Have you ever wondered where little donkeys come from? No, we’re not talking about the animal, we’re talking about burritos! If you take it as a literal translation, burrito translates to little donkey with burro being donkey and -ito being little.
Where did the burrito come from? We know it as a staple in Mexican cuisine, and we can recognize its characteristic meat, cheese, and bean filling stuffed in a tortilla, but how did it all start.
Unfortunately, the precise date, location, and inventor of the burrito has been lost, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty of fun stories surrounding this tasty dish! Some speculate that a street vendor in Chihuahua invented it during the Mexican revolution in the 1910s. The story goes that Juan Méndez wrapped food in a tortilla to make it easier to transport and then sold it from a cart his donkey pulled.
Another speculation is that the burrito arrived in the 1940s from a different street vendor in Ciudad Juárez. Much the same as Juan Méndez, this street vendor served food wrapped in a tortilla to schoolchildren. The difference is that he didn’t have a donkey and that he often called the children the derogatory term, burritos – which is basically calling them dull-witted.
Lastly, there is the idea that burritos came from the people of Sonora. They are said to have invented it because it was easy to travel with, and since donkeys used to be a way of travel, it’s no wonder that the burrito once again found a name for itself with the aid of these animals.
Now, you may be wondering which story holds the most weight with historians. Well, it seems many favor the last one regarding the people of Sonora. This is because the region is known for its wheat-growing. In other words, it had plenty of access to tortillas, making the innovative burrito a strong possibility.
And that is the exciting tale of the burrito! We hope you’ll give one of our burritos a try April 1st in celebration of National Burrito Day! Yes, it falls on April Fool’s Day, but it’s no joke. The burrito day is real. Oh, and the burritos, too!
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