AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE BISHOP TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
January 1, 2024
Will Shortz and Robyn Weintraub
C/O New York Times Crossword Puzzle
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Dear Shortz and Weintraub:
My name is C. Andrew “Andy” Doyle, and I am the 9th Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Texas. As an Episcopal Bishop in Texas and a New York Times subscriber, it is not often that I may speak on behalf of all Texans. However, in this matter, I raise a loud shout from Texas on behalf of our people and from whence the term Tex-Mex finds its locus.
Some will assume that Tex-Mex is a mere combination of Texas and Mexico applied to food. They would be mistaken, as the phrase describing our dear state food wasn't originally used to describe food. It first came into use related to the Texas-Mexican Railway, which ran from Southern Texas in the 1870s. The Mexican government purchased the railroad in 1900 and controlled it until 1982. I even rode on the railroad myself at the young age of 8 – but I digress. Over time, the term Tex-Mex was used to describe our Tejano siblings, Texans of Mexican descent.
I refer you to an article in “The New York Times” dated August 11, 1963, when legendary food critic Craig Claiborne discovered the term and wrote, "In the Mexican border district, a dish of chili knows no season." Though not inventing the word, it is here that the Times first recognized its use to describe what we had been eating since the 1800's. Later, Diana Kennedy published the first Mexican cookbook in which the term Tex-Mex gained even more notoriety. Our own Lisa Fain from my diocese and author of The Homesick Texan, reviewed by the Times in 2011, brings life to Tex-Mex for many across the country - even Texans living abroad. I point all of this out because the term “Tex-Mex” was not discovered by the New York Times but is instead lifted from its original country – Texas. In our state, an unlikely clash of Mexican and Texas cuisines rooted in a mestizaje of people brought forth the miraculous gift of Tex-Mex. From this cultural mestizo, we have tasted Barbacoa, nachos, tortillas, and burritos, which rose in popularity.
The Tex-Mex food group does indeed include tacos. Tacos al carbon was simple ranch food eaten by rancheros for many years, handmade tortillas and beef or chicken. This soft taco was eventually brought to widespread consumption by many, including our own Texas queen of Tex-Mex, Mama Maria Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo. She became beloved in the hearts of Texans by teaching us how to eat tacos from the early days of her taco stand – a precursor to today's food trucks. May her memory be a blessing.
I bring all of this to your attention because in the “New York Times” Friday Crossword Puzzle (12/29/2023), the hint provided was "Tex-Mex condiment." The answer was: "Taco Sauce." Let me point out the difficulty with your clue and answer.
First, "Taco sauce" in Ireland is called "burger sauce" everywhere else. "Taco sauce" is a mixture of ketchup, Mayo and sometimes mustard, with a few spices. In America, it's like what they put on In-N-Out Burger. It's never put on Tacos. In Ireland, it has no relationship to Tex-Mex. Furthermore, I discovered that "Taco Sauce" was first made in Longford, Ireland, by a company founded by Albert Reynolds's grandfather and originally called This Awesome Condiment Organization. They changed its name to TACO during the dot com bubble, and it has nothing to do with tacos.
Second, the American version of the term "taco sauce" may find its etymology within the savory original recipes of Emilio Carlos Ortega, the eleventh child of Emigdio and Aria Conception Jacinta, who became the founder of the Ortega Chili Company. He was the first person in California to make “Spanish Chili Sauce” and made it right there in his mother's kitchen at the Ortega family adobe home. That happened in 1897, thus creating the Ortega family's legendary “taco sauce”, which B&G Foods has since purchased. I point out that this is not originally Tex-Mex, for it is from California.
Condiments for Tex-Mex tacos may include guacamole, sour cream, and grilled vegetables, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, chiles and SALSA. There is indeed an enchilada sauce or gravy in Tex-Mex dishes, but that is different.
I know that Taco Bell does indeed pass out "taco sauce" packets which are labeled as such. Taco Bell, I remind you, was founded by Glenn Bell in California. (It is important to note it is fake history to believe Glenn Bell also created hard-shell tacos. These were first created in Mexico and made their way to Texas and California.)
Therefore, I suggest the appropriate hint for the puzzle for Friday should be: "Cali-Mex (or Mexicali) condiment." If the desired answer is to be: "Taco Sauce." If the answer you want is "salsa", then the hint needs to be Tex-Mex condiment. For neither is salsa created by Taco Bell or from California.
You both are much wiser than I am. Full disclosure requires that I confess that doing one of your puzzles takes me 30 to 40 minutes. You may indeed point out that salsa is translated into English as sauce. However, by doing so, you have removed the mix of cultural expression that makes Tex-Mex a unique food group. Furthermore, you blend it with a confusing California history of mestizo food, which deserves etymological respect.
