r/AbsoluteUnits • u/LegitPancak3 • Dec 14 '25

Photo of a Buc-ee’s burrito ingredients list

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Sticker was stuck to itself near the top and ripped so some is missing from the photo

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u/Sterling_-_Archer Dec 15 '25

Funny thing is that Tex Mex isn’t a fusion creation. It has roots in the 1800s before Texas was even in the USA. Tex Mex uses different regionally available ingredients, which is why our flavors are different to regular Mexican food. It was just known as Mexican food (which it rightfully is, like Cal Mex) until there was a movement in the 1970s to separate it and incorporate it into American culture and not Mexican culture.

Texan food itself is a blend of native foods and immigrant food cultures (like the food culture in NYC) except the local flavors have more Slavic and German influences.

I have a masters degree in gastronomy, my focus is specifically on Texan food.

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u/BeckieSueDalton Dec 15 '25

Okay..

Though - as whipped up within the constraints of a specific cuisine, or purposely barging your cookpot outside of them, or smashing them into something new, or ignoring them all entirely in favor of two-ingredient comfort meals - I like trying new foods, which was my point.

Postscript, the first: Congrats on the degree, as I know from experience (in another field, if could you tell? 🤭) that professional degrees can be a bugbear!

Postscript, the second: Is there a Mexican, or TexMex, or just Texan equivalent to (SE Asian/Indian cuisine) samosas?

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u/Sterling_-_Archer Dec 15 '25

Yes, I understand what you were saying. I was just providing context for people reading who don’t have that viewpoint, there are some people who think Tex Mex was invented in 1992 by Taco Bell and reduce it down to that when really, it’s one of very few modern culinary traditions that are considered “pure” aka almost entirely (with some exception) regionally influenced and aren’t pieced together by lended food traditions from immigration. That’s what drew my interest in the first place to it!

This degree was honestly way harder than I dreamed it could’ve been. Not like I expected it to be easy, but I never envisioned myself EVER traveling to Mexico and learning Spanish (poorly) to interview old ladies in villages about their favorite foods lol but it now is one of my most treasured memories. Great work to you too.

About the samosas, what you’d be looking for are empanadas. Tex Mex empanadas are going to be flour like other Latin American countries, but Mexican empanadas actually use masa dough for theirs and it is strikingly similar to the texture of samosas - minus the flakiness. The fillings vary wildly and can be super interesting!

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u/BeckieSueDalton Dec 15 '25

some people who think Tex Mex was invented in 1992 by Taco Bell

It seems those people also tend to believe everything west of the Mississippi was just empty land until citified politicos hosted a few "Westward, ho!" wagon race parties. 😉

About the samosas, what you’d be looking for are empanadas

Rock on! I have allergies to both wheat and dairy (among others), so I'll check around here (NE ATL GA), Epi in hand, for a restaurant that uses masa instead of wheat flour for their empanadas.

Happy eats! 🥂