José R. Ralat 🌶️
@tacotrail.bsky.social
Family man. Taco editor, Texas Monthly. Author, American Tacos. 2x James Beard Award winner. Taco Chronicles 3. Panzón. Highly opinionated. Opinions mine.
TIL that San Antonioans don’t eat enchiladas, whether of the Mexican or Tex-Mex variety, according to one of their own. They eat soft tacos. That’s right, folks. Someone who thinks he knows better than you says, food such as the one pictured below, is actually a taco. 🤣
November 8, 2025 at 7:25 PM
TIL that San Antonioans don’t eat enchiladas, whether of the Mexican or Tex-Mex variety, according to one of their own. They eat soft tacos. That’s right, folks. Someone who thinks he knows better than you says, food such as the one pictured below, is actually a taco. 🤣
Read my latest for @texasmonthly.bsky.social: Taqueria El Novillo is the definition of comida casera (homestyle cooking). Some customers aren't even given menus. The staff just knows. Babies are kissed! How's that for abuelita love?
www.texasmonthly.com/food/taqueri...
www.texasmonthly.com/food/taqueri...
September 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Read my latest for @texasmonthly.bsky.social: Taqueria El Novillo is the definition of comida casera (homestyle cooking). Some customers aren't even given menus. The staff just knows. Babies are kissed! How's that for abuelita love?
www.texasmonthly.com/food/taqueri...
www.texasmonthly.com/food/taqueri...
Guacamole is personal. In the town of Comonfort, for example, in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, guacamole is commonly punctuated with fruit, such as grapes, peaches, or pomegranates. So go nuts w/ your game-day guacamole. www.texasmonthly.com/food/all-abo...
September 7, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Guacamole is personal. In the town of Comonfort, for example, in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, guacamole is commonly punctuated with fruit, such as grapes, peaches, or pomegranates. So go nuts w/ your game-day guacamole. www.texasmonthly.com/food/all-abo...
“To truly honor tacos means honoring the people behind them,” and your favorite taqueria is suffering right now. www.texasmonthly.com/food/texas-t...
August 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
“To truly honor tacos means honoring the people behind them,” and your favorite taqueria is suffering right now. www.texasmonthly.com/food/texas-t...
70 years ago today a young Mexican American man established a spice brand that is now ubiquitous in Texas kitchens. Feliz cumple Fiesta Spices. Read the family’s brief history: www.texasmonthly.com/food/bolners...
July 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
70 years ago today a young Mexican American man established a spice brand that is now ubiquitous in Texas kitchens. Feliz cumple Fiesta Spices. Read the family’s brief history: www.texasmonthly.com/food/bolners...
Tacos de chicharron de pescado y de sirloin on nixtamal corn tortillas at Elemi in El Paso.
July 12, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Tacos de chicharron de pescado y de sirloin on nixtamal corn tortillas at Elemi in El Paso.
In honor of July 4, a reminder that nothing is perfect until Mexicans get a hold of it. Here is but one example 👉🏽 www.texasmonthly.com/food/tex-mex...
July 3, 2025 at 2:00 AM
In honor of July 4, a reminder that nothing is perfect until Mexicans get a hold of it. Here is but one example 👉🏽 www.texasmonthly.com/food/tex-mex...
The best sky in Texas is in Merkel.
June 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM
The best sky in Texas is in Merkel.
The only weekend and holiday roadmap you need: www.texasmonthly.com/food/50-best...
June 26, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The only weekend and holiday roadmap you need: www.texasmonthly.com/food/50-best...
Just me about to throw the first ceremonial pitch at the minor league Quesos de Frisco (Frisco Rough Riders) game.
May 17, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Just me about to throw the first ceremonial pitch at the minor league Quesos de Frisco (Frisco Rough Riders) game.
Ignacio Zaragoza, the general who led a motley group of soldiers (and not soldiers) to victory at the Battle of Puebla, was born in what is now Goiliad, TX. It’s not too late to celebrate Cinco de Mayo like Tejanos did shortly after the important battle. www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/...
