How we made it: PC® Mexican-inspired street food
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How we made it: PC® Mexican-inspired street food

How We Made It

From corn fritters to cilantro lime crema, we’re bringing flavours inspired by Mexican street food to your grocery aisle.

Chances are you’re already into Taco Tuesdays, or maybe you’ve been known to order from your favourite Mexican restaurant at least once a week for their killer tamales. But there’s so much more to this country’s cuisine, and that was the starting point for our collection of must-try products this summer.  

“Taco Tuesday is, to me, very typical of a regional or global cuisine that starts to trend,” says Kathlyne Ross, vice-president of product development and innovation at Loblaw Companies Ltd. Taco culture can be a fun jumping off point for exploring other aspects of Mexican cuisine, she says. “It doesn’t take long before people want to get deeper and deeper into it.” 

To help folks journey further into the flavours, a new lineup of products: , ,  and .

Consider the , which was inspired by the simple, totally delicious fish tacos commonly found along the Baja Peninsula. A blend of garlic, onion, cumin, other spices, chipotle peppers and lime zest makes for a salty-sweet multi-purpose seasoning that’s especially good on mild white fish or shrimp.  

Meanwhile, the new corn fritter was inspired by elotes, a very popular street food snack in Mexico that consists of grilled corn on the cob slathered in a mayo-based sauce and topped with lime, chili powder and salty cheese. PC® product developers loved elotes so much, they wanted to share it with Canadians – in some form. 

 are a frozen hors d’oeuvre that pays homage to a loaded elote’s delicious flavour, but in a crispy bite-sized morsel. There’s plenty of fresh tasting cilantro, but instead of the traditional cotija cheese, the fritters use feta which is a good substitute, PC® product developer Tarrah Laidman explains.  

Corn tortillas are an important base for many Mexican dishes, including tacos, so developing a good one just made sense.  are made with nixtamalized corn, which is traditional throughout Mexico and Central America. This means the kernels have been soaked in a lime solution to make them easier to grind. “This age-old process is what makes for the authentic flavour, aroma, nutrition and pliability of great tortillas,” she says. 

There’s a misconception that corn tortillas tear easily, but Laidman suggests throwing them on the grill or even heating them in a frying pan before using  – they’ll emerge soft, pliable and ready to fill. You could even fry them in pork fat, if you’re the kind of person who likes over-the-top flavour.  

Shredded cheese is fine, but have you ever topped your taco with crema?  is inspired by this traditional, sour cream-like finishing sauce. Ours comes in a squeeze bottle – genius! – and is made with sour cream, concentrated lime juice and cilantro. Go ahead and make your tacos extra spicy – crema can help tame the heat. 

To wash away the spice, or create more, can we pour you a cup of ? Don’t let the addition of jalapeño intimidate you; the overall flavour is fresh, green and drinkable, and the heat is gentle. Use it to make a bold, refreshing cocktail—it makes a great —or throw it in a blender with ice for a grown-up-friendly slushy.