Jonah Burke

According to Mexican tradition, the burrito was invented by Juan Mendez, a street vendor who sold tacos wrapped in large flour tortillas during the Mexican Revolution, 100 years ago. Mendez transported himself and his food on a donkey or burro. Hence the name burrito.

In the ensuing 100 years, the burrito has, in my opinion (and with apologies to Sr. Mendez), gone off the rails. The traditional Mexican burrito composed of one or two ingredients has given way to the oversized, overstuffed, overly caloric American variety: tortilla, beans, cheese, sour cream, guac, lettuce, tomato, meat, etc., etc. Too many of these mega-burritos are unhealthy, soggy, hard to eat, and just plain unappetizing.

What we need, then, is a burrito for the next hundred years, one that retains the yumminess, convenience, and nutritional value of the Mendez variant but also takes advantage of the diversity of foods available today and appeals to the correspondingly broad tastes of the American eater. A burrito that brings the excitement back to wrapped foods, the same alegria de comer that drew Mexicans from hundreds of miles to Mendez and his famous steed.

In this blog post, I intend to propose such a burrito. But first, to motivate my formula, let me outline the chief problems with today’s product, the kind you might get at Chipotle or even local joints like Northampton’s own La Veracruzana.

First, they are too thick. Why is this a problem? Each bite of a burrito should provide a cross-section: an equal sampling of all the ingredients. Most burritos today preclude such a bite: you just can’t fit them in your mouth. You’re reduced to alternating components — first a little rice and beans, then a little veg and guac, etc. — or, worse yet, eating with a knife and fork. If you’re going to do that, what’s the point? Get a taco salad.

Second, and relatedly, the tortilla-to-filling ratio is completely out of whack. Due to the ever-increasing diameter of today’s burrito and the constant thickness of the tortilla, this critical ratio is under constant downward pressure. The result is a tortilla subordinated to filling, acting as a mere shell, and a burrito with no yin to its yang.

Finally, there is the problem of texture, which manifests itself in two areas. First, even though contemporary burritos have more ingredients than the Mendez variety, all of the ingredients have the same mushy consistency. You might as well be eating a samosa. Don’t believe me? Slip into a Chipotle, and you will see an entire meal prepared with a spoon: no fingers needed, and no prongs. Second: many, many burritos come soggy. Liquid from tomato or unspun lettuce has seeped down, soaking the tortilla and creating a mess. La Veracruz, I’m looking at you.

So what to do? Shall we perform a gastronomic John Roberts, forsaking the burrito and casting aside 100 years of precedent? No, we shall not. That would be rash and downright arrogant. Instead, a more measured approach is called for — an eater’s stare decisis. We must understand where we’ve gone wrong, take stock, and amend our formula in pursuit of a more perfect foodthing.

Number one, we must make smaller burritos. We must restore the tortilla-to-filling ratio. We must! Smaller tortillas are not necessary, in case you have a 20-pack in your freezer. Simply use less filling. Number two, to fully restore the tortilla-filling parity, we must seek higher quality tortillas. In Brooklyn, where I live, you simply can’t find a well-crafted, additive-free burrito in most delis or supermarkets. You have to seek out the goods at Perelandra or the co-op. But it’s worth it: Not only do these tortillas yield flavor worthy of Sr. Mendez; they also withstand liquid, addressing the problem of sogginess. Number three, we must vary the texture of the filling, liberally employing kernel corn, radish slices, fresh romaine (dried, of course), and other crunchy items. The resulting bite (comprehensive due to smaller size) should feel like biting through a cold ice-cream sandwich: some crunch, some mush. And finally, as is the case with so many things in America today, we must prepare our burritos with moderation, choosing a few complementary ingredients and using a bit of each, rather than pumping the tortilla full like a sausage.

I’ve already made a few burritos following my new philosophy, and I’ve been pleased with the results. I just may have it: the burrito for the next hundred years. Check back often for updates on my quest.