Simple Truths About Austin (West, Garrison: college, to live in, food)

[scm53]

Originally Posted by cBach

II can't imagine a tamale made from flour.

That's why they don't exist. Take it from someone who makes his own tamales - impossible to make.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by scm53

Uh, no. If you said "indigenous peoples of the Northern Hemisphere", you'd be partially right. Something like tortillas were found in use by the Aztecs when the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the early 1500s. The name is a variation on the Spanish word "torta" - meaning cake.

Flour tortillas were the creation of Jewish immigrants to Mexico, beginning in the 1800s. Corn wasn't kosher, and they were used to eating pitas. Simple adaptation to make a flour tortilla.

As far as "authenticity" - if one was eating Aztec food, then yea. What we eat in Austin today would be unknown to the Aztecs, but very close to the foods of N Chihuahua - including flour tortillas. They both have their uses - wouldn't want to eat an enchilada made from flour tortillas, wouldn't want a corn one around my chorizo and egg breakfast taco. Neither is more "authentic".

You interpreted Native American to be people from the North American continent, perhaps even the US that were here before European settlement. I define it to be generic people from all of North and South America that preceded European settlement. So my definition definitely included Aztec and I should have been more specific because some people like to nit pick instead of infer the general idea.


"... the Aztecs ... mostly ate corn flower cooked as porridge or baked into thin pancakes called tortillas."
"All meals had maize in them.Maize inspired dumplings and tortillas were both served with stewed vegetables that were often spiced with hot chillies. A common meal for the Aztecs were tamales.Tamales were made from maize dough mixed with beans and chillies which were wrapped in maize husks and steamed strongly."

source: Aztec Agriculture - The Aztec Empire

Tortillas are simply an extension of Aztec culture. Aztecs were centered in what is today Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. All ideas and concepts from the Aztec empire got disseminated to the whole country, so having tortillas was a common idea throughout the empire. Northern states of Mexico that primarily have wheat instead of corn substituted wheat, that is true. But corn was the preferred method. It's like substituting shrimp for crawfish in crawfish etouffee. It's far inferior if you do that.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by cBach

Northern states of Mexico that primarily have wheat instead of corn substituted wheat, that is true. But corn was the preferred method. It's like substituting shrimp for crawfish in crawfish etouffee. It's far inferior if you do that.

Nice googling of something you were waaaaaay out over your skis on. No one in Mexico "substituted" anything - some things go better with flour tortillas, some are unthinkable without corn. It really isn't more complicated than that. Actually, until about fifteen years ago, corn tortillas (only) were heavily subsidized in Mexico - and were much more common. Today, flour is much more readily available - because of the lack of subsidies, and because of rising standards of living in Mexico.

Take it from a son of S Texas - that makes his own tamales for Christmas Eve (not out of flour) and with a Hispanic cuñado. I won't tell you about what authentic boudin is made of. 'Kay?

[TXEX06]

Originally Posted by JH6

How would I live without Topo Chico?

Topo Chico is trendy all across America. What's so Austin about it?

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by TXEX06

Topo Chico is trendy all across America. What's so Austin about it?

Trendy? Never heard of it until this thread.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by scm53

Nice googling of something you were waaaaaay out over your skis on. No one in Mexico "substituted" anything - some things go better with flour tortillas, some are unthinkable without corn. It really isn't more complicated than that. Actually, until about fifteen years ago, corn tortillas (only) were heavily subsidized in Mexico - and were much more common. Today, flour is much more readily available - because of the lack of subsidies, and because of rising standards of living in Mexico.

Take it from a son of S Texas - that makes his own tamales for Christmas Eve (not out of flour) and with a Hispanic cuñado. I won't tell you about what authentic boudin is made of. 'Kay?

How come when I was in Puerto Vallarta and I had homemade tacos on a mountainside under a hut, I asked if corn "maize" was always used and they responded that "el maíz es mexicana" or something like that. Pardon my Spanish.

By the way the tacos were corn tortillas baked and topped with shrimp, avocado, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. It was like 95 degrees so it was very refreshing.

That was when I switched over to solely corn tortillas from then on.

[mesmer]

Originally Posted by sojourner77

4. This thread will devolve into an argument about:

- traffic,
- COL,
- Barbecue,
- lack of mass transit,
- Transplants,
- Lack of Pro Sports/museums,
- the need for higher density zoning

Ooooh, so close. Unfortunately, the correct answer was "What should tortillas be made of?" Please try again in the next round of "THAT's my Austin!"

[cBach]

next question:

white corn vs. yellow corn....

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by cBach

next question:

white corn vs. yellow corn....

White.

[Leaving Arizona]

A simple truth about Austin is that there is not one great thin-crust pizza place to had for love or money, if you like East Coast style pizza.

Another simple truth - referenced upthread - is that you could pretty much write a UN Resolution in the time it takes for a light change. Still not used to that.

As for the tortilla debate, don't get this daughter of the Sonoran desert started. It's a whole different world here.