There is something magical about combining ingredients to make a delicious plate. It's like creating a work of art with every meal. And, just like an artist, you can use different seasonings to create different flavors.

For me though, the magic comes from watching others add a healthy dash of pepper, a muscle-memory pinch of salt, or blind handful of oregano to make magical plates. To watch others do it with a mental measuring spoon and be confident the food will come out mouthwatering.

How do you describe that magic? How do you tell others about it in a way that makes their minds wonder there is both magic and method behind that?

What is the magic behind that? Is it experience? Is it national origin? Is it gender? Is it regional?

There is such a word, in Spanish, to describe that magical method. Its literal translation is Seasoning, which is SAZON. But Sazon has a more powerful meaning in our culture than just seasoning.

Some may say that SAZON comes with a punch. Others may describe SAZON as a zing. It is the flavor that takes your taste buds on a journey. A journey they will never forget. Sazon is an emotional journey that involves chemistry, artistry and mental calculation within our hands.

FACO

Chipotle’s tortilla chip robot, Chippy, deliberately makes imperfect chip. https://www.foodandwine.com/news/chipotle-tortilla-chip-robot-chippy

TAQUOTE

You don’t always get the taco you want, sometimes you get the taco you need.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Isidro Salas: https://twitter.com/10ktacos

José R. Ralat: https://twitter.com/TacoTrail

* This episode was originally recorded on FIRESIDE .