What Curry is to the UK, Mexican is to the US

The Wall Street Journal published a very good article As American as Fajita Pie -From Chicago to Disneyland, Mexican food has taken a surprising path to U.S. dominance .This week  to celebrate it's 50th anniversasy Taco Bell introduced - Doritos Locos Taco, a taco shell made from nacho cheese Doritos.

According to Taco Bell  press release - “Taco Bell founder Glen Bell has been recognized for his ‘Recipes for Success.’ At the top of that list:the best ideas often are the most simple,” said Greg Creed, CEO, Taco Bell Corp. Creed went on to discuss the genesis of this idea between Taco Bell and Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo. Creed tasked his team and Taco Bell’s partners with coming up with the industry’s next big thing. Through deliberate and collaborative efforts, Taco Bell and Frito-Lay developed the Doritos Locos Tacos. An idea so simple and brilliant, says Creed, “it was a flavor pairing just waiting to happen.”

Back to the WSJ article which has some interesting facts.

• The first Americans to praise Mexican food were military brass as early as 1879
• 1893 : " Tamale men from San Francisco roamed the city [Chicago] selling their wares from steam buckets"
• Doritos were invented at Disneyland in the early 1960s
• 1971 Margaritas were invented in Dallas
• Nachos invented in 1943
• Fajitas in the 1980's in Houston
• First tic-taco truck in the 60's in NY

Want to learn more about Tacos - read Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America by Gustavo Arellano.

Taco Bell has this video advertising the Doritos Loco Tacos