10,000 TACOS®

As I wrap up this podcast, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout our episodes. This podcast has been a reflection of my life, my family, and the lessons learned in our taco truck days.  A special thanks goes to Stanford Florence (Flobama), Patrick Owen, and José Ralat, as they all helped me on pivotal paths to achieve many of these episodes. My siblings, Martha, Jose, Victor and Mike have not only contributed to the richness of our podcast but also profoundly shaped my identity as the proud son of taqueros. Though my parents no longer run the taco truck, their legacy and passion fueled my voice and creativity. Their sacrifices inspired me to explore my own path, one that has led me to my amazing wife and without her, there is simply no podcast.  With over 60,000 downloads and 97 episodes, every return visit from you echoed the loyalty of my parents' taco truck customers, a testament to the love and connection we've built.  Thank you for joining me on this adventure. This may be the end of the podcast, but the journey continues in new forms. TAQUOTE: “May you all keep flipping tortillas with your bare hands” My sister’s restaurant - Cantaritos Restaurant & Bar                                             1530 Washington Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539 American Tacos: A History and Guide  by  José R. Ralat You can still find me on: ·       Instagram (12k followers)   ·       TikTok (29K followers)   ·       Facebook  (25k followers)  ·       twitter (mamadas followers) ·       If you wish to send us a good bye, we’ll be honored - comments@10ktacos.com _________________________________________________ It has been an honor to be part of your speakers and or headphones!

Recently, when I heard some white girl call her salsa ‘restaurant style home-made’ I was triggered to make a reaction video to call her out on her use of ‘catchy’ words to attract an audience. When I think about social media's influence, I wonder if I would have taken to promoting our food like so many do today, claiming we had the best tacos.  On today’s episode, I tell you about what I call inappropriate motivations – when guided by bad intentions, you will likely yield negative results. I often reflect on the role my mother's fiery salsa played in our taco truck. Late-night customers, often a drunk off their assess, would line up for tacos, and we kept the extra spicy salsa separate to enhance their experience and possibly sober them back to reality. While there was no concrete evidence that the salsa sobered them up, their reactions—sweating and cursing yet still enjoying their food—indicated it was doing something right. My parents operated with humility, believing in the power of our food to speak for itself. They taught us that confidence doesn't require boastfulness, and I realize now how effective true sincerity can be in attracting customers. Ultimately, I appreciate how my parents ran our taco business with a focus on genuine connections and continuously improving our offerings. They instilled in us the importance of gratitude and respect, which forged lasting relationships with our customers and helped build our reputation. This understanding of authenticity in business continues to resonate with me today as I honor their legacy. TAQUOTE: “A tortilla has two sides”   Connect with Us ·       subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com [Website Link] ·       Instagram  TikTok twitter Facebook ·       Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com _________________________________________________

    Episode Summary   Thinking back four years to when the pandemic began is like rewatching a tough episode because it reminds us of how hard things were. Many people lost loved ones during that time. But it's also important to see that we made it through and are moving forward.   Even though we still face challenges from the pandemic, if we stop and ask ourselves, "Are things better now than during the pandemic?" I believe a lot of people would say yes.   It's like looking at how much we've improved since then and feeling hopeful about the future. We went through some really tough stuff, but we're getting stronger and making progress every day.   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?   Call to Action If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between! Connect with Us ·       subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com ·       Instagram  TikTok twitter Facebook ·       Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com _________________________________________________     TAQUOTE: "Reflection without actions is like a taco without a tortilla!"

Episode Summary In this episode, I express my deep love for cilantro and its essential role in creating real tacos. To me, a taco isn't complete without the fresh burst of flavor that cilantro, along with onion and salsa roja, brings to the table. But my affection for cilantro goes beyond its culinary necessity. It symbolizes a profound sense of gratitude for my journey to the USA. Growing up in my parents' taco truck exposed me to the art of chopping cilantro, a skill that laid the foundation for my success today. This simple herb embodies the sacrifices my parents made, igniting a flame of appreciation that fuels my every endeavor. Through the experience of chopping cilantro, I forged a stronger connection to my roots and the hard work that defines my family. It's not just about the taste; it's about honoring the dedication and perseverance that have shaped my life. From pursuing higher education to seizing rewarding job opportunities, cilantro serves as a reminder of the resilience and spirit that courses through my heritage. Join me on this journey as we explore how a humble herb like cilantro can carry the weight of tradition, love, and the unwavering bond between family and food. Let's chop, savor, and celebrate the essence of cilantro together, one taco at a time. Call to Action Thank you for tuning into this heartfelt episode. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between! Connect with Us ·       subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com [Website Link] ·       Instagram  TikTok twitter Facebook ·       Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com _________________________________________________   TAQUOTE: “Cilantro taste like soap to certain people because it’s God’s way of telling them to wash out their filthy fucken mouths!”   

