It's the end of August, so that means most kids, teens, and even a lot of adults are going back to school.  In keeping with this end-of-summer academic tradition, this blog post is a bit of a history lesson about our favorite topic:  delicious Mexican food.  Actually, the term "Mexican" is a bit of a misnomer since much of the food that we think of as Mexican has a history that stretches further back than the time when the Spanish colonies or Mexico were even an idea.  So before we begin feasting on a yummy pair of tacos, let's find out when and where all this delightful cuisine came from in the first place.

First, we need to go back thousands of years to the time of the Mayans, Aztecs and other Mesoamerican civilizations.  Their farming success and survival have a strong influence on what many consider a traditional Mexican meal, one that consists, at least in part, of corn, beans, squash, and other plants, often chilis.  These ancient people discovered that if they grew these plants together, in what are called milpas, the soil would not be depleted of nutrients, and it even kept harmful plants away from what they were growing for food.  It's also a lucky coincidence that the corn in our tortillas tastes so delicious with a bit of beans and a generous seasoning of dried chilis.  We eat them together, because they grow together--a menu created by Mother Nature and some wise, ancient farmers.

A Mayan family taking care of their milpa.

So how did those ingredients eventually evolve into tacos?  That happened when someone, somewhere figured out how to turn dried corn into tortillas.  Even making the corn edible was a challenge that Mesoamerican civilizations had to figure out.  That's because a process called nixtamalization had to be discovered in order to remove the corn kernel's skin in order to make it edible.  Otherwise, humans aren't even able to digest it.  Then, sometime about 500 C.E., someone learned how to turn this dried corn into a dough and eventually a tortilla, even then a handy, edible utensil for eating what's on the inside.  We know that rough date because that's when the first flat, clay comals, used to cook tortillas, began to appear.

An Aztec comal.

It's harder to determine when other "Mexican" foods began to be eaten, but that doesn't make them any less delicious.  The Spaniards first encountered what we think of today as guacamole when they encountered the Aztec civilization in the 1500s.  The Aztecs called their dish ahuaca-mulli which means avocado sauce or mixture.  Take some avocados, lime, salt, a few other ingredients (depending on the taste of whoever's making it), and you have guacamole.  Mmm, yummy...too bad Montezuma never had a chance to be invited to any Super Bowl parties.

Guacamole prepared with a mortar and pestle.

At Taco Punk, we peer into the past to search for new things to put onto our menu.  We like to keep the old favorites, but add some new flavors to keep people coming back, and give you a chance to try healthy food deliciously prepared.  Our new spiced, smash sweet potatoes feature a plant that was first eaten in Peru 10,000 years ago.  Some classics never go out of style.  Tasty with a hint of natural sweetness, they'll entertain your taste-buds now, and keep you warm through the fall.  Another new side is our chili-spiked kale, a greens and chili infusion brought together with a vinegar kick.  Healthy, hearty, and delicious.  If you haven't tried either one, do yourself a favor, and dig in.

A vegetable mole taco with our two new sides, chili spiked kale and spiced smash sweet potatoes.  100% vegan!

We'd like to wish everybody who is excited about the new school year, including students, teachers, and parents, a lot of luck, and express our admiration for anybody who makes life-long learning one of their goals.  Hopefully, you were able to learn some things reading this blog (I certainly learned a lot from writing it).  And in case the combination of school, practices, work, and family life leave you feeling hectic, remember every Tuesday, kids eat free at Taco Punk.  Work hard, but give yourself a chance to have fun and relax with friends and family.  Besides, how else are you going to show off how smart you are?

By John Beechem, taco grunt and social-media writer.  Contact at jbeechem2000@gmail.com.