King Kups News Today

A spread of Texas barbecue, smoked lengua, and tacos at Vaqueros Texas Bar-B-Q. Photograph by José R. Ralat Three years ago, Frank Hernandez opened the King Kups trailer at a McKinney gas station. He originally planned to dish out only elotes, cups of cooked corn kernels doused in cream, butter, queso fresco, hot sauce, and other toppings. “We would come up with different versions of elotes, doing the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and different flavors. It just grew from there,” Hernandez tells me...

The torta ahogada at Birotes Tortas Ahogadas in San Antonio. Photograph by José R. Ralat Despite the struggles of a global pandemic and the subsequent recession, 2020 has been an extraordinary year for tacos and Mexican cuisine. The creativity and resilience with which taquerias and restaurants have responded to unprecedented adversity is uplifting. I’ve eaten better this year, in and out of dining rooms, than ever before. Before COVID-19 swept through Texas, I was able to squeeze in a quick...