Faithfully yours,
C. Andrew Doyle, D.D.,
IX Bishop of Texas
22 comments:
I would like to remind my esteemed bishop that Temple, Bell County, can take sideways credit for popularizing Tex-Mex fare because a Temple native is credited with creating culinary staples commonly found on many menus. Responsible for developing the crispy taco shell and other Tex-Mex specialties, Joe Valdez Caballero (1908-1989) was literally born into his family’s restaurant business in Temple. His parents owned and operated what was then called “a chili parlor," just a couple of blocks from Christ Episcopal, where you formerly served as curate. He developed crispy tacos and other dishes while an executive chef for the El Chico restaurant chain.
You tell ‘em Bishop!
Finally, the truth. Bravo Bishop!
You tell them Bishop
Spoken like a true Texan and Episcopalian 🩵
Whoa Bishop! I didn’t know ANY of that. Thank you and if I ever get to Texas again I will seek your episcopal advice on where and what to eat
You tell them Andy!!
That will teach old Will.
Hear hear!
Thank you for this lesson in Texas History. I went to high school in Arlington, VA and missed this class. Great letter, Andy! —Lynn Hargrove
Ninfas on navigation, of course!
Finally!!! Something I can agree wholeheartedly about with my bishop!😀
if its something you get at a Taco Bell it is not TexMex by definition
Thank you Bishop. I loved your response. It is true that this food has been popular in the region since the early 1800’s. We have had chili queens in our town squares, tortillas on our ranches and salsa in our veins since before there was a Texas.
Tillich can have his triads, but mine will always be green sauce from Ninfa's, queso from Felix, and a breakfast taco served with a side of chismé from Yolanda Black Narvarro. NB that green sauce is totally legit, whereas taco sauce is clearly mass-produced tomato-ancho-stained watery disappointment sealed in plastic that will never, ever have a place in Tex-Mex.
I spent a year in the LA area and their mexican food is completely different. For some reason it is essential to put sour cream and a black olive on the top. I did find a great TexMex food in A hole in the wall in Oxnard.
Some of the best Texmex I have ever had was in Eagan Minnesota. It just seemed wrong that the entire staff was made up of Norwegian looking Kids.
I was confused when you came to the church my family attends. You entered like in a straight line like a rook instead of one of the two diagonal isles.
Andy! What an incredibly witty, charming, elegant piece of deep yet also folkloric research! My closest friend from Texas said, "Finally the truth!"
I am sharing my comment I made on Facebook when a friend shared your open letter with some editing for audience:
I would recommend that the Bishop of Texas, as well as the New York Times Puzzle Editors do a little more historical work to move past the systemic racism embedded in the clue and in their perspectives. It’s not Tex-Mex and it’s not Calimax and taco sauce is also of course not the right phrase. These foods were here long before the Texans got here to steal the land, except nachos and the burrito. These foods were eaten here well before the 1800s when an unfortunately large number of my neighbors to the east think Texas history began. These aren’t really fusion foods. They are historic foods that have been adopted by the newcomers and softened to meet their taste buds. These foods come from before the Spanish. They’re indigenous.
Just recently I had the unnerving experience of listening to some woman who came to New Mexico four years ago, claiming that she had improved on biscochitos by making them with butter. She just made a cookie that she liked the taste of based on traditional food. That’s what Taco Bell ‘taco sauce’ is.
The Tejanos are the people that the Texans couldn’t force out of the land they stole. How ‘gratifying’ that they are now considered siblings.
I recommend Taco USA by Gustavo Arellano to you and all. Especially given that those foods have deep and historical connections across the border y’all are so murderously and foolishly trying to close.
Dear Katherine Cordova, you are so correct. Not all of us'all agree with the border policies of the state or the federal government. I have been arguing for immigration reform for years. Immigration and migration with dignity is an essential issue for us Episcopalians in Texas. I also have done work on other issues with ecumenical and interfaith groups. We work as advocates on many issues in the state, including our anti-racism work, poverty, health for all, and LGBTQ work. I am blessed to do this in Texas as a leader in our Episcopal tradition. I hope you and others will consider those posts when they are offered.
I also agree with your point about the historic foods and their place. This is why I was suggesting the greater history of our siblings who were here first - long before the Spaniards and Texians. However, the blend of cultures in some of these foods is well charted even in Gustavo Arellano's work. (Great suggestion by the way!)
Arellano agrees that there is such a thing as the evolution of cuisine that ended up creating Tex-Mex and Calimex food though. It isn't food appropriation but, according to Arellano, an evolution and mix of cultures including spices and not just nachos. His history also shows that Tex-Mex is fading as the "crunch" of Calimex is growing.
In his lectures at the University of Houston, he suggested that "the culinary establishment’s preference for authentic Mexican food" is actually a prejudice against Mexican Americans.
This cultural discourse is very complicated and not simple at all. Even Arellano argues with the purists of Mexican food - which has its own history of Spanish conquest.
Thank you for the good and engaging comment.
Best book on this subject ever: Tacos USA, by Gustavo Arellano.
An important scholarly work that delves into the indigenous roots of our Texas food is "Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage in Recipes" by Houston's own Adan Medrano.The companion documentary "Truly Texas Mexican," available streaming, is essential viewing as well. https://adanmedrano.com/truly-texas-mexican-documentary-movie/
Clarification personified!
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