We dedicate this occasion to talking about this popular and well-loved vitamin both nationally and abroad – vitamin T. For those in the minority who aren’t familiar with the famous vitamin T, it includes tacos, tortas, tlacoyos, tamales, tlayudas, and tostadas. All foods that are deeply rooted in Mexican culture; they are full of flavor, creativity, and pleasure, so much so that they were added to UNESCO’s list of Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
Contrary to some opinions, these foods are not enemies of the waistline, rather the problem arises when you overeat them or, of course, when too much oil is used in the preparation. But on the whole, it can be perfectly balanced, with a base of corn, lard (considered a good source of fat), and beans, cheese, and meat for protein.
What are “garnachas”?
In Mexico, these foods are known as garnachas. The Mexican Spanish Dictionary defines garnacha as a food consisting of a small corn tortilla, fried in lard, to which beans, hot sauce, pieces of chorizo, other meat, or potatoes are added. In light of this, any number of dishes would fall under this definition, which in the past referred to any street food stall that sold something with corn, salsa, and meat. Today it is a term that is used more with respect to Mexican gastronomy specifically and that meets the definition above. Apparently, the name comes from a type of taco from Veracruz, so the origin of the word would already imply an immersion in the history of Spanish.
Regardless, all these T dishes, along with several other Mexican classics like flautas, pambazos, and other antojitos surely meet the characteristics of a garnacha. Now that you have some background information, what matters most is going out into the street and occupying yourself with this food that nourishes millions of Mexicans every day; explore its wide variety of options, and discover for yourself why it is a part of the World’s Cultural Heritage.
