Tex-Mex Tostada

History & Origin

The Mexican tostada is one of the oldest and most widespread antojitos in Mexico, present from Oaxaca to Sinaloa with infinite regional variations. In its most basic form it is simply a toasted or fried corn tortilla topped with different ingredients. The Tex-Mex version of the tostada perfectly reflects how border cookery transforms traditional Mexican dishes by filtering them through southern American taste. The main difference lies in the meat seasoning: whilst in Mexico the meat for tostadas is typically seasoned with dried chillies, epazote or regional spices, the Tex-Mex version uses taco seasoning, a commercially marketed spice blend from the 1950s and 1960s by companies like Old El Paso and Ortega that combines ancho chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and oregano in standard proportions. Yellow cheddar cheese is another distinctively Tex-Mex element, as in Mexico white cheeses like fresh cheese, cotija or Oaxaca would be used. Soured cream instead of Mexican crema, and iceberg lettuce instead of romaine, complete the transformation of this border snack into something genuinely new.