The blog
Mexican food, explained plainly.
Short guides to the dishes, ingredients and regional cooking behind what Doc’s Taco Shop served in Liberty City, Texas. Start with the menu it all came from.
73 posts · 7 topics
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Why Tacos Fall Apart (and How to Stop It)
Corn tortillas crack because of starch retrogradation, not dryness. Here is the mechanism, and the four things that actually fix it.
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Mexican Beer Styles: Why They Taste the Way They Do
Most Mexican beer is one of two styles: pale lager or Vienna lager. Here is what separates them and which is which on a typical menu.
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Are Corn Tortillas Gluten Free? What to Check First
Corn contains no gluten, but a corn tortilla is not automatically safe. Here is what to check on the label and what to ask at a restaurant.
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What Is Pollo Asado? The Chicken on Mexican Taco Menus
Pollo asado is chicken marinated in citrus and achiote, then grilled. Here is what gives it the orange colour and how it differs from plain pollo.
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Mexican Cheeses Explained: Cotija, Oaxaca, Queso Fresco
Some Mexican cheeses melt and some deliberately do not. Here is what cotija, Oaxaca, queso fresco and panela each do, and what to substitute.
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Tex-Mex vs Mexican Food: What’s the Difference?
Yellow cheese, cumin, flour tortillas and ground beef mark Tex-Mex; corn, chillies and pork mark Mexican cooking. Here is what separates them.
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What Is a Suegrita? The Mother-in-Law Taco, Explained
Suegrita means 'little mother-in-law'. At Doc's it named a crisp double-tortilla taco stuffed with cabbage and cheese. Here is what the name means.
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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail vs American: Not the Same Dish
Cóctel de camarones is a chilled soup eaten with a spoon, not shrimp hung on a glass. Here is how the two dishes actually differ.
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Mexican Crema vs Sour Cream: What’s the Difference?
Crema is thinner, milder and higher in fat than sour cream, and it will not split in a hot dish. Here is what separates them.
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What Is a Michelada? The Mexican Beer Drink, Explained
A michelada is beer built into a savoury drink with lime, sauces and a salted rim. Here is what goes in one and how it differs from a chelada.
Doc’s Taco Shop closed permanently on 19 July 2025. These guides stay up because the food they describe did not go anywhere.