The Kiwi power duo behind Mexican taco kit creation Lucky Taco have shared their secrets about what makes the ultimate Mexican dinner pop.
Otis and Sarah Frizzell gave Newshub their best tips and tricks, as well as the origins of their taco love story.
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Where does your love of Mexican food stem from?
Ever since Otis and I have been together, 'taco night' has been a thing. We started having weekly taco dinner parties with friends and started researching recipes & experimenting with different flavour combinations.
After we were married in 2011, we went to LA for our honeymoon. That's where we fell in love with the LA / Mexican Taco Truck scene. Beautiful, shiny taco trucks, pumping out the freshest, flavourful tacos we'd ever eaten.
With a little encouragement from our friends Becs and Blake and a few margaritas on their sunny LA deck, The Lucky Taco seed was planted!
Once Otis and I decided we were serious about starting our own business, we embarked on a taco odyssey from Mexico City, all the way East to Tulum in 2013. We drove over 2000km in a tiny red fiat, eating nothing but tacos as fuel.
What are some of your 'must haves' in the kitchen for whipping up a Mexican feast?
Soft corn tortillas, fresh chillies (we love habanero), fresh limes and coriander are essential. Also, we can't have a Mexican fiesta without The Lucky Taco Pink Pickle (marinated, ribboned red onions in fresh citrus, salt & habanero).
FINALLY - SALT, SALT, SALT. We make our own Lucky Taco Chilli Salt with Lemon n' Lime, which is inspired by the staple in Mexico. We replicated the flavour and now sell it across stores in Auckland and on our website.
What are some of your favourite flavour combinations? (Including any unexpected ones!)
1. Marmite, avocado, sliced tomato and Lucky Taco Chilli Salt on toasted Vogels.
2. We like dark chilli chocolate and cinnamon in our homemade Spag Bol.
3. And kiwifruit salsa with pan-seared scallops.
When serving Mexican for dinner, what's the best drink to pair with it?
Margaritas made with reposado or añejo tequila - 100 percent de agave. And ice cold Estrella-Damm!
Give us your top tips for cooking Mexican
First of all, buy a Lucky Taco Fiesta Meal Kit from our website - we've spent the past eight years making it easy!
Mexican food isn't Tex Mex. It's not crunchy tortillas or sour cream or shredded iceberg lettuce and browned mince! It's fresh, healthy, zingy, colourful, spicy & vibrant!
Otis, how similar would you say your loves of art and love of cooking are?
When you make a piece of art, you put a piece of yourself on the canvas... You're representing your style, and you're never sure if the public are going to like it or not. You're putting yourself out there.
If someone buys your art, it feels great because that means they've responded to it favourably. That's the same as cooking for the public.
You can catch the Frizzells at The Lucky Taco pop-up parking up at 46&York in Parnell from this Friday-Sunday. While they're there, anyone who buys an Estrella-Damm beer will get their choice of complimentary Lucy Taco + go in the draw to win an a limited edition Otis Frizzell La Fiesta Del Tiki screen print, worth $750.
Sarah and Otis will be dishing up tacos in three flavours, chicken, beef and vegetarian, straight from the hot plate each evening between 4.00pm and 8.00pm or when the Tacos run out!
Newshub.
