Is Apple's taco emoji really authentic?

In 2015, the taco - a staple food for millions; a morning meal, an easy lunch, a tuesday dinner and a late night bite - has its own emoji. But that first draft, with its crispy yellow tortilla, layer of dark meat, shredded orange cheese, and pixelated red and green filling, was met with much disdain.

"While 'Emojipedia describes the new character as "Mexican food", the taco Apple describes is not Mexican at all," journalist Caitlin Dewey wrote in 2015. channels, not Mexican food."

< p>Indeed, experts and taco fanatics in Los Angeles were quick to dismiss the emoji, calling it inauthentic and a "taco gringo" dreamed up by Big Fast Food. There was some truth in that review: Taco Bell put its money and mouth behind the campaign to get a taco emoji, so it's no wonder that most taco emoji on the various operating systems still look like the chain's signature taco.

< p > A year later, Apple redesigned its emoji to feature a soft tortilla and a nice mix of g fittings. Many people say it's a bit more accurate representation of the Mexican dish (the original representation, with its crispy shell and orange cheese, usually sticks around on other operating systems). But is Apple's sweet taco emoji more authentic?

The tacos I ate growing up were a cross-cultural mix: my Puerto Rican dad added sazón to the meat mix, and my mom Iranian put thin fries on top. simmered garnish. Herbs, grated iceberg, and orange colby were the main toppings for tacos wrapped in crispy shells, soft flour tortillas, or even lavash squares.

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In my twenties, I moved to Southern California, arguably the world's leading taco capital outside of Mexico. There, among the many taco trucks and gas station stalls, rich and tempting kebabs and white-hot griddles, sits Cafe Mitla. Since 1937, the small restaurant has served a generous variety of homemade Mexican dishes, including chili rellenos, enchiladas and tamales. Also on the menu? Tacos dorados, or what many north of the border call crispy tacos.

It's no exaggeration to say that Taco Bell wouldn't exist if it weren't for Mitla. It was at Mitla in San Bernardino that Taco Bell founder Glen Bell first tasted a crispy, fried taco shell filled with meat, salsa and shredded cheese. It sounds like a legend, but that's only because it's a true story that isn't told often enough.

My point is: authenticity is a myth. So, I will always have a thing for all kinds of crispy tacos, whether it's the popular puffy tacos in San Antonio or the Americanized cafeteria-style hard shell tacos with orange cheese. Golden on the outside and filled to the top lip of their shell, these taco dorados are proof that Mexican culture is alive and well. Like all the different emoji tacos, there's a taco for everyone.

This twist on crispy tacos replaces crumbled and sautéed tempeh for meat. It's a great party trick, and I think you should try it for dinner tonight.

Inspired by the emoji taco, with its hard shell and layers of filling, this variation features tempeh. Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh is usually sold in 225g bricks. Crumble it or grate it on the big holes of a grater, then sauté with all the usual herbs and spices. Fill hard taco shells or your choice of tortilla, then top each taco with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and hot sauce - or however you like them. It also makes a fancy taco salad.

Notes: Replace the tempeh with a 400g block of extra-firm, pressed and crumbled tofu, or 450g of lean ground meat. If using ground beef, lamb, or turkey, omit the oil, as the meat will contain enough fat to sauté the other ingredients.

To make your own taco seasoning , for 1 tbsp: combine ¾ tsp fine salt, ½ tsp onion or garlic powder, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp paprika (any type), ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. .

Total time: 30 minutes