We celebrate our differences
Here at Tacostan, we celebrate our differences. We know the joy that comes from finding kindred spirits and in creating community, however you define it.
Tacostan is dedicated to foods, ingredients, and people inspired by our upbringing and the mish-mash of places we’ve lived. Monica is a proud Puerto Rican-Mexican-American who was born and raised in the food-rich culture of New Orleans. Growing up, she traveled to Puerto Rico and Mexico to spend time with her family and also explored the United States and Europe. Usman grew up in Pakistan and often joined his father on business trips to places ranging from France to rural Pakistan, always coming home to a mother who used hearty foods to show her love. He moved to New York City when he was 11 and was also heavily influenced by two years in Australia, where he fell in love with the cafe and coffee culture. Monica and Usman have three young children and a dog, Ozzie, who round out the team.
When we met, we found that along with our differences, we shared a lot of similarities, too. One way these manifested was through the foods we prepared and ate together. We explored ingredients shared in both of our cultures and also got to know new ones. We explored new cooking techniques that were familiar and others that were new. Along the way, we also started to develop something that was uniquely ours, which we share with you through Tacostan.
Not a traditional food blog
Tacostan operates beyond the traditional boundaries of food or recipe blogs. Although we share recipes that we cook in our own home, we think it is just as important to explore and share about the ingredients and people from our communities. We define these influences broadly, taking into account our ethnicities, religion, and the American regions we’ve lived in.
We hope that Tacostan shows you just how fun it can be to live beyond traditional boundaries and to step outside of your comfort zone. At Tacostan, we believe in approaching the world with curiosity, and we believe in trying new things. This could be using a new ingredient or a new cooking technique. It could also be visiting a new grocery store or restaurant. Or maybe it’s just ordering a new dish at a restaurant you’ve been visiting for years. Tacostan is here to help you shake it up!
We hope you enjoy what we have to offer. As we grow, you can stay up to date with news at Tacostan by joining our email list below.
And please let us know if you have ideas for recipes or ingredients you’d like to learn more about! Drop us a note here.