Posted 9 September 2026 in words

Ceci n’est pas un taco

Iceland:

A submarine-type sandwich in a plastic wrapper offered for sale in many shops in Iceland, The label says, “Pepperoni Taco”. It is not a taco.

France:

A menu board at a restaurant in Paris calling itself Chamas Tacos It offers a food item which appears to be a rectangular chunk of meet and cheese with optional add-ons including onion rings and sauces which include ketchup and mayonnaise all wrapped in what might be a wheat tortilla or might be a crepe. This is not a taco.

United States:

1970s Weight Watchers Recipe Card showing “FIsh ‘Tacos’”—finally scare quotes that earn their keep. It’s a slice of toast with bit of fish, some sort of weird red sauce and shredded lettuce scattered on top of it. There might also be corn. This is not a taco. A taco from Taco Bell. You’ve all seen them and they have nothing to do with actual tacos which are served on corn tortillas, not these weird folded tostada things that did not exist before Glen Bell opened his first restaurant. How about that, the Bell in the name isn’t some vague abstract decoration, it’s actually the guy’s name. Regardless, this is not a taco.

Ceci n’est pas un taco

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