn. Or better yet, the power behind having something because you have worked for it, and thus you have earned it... Today on this episode we go back to a time I was overpaid on my first ever Corporate job pay check. Even though my new employer did not know about it, I could not ignore their mistake. Even though I would have received double my original salary for a whole year. Download the episode to find out why I could not take them up on their mistake. How my father helped me see the value of, “If you did not earn it, it’s not yours!”    TAQUOTE: “I got to eat a lot of tacos, I still get to eat a lot of tacos – I get what I deserve!”   Chardonnay Problem:“What was an Identification Card called before the REAL ID?” When visiting the DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles) to apply for a REAL ID, don’t say, “Fake ID” in front of the DMV attendant!  ***UPDATE*** Our e-commerce site is now up! In the coming weeks we will be adding more items so please visit and check it out.    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

How do you know when it’s time to leave? How do you know when it’s time to get out? What is it that tells you, “You have to get out of here!” Like a bad relationship, in which you want to get out but you can’t seem to find the strength and will to do so, what I’m talking about is a job, a place of work. On this episode, we take you to a time where I was sitting with a sickening feeling. A feeling that lead me to resign from a job that I was really enjoying. Though I was new to that line of work, I was really enjoying learning a new field. However, I knew I could no longer work there once my ex-boss uttered these words, “You can go sell tacos!” What about those words made me reflect and appreciate what some of my family does for a living? Why did those words resonate with me?   TAQUOTE: “No job, for no amount of money, is worth being dumped on!”   Chardonnay Problem:Pain in the neck caused by turning around suddenly while trying to back up (go in reverse) in a car that doesn’t have a back-up camera. ***UPDATE*** Our e-commerce site is now up! In the coming weeks we will be adding more items so please visit and check it out.    Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering newer merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

Imagine being able to get credit to buy as much food as you can from a taco truck. Imagine not having a credit limit. Also, imagine not having to have a background run on you to get this credit. If you cannot imagine a world where this exists, then you may want to listen to this episode. My father used to have a notebook in the taco truck. We would often refer to it as La Libreta. This notebook had in it all the names of people who my dad extended credit to. This meant, those who could not afford to pay him or those who couldn’t pay at the time of purchase. This notebook, La Libreta, was part of the truck. It was kept in a very accessible part of the truck. It was located next to the coffee station where customers could get their fixings for their morning coffee. It was easy to access. You just opened the little door, and there it would be – in plain sight for anyone to see. In this notebook was probably a lot of money owed to my folks. It was perhaps the modern-day blockchain. It was accessible to everybody and everyone who wanted to be a part of the IOU system, which was more of a friendship economy, was in it.  It was indeed a peer-to-peer arrangement. But that wasn’t why it was important. The importance of the libreta was that it meant people got to eat. TAQUOTE: “We are lucky to be in this position, we are lucky to have a food truck - we are lucky to have this libreta!” - Juan Salas, The Baddest Taquero In the coming weeks, we’ll be launching our e-commerce site so we can offer merchandise to help fund both the show and my parents.   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com

  Have you ever wondered how restrooms at public places get cleaned? More specifically, who cleans these restrooms? What about those who clean our roadways, drains, and gutters? Is that something you would do? If you were in need of employment and this is the only job offered, would you do it? If not, why not? Today on the show I tell you of a time when I took a job that I felt was degrading and embarrassing. I wanted to quit. But a little voice – a humble bee – told me to stick it through. And remembering my childhood in the taco truck along with all those times we had to clean up after our customers or get deep inside the small spaces to clean the grease left behind.  Join me as I tell you how I found dignity in the dirtiest of places, and it helped me realize others have it worse than I do. I now have a deeper appreciation for those who perform what is commonly called dirty jobs. How often do we take notice of the people who perform these types of jobs? The jobs that most of us would try to avoid? Some of those jobs are dirty, gross and at times can be seen as humiliating. But there are people performing these jobs. And when performing these jobs, they seem to do it with a smile and dignity intact. What makes people perform these duties? I find that people who do these jobs seem to be happier than most and seem to live more balanced lives. Have you seen those videos where farm workers are picking vegetables while whistling? I bring this topic up because we are living in times where we diminish the importance and appreciation of the people who perform these “dirty” jobs. Dignity, it’s not always clean! Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com  

  Today on the show, we start a series of episodes collectively called: Taco Truck Training. These episodes will cover some of the hidden benefits of working in the taco truck so many years ago. In this case, unintended benefits that helped me get out of a particular situation that, perhaps, may have turned out differently had it not been for the taco truck. On this episode, we go back to 1988. On that summer night in which I was involved in a “Quarters” match. I was up against a legend who was known for bringing the “party” to a house party. In his own words, “I never lose!” Listen along to get more familiar with, not just what playing Quarters meant, but to also to find out what happened to this legend. Despite his efforts to cheat, this legend went up against a person who had the right amount of training on this game. The constant practice inside this taco truck and the many nights it took to get really good at this silly game.   Please subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.comor www.10ktacos.com- to our mailing list for the latest updates and be the first to be notified when we start offering merchandise – to help support the show. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @10ktacos Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com