Sesos are brains, usually from a cow or goat, and they make a popular Mexican taco filling. Cooks and diners prize tacos de sesos for their soft, silky, almost custard-like texture, which provides a nice contrast to crunchy or fresh toppings such as onions, cilantro, and lime.

Tacos de Sesos (Brain Tacos)

Tacos were essentially a street food at this time since they were highly portable and cheap. In fact, Americans first became exposed to tacos through Mexican food carts in Los Angeles that were run by women called “chili queens”.

Lebanese immigrants first created tacos al pastor in Mexico in the early 1900s. These immigrants brought their shawarma-style cooking techniques, which included rotating meat over an open flame—the method still used today to make tacos al pastor.