Today’s post offers an instructional video of sorts.
While at first it may seem completely pointless to demonstrate how to eat something as basic as a Mexican tostada, I have simply watched too many foreigners struggle with this staple of Mexican cuisine to remain silent any longer.
What is interesting is that the actual technique used to eat a tostada is not too important at all. What is important is being able to search deep within one’s self in order to summon the courage necessary to conquer the fear. What fear? The fear of making a fool of oneself.
Eating a tostada can be a messy ordeal. In fact, it SHOULD be a messy ordeal.
Let me give you an example…
Back in 1999, I left home for a 3 month trip to Asia that has still yet to end.
Earl,
I am not sure what to say about this, it is 7:45 a.m. and I feel like I need another shower.
I do love Mexican Food!
Scott
http://www.travelwithscott.com
Hey Scott – Haha…sorry about that. I warned you that it could get messy!
I could eat Mexican food every meal, every day…which is basically what I’m doing now. Even those tostadas, I eat them at least 3 times per week…usually 4 or 5 times!
The video preview still pretty much says it all…
LOL, this reminds me of the Carl’s Jr commercial slogan: “If it doesn’t get all over the place it doesn’t belong in your face.” Regardless, it looks delicious!
@Nomadic Samuel: That slogan does seem to fit perfectly with any tostada place in Mexico! And yes, they are delicious…so delicious that the staff at the restaurant now know me by name
This video says it all about why I like to travel. No not the food itself, but the attitude… though the sour cream up the nose is a bonus. When I travel, I just ask myself what I would do if I weren’t afraid, then I do that. Thanks for making me laugh, and for the reminder that travel is best done with gusto.
Hey Cara – Being afraid just isn’t an option when we’re traveling, especially if we want to explore and learn as much as possible. We must be comfortable with being the strange person, the outsider, the odd looking person….or else we’d just hole ourselves up in our hotel room. Facing that fear is the way to go.
And yes, sour cream up the nose is indeed a bonus!
Well it looks like I’m doing things right when it comes to most Mexican food then, make a big mess!
Hey Dean – Good point. I could have made this video about any Mexican food and the result would have been practically the same. Whether it’s sour cream, cheese, beans or salsa, something always seems to end up on the face and quite often on the clothes! Glad to know your Mexican food eating skills are well honed.
BWHAHAHAHAHHAAa….ak;lsdksa; lol!
Shaun gets so angry every time he orders a tostada because he hates how messy they are and doesn’t understand how to eat them without them crumbling everywhere.
Thank you for this Earl. This made my day!
Hey Erica – I actually stayed away from tostadas for the first six months I was in Mexico because they were just too intimidating so I know how Shaun feels. But eventually I just stopped caring because the tostadas I saw always looked so good. And now, as messy as it tends to be, I love my tostadas! I’m sure Shaun will come around one day
HAH! That’s great – get in there!!
Hey Cam – Get in there indeed. That tostada went much further up my nose than it appears in the video!
That was funny cus I have grown up eating TOSTADAS & still can not eat them with out making a mess. I just think it’s one of the food that no matter how you try and eat it… its going to make a mess.
Hey Jaime – Okay, well that certainly makes me feel much, much better. I’ve tried dozens of different methods myself but they all seem to lead to the same result as well…that mess in the video. So like you, I just assume that a mess will be made every time I pick one up to eat!
I just really liked how you picked up the bits with your hands at the end… reminds me of my taco eating.
Hey Erica – One of my habits is to eat EVERYTHING on my plate so no matter what I’m eating, there will never be anything left. With the tostadas, I’m not finished until every piece of lettuce and cheese is in my mouth!
cute. I don’t think I’ve ever had a tostada piled that high, yum! It reminds me also of eating avocado and creamcheese sandwiches (the quintissential california ‘veggie’) – the avocado always squirts out the sides of the bread and because I am already a sloppy eater I usually just avoid them. I am truly inspired to indulge in all messy culinary delights now
Hey Radita – It’s the only place I’ve found that serves tostadas loaded so high as well. It’s just a pile of perfection really.
And I could see how avocado and cheese would cause a similar effect, especially if you’re already a sloppy eater. Luckily, it seems to be perfectly acceptable here in Mexico to be as sloppy an eater as one wants!
I love it. That was one hell of a Tostada. Now I know what I must look ike when I am eating one
@Dave and Deb: It is the ultimate tostada that is served up at Dona Mary’s! And I’m glad to hear that you’re as messy as I am when you eat them. I think we are in the majority.
How such a simple video can be so great
Love this video!! We laughed so hard. You can’t eat a tostada without making a mess, but that doesn’t take away the yumminess of it
P.S. Thanks for making us hungry, and thanks for making us miss Playa!! We miss Mexican food so much!
Hey Dani – Haha…that was my goal. Since you made me miss Indian food after your talk about the Indian restaurants in Lisbon, I wanted to get you back by making you miss Mexican food
Man… I can’t have cream on the tip on my nose like that… it will drive me nuts! Better I get a nose cover if I’m going to eat a Mexican Tostada!
Hey Dina – There just might be a market for tostada nose covers. Although, I think you’ll find that after one or two attempts, you’ll come to enjoy the cream on the nose!
How to eat a tostada 101! I don’t suppose a fork or chopsticks would be appropriate but I do think a napkin to wipe off the cream on your nose would have been. LOL!
@Wifey of a Roadie: Perhaps a napkin would have been acceptable. Although, I would have had to use a napkin after every bite and that just seems like a waste
And if a person was to use a fork, they would receive more stares from other diners than if they had their entire face covered in cream (which is much more common)!
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Very funny! I vote for Earl as the next Anthony Bourdain!
Hey Raymond – Haha…..well, that’s one vote at least!
You my friend are a Mexican tostada professional.
hahahahahaha, dude I was laughing out loud on this video man, so cheesy with the shit-eating-grin at the end, had me rolling man. You should post more videos man, would be nice to see a minute or two video on your site 2x a month or something. Just tostada fr your thought! lol
Hey T-roy – Yeah, yeah…go and make fun of me, that’s fine
How could I not add that grin at the end??
And thanks for the confidence boost about my videos. I’ve been thinking of adding more but I wasn’t quite sure if I should do that. I like the idea of 2 videos per month.
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HA HA HA….you should have followed up the video by pulling out a razor to shave your armpits. Classic!!!!!!
Hey Craig – Maybe I’ll make that video this week…it’s time to shave them again