As I wrap up this podcast, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout our episodes. This podcast has been a reflection of my life, my family, and the lessons learned in our taco truck days. 

A special thanks goes to Stanford Florence (Flobama), Patrick Owen, and José Ralat, as they all helped me on pivotal paths to achieve many of these episodes.

My siblings, Martha, Jose, Victor and Mike have not only contributed to the richness of our podcast but also profoundly shaped my identity as the proud son of taqueros.

Though my parents no longer run the taco truck, their legacy and passion fueled my voice and creativity. Their sacrifices inspired me to explore my own path, one that has led me to my amazing wife and without her, there is simply no podcast. 

With over 60,000 downloads and 97 episodes, every return visit from you echoed the loyalty of my parents' taco truck customers, a testament to the love and connection we've built. 

Thank you for joining me on this adventure. This may be the end of the podcast, but the journey continues in new forms.

TAQUOTE: “May you all keep flipping tortillas with your bare hands”

My sister’s restaurant - Cantaritos Restaurant & Bar  

                                          1530 Washington Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

American Tacos: A History and Guide  by  José R. Ralat

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It has been an honor to be part of your speakers and or headphones!

Recently, when I heard some white girl call her salsa ‘restaurant style home-made’ I was triggered to make a reaction video to call her out on her use of ‘catchy’ words to attract an audience. When I think about social media's influence, I wonder if I would have taken to promoting our food like so many do today, claiming we had the best tacos. 

On today’s episode, I tell you about what I call inappropriate motivations – when guided by bad intentions, you will likely yield negative results.

I often reflect on the role my mother's fiery salsa played in our taco truck. Late-night customers, often a drunk off their assess, would line up for tacos, and we kept the extra spicy salsa separate to enhance their experience and possibly sober them back to reality. While there was no concrete evidence that the salsa sobered them up, their reactions—sweating and cursing yet still enjoying their food—indicated it was doing something right.

My parents operated with humility, believing in the power of our food to speak for itself. They taught us that confidence doesn't require boastfulness, and I realize now how effective true sincerity can be in attracting customers.

Ultimately, I appreciate how my parents ran our taco business with a focus on genuine connections and continuously improving our offerings. They instilled in us the importance of gratitude and respect, which forged lasting relationships with our customers and helped build our reputation. This understanding of authenticity in business continues to resonate with me today as I honor their legacy.

TAQUOTE: “A tortilla has two sides”

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Thinking back four years to when the pandemic began is like rewatching a tough episode because it reminds us of how hard things were. Many people lost loved ones during that time. But it's also important to see that we made it through and are moving forward.

Even though we still face challenges from the pandemic, if we stop and ask ourselves, "Are things better now than during the pandemic?" I believe a lot of people would say yes.

It's like looking at how much we've improved since then and feeling hopeful about the future. We went through some really tough stuff, but we're getting stronger and making progress every day.

This episode speaks about the questions we ask that serve us no real purpose. And it stems, for me, at least, from a time I'd been robbed while working in the taco truck.

"Questions that Waste Time"

What are the lessons I learned from the day someone took 5 dollars from my hand and ran away?

If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between!

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  TAQUOTE: "Reflection without actions is like a taco without a tortilla!"

In this episode, I express my deep love for cilantro and its essential role in creating real tacos. To me, a taco isn't complete without the fresh burst of flavor that cilantro, along with onion and salsa roja, brings to the table.

But my affection for cilantro goes beyond its culinary necessity. It symbolizes a profound sense of gratitude for my journey to the USA. Growing up in my parents' taco truck exposed me to the art of chopping cilantro, a skill that laid the foundation for my success today. This simple herb embodies the sacrifices my parents made, igniting a flame of appreciation that fuels my every endeavor.

Through the experience of chopping cilantro, I forged a stronger connection to my roots and the hard work that defines my family. It's not just about the taste; it's about honoring the dedication and perseverance that have shaped my life. From pursuing higher education to seizing rewarding job opportunities, cilantro serves as a reminder of the resilience and spirit that courses through my heritage.

Join me on this journey as we explore how a humble herb like cilantro can carry the weight of tradition, love, and the unwavering bond between family and food. Let's chop, savor, and celebrate the essence of cilantro together, one taco at a time.

Thank you for tuning into this heartfelt episode. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between!

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  TAQUOTE: “Cilantro taste like soap to certain people because it’s God’s way of telling them to wash out their filthy fucken mouths!” 

In this special episode, we honor my dad on his birthday by sharing the invaluable lessons I learned from him that shaped his success as a taquero. These lessons, which I call "Taco Truck Rules to Live By," are not just for running a taco truck—they are principles for living a fulfilling life.

Today is my dad’s birthday. Honoring him by sharing the "Taco Truck Rules to Live By."

