Favorite Tacos I’m Cooking In Moscow, Russia
This Story In AP News Today: I’m Cooking Tacos In Russia
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Texas author and chef, Adán Medrano, is traveling to Russia and will be cooking delish Texas Mexican tacos for the official 4th of July festivities at the US Ambassador’s residence in Moscow. Invited last February by the US Embassy to present Texas Mexican cuisine, Medrano enthusiastically said yes to this unique opportunity for culinary diplomacy, the chance to introduce Russians to the delights of red guajillo chiles, supple flour tortillas and of course, complex, fiery salsas.
The embassy staff, working with chef Medrano to locate the necessary equipment and ingredients, will create an actual food truck experience by parking a food truck smack on the grounds of the historic and luxurious Spaso House in Moscow, home to US Ambassadors since 1933.
Muscovites socializing at this by-invitation-only event will taste flavors that represent street food savored on many a night in Texas cities like Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and many others. Medrano has written extensively about this Texas Mexican cuisine that has ancient roots on both sides of the Rio Grande, long before it was a border. His new book on the subject is “Don’t Count The Tortillas: The Art Of Texas Mexican Cooking,” published by Texas Tech University Press.
The Moscow menu features two tacos that are traditional in Texas Mexican cooking, “Carne Guisada,” (beef) and “Puerco En Chile Colorado,” (pork), cooked by Medrano, who’ll be working with local Moscow kitchen staff. Most of the ingredients will be locally sourced from markets around Moscow, but the dried chiles and tortillas had to be shipped personally by Medrano from Houston directly to the US embassy in Moscow by diplomatic pouch.
Serving tacos from a food truck at the US Ambassador’s residence symbolizes hospitality, welcoming, and good will, says Medrano. It’s a diplomatic gesture that Medrano describes as “tortilla diplomacy.”
In this case it’s flour tortillas because they are traditional and distinctive as a staple in Texas and Northern Mexico. When they reach out to collect their flour tortilla tacos from the truck window, Russians who may be having their first ever taste of tacos, will also get two freshly made salsas, a mild red salsa of pan-roasted chiles, and a hotter green creamy salsa. Russians don’t normally eat hot foods, so Medrano is holding back on the salsa heat, while keeping all of the flavor.
The unique street food experience is about making connections, says Medrano. “Our Texas Mexican tacos are delicious, and they can help us make wonderful new friends in every part of the world.”
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What a shame that “tortilla diplomacy” is an invitation only event. This cuisine Is food of the people, of the common man. Please take that food truck to a farmers market and dispense some free “tortilla diplomacy” to the workers of Russia! Sounds delish! Let’s not limit the goodies to the elite.