Taco lovers will be able to sample dozens of varieties of tacos from more than 60 restaurants, food trucks and taco carts.
Among the vendors at the fest will be Eduardo Estrada, owner of Tacos De Carne Estrada in Chicago. (Tacos De Carne Estrada)
TAMPA, FL — America’s love affair with the taco most likely came about around the same time and for the same reason that Americans adopted the hot dog as a food staple.
Hot dogs originated in the 1860s when German immigrants began peddling dachshund sausages (made of beef, pork and chicken — not dog) nestled in freshly baked buns on the streets of New York. Busy city dwellers could grab a hot dog from a street cart and eat it on the run without making a mess.
Similarly, Mexican immigrant street vendors in Los Angeles discovered that the spicy meats of their homeland wrapped in cornmeal or flour tortillas were ideal for customers who didn’t have time to sit down for a proper meal.
According to Jeffrey M. Pilcher, a professor of history, food historian and author of the book, “Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food,” “taco” comes from the word “tlahco,” which means “half” in the language of the native southern Mexico Nahuatl people.
Their 12th- and 13-century ancestors, the Moctezuma people, would use cornmeal tortillas as a kind of spoon, dipping the tortilla into a communal pot of cooked meat and vegetables.
Later, Mexican silver miners took meat folded into tortillas into the mines for sustenance during their long hours of labor. Fillings ran the gamut — longaniza sausage, carnitas (pulled pork), al pastor (roasted meat), cochinita (marinated piglet), barbacoa (steam-cooked beef, goat or sheep), birria (goat meat stew), carne asada (skirt steak), chicken, chile, nopal (prickly pear cactus), grasshoppers and avocado.
While you might not be able to find a grasshopper taco at the second annual Tampa Taco Fest Saturday, you’ll be able to sample dozens of varieties of tacos from more than 60 restaurants, food trucks and taco carts.
The Tampa Taco Fest will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, and will include margarita tastings, live disc jockeys, mariachi bands and a variety of other Mexican dishes and desserts.
The festival was founded by self-proclaimed taco connoisseurs Yisenia Abrahantes, Tatiana Lopez and Florimar Galdon.
“Our first year event was an explosive success with more than 20,000 people in attendance,” said Lopez. “The community asked for an even bigger and better event this year, and we are ready to deliver.”
“It’s no secret America loves tacos, and our community is thriving with amazing spots to eat a great taco,” said Galdon. “So why not bring all of these awesome taco experts to one place where people can try the tacos while listening to live music in an awesome outdoor atmosphere?”
While tacos are the star of the festival, attendees will be able to try traditional elote, Asian fusion tacos, vegetarian and vegan options, churros, Mexican paletas and the world-famous guacamole made by Besito Mexican restaurant in Tampa.
Beverage options will include homemade piña coladas by Abuelo’s, margarita with Don Julio Tequila and freshly made aguas frescas and horchatas.
“We’re beyond excited to bring back the Tampa Taco Festival from a very successful first run,” said Abrahantes. “We all look forward to making a yearly tradition out of this event.”
Among the vendors at the fest Saturday will be Eduardo Estrada, who will travel from his home base in Chicago for the event. Estrada is founder of Tacos De Carne Estrada. He uses custom-made taco hibachi carts to grill the meats, fish and vegetables for his tacos de asada, al pastor, pollo, chorizo, camaron, lengua and tilapia and vegetables. giving them a unique flavor.
“It’s important to me to be in the Tampa Taco Festival because no one offers the signature recipes and authentic Mexican street tacos that I do,” Estrada said. “I want anyone who has my tacos to remember the uniqueness of my brand’s flavors.
In fact, Floridians have been so receptive to his recipes, he now travels from Chicago each week to sell his foods at the Grove Marketplace in Wesley Chapel, 6105 Wesley Chapel Blvd., each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
General admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the gates. Kids 12 and under and dogs are admitted for free.
Those wishing to have a more personalized taco experience can purchase VIP tickets for $25. VIPs will have a private bar with drinks offered by Tito’s vodka and carnitas tacos roasted on-site on a La Caja China barbecue pit.
For more information, call 813-382-6124 or email [email protected].