Taco Truck Rules to Live By:

1.    Don’t be late – Always be punctual.

2.    Be courteous – Treat everyone with respect.

3.    Be welcoming – Create an inviting atmosphere.

4.    Be grateful – Appreciate what you have.

5.    Be thankful – Show gratitude to those around you.

6.    Be forgiving – Learn to forgive others.

7.    Be clean – Maintain cleanliness in all aspects.

8.    Behave – Act responsibly and ethically.

9.    Believe – Have faith in yourself and your mission.

10. Repeat 1-9 every day – Make these rules a daily habit.

At the very least, life will guide you to some tacos. What I’m really after is peace, love, and tacos!

Thank you for tuning into this heartfelt episode. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. Let's spread the love for peace, tacos, and everything in between!

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By following these Taco Truck Rules, you can bring more joy and fulfillment into your life, just like my dad did every day.

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TAQUOTE: “If you know how to cook, you should thank a chef. But if you know how to make tacos, then you should thank a taquero!” 

Authenticity used to be a word with significant meaning, but I think it has now become subjective and often exploited as a marketing tool. I once tweeted, "The closer you come to making it from scratch, the more authintic it will be." And that tweet reflected my beliefs at that time. The belief in the value of effort and craftmanship. Howeveer, a friend's perpective, based on the "abuelita principle," has challenged my assertion. Or at least that's how it felt when he replied, "Authenticity is a myth!" His point was valid. He argues that what we consider authentic is deeply personal and tied to our earliest experiences, such as the food cooked by one's grandmother. Since everyone's experiences and memories differ, defining authenticity universally becomes impossible. This, he says, makes authenticity more of a personal opinion than objective truth. 

The idea of authentic Mexican cuisine illustrates the subjective nature of authenticity. If you believe your grandmother's cooking is the best, no other dish will measure up. Moreover, not every grandmother's cooking is exceptionally good or unique, adding to the complexity. This subjectivity has, in my view, turned authenticity into a marketing buzzword, reducing it to a myth. Marketers use it to attract attention but often deceive consumers. Despite this, I still believe that making something from scratch brings it closer to being authentic. While others may see this as just my opinion, it retains some of its original significance for me.

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TAQUOTE: “Flipping tortillas with your bare hands is authenticity!” 

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Today on the show, I want to share a recent internal conflict that inspired me to create a reaction video on TikTok. The video featured a Mexican lady making tacos, but they weren't just any tacos; they were White People Taco Night tacos. This stirred feelings of sadness and internal conflict within me.

However, this experience also led me to some podcast therapy. During this episode, I was reminded of the struggle encapsulated by the phrase "Ni de aquí ni de allá" (not from here nor from there). I came to realize that Mexicans making white people tacos isn't a bad thing; it should be embraced. It's akin to blending English and Spanish to create Spanglish.

So, instead of getting upset about how someone makes tacos, I've learned it's always better to be like the tortilla in a taco—open and ready to embrace it all!

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TAQUOTE: “Be like the tortilla and a taco, be open and take it all in!” 

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Today on the show, I delve into personal stories and the life lessons I learned from my dad, especially as he faced dementia. We'll explore the profound impact these lessons have had on my life and how they've inspired positive changes. Join me as I reflect on the question, "Who are you?" and share how this journey has influenced my self-discovery and growth.

But we start with a confession and how that’s leading me to question my growth on some social platforms.

Finally, I tell you of the little device my dad used to use to dispense change and how I’m trying to use that device metaphorically.

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TAQUOTE: “A taco with no tortilla is not a taco at all!” 

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Today on the show, I want to share with you the extraordinary power of tacos. Now, this is a kind of force that isn't visible to the eye. I remember as a kid, when I looked up the definition of work, it said, "Work is the ability to produce power!" Well, the power of tacos definitely requires some work, and this work manifests in numerous ways.

It's a force that's somewhat elusive, hard to put into words. But I'm going to give it my best shot. I'll do so by sharing a recent experience that allowed me to take a step back and really appreciate how the power of tacos works. And by the end of this, I hope you'll be pondering how the power of tacos might be at play in your own life — and guess what? You might not even need tortillas for it to work its magic.

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TAQUOTE: “Faith is believing in good when surrounded by bad!” 

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Today on this episode I want to revisit what carne asada means, as it relates to getting together. If you ever get invited to a carne asada consider yourself special. That event is seasoned and the experience would just make it taste better.

I also want to tell you what this meat, or rather the saying, “carne asada” really means to me. How my experience moving to the United States helped shape how I see this meat and more importantly, how it has helped shape my life.

Carne asada just makes everything better.

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TAQUOTE: “When life throws you a cow, make carne asada!” 

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Taco Freakin Holders  

Today on this episode we explore my opinion of taco holders. Not going to lie, I freakin hate them. I think taco holders are superfluous at best and colonial hierarchy at worst. But on this episode we’ll just focus on the good.

I tell you a quick story of how taco holders are like scheduling apps that don’t work if you are not going to deliver on what was promised.

I also flip the tortilla and tell you about a recent trip to Kansas City, Missouri. On this trip, my wife and I went to a highly recommended barbeque spot that served me two pork belly tacos made of flour tortillas and served on taco holders. In short, I was served……..  And it made me change my mind (just a little) about taco holders.  

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TAQUOTE: “There are tacos that delight the eye but don’t captivate the heart!” 

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