May 5, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Ignacio Zaragoza, the general who led a motley group of soldiers (and not soldiers) to victory at the Battle of Puebla, was born in what is now Goiliad, TX. It’s not too late to celebrate Cinco de Mayo like Tejanos did shortly after the important battle. www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/...
I’ve been visiting Mexico since I was a kid, Mexico City for more than 10 years. I brought my wife to CDMX for her first time to celebrate my birthday & our 20th wedding anniversary. I’m leaving like this. One day, I’ll tell you about the trip to Oaxaca w la esposa.
May 5, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I’ve been visiting Mexico since I was a kid, Mexico City for more than 10 years. I brought my wife to CDMX for her first time to celebrate my birthday & our 20th wedding anniversary. I’m leaving like this. One day, I’ll tell you about the trip to Oaxaca w la esposa.
Birthday beer! Hell yeah.
May 5, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Birthday beer! Hell yeah.
Que Dios bendiga los San Patricios. Plaque en San Ángel, CDMX.
May 3, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Que Dios bendiga los San Patricios. Plaque en San Ángel, CDMX.
When in Hermosillo.
April 12, 2025 at 4:26 AM
When in Hermosillo.
I forget how nice my backyard is.
April 7, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I forget how nice my backyard is.
That time a friend and I crossed the border fence, risking getting stuck in mud, to see a tree—a 900yo Montezuma bald cypress. link.texasmonthly.com/view/62577e9...
March 17, 2025 at 11:33 PM
That time a friend and I crossed the border fence, risking getting stuck in mud, to see a tree—a 900yo Montezuma bald cypress. link.texasmonthly.com/view/62577e9...
Behold the Indiana breaded pork tenderloin, a regional specialty that’s something to eat. Condiment cup & beer for scale.
March 9, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Behold the Indiana breaded pork tenderloin, a regional specialty that’s something to eat. Condiment cup & beer for scale.
I shouted, “the nochebuena party with the live mariachi band is a block over.” El cantante is an amazing. We could hear him inside our house.
December 25, 2024 at 2:23 AM
I shouted, “the nochebuena party with the live mariachi band is a block over.” El cantante is an amazing. We could hear him inside our house.
The @texasmonthly.bsky.social Taco Fests—yes, two—are coming. www.texasmonthly.com/2025-texas-m...
December 20, 2024 at 5:00 PM
The @texasmonthly.bsky.social Taco Fests—yes, two—are coming. www.texasmonthly.com/2025-texas-m...
Friday the 13th molcajete tattoo from my neighborhood tattoo shop, Bat & Cave. If you’re wondering about the peeled banana, it’s a taco banana!
December 14, 2024 at 2:31 AM
Friday the 13th molcajete tattoo from my neighborhood tattoo shop, Bat & Cave. If you’re wondering about the peeled banana, it’s a taco banana!
The 2024 American Tacos 2.0 tour is wrapping up at Nomad Grills HQ next week. There will be tacos!
November 27, 2024 at 2:26 PM
The 2024 American Tacos 2.0 tour is wrapping up at Nomad Grills HQ next week. There will be tacos!
Dragon Ball turned 40yo today. In honor of the anniversary, here’s my custom Vegeta-blue avocado half with the four-star dragon ball tattoo.
November 21, 2024 at 3:00 AM
Dragon Ball turned 40yo today. In honor of the anniversary, here’s my custom Vegeta-blue avocado half with the four-star dragon ball tattoo.
Come on down to Yeti’s Flagship for the Nuestra Palabra x Four Corners Brewing x Nixta Taqueria x Yeti throw down. Free tacos! Free beer!
November 17, 2024 at 6:46 PM
Come on down to Yeti’s Flagship for the Nuestra Palabra x Four Corners Brewing x Nixta Taqueria x Yeti throw down. Free tacos! Free beer!
There might be tacos.
November 14, 2024 at 2:14 AM
There might be tacos.