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  • Why I do what I do.

    Like most journeys in life, the creation and progression of my IG account was sparked by a miscalculation. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved Taco Bell since I was in the womb (my mom ate the Taco Bell bean burrito all throughout her pregnancy with me, which is a story for another time), but my love for what I do now all started when my brother and I made a midnight Taco Bell run. It was a late night in Pittsburgh back in 2015, when Taco Bell had the DareDevil Grillers on the menu (RIP). Having lived together in the past we decided to bring back a brotherly ritual of grabbing TB and coming home to enjoy it with beer. Nothing could beat the beautiful pairing between a warm tortilla, grilled to perfection, packed with grilled chicken, nacho cheese, red strips and your choice of chipotle sauce, habanero sauce or the fiery ghost pepper sauce and a chilled, amber, malty, carbonated beer. We decided that we would get one of each. Thankfully he lives a few minutes from a TB so we drove up, procured the goods and headed home. Super smooth process with no hiccups. Upon our return, we unfolded the warm aluminum wrappers on the grillers and took a moment to cherish what we were about to dive into. Plates were set, sauce packets were on hand as we delicately transferred the grillers from the wrapper to the plate. The Yuenglings were being chilled in the fridge, ready to be cracked open and release that pop of effervescence, or were they. Not checking the fridge before leaving was a catastrophic misstep. To our dismay, there was no beer in the fridge, let alone in the entire house. Behind the milk, sodas, Gatorades, juice bottles and Hershey’s syrup sat a Riesling and so with nothing else to drink we cracked that twist bottle open. It looked elegant, but prior to this moment I had no idea what wine really was. I knew it came from grapes, it was fermented and was bottled in tubes of glass. Aside from that, I found it to be unapproachable not because of taste but because of its air of sophistication. In a wine glass sat this fancy looking crisp, gold hued, slightly bubbly beverage. It smelled great. The aroma was as if someone had spiked water with hints of jasmine, lime and apples. I took a sip and it was not sweet, which I liked. Apprehensively we began the meal. I took a bite of the Ghost Pepper Griller and was immediately floored by the heat. It was hot enough for my body to realize that there was trouble but it peaked at a level before I began to perspire. I was stuck in the limbo between carrying on and putting the griller down to have a break. At that moment is when I grabbed the Riesling and took a very generous sip. In an instant my taste buds felt relief, but they also detected a palatable satisfaction. The wine had an acidic profile which cut through the fattiness of the nacho cheese and the creaminess of the ghost pepper sauce. Its chilled floral notes curbed the ghost pepper spice while balancing out the smoky char on the chicken. My mouth went dry (which I later learned is attributed to the dryness of the wine) as if I had not eaten anything spicy, which led me to craving the Griller even more. I was really enjoying this meal so I took a moment to sit back and take it all in. What I found to be intimidating actually tasted fantastic. My taste buds were experiencing a sensory overload as I tried to comprehend what I was feeling. Before continuing with the meal, I had a moment. The juxtaposition of our Taco Bell and wine was eye opening, looked hilarious and was a serious lesson in trying new things. I took a photo. This fortunate misstep definitely set the path that I am on now and it has broadened my horizons more than ever. Follow me (here and hit that follow button on IG) on my journey of exploring the Taco Bell menu while I try new wines, talk to culinary and wine experts, and create content that I find funny and hope that you do too! TacoBellSommelier

  • Celebrating Taco Bell's 60th Anniversary (Blog from June '22, Part 2)

    🎶 OH what a night, late March back in '62 Glen made Taco Bell for me and you. "What's a 'tay-co'?" What a night! 🎶 60 years later, we gather at Taco Bell's HQ in Irvine, California to celebrate all the great years since that big opening day in March 21, 1962. Food trucks, picture backdrops, two stages, and Taco Bell Numero Uno - we are all set for the Taco Bell Live Más Music Feast-For-All. When Glen Bell opened his first 400 square foot Taco Bell in Downey, CA, he sold Tostados, Burritos, Frijoles, Chiliburgers, and Tacos, all for 19 cents. ""Numero Uno" [shown above] operated as a Taco Bell until 1986. For the following 28 years it would serve as home to other taqueria shops until it's official closure in 2014. With new development planned for the surround land, the building was slated for demolition. But, in November of 2015, in partnership with the Downey Conservancy, We Are The Next and Taco Bell, Numero Uno was saved. Raised from it's foundation, the building took a 45-mile journey through the streets of Southern California, ending here at the Taco Bell HQ in Irvine." Fans will be excited to know the iconic building is set to find a new home in the coming year and will remain in SoCal. Glen set the stage for what it means to "Live Más", as I've learned personally reading 'Taco Titan: The Glen Bell Story' by Debra Lee Baldwin. Glen rose from poverty, served as a cook in the U.S. Marine Corps, and through trial and error built multiple successful restaurants before creating Taco Bell - which would turn into the innovative powerhouse that it is today. Glen was fueled by his passion for food and the restaurant business allowing him to succeed. Later on, almost 20 years after selling Taco Bell, Glen would find Bell Gardens; a magnificent landscaped park and produce farm open to the public. Glen also supported 4-H, Boy's and Girl's Club, Scripps Hospital, the Salvation Army, and many more. In the first half of 2022, Taco Bell Foundation donated $100,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America on a national level. ~ At the 60th Anniversary party, Taco Bell featured many different food truck vendors. Partnering specifically with Yeastie Boys, Pablito's Tacos, Milk Bar, and Burnt truck, they offered many innovative collab dishes inspired by Taco Bell flavors. Also found were the Taco Bell Truck, Kogi food truck. One of the collabs included this twist on a Crunchy Taco known as the "Everything Seasoned Crunchy Taco". If you're a fan of the bagel with a similar name, this is definitely for you. Dipped in a cup of warm nacho cheese sauce, this Yeastie Boys collab stole the show. To see more of the collabs with Yeastie Boys or to check them out in general, their Instagram page is full of all sorts of neat creations. Check them out here. There were a couple big on-stage moments of the night, one being when CEO Mark King brought up Greg Creed, former CEO to YUM! Brands and before that CEO to Taco Bell. Creed spent 25 years between Taco Bell and YUM! Brands and oversaw many of the events and innovations we experienced as consumers. The other big on-stage moment later on in the night featured Lisa Bartlett, Orange County's Fifth District Supervisor, declaring June 23 "Live Más Day" in celebration of Taco Bell's SoCal roots. This resolution highlights Taco Bell's historic contributions to Orange County and marks a day to be celebrated for years to come. While our belly's were filling up with great food, our ears were filling with great sounds. With DJ Lanz on the turntable, Taco Bell also featured performances by Taco Bell Foundation scholars and Feed the Beat artists. These two Taco Bell missions bring the brand's "Live Más" slogan to life. The two foundation scholar artists were Christian Beck and Kate Consentino. Christian, native to Kentucky, is an American Idol Alumni and Coca-Cola scholar as well. Kate is a four-time Live Más Scholarship recipient, singer/songwriter, and Belmont University Graduate. Next on stage, featured in Taco Bell's Fall 2018 Feed the Beat lineup of 100 artists, is one-man-band Mobley. Performing with keyboard, guitar, drums, and much more, the energy is intoxicating, making it impossible to just sit in your seat and listen. This talented performance knocked the taco socks off all our feet. The stage was now set for the unstoppable force of LP Giobbi to round out the night. Called the Queen of Piano House, leading record label Animal Talk, and creator of nonprofit Femme House, LP takes to the turntables to get every last person on their feet to dance the night away. And just like that, the night is history one for the history books. What Taco Bell calls it's "first-ever Live Más Music Feast-For-All" was a 60th Anniversary party to never forget. We can only hope for more Music Feast-For-All events in the future. Maybe a nationwide tour? Sign me up! Live Más!

  • Visit to Taco Bell HQ and Test Kitchen (Blog from June '22, Part 1)

    Last week I was given the opportunity to visit Taco Bell's headquarters as well as attend their 60th Anniversary party. I want to take this time to share a little of my experience as well as share some info about Taco Bell and this celebration. First step was meeting up with the other invitees and Taco Bell staff at the HQ, located at 1 Glen Bell Way Irvine. We started with a tour and peak into the lives of a Taco Bell HQ employee. As employees enter every day, they are greeted by a blast from the past. The Taco Bell logo as seen on the first locations. Along with this, other signs and boards show Taco Bell's goals and accomplishments as you walk down the hall to the front desk and main entrance. After you get past the main desk we enter a long hall displaying the history of The Bell and memorabilia from events of the past. This leads us down to the main cafeteria where, you guessed it, there's a built in Taco Bell! No worries - they don't HAVE to eat tacos every day of their life. There is also an onsite chef to prepare other options each day. On the main floor you'll also find a daycare as well as a huge fitness center - both available daily for the staff. As we move our way up and throughout the HQ we notice all incredible points of design - from each elevator having it's own theme, to neon lights on the walls, to artwork like the ones you see in Taco Bell locations nationwide. Then you also have full walls that are perfect for photo opportunities like these. These two photos were taken by Erin Fitzgerald, one of my fellow tour mates also invited out to the HQ. Erin is a charismatic, energy filled American artist from the Nashville area. Check out her portfolio online. Up next we work our way to Taco Bell's famous test kitchen. Inside this exclusive area of the headquarters, culinary experts work their magic imagining, creating - testing new items and ingredients as well as repurposing old ones. With a full kitchen at hand and multiple mock restaurant lines, these creators have everything needed to innovate in the fast casual dining world. In the test kitchen, the experts prepared a meal of 4 test items, 2 items set to go nationwide this year, dessert, and a surprise freeze. Of course I can't tell you about most of those, but I can tell you each one is packed with the innovation we know and love from Taco Bell. The one item I can happily tell you about is the Big Cheez-It Tostada and Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap. We recently put out an article on this item when we found out it began testing at 2222 Barranca Pkwy, Irvine, CA - right down the road from the HQ. This test is only going for two weeks but I had the opportunity to test the tostada firsthand. This tostada shell is 16x the size of a real Cheez-It (and tastes like one too). On top, beans (for me vegetarian version), sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded cheese. Personally, I believe the Crunchwrap version would be phenomenal. I hope this test goes well and if it does we may see it on a nationwide menu in our future. Here's what else I can tell you: The dessert was 2 pancake batter delights. These were also served at the Taco Bell Drag Brunch and if anything deserves a 12-pack, it is these. Think Cinnabon delights but instead of Cinnabon....it's pancake. Delicious! For the surprise freeze we ended off the taste testing with a fresh mango freeze served with a tamarind straw. The sweet, smoky, tangy straw really brought out the flavors of the citrus from the mango. For those who don't know, this straw is made from tamarind (fruit) pulp with chile powder coating. After all the taste tests, we were each invited up to the line to make any item we wanted with the ingredients provided. What did I make, you ask? I was able to acquire a small cup of the discontinued cheddar jalapeño sauce, only ever released with the Grilled Stuft Nacho (2014, 2015), and that's exactly what I made for my item. The GSN consists of beans (instead of beef), nacho cheese, sour cream, the sauce, and colored tortilla strips - all folded from a large tortilla into a triangle. And yes, we had unlimited refills of Mountain Dew Baja Blast the entire time touring the HQ. Just like that the tour was over and we had a 5 hour break before the 60th Anniversary Party started. **Part 2: Stay tuned to read all about Taco Bell's 60th anniversary party, Número Uno, Live Más Day, and more on Thursday, June 30, 2022.** Edit: Read part two here!

  • International Taco Bells

    Did you know that Taco Bell is in 26 different countries all around the world? It’s true and each country has a specific menu that is tailored to their cuisine. I’ve been to Taco Bell in India, Iceland and Puerto Rico (I know this isn’t a country, but their menu is different from stateside TBs). Taco Bell is on another level in international locations. It is seen as upscale dining because it is an American franchise, plus the vibe is much hipper so more people tend to sit and eat rather than order food for carry-out. I’ll do a quick breakdown of the international locations I have been to. Taco Bell India By far my favorite location outside of the US. The menu caters to the Indian palate. Dishes include Chicken Tikka Burritos, paneer tacos, fajita veggie tacos and plus the classic Chik Star (crunchwrap with crispy chicken) and the naked chicken chalupa. The menu successfully infuses Indian spices into Mexican Inspired meals. For example, the tikka sauce has prominent notes of cumin, coriander and chili powder, as does the fajita vegetables. The paneer is cubed, seasoned and seared and pairs beautifully with tomato salsas and tomato based sauced they serve. Plus, all the dishes are way spicier than their US counterparts. The heat is appreciated but not overwhelming, and it will make you grab a nice ice-cold beer, which they serve at all locations and not at special cantinas. The go-to beer Kingfisher, a crisp lager that tends to cool down your taste buds after the explosion of flavor each bite has. Taco Bell Iceland The menu here is similar to what we have in the US. The biggest difference here is that Iceland has the Volcano Sauce. This creamy, spicy, tangy sauce once graced the stateside menu, but sadly was removed years ago, never to return. I made sure to get a bean burrito with Volcano sauce because I wanted that sauce to shine. It was everything I remembered it to be and I wish I could have brought back a gallon of it back home. My only guess as to why Volcano Sauce exists in Iceland is that the Iceland is known for the lava fields. Plus this location is a party. Music is blasting, it is 2 floors and there is a never-ending stream of customers coming through the door. At one point, the line extended outside. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a bouncer at the door. Taco Bell Puerto Rico This menu has all of the island vibes. $2 beers (Medalla), $3 margaritas (Corona and Jose Cuervo) plus fried fish and avocado gorditas! This isn’t even a cantina, it’s a regular TB. The usual gang of hot sauces are available, however, the sauces here pack a spicier punch. Maybe it is less vinegary and more peppery, but I know for sure it tastes better here than at home. Another difference between the PR menu and stateside menu is the inclusion of way better desserts. This one has churro with a chocolate dipping sauce, a Twix/Kit Kat quesadilla and ice cream, which are far tastier than the Cinnatwists and Cinnabon delights. Now if only Taco Bell would bring these international delights to the US so you can all try them. Here’s to hoping!

  • Mexican Pizza, the One and Only

    As you all should know by now the Mexican Pizza (MP) is slated to make a comeback by this summer. If you have not heard this news, stop living under a rock. Go online, Google it, follow Doja Cat and you’ll be all caught up. The MP is single handedly the best dish TB had (soon to be has) to offer. It was my feel good item on the menu. Whenever I took that first cheesy, saucy bite all of my woes would disappear. It was my celebratory meal. Even when I thought that my day could not get any better, it did when I had the MP. It is texturally superior to anything else on the menu. The tortillas have enough structure to support the cheese, sauce and toppings but is not crunchy. There is a noticeable bite and I love how it flakes but it does not crumble as a hard-shell taco does. This quality is what makes this dish stand out from the rest. The texture sits in some limbo between a crunchy taco and a soft taco, incorporating the advantages of both into one dish. It transcends the finite limitations of our gustatory cells and elevates us to a higher consciousness, making it a religious experience. But growing up, I never ordered the Mexican Pizza. My mom would always give me one slice of her Mexican Pizza. Her go to order was an OG bean burrito and a Mexican Pizza (BN NO BF) or the tostada. This was way back in the day, when the bean burrito was around $0.79 And the pizza was cut into 4 slices. My order on the other hand consisted of a combination of soft and hard tacos, a burrito, a nachos supreme and whatever meal got me a toy. There was no consistency nor any harmonization. Tacos and toys was my vibe. The first step in our Taco Bell meal was to unbox the MP as I tore into my food without a plan and she would place a slice in front of me. I would not object nor would I ask for it, it simply appeared. I did not have to eat it but I always did. I was curious as to why she always ordered this and after trying it a few times I began to enjoy it. The flavor fired on all cylinders. The earthy, creamy refried beans would ooze out from between the 2 flaky tortillas while pockets of the umami laced Mexican Pizza sauce would peak out from under the layer of glistening, melted cheese. Pops of color from the green onions and tomatoes would attract the eye while providing a freshness that made you crave more. The slice was true perfection. There was no “ah-ha” moment where I realized that I loved the Mexican Pizza. Having one slice at a time over a decade or so and eventually incorporating it into my orders was a natural process. It’s like swimming. You start with flailing in the water with no sense of direction and eventually you start to swim. It merely happens over time. As I grew older I started incorporating the MP into my meals, organically. It showed me that food should be balanced and not monotonous, vibrant and not dull, and has truly carved out the culinary palette that I have today.

