Burritos

I have always been crazy about mexican food; however, I never liked quesadillas.  I always felt there were flattened burritos that were sub-par.  It was not until this year that I was introduced into the deliciousness of the dish.It never crossed my mind that this dish would contain the immense flavors of all other mexican dishes, in a flattened pancake so to speak.  I was able to experience this for the first time at the dining halls just a few weeks ago.  A friend of mine was working behind the counter at the mexican style restaurant.  I asked him for the best thing he could make me.  Instead of making me my usual burrito, he told me it would be a surprise.  After selecting all of the ingredients I wanted, he put it on the grill.  I was very confused at this point.  When he called my number, I had this plate of stuff in my hands.  I asked him what he made me, and he said it was a Big Fat Dilla.  Not a quesadilla, no.  A Big Fat Dilla.

From the moment I began to eat it, my eyes widened with extreme excitement.  This was one of the best mexican dishes I have ever had, and it was loaded with meat, vegetables, and flavor.  It would not surprise me if the invention of the quesadilla arose after people made a burrito and it somehow was flattened.  That is essentially what a quesadilla is.  The only difference is the quantity of cheese.  Again, it wouldn’t surprise me if the reason for the extra cheese was to act as a binding factor for the dilla.

Regardless on the motivation for its creation, it is definitely increasing in popularity around the world.  On a more local level, the quesadilla is also picking up speed.  In the beginning of the year, there were very few people that ate, or even knew that the dish existed.  Now, there is often a very long line that one must wait for someone to get their hands on this masterpiece.  This could be for a few reasons, other than its intense flavor.  First, the portability of the dish is advantageous for people that do not have time to dine in.  Second, this is a food that people can eat with their hands, so there is no need for any utensils, making the dish increasingly portable.  Finally, there is a versatility of ingredients just like a burrito, but now it it is warmed so the cheese is melted.

I personally enjoy my big fat dilla with chicken, black olives, rice, black beans, onions and peppers, and salsa.  Furthermore, I like to have sour cream, chipotle ranch, and guacamole on the side for dipping at my convenience.  Feel free to respond with some of your favorite add ins, and if you haven’t had a quesadilla just say what you would put in a burrito.  But more importantly, if you have not had a dilla yet, make sure you get one as soon as possible.  They are definitely something that should not be missed.

When I first arrived on Penn State campus, I had one mission at stake.  Find the closest Chipotle Mexican Grill.  And although my real goals may have been slightly different, this was definitely a strong interest of mine.

I am a true lover of mexican food.  This cuisine is special to me because I used to have it regularly when I was a child.  No, I did not grow up in a mexican household, but my family and I used to try different mexican restaurants as frequently as possible.  When we came across chipotle: it was revolutionary.  There were sadly no great mexican restaurants in my area, only did we find good ones when visiting California.  When we discovered Chipotle, we had finally found the best Mexican restaurant in town.

Luckily, there was a Chipotle just one block from my dorm.  I have been there multiple times over the past week… even though I don’t like to admit that.  One of the reason’s I love to eat it is because it reminds me of getting myself involved in culture.  A culture, that I do not know too much about.  If you know some facts about Mexican culture, please feel free to share.

According to Today I Found Out on April 1, 2014, one of the most popular stories regarding the origination of the burrito is from a man named Juan Mendez.  Juan used to have his donkey – burro in spanish – carry around his supplies.  During the travels, he would keep his food warm by wrapping them in huge homemade flour tortillas.  He would then serve them like this, and the idea and name burrito was created.

Whether or not this is factual, it makes for a very interesting a fun story.  Please share your opinions regarding this story, as it is very entertaining. .

Now, I want to move onto the BEST mexican food I’ve ever had.  Just this last year, I visited Sacramento, California for approximately one week.  During this trip, I divulged in mexican food for over half the days.  On the second day, I went to a more unconventional restaurant.  They called themselves a revolutionary restaurant because they served unique and non-traditional dishes.

For an appetizer, they served black bean muffins.  These were perhaps the best muffins I have ever had, and the black beans were a crazy flavorful twist for a topping.  Then, my main dish was this bowl of chicken and various vegetables in an unimaginably flavorful broth.  You then take the chicken and vegetables along with the small salad that comes on the side, and put it inside a homemade corn tortilla.  To be completely honest, I have no idea what was in the salad, it was not a normal salad.  But overall, this was the most delicious dish I have ever had.

At this point, feel free to share your favorite dishes of mexican food.  I am very interested to know various dishes that maybe I have not heard about.  They could be very interesting; furthermore, I might want to try them.