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Mid 1970’s, upstate NY. Taking Spanish classes 10-12th grade high school.My friend from school and I would go to a place called Taco Casa [think that was their name at that time]. We would chow down on as many tacos as we could. Occasionally I would get a burrito. Those were some fun times!
Mom would occasionally let us have tacos or Chinese food when our Dad would have to work late. Dad wasn’t too enthused with those options. Those TV dinners that had a cherry cobbler (dessert included) were also presented to us during those times. Yea, it HAD to have a dessert included.
Don't leave out Newark, New Jersey. Portuguese there too!
Same with New Bedford (and surrounding) Massachusetts. My other half is 1/2 Portuguese [Dad’s side].
Emeril Lagasse born in Fall River, Ma., about less than a 30 minutes drive away from each. Read that Emeril’s mother is Portuguese.
It's a shame Italians didn't settle here (CA) in large numbers like they did back east. Look where the US wine industry is today, and that's from the few that did manage to get here early. We wouldn't be talking about pizzas today... the salads alone would be legendary.
You could have fooled me. I remember going to North Beach in San Francisco's Little Italy district as a young woman. One famous restaurant there, Vanessa's, hosted Robert Kennedy, Joe Montana, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles.
You could have fooled me. I remember going to North Beach in San Francisco's Little Italy district as a young woman. One famous restaurant there, Vanessa's, hosted Robert Kennedy, Joe Montana, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles.
Sure, but how many people are even aware there was once a "Little Italy" anywhere on the west coast? Is it predominantly Italian today? I think being further from Europe, it didn't receive the same continuous "flow", if we compare to say, Chinese or Mexican migrants.
Also, I believe ours came more from Northern and Central Italy, plus faced less discrimination than back east, so assimilated quicker and easier. This was also in the 1800s compared with those who came with the Irish, Jews, etc. in the 1900s.
Believe it or not, Kansas City has had tacos for more than a century, and they've been very popular here. It all goes back to the Wild West days when most of the old Texas cattle trails led to Kansas City, one of the few rail hubs after the Civil War where cattle could be loaded onto freight cars and hauled back East before the Transcontinental Railroad. Some of the cowboys on those trails were Mexican and they brought tacos and other Mexican food with them. (BBQ was also brought up from Texas, too, but that's another story...)
Kansas City also has its own unique style of tacos--"The Kansas City Taco." Long story short: Almost 100 years ago when the city was segregated the Italian and Mexican communities were lumped together in the same neighborhood. The Italians were more well established and had their own markets, so the Mexicans had to make Mexican food (and tacos) using primarily Italian ingredients.
The Kansas City Taco: Italy meets Mexico in a taco shell. It's the best of both worlds if you like Mexican and Italian food. We have some of the most bizarre and fantastic "Mexican food" in the US. It's pure fusion cooking.
Last year TexasMonthly magazine ran a story about the Kansas City taco and its history.
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It's the best of both worlds if you like Mexican and Italian food. We have some of the most bizarre and fantastic "Mexican food" in the US. It's pure fusion cooking. 
