Taco Party

Since the beginning of summer, I've been eager to host a taco party, mainly to justify experimenting with a massive pork shoulder that I could later serve as carnitas. Due to an array of events and scheduling conflicts, I hadn't been able to get my party together as desired. However, in a spur of the moment Saturday decision, with a weekend full of thunderstorms ahead, I sent out a mass text message inviting friends and friends of friends to an all-day taco fiesta. The hurriedness of this decision forbade me from preparing carnitas, but the blessing of Mexican cuisine is how easy it is to prepare. So, I woke up that Sunday, went to the grocery store, and prepared everything within an hour and a half (with the helping hands of Billy and my cousin Natalie.)

I quickly made large bowls full of fresh pico de gallo, roasted tomatillo salsa, mexican dip , and avocado cream to set out on the table alongside limes, radishes, red cabbage slaw, and tortillas.


Then I set aside to marinate a skirt steak and flank steak in Goya Mojo sauce, and some shrimp in Goya Adobe chili powder. Soon, friends started arriving with tortilla chips, beer by the dozens, garlic-marinated shrimp, and Margarita mix. We ate and drank intermittently from 2 in the afternoon until 11 that night, beginning new rounds of eating as the meat was cooked in batches. Blended, ice cold margaritas never tasted so good to me.


As the evening began to melt into a dance party, with The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas lighting up the TV in the background, I decided that we needed something sweet to finish off the the fiesta, so, with the help of Miss Maggie, I set off to my churros out of whatever I could find in the kitchen.


Surprisingly, this idea worked and we served churros (little Mexican doughnuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar) in egg cartons with a side of Maggie's homemade chocolate sauce.


In conclusion, the rewards of a spontaneous summer taco party are more satisfying than I could have planned.