The Unexpected Origin of Tacos Al Pastor
Robert Clifton
Co-Founder Dang Good Creative || Photography, Videography, and Stop Motion for Food, Beverage, and Kitchenware Brands
Opening thought
My deep dive pick this week is a fun one. See more about that below. But if I could also point your attention to the second podcast listed below, entitled The Scent of History from NPR Throughline. I would be remiss not to add some commentary around this one. Did you know that our noses can detect up to one trillion scents? In comparison, our eyes can see about a million different colors. Did you know that landmark court case Plessy v. Ferguson was decided—in part—because of smell? This is a truly fascinating and poignant podcast episode that will move you, surprise you, and inform you about the power of smell. Highly recommend.
This week’s picks
Deep Dish with Sohla and Ham: Tacos Al Pastor The Sporkful
The Scent of History NPR Throughline
Morally questionable, economically efficient NPR Planet Money
Mr. & Mrs. Smith Amazon Prime (90% rotten tomatoes)
领英推荐
Deep Dive
Deep Dish with Sohla and Ham: Tacos Al Pastor The Sporkful
I’m so excited to talk about this podcast. I know of Sohla because my wife Ashlynne loves watching cooking videos on YouTube. In fact, we all do now—even our young boys. I need to share some of our favorite YouTube channels soon.
Sohla El-Waylly is a talented restauranteur, chef, and personality. She just recently released her first cookbook entitled Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook.
Okay, if you appreciate great food and the stories behind it, then you are going to love this podcast series from Sohla and Ham. I’m not sure what I expected from this podcast, but what I experienced was way better. I felt like I was in their kitchen with them as they were telling the story of tacos al pastor.
Tacos al pastor are a staple cuisine in Mexico—particularly in Mexico City. They are made by stacking thinly-sliced well-seasoned/marinated slabs of pork on a vertical spit that is slow roasted for hours. The pork is shaved off the edges and into the tortilla, then topped with pineapple.
Tacos al pastor is iconic Mexican food; however, they are actually a more recent innovation. I don’t want to spoil the episode by giving any more details, but tacos al pastor actually have their origins halfway around the world. Ham interviews several people along the way who give more context to the story of how tacos al pastor came to be.?
The episode ends with Ham and Sohla making their own tacos al pastor and comparing them with a local Brooklyn restaurant that specializes in tacos al pastor, Taqueria Ramirez.
The whole episode is a good time from start to finish. One thing is for sure— I can’t wait to have some freshly made tacos al pastor soon!