>> MISHA COLLINS: I'm walking along the border wall here in Brownsville, Texas.

That's the Rio Grande down there.

This is a community that is 90% Hispanic.

It seems like a vibrant place, and a real crossroads.

This is where American culture and Mexican culture are meeting at this confluence of borders, and rivers, and roads.

The taco scene here is intense, and I'm going to explore it.

(sighs): My arm is tired.

♪ ♪ In the 1970s, a young couple set out on the most epic road trip of all time.

Jane and Michael Stern were on a mission to discover every regional dish in America, and over four decades, they burned through 38 cars and published ten editions of their iconic guide, Road Food.

♪ ♪ Now I'm picking up where they left off, exploring what makes America's communities unique and what binds us all together.

And it's delicious.

>> Major funding for this program was provided by: ♪ ♪ >> Yours is a front-yard family.

Because out front... >> How you doing?

>> ...is where all the neighborhood is.

And your neighbors know you well.

>> Mario, what's up?

>> They've seen your robe, your run, even your bathing suit.

>> (laughing) >> They also know your home turf stays open to the whole street.

So you stay out front.

We'll stay real-brewed.

And the world just might get a little golder.

Gold Peak real-brewed tea.

♪ ♪ (shade rustles) (doorbell rings) ♪ ♪ >> Yes!

♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: We're exploring the country, looking for interesting places, and interesting food, and interesting people, and the tacos here in Brownsville... >> Yeah.

>> COLLINS: ...have come up again and again.

There's this prevalence of tacos here that is kind of unlike anything I've ever seen before.

>> (chuckles) >> COLLINS: It's, like...

I mean, just driving through, it's, like, taco stand after taco stand after taco stand.

>> It's really funny because it's...

If you go 20 minutes west of here, this doesn't taste the same, nor is it served the same.

>> COLLINS: How is that possible?

>> I don't understand, right?

I've had tacos in Austin, and they do the double tortilla.

>> COLLINS: Yeah.

>> I don't know if you've seen... >> COLLINS: Why do they do that?

>> I don't know.

Down here they only do single.

>> COLLINS: Why not just make a single tortilla that doesn't fall apart?

>> Exactly.

>> COLLINS: These don't disintegrate on the bottom.

>> No, they don't break.

>> COLLINS: Do you want hot sauce?

>> Nah, nah, I'm good.

>> COLLINS: You afraid?

>> Yeah.

(laughs) >> COLLINS: Mm.

So good.

♪ ♪ We're exploring Brownsville because Brownsville has incredible taco culture and everyone has strong opinions about it, but there's something about the tortilla that is absolutely foundational to that.

Like, you can't have a taco without a tortilla.

>> Without tortilla.

>> COLLINS: And so, we thought this would be a good place to start exploring that story.

♪ ♪ >> Our tortilla is unique because we use pure corn, while other tortillerias use maseca, which is a flour.

You boil the corn... >> COLLINS: Yep.

>> Then you put it on the grinder.

Goes to the blender, and from the blender to the machine.

>> COLLINS: So, a little bit comes out and it slices?

>> Yes.

And it goes to the burners.

And once it gives four turns of cooking, then boom, tortillas start coming out.

>> COLLINS (laughing): Like magic.

♪ ♪ This seems like it's a time of change for the community of Brownsville.

It's been a time of upheaval.

A lot of people are experiencing big changes in their lives.

>> That's true.

>> COLLINS: How are, how do you, how do you face those changes?

>> I start facing changes accepting myself as I am, and accepting people the way they are.

Just giving respect to each other, learn from each other, because you have a lot to learn from anybody.

I can learn from you, and apply whatever I can apply to my life, for, to be a better person.

So that's basically what I've tried all my life.

♪ ♪ >> Mm-hmm.

>> There you go.

>> COLLINS: I can't wait for my vegetarian friends to watch this.

>> All the way.

>> That's a real Mexican trompo.

You know what it means, trompo?

>> COLLINS: No.

>> It's a Mexican toy.

You never see that?

>> Yeah, it's, uh...

It spins... >> Yeah, yeah.

>> You would throw it, and it would spin around, and you would try to hit other trompos, as well, like... >> COLLINS: Uh-huh, it's like a top, a spinning top that... >> Yeah, yeah.

>> Uh-huh.

>> COLLINS: Huh.

>> So, now you can say you, you make a... >> COLLINS: A trompo.

>> A trompo.

♪ ♪ >> (speaking Spanish): >> COLLINS: Okay.

>> (speaking Spanish): >> You'll love it.

(laughing) >> COLLINS: It's delicious.

>> Good.

>> COLLINS: Really good.

That is so good.

>> (speaking Spanish): >> COLLINS: Don't change it.

>> No, no.

(laughter) >> Okay.

>> COLLINS: Awesome.

>> Pablo.

>> Pablo.

>> Oh, they added extra.

>> Let me get a plate.

>> COLLINS: No plate for him.

>> No plate?

>> COLLINS: No, he, he hasn't earned a plate.

>> Oh!

>> Oh!

(group exclaiming) >> Taco down.

>> A plethora of flavor.

>> Good.

>> COLLINS: I'm sweating now.

>> The people here in Brownsville is a lovely people and hard workers.

So, with the family together as a... With the family, I can... (inaudible) He were very close to everybody.

Yeah.

So as a family... (inaudible) >> COLLINS: Aw.

>> As a family with everybody.

Can tell you, the people can tell that.

>> COLLINS: Thank you.

>> Thank you, Misha, for come to La Vaquita.

>> COLLINS: Nice to meet you, thank you.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> We feel proud that you guys come to us... >> COLLINS: Thank you for having us.

>> Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: Mando?

>> Hey, how's it going?

>> COLLINS: Hi, I'm Misha.

>> Armando Vera.

How are you doing, buddy?

>> COLLINS: Good.

How are you?

>> I'm good, I'm good.

>> COLLINS: Um... Oh!

>> Oh, right?

>> COLLINS: It's hot out here.

>> It's hot in there.

>> COLLINS: It's hotter in here.

So this is where the magic happens, huh?

>> That's what I say.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh.

>> That's where the magic happens, yes, sir.

I do it because I was born here.

I grew up doing this.

I have it in my blood, I had it... You know, I got a degree in business administration about back in '96, '98, and I kept doing this.

>> COLLINS: Do you normally stand in here for this long?

>> Not for an interview, no.

>> COLLINS: Yeah.

(both laugh) >> COLLINS: My eyes are burning, I'm covered in sweat.

Misha.

>> Adela.

>> COLLINS: Hi, Adela.

>> How are you?

>> COLLINS: Nice to meet you.

>> Likewise, sir, likewise.

♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: Where did you grow up?

>> I grew up right here where I'm sitting.

>> COLLINS: No.

In this, in this building?

>> In this building, yes.

Part of the building was housing building, and half of it was business.

So this, this part, from where I'm sitting back, that's where we grew up.

>> That was his house.

>> COLLINS: This is kind of interesting, because you were, like, you were born and raised here... >> Mm-hmm.

>> COLLINS: But you married this guy that was selling very traditional Mexican food.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> COLLINS: Which was a little strange for you, right?

>> Yes.

>> COLLINS: At first?

>> Yes, definitely.

And I married into it, and into the business, of course.

And the first time I saw it, it was, like, "What is this?"

And I remember my mother-in-law, you know, she'd just throw the head on the counter and, "Okay, there we go," you know.

"There's, there's your cheek meat, there's your eye, there's..." Whatever you wanted, and so it was... >> It was very good for us.

>> To me, it was, like, "Wow."

>> Okay?

(claps) It's time to go do the magic now.

Let's go put those beef heads in there.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> It's cooled off for a little bit, so we need to warm it up again.

>> COLLINS: Yeah, it was really cold in here before.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> COLLINS: So once this burns down a little bit more, then you put the heads in there?

>> Then we'll put the heads in there, yeah.

>> COLLINS: Can I help put them in the pit?

>> You can help.

>> COLLINS: Okay, thanks.

♪ ♪ Does it matter where I throw it?

>> Yeah, throw it.

Just throw it, throw it good.

There you go.

You're going to have to come in the morning and take it out, okay?

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> So that's it.

>> COLLINS: You're not sweating at all.

>> We're going to... (laughing): I've been doing it for too long, I guess.

>> COLLINS: So you're the only one left in the country that's cooking in this style, where you bury the pit under dirt?

>> Yes, we're the only ones, and I think we were grandfathered in...

I think it was in, like, in the '90s.

>> COLLINS: But this is the traditional style.

>> This is the traditional, authentic... You know, this is, this is the way it's done.

You know, it started in the ranches.

Actually, I think it started back in Mexico in the Yucatan area.

>> COLLINS: Mm-hmm.

>> It's been going on for a long time.

Yeah, we're the last ones.

That's it.

When I die, it's over, buddy.

Probably the day I die, they're probably going to bury me in that hole there.

(laughing): So... Just cover it up when it's over.

>> COLLINS: I can't wait to try the barbacoa tomorrow morning when it comes out.

>> You're going to love it.

>> You're going to come and... >> You got to go in there and take it out.

>> ...open the pit.

(laughs) >> COLLINS: All right, well, thank you.

We'll see you in the morning.

♪ ♪ >> Here's the thing about tacos from Mexico, that we use every part of the cow.

You have molleja, which is this, this part of the cow, the, the flappy part.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh, double chin.

>> Yeah, the-- yeah.

You got tripas tacos right here, which are quite literally the small intestine of the cow.

It's a little... >> COLLINS: Gross?

>> Gross, maybe, maybe, right?

But they're clean and they're still very nutritious.

>> COLLINS: I'm going to try the double chin.

Cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> COLLINS: Mm.

Okay, I got to try the tripe, now.

♪ ♪ >> When you don't know where it comes from... >> COLLINS: Mm-hmm.

>> ...and you just taste it, you don't even think about it, you know?

>> This is very distinct, though, right?

You can taste that this is a different kind of meat.

It doesn't taste like the outer layer of the cow.

This is definitely some kind of... >> COLLINS: This is, this is some kind of beef... >> Some kind... >> COLLINS: ...within the bowel of the cow.

>> Yep.

This is an intestine.

Something inside.

♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: Serrano pepper?

>> Yeah.

Easy on it.

Ooh.

>> I, that... All right, all right.

♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: How does the, being a border town that has been in the national spotlight, how does that affect politics of the community?

>> Well, I think, as you can see from you being here, the rhetoric does not match the reality, and let's just start with that.

Right?

We just have to realize that this isn't a temporary issue.

The migration issue has been around for decades.

In my mind, we have to shift away from thinking this is an emergency to thinking, "How do we best handle the issue?"

Because it's been around forever and it will continue to be.

It's not going to stop.

>> COLLINS: Yeah.

>> It's not.

>> COLLINS: So the migrants come, they come across the border, they get picked up by ICE... >> Yes.

>> COLLINS: ...or they come directly to the checkpoint at the bridge or... >> No, no, no, no.

They-- so a lot of them, you know, they get, they get apprehended.

They either turn themselves in at the bridge or they get apprehended at the border somewