Would you order a taco and expect a sandwich? In one part of the U.S., that's now legal

A judge in Indiana ruled that tacos are 'Mexican-style sandwiches." Plus, read stories on Red Lobster, the most beautiful restaurant and FUTURO Inc.

Nashville Tennessean

Saludos, estimados lectores:

I have heard many different ways that Spanish speakers say the word "sandwich."

Sándwich. Sánduche. Bocado. Torta. Emparedado. Bocadillo.

But I have never heard anyone order a taco thinking they would be getting a sandwich.

Now, at least in the State of Indiana, a judge has ruled that “tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches.”

No estoy bromeando. I'm not kidding.

This resolves a legal case involving Famous Taco, a restaurant that serves made-to-order Mexican food, and the Fort Wayne Plan Commission over a request for a zoning change to grow the business. While county rules allowed sandwich establishment to take advantage of the rules, fast-food restaurants were excluded.

So, Famous Taco sued and now, perhaps, we can ask the Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española) to expand the definition under "taco."

When I first heard the news on a podcast, I thought it was a joke, but it is proof positive that the American Dream is alive and well for creative entrepreneurs and their attorneys.

When I think of a taco, I think of corn or flour tortillas filled with meat or fish and topped with all sorts of goodness. I relish carnitas topped with sliced onions and guacamole.

Sandwiches are another type of food, in my opinion, but I'm not a judge.

The Cuban side of my family loved sandwiches and now I'm craving a Cuban sandwich with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles in between two thick slices of baked Cuban bread.

My local Publix grocery store makes great ones, but if you have suggestions for where else to get one in Tennessee, please let me know. Now, I'm really hungry.

Congratulations to FUTURO

FUTURO Inc., the Tennessee organization that connects Latino college students and empowers them to lead, recently received a grant for $225,000 from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, "Digital Skills, Education and Workforce Development Grant," to focus on expanding its keynote program, the "FUTURO Select 100" to a virtual online platform.

"Over the next two years, our organization will work on developing the "FUTURO Online Pathways" Program," according to Executive Director Jennifer Novo.

I wrote a profile of Jennifer in a September 2022 edition of the Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter. In case you missed it, please take a moment to get to know her, her passion and her work.

What else you'll find in the newsletter

• Guest commentary: Tennessee is worst in the nation in supporting caregivers, but here's how to change that
• Column: I eat at Red Lobster once a year. The seafood chain’s bankruptcy hurts this Tennessean's heart
• Dining: This Tennessee restaurant was named among the most beautiful in the country by People Magazine, see why
• Elections: North Carolina group braves hot temperatures in a mission to get Latino voters registered

Resources

• FUTURO, Inc.
• Vanderbilt University's Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies (CLACX)

Please send your recommendations, story ideas and events.

¡Muchas gracias!

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.