WATCH: Chayanne Tries Tacos al Pastor for the First Time—His Reaction Is Priceless
Singer Chayanne has had an incredible solo career all over Mexico for the past 40 years. His music has resonated with millions of fans in the Spanish-speaking world, crossing generations. Yet, apparently, Chayanne never tried the most famous Mexican dish: tacos al pastor.
He recently tried the sweet and savory dish for the first time and took to social media to share his joy. Honestly, we just don’t understand how someone could go so long in Mexico without taking a bite out of Mexican history. His pure joy eating the tacos al pastor is one of the most relatable things on social media right now.
Chayanne finally tried tacos al pastor, and he is a big fan
The Puerto Rican singer has spent much time in Mexico performing and vibing. Somehow, through the decades, tacos al pastor always eluded him. It is really a wild concept that you can be in Mexico and not have tried one of the most traditional and famed foods.
Chayanne wanted to share this moment with fans. So, of course, he posted a video to his Instagram Story. In the video, Chayanne gushes over the complexity of the flavors working together as they hit his taste buds for the first time. His excitement over the taco is evident in how he talks about the flavor profile. The sweet and savory flavors working together intrigued and delighted his taste buds. He is a fan of the unique culinary experience.
“This is spectacular,” Chayanne says to the camera while smiling. “They add pineapple, which I have never eaten like this. They put a little pineapple on it, and it gives it a little sweetness, and it changes [the taco]. Your palate explodes.”
We are so excited to see Chayanne in a moment of unadulterated excitement after taking a bite of his taco al pastor. The sweet and savory taco has been a staple in Mexican cuisine for almost a century in different ways. There’s a reason that people around the world know this taco and why it has held on as an essential culinary example of Mexico.
The Taco al pastor has a deep history in Mexico tied to immigration
Immigrants from Lebanon created the taco al pastor after immigrating to Mexico. The flavor of the meat used for the taco is traditional in Mexico. Chefs use classic Mexican herbs and spices to flavor the pork cooked on a trompo. The trompo is thanks to Lebanese immigrants who used the trompo to cook meat for shawarmas.
To be fair, the taco and the shawarma are very similar. They both consist of meat, vegetables, cheese, and a wrap to contain all of the good bits. So, seeing the natural progression to adding ingredients commonly found in Mexico with a Lebanese twist makes sense.
The shawarma evolved in Mexico with pork replacing lamb. The flour tortilla and pita eventually got replaced with the corn tortilla. The whole taco is a testament to the ways that immigrants not only transform food and culture in new countries but also how they bring the two cultures together.
The one mystery that still surrounds the taco al pastor is the addition of the pineapple. Arguably, the pineapple is one ingredient that truly sets this taco apart from the rest. Yet, no one truly knows when the pineapple was introduced or why. All we know is that the pineapple’s sweetness, mixed with the savory spices on the pork, really amplifies the diner’s experience.
Chayanne’s video of pure jubilation trying tacos al pastor is a testament to the strength of merging cultures. It is also a strong reminder that immigrants make the world go round and create things that show appreciation for their new homes.
