cooking on the griddle, summer of 1982, in a gunnie sax dress
A few weeks after we got married I told Calvin we were having tacos for supper but that I still needed to make the shells. He was impressed. Really impressed. He said, “You know how to make tortillas?”
I said, “I do.”
He said, “Flour or corn?”
I said, “Well, they have a bit of both in them actually.”
He said, “Really . . .”
I pulled out the corn meal, flour, egg, and salt and whipped up the batter. Next I greased the griddle and put them on to fry. When they were nicely browned on both sides I called Calvin for supper. He was excited. He sat down at the table and looked at the fried hamburger. No spices. No peppers. No onions. Just good old ground beef fried crisp. Then he saw the bottle of ketchup—a condiment he clearly was not expecting—but no salsa. Next he saw the shells. He was no longer impressed. It was early enough in our marriage he ate them without saying anything.
Years later after my sister Rachel had married Bert the subject of tacos came up. Bert got the horse laugh telling about their first taco experience. It was verbatim to Calvin’s story, only Bert called them crepes while Calvin referred to them as pancakes. Either—or, they are delicious . . . if you were raised on them. I’ll even share the recipe. Posterity needs this recipe.
Chadwick Taco Shells
½ cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1½ cups water
Sift flour, cornmeal and salt together. Mix egg and water and stir into flour mixture until smooth. Pour puddle of batter (about the size and shape of a pancake) onto a hot griddle and cook until dry on top. Flip and brown lightly on the other side. Serve with hamburger, shredded cheese, lettuce and ketchup.
17 comments:
I have ketchup on my tacos! And people seem to make fun of me...but, now I will tell them that you do, too!
You gave me a good chuckle! Calvin sounds similar to my husband - just eats what's served without complaint. We have some funny food stories around here, too, lol.
Oh wooops. I misrepresented Calvin, Leslie. He didn't complain THEN because we were too newly married. Since then he doesn't hesitate to tell me when something needs more spice!
So my mom has never made the taco shells, but you'd better believe that I was raised to have the rest of the ingredients on my tacos. Bo was shocked that I didn't know there was a such a thing as taco seasoning (YUCK!!!!) and taco sauce. He still hasn't one me over to the way he likes he's tacos. You'd better believe that when we have tacos, still, we make two kinds, his with taco sauce and taco seasoning on a flour tortilla, and mine with fried corn tortillas and ground beef with lettuce and cheese. hahahaaa.
I mean WON, not one. my bad. It's 11 pm.
Funny how things are good if you grew up eating them. Not growing up eating them, those don't sound too good! ;-) do you still fix tacos that way to pass the love of them on to the next generation?
(Next time, "make" tortillas from the uncooked ones at the grocery store. I'm sure Calvin, and everone else, would be impressed with your skill!)
Deidra, your comment makes me laugh. I only fix them on rare, rare, rare occasions now. Sometimes I even make real flour ones, but you're right, those cook-at-home ones ARE good.
Your first tacos sound worse than mine, and that's saying something! Your corn pancakes actually sound kinda good, even with hamburger and ketchup on them.
I'm hearing rumors?
Love,
BRENDA
I believe it! I grew up eating the same stuff! Fortunately I had a roommate in college that was half Mexican and she taught me how to make tortillas. We should make them sometime!
Oh Jane, those don't sound good at all! Kuddos to Calvin for holding his tongue - early on, at least :) We were the same way with spaghetti - my sauce was very economical, saucy, not much meat. He was used to REALLY meaty sauce, almost the consistency of a dip! By now we've compromised - early on, he coveted his mom's spaghetti dinners!
Have I ever told you about the first pie I baked for Dirk? It was a similar story - the courtship hadn't been long and he manfully ate every bite - I had used canned fruit instead of fresh to make my filling, and well, it was very bad.
Jane, I LOVE them!! Instead of a girl's lunch out, we'll send everybody else out and have them at home that day. And thank you for the Memorial Day post. I've never heard of Arlington ladies and I want to be one. But, on Memorial Day, I want to ride in with the motor bike group. I wonder if they seat side saddle, because in my tight black dress, and black netted hat that I'm envisioning, I might need it.
Every bride must have a story like that. I think I will make a post about mine! Thanks for the memory jog.
Jane,
I finally made these for Haley. Please inform Calvin and Bert that she thinks they are the best idea on the planet. I personally love them.
Doesn't Calvin eat things like snakes and gopher? He maybe doesn't recognize fine dining.
Classic! The thought of ketchup on a tortilla with plain ground beef is frightening to me.
When I think that I went through childhood, teens and then way into my late 30's before I had a taco. Never heard of tacos/tacoes before that!!! Hard to believe isn't it! Never heard of pizza until I was 20 years old. What a sheltered life I lived. I am going to try your tortilla recipe Jane..I will let you know how it goes....I'm scared...send me a bit of your bravery!!!! Hugs.
Hilarious!
I love the cooking picture. My grandma used to have what she called "cooking dresses" – comfortable, washable. I don't think Gunnie Sax would qualify...
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