  • The New "Simplified" Taco Bell Menu is Coming in September

    If you live in the Dallas, Texas area there's a good chance you have been living with Taco Bell's new simplified menu for at least six months now - there are a few other areas around the country that have been affected as well. For Taco Bell's next "Experience" which starts September 12, 2019 we will ALL get to experience a new nationwide menu for Taco Bell. Let's start off with the why. Why is Taco Bell changing their menu? Taco Bell's answer (given to employees): "we've modernized our menu to make room for more growth initiatives and to simplify for restaurants and team members". Menu simplification by reducing the lower selling menu items and making a more clear menu board to cut down on the time it takes for the consumer to decide on what to eat. While testing this new menu Taco Bell has found better drive thru times and increased profits - it only makes sense to bring it nationwide. This isn't a new thing. For the past year Taco Bell has slowly been removing items here and there. The combo burrito and cheesy potato burrito one month, the apple empanada a few months later, etc. This next one will be the biggest change though with 9 items leaving the menu: Beefy Mini Quesadilla Chips & Salsa Chipotle Chicken Loaded Griller Double Decker Taco Cool Ranch Tacos Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos Double Tostada Power Menu Burrito XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito A sign has already been spotted on the doors of a NW Ohio Taco Bell: Photo via u/pizzaprincess823 on Reddit Many of these items have been apart of the menu for a LONG time, but the biggest change is the removal of the Cool Ranch and Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos. The Cool Ranch DLT has been apart of the menu since March 2013 and the Fiery DLT since August of the same year - that's a 6 year lifespan on the menu! The trio of Doritos Locos Tacos have been a staple on the Taco Bell menu for innovation and what can be achieved by the masters in the Taco Bell kitchen. No worries - we'll still have the Nacho Cheese DLT to keep our Dorito taco needs satisfied. Besides that we see the combo numbers changing as well. On Sept. 12 make sure to take a good look at the menu before spitting out your favorite number. Taco Bell will reduce to 10 combos on the lunch/dinner menu - breakfast combos will be untouched. Alright, now that we've gotten through removals let's talk about additions to the menu - which aren't many due to trying to keep the menu simple. Taco Bell will be adding a menu slide titled "Vegetarian Favorites", which will include two current menu items and two "new" menu items. The current menu items featured are the 7-Layer Burrito and the Bean Burrito. The "new" items are a Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme and a Black Bean Quesarito. Both items are all the same ingredients as the regular Crunchwrap Supreme and Quesarito except with black beans instead of beef. Opinion: As a born and raised vegetarian myself, I personally have mixed feelings on these. I love seeing a options for those with a vegetarian diet, but if they're using existing menu items I'd rather there be a better way of letting people know they can make any item vegetarian and then actually introduce new innovative items that don't contain meat. I've had a million bean crunchwraps in my life, I'd rather they add something new like the Double Decker Veggie Taco seen in this video. Long story short, it's easy to sub beans instead of beef, give me something that actually saves me from making 3-5 customizations on an item. The final takeaway is this photo I was able to obtain of the new menu - feast your eyes and enjoy your last two weeks of the items mentioned above. Continue the conversation on Reddit! Stay tuned next week when we discuss the new Limited-time offer coming to Taco Bell on September 12, 2019.

  • Bring back the Grilled Stuft Nacho!

    Fans and followers of Taco Bell, Inspired by the Beefy Crunch Movement and powered by our love for the Grilled Stuft Nacho, today we begin our movement to bring the Grilled Stuft Nacho back to Taco Bell. This movement will be aimed towards Taco Bell asking them to bring back a limited-time item we have seen twice in the past. Taco Bell has always used the fans and the consumers to figure out which limited-time items will be released and our plan is to use that to tell the company what we want. I ask all who enjoy Taco Bell to help in the effort to bring back this item. What is the Grilled Stuft Nacho? The Grilled Stuft Nacho starts with a flour tortilla and is filled with seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese, zesty cheesy-jalapeno sauce, red tortilla strips, and sour cream. The tortilla is folded in the shape of a triangle to fit the shape of a large tortilla chip. When did Taco Bell serve the Grilled Stuft Nacho? The Grilled Stuft Nacho has been released twice in Taco Bell limited-time offer history. (It is rare for an item to appear more than twice so this movement is important) The first time we've seen this as a LTO was December of 2013 and we last saw it May of 2015. I'd say we are due for another nationwide release. Why is this item so special? I'm glad you asked. The key ingredient in the Grilled Stuft Nacho is the cheesy-jalapeno on the inside. This sauce has only ever been released with the Grilled Stuft Nacho and is indescribably delicious. The perfect mix of ingredients in the shape of a triangle for the great deal of $1.49 each. GOALS We are asking for Taco Bell to bring back the beloved Grilled Stuft Nacho as a limited-time item in the year of 2018. To make this happen we need YOU, the fans, to tell Taco Bell that this is what you want. From this moment forward I'm declaring every Wednesday #GSNwednesdays. ​ On every Wednesday until we get a response from Taco Bell, please ask Taco Bell on every social media platform for the Grilled Stuft Nacho Back. Provided below are hashtags, pictures to use, and links to Taco Bell social media and contact pages. ​ Of course, this isn't limited to Wednesdays, but these are the days we're specifically going to have strong pushes to get Taco Bell's attention and let them know what we want. Thank you. Taco Bell on Facebook | @TacoBell (Twitter) | @TacoBell (Instagram) #GrilledStuftNachoMovement #GSNmovement #GSNwednesdays #tacobell #grilledstuftnacho #gsnmovement #livingmas

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