The Taco Issue

While every culture has its perfect portable food — from meats on a stick to meats in a handpie to the roast beef sandwich (invented, legend goes, to hold in one hand while playing cards) — our vote for the best is the humble taco, made to eat on the street. Juices dribbling under a neon glare, a brown bag beer in one hand, it almost tastes better this way. And the best, of course, are the simplest — meat, tortilla, toppings. But simplicity deceives — that perfect marriage of meat and heat, smoke and spice, is a hard target to hit. All the more reason to bow before the talented taco trucks. There must be some magic in the rhythm of the road — or is it the diesel fumes? Save for cooking in the backseat of your jeep, this is as close as you’ll get to the real thing. What to cook? We’ve handled that. How to eat it? That’s up to you — but note our crate’s conspicuous lack of fancy placesetting.

Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe Here

Mexican Taco Spice // Spicemode // Northbrook, IL

Spice Mode's founder Amar knows a thing or to about street food, previously owning a food truck in chi-town.  He has developed a serious library of expertly crafted global falvor hits from Bayou Cajun and Smoky Tandor spice mixes to Fiery Vindaloo cooking sauce.  His Taco Spice? a little heat, a touch of sweet and deep notes of chiles and cocoa.  This spice will make any taco nice, we dig it for slow cooked pork strewn over nachos, shredded chicken tacos and dusted on any piece of fish.  

From The Maker:

"Savor characteristic street food flavor. Amplify the spice factor of Taco Tuesday! This blend contains three piquant chiles (New Mexico, Ancho, and Chipotle) to light up your meat dishes as well as a distinguished marriage between earthy cumin, rich cocoa and flavorful oregano.

Coming from the characteristic tradition of Mexican street food, this powerful spice combination will bring both heat and harmony to anything you'd put on or eat with a tortilla. It's a savory experience your taste buds will never forget!"

Pulled Pork Nachos Recipe Here

Taco Butter Roasted Halibut Recipe Here

Fresca Salsa // La Fundidora // Brooklyn, NY

Salsa is a grill-side staple these days, but those neon red jars of store-bought extra-chunky are as authentic as your shrink-wrapped buns are bakery-fresh. Grow up, hombre. Simple and fresh and bursting with flavors bright as beachside sun, La Fundadora makes the real deal: spicy serranos and tangy tomatillos, hot as sand, cooling as the waves. Give your fresh-grilled fish the dressing it deserves.

Fast 5 Uses:

1. Douse On Fish Tacos
2. Slather On Roast Sweet Potato Tacos
3. Toss Grilled Shrimp In It 
4. Add A Scoop Into A Bloody Mary
5. Slather On Grilled Chicken

Stewed White Bean, Pork & Kale Tacos Recipe Here

Recipes: 

Char Grilled Seafood with Salsa Verde

Char Grilled Seafood with Salsa Verde Recipe Here

"Turf & Turf" Tacos With Honey Glazed Pork Belly & Shredded Sesame Teriyaki Jerky Recipe Here

Honey Glaze Sauce // KPOP Foods // Los Angeles, CA

We’re big believers the world needs to experience more Korean flavors from Kim Chi to Gochujang to Galbi and Black Garlic. This sauce may have foreign origins but it is a go-to partner for any American classic whether it’s pork belly tacos, fried chicken, chicken burgers or ribs. You’re just one squeeze from helping a dish K Pop off.

From The Maker:

The Dream Team Behind KPOP Foods…

• AWARD WINNING FORMULA - Created by successful restaurateur, Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race and Cutthroat Kitchen champion, Chef Chris Oh.
• SWEET & SAVORY FINGER LICKING LIP SMACKING SATISFACTION - Blending honey, gochujang, jalapeños, garlic, and lime, this sauce is delightfully sweet and subtly savory with a slight kick. Guaranteed to satisfy both your sweet and savory cravings!
• KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN SAUCE - Made for chicken, but also great on ribs, salmon, tacos, and fries.

More Recipes:

Big Bang Shrimp Tacos Recipe Here 

Fish Tacos With Chorizo Slaw Recipe Here

Chorizo Snack Sticks // Aurelia’s Chorizo // Boerne, TX

In a small town an hour north of Austin, Leslie Horne makes some of the best dry-cured chorizo in America, packing a similar punch to the fresh Mexican variety. Slept through breaky? Nothing says ‘¡Vamos!’ at kickoff like chorizo tacos.

From The Maker:

"Aurelia's Snack Sticks also known as Chistorra, are made from the same recipe as our Original Dry Cured Chorizo. They are Keto, Paleo and Whole30 diet friendly with no sugar, fillers or additives. Small artisan batches of the sausage are prepared with full pork shoulder cuts, fresh ground garlic and Spanish Paprika imported from the de la Vera region of Spain. The chorizo is lightly smoked and dry cured for a rich, authentic flavor. Great on the go snack packed with protein."

Aurelia’s Chorizo Breakfast Tacos Recipe Here

Garnish A Bloody

Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Tacos With Crumbled Pimento Cheese Popcorn & Fresca Salsa Recipe Here

Pimento Cheese Popcorn // Poppy Popcorn // Asheville, NC

When you're looking for a snack to pair with an icy beverage, shelve the boring beer nuts and sub in Poppy. Handcrafted in Asheville, a town known for, arts, outdoors, craft beer and now, popcorn, Poppy is easily one of our favorite small-batch makers in the US. From Salted Caramel to Everything Bagel, Cinnamon Bourbon to Southern Dill Pickle, Poppy has a Baskin Robbins level of flavor variety. Make no mistake, there is nothing mass-made, every bag is crafted with high-quality ingredients and non-GMO Corn (not to mention sleek design). We reach for the Pimento, an ode to the Southern sandwich staple. So grab a handful but don't sleep on using it as a cheesy sub for croutons in a salad or to add a little crunch to these elote tacos.

From The Maker:

"Ditch the typical butter-flavored movie theater popcorn, and treat yourself to the Pimento Cheese Popcorn from Poppy. This cheese-flavored snack was handcrafted in Asheville, NC and brings together the 'light as air' delight of crunchy popcorn with the savory flavors of sharp cheddar cheese, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Just don't forget to share!"

Sesame Teriyaki Beef Jerky // Think Jerky // Chicago, IL

"Turf & Turf" Tacos With Honey Glazed Pork Belly & Shredded Sesame Teriyaki Jerky Recipe Here

Korean Honey Chili Cauliflower Tacos Recipe Here

Out: the chemical pumped gas station jerky. In: Healthy jerky with recipes created by world-renowned chefs like two time James Beard Award Winner Chef Gale Gand.

Ricky, the founder of Think Jerky sure had a good thought when he came up with tagging in top tier chefs into the jerky ring.  From two-time BaconFest Champion Matt Troost, to the legendary founder of Hot Doug's (named one of the “50 Best Restaurants on the Planet” by Bon Appétit Magazine), to Michelin-Starred Chef Gale Gand, Think delivers expertly crafted flavors that don't rely on buckets of salt and sugar.  Some may call it jerky innovation, and yes, the jerky horizons are indeed bright.

Go Behind-The Scenes On The Jerky Process In This Video: 

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