tacos and how to make taco night delicious

Until I moved to California from England, my experience of tacos was very limited and I’d never heard of taco night. Like most Brits, I had memories of those dusty boxes of crunchy Old El Paso tacos, stuffed with minced beef and topped with loads of cheddar cheese. Not good. My first taste of a proper taco in California was a revelation.

I spent my time living there trying all the different combinations on offer – from fish tacos at stoner-staffed surf shacks, to organic Korean tacos at hipster street food trucks, to old school taco stands at the side of the road – where my eating companions were the local Mexican farmers and farm workers. I picked up ideas from all of them and started making tacos at home regularly.

Taco night in our house usually involves me rummaging through the fridge for goodies (aka leftovers), making a few things fresh then putting them in little bowls and letting everyone make their own tacos. This has been a great way for getting my boys to experiment with new foods as there is something about them making their own taco that makes them braver.