Episode Summary In this special episode, we honor my dad on his birthday by sharing the invaluable lessons I learned from him that shaped his success as a taquero. These lessons, which I call "Taco Truck Rules to Live By," are not just for running a taco truck—they are principles for living a fulfilling life. Key Points Today is my dad’s birthday. Honoring him by sharing the "Taco Truck Rules to Live By." Taco Truck Rules to Live By: 1.    Don’t be late – Always be punctual. 2.    Be courteous – Treat everyone with respect. 3.    Be welcoming – Create an inviting atmosphere. 4.    Be grateful – Appreciate what you have. 5.    Be thankful – Show gratitude to those around you. 6.    Be forgiving – Learn to forgive others. 7.    Be clean – Maintain cleanliness in all aspects. 8.    Behave – Act responsibly and ethically. 9.    Believe – Have faith in yourself and your mission. 10. Repeat 1-9 every day – Make these rules a daily habit. At the very least, life will guide you to some tacos. What I’m really after is peace, love, and tacos! Call to Action Thank you for tuning into this heartfelt episode. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between! Connect with Us ·       subscribe www.tenthousandtacos.com or www.tacopodcast.com [Website Link] ·       Instagram  TikTok twitter Facebook ·       Please let us know what you think of the show by sending us a note - comments@10ktacos.com By following these Taco Truck Rules, you can bring more joy and fulfillment into your life, just like my dad did every day. _________________________________________________      TAQUOTE: “If you know how to cook, you should thank a chef. But if you know how to make tacos, then you should thank a taquero!”   

  Authenticity used to be a word with significant meaning, but I think it has now become subjective and often exploited as a marketing tool. I once tweeted, "The closer you come to making it from scratch, the more authintic it will be." And that tweet reflected my beliefs at that time. The belief in the value of effort and craftmanship. Howeveer, a friend's perpective, based on the "abuelita principle," has challenged my assertion. Or at least that's how it felt when he replied, "Authenticity is a myth!" His point was valid. He argues that what we consider authentic is deeply personal and tied to our earliest experiences, such as the food cooked by one's grandmother. Since everyone's experiences and memories differ, defining authenticity universally becomes impossible. This, he says, makes authenticity more of a personal opinion than objective truth.  The idea of authentic Mexican cuisine illustrates the subjective nature of authenticity. If you believe your grandmother's cooking is the best, no other dish will measure up. Moreover, not every grandmother's cooking is exceptionally good or unique, adding to the complexity. This subjectivity has, in my view, turned authenticity into a marketing buzzword, reducing it to a myth. Marketers use it to attract attention but often deceive consumers. Despite this, I still believe that making something from scratch brings it closer to being authentic. While others may see this as just my opinion, it retains some of its original significance for me. _________________________________________________        TAQUOTE: “Flipping tortillas with your bare hands is authenticity!”    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

Today on the show, I want to share a recent internal conflict that inspired me to create a reaction video on TikTok. The video featured a Mexican lady making tacos, but they weren't just any tacos; they were White People Taco Night tacos. This stirred feelings of sadness and internal conflict within me. However, this experience also led me to some podcast therapy. During this episode, I was reminded of the struggle encapsulated by the phrase "Ni de aquí ni de allá" (not from here nor from there). I came to realize that Mexicans making white people tacos isn't a bad thing; it should be embraced. It's akin to blending English and Spanish to create Spanglish. So, instead of getting upset about how someone makes tacos, I've learned it's always better to be like the tortilla in a taco—open and ready to embrace it all! _________________________________________________   TAQUOTE: “Be like the tortilla and a taco, be open and take it all in!”  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  

Today on the show, I delve into personal stories and the life lessons I learned from my dad, especially as he faced dementia. We'll explore the profound impact these lessons have had on my life and how they've inspired positive changes. Join me as I reflect on the question, "Who are you?" and share how this journey has influenced my self-discovery and growth. But we start with a confession and how that’s leading me to question my growth on some social platforms. Finally, I tell you of the little device my dad used to use to dispense change and how I’m trying to use that device metaphorically. _________________________________________________    TAQUOTE: “A taco with no tortilla is not a taco at all!”    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

Today on the show, I want to share with you the extraordinary power of tacos. Now, this is a kind of force that isn't visible to the eye. I remember as a kid, when I looked up the definition of work, it said, "Work is the ability to produce power!" Well, the power of tacos definitely requires some work, and this work manifests in numerous ways. It's a force that's somewhat elusive, hard to put into words. But I'm going to give it my best shot. I'll do so by sharing a recent experience that allowed me to take a step back and really appreciate how the power of tacos works. And by the end of this, I hope you'll be pondering how the power of tacos might be at play in your own life — and guess what? You might not even need tortillas for it to work its magic.       _________________________________________________        TAQUOTE: “Faith is believing in good when surrounded by bad!”    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

Today on this episode I want to revisit what carne asada means, as it relates to getting together. If you ever get invited to a carne asada consider yourself special. That event is seasoned and the experience would just make it taste better. I also want to tell you what this meat, or rather the saying, “carne asada” really means to me. How my experience moving to the United States helped shape how I see this meat and more importantly, how it has helped shape my life. Carne asada just makes everything better. _________________________________________________   TAQUOTE: “When life throws you a cow, make carne asada!”    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

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: @eltacolico 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 .