Sabor del Gorge: Quesabirrias from Taqueria Ayala
Photo: Arturo Leyva
By Arturo Leyva
Hood River, Oregon., April 3, 2024 – A few months ago I ate some Quesabirrias from Taqueria Ayala and I was pleasantly surprised by the authentic flavor of the Birria from this Taco Truck.
What is a quesabirria?
A Quesabirria is the result of a Quesadilla and a Taco De Birria that fall in love in the kitchen and have a child who is part Quesadilla and part Taco De Birria, the fusion of these two foods results in a delicacy that my friends have to enjoy.
Photo: Arturo Leyva
For only $12 you can order 3 Quesabirrias with two sauces and a glass of consommé, a rich broth with dried chiles, Mexican oregano, cloves, garlic, cumin, and a few other spices which are a fundamental part of the experience is sure to satisfy you. (It is a very affordable price to enjoy a delicacy that I personally recommend.)
Photo: Arturo Leyva
As I have mentioned in other articles, food is a ticket to the trunk of memories and for me the birria broth or consommé always takes me back to those days of my childhood when I had breakfast on a street corner with hot tortillas and birria broth.
Taqueria Ayala reminded me of the Taqueros in my beloved Aguililla, Michoacán, who were always generous to the most needy children who wanted to enjoy tacos but didn't have the money to buy them. The broth, or Consomé as they called it, was free. On our way to school, we would buy tortillas for 2 pesos from the tortilleria and ask the Taquero for some consommé. He always greeted us with a smile. He’d serve us a small glass of hot broth with onion and cilantro, and I don’t recall ever having a richer or more delicious breakfast. Dipping freshly made tortillas into the savory consommé that carried all the flavors of the birria was quite an experience. It was nice to visit the memory of those simpler times again.
Photo: Arturo Leyva
How the Quesabirria got its name.
The conquistadors brought various domestic animals from the Old World, including goats. During the Conquest of the Aztec Empire, they found themselves with an overabundance of goats and decided to gift the animals to the natives.
While the conquistadors despised goat meat because it was tough and had a strong smell, the natives accepted the animals, since marinating the meat in the indigenous style made it tasty and appetizing.
The dishes they made were called "birria", a derogatory term meaning "worthless", by the Spanish, referring to the supposedly inferior meat given to the natives.
Birrias are a delicacy out of legend..
According to legend, the dish was invented accidentally during the eruption of a volcano, when a shepherd was forced to abandon his goats in a cave where they were perfectly cooked by the steam.
While birrias were traditionally made with goat they can also be made with a variety of meats such as beef or pork. And with summer on the horizon, there’s an added ingredient to the experience: the pleasure of enjoying a Quesabirria while the sun warms your skin. Though I advocate for trying them regardless of the weather, a sunny and warm day undoubtedly enhances the experience as you enjoy the panorama of our beautiful gorge.
Stay tuned for more articles! I’m in explorer mode, determined to bring you the best of my people’s food through my column, Sabor De Gorge. Recently, I ventured to the food trucks in The Dalles and was pleasantly surprised by the fare. I plan to return soon to more thoroughly document the taste and experience. Thank you very much for reading.
Taqueria Ayala is located at 1109 13th St, Hood River, OR. They can be reached at 1 541-490-2587. Business hours may vary but typical hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
