Vodka and Tacos?

October 4th is National Taco Day! A taco is a traditional Mexican dish made with chicken, beef, vegetables, or seafood. The filling is folded inside a soft or hard tortilla and garnished with toppings such as cheese, salsa, or guacamole.

In 1520, the conquistador Hernando Cortez wrote to King Charles V of Spain to describe his experiences in the New World. In his letter, he mentioned a delicious meal the Aztec inhabitants prepared with “tlaxcalli” or “tortilla.” This is the first historical reference to tacos!

Considered the Mexican equivalent of the English word, ‘sandwich,’ this is the day to celebrate your “south of the border” cravings. So whether it’s crispy tripe tacos, soft shrimp tacos, Tacos dorados (fried tacos), flautas or taquitos, don’t rely on a chain like Taco Bell, surf the web for a simple recipe and get to eating! This special day even has a theme song, “It’s Raining Tacos!”

October 4th is also National Vodka Day! The versatile, once virtually tasteless and odorless liquor accounts for almost 20% to 25% of spirits sold today in North America. Our most popular libation, it crossed became such in the 1970s when it outpaced bourbon as America’s favorite spirit. As for brands overall, Smirnoff is the most popular liquor brand, with sales of $315-million in 2014. Captain Morgan Rum comes next (with retail sales of $224-million), with Jack Daniels ($219-million), Bacardi ($204-million) and Crown Royal ($187-million) rounding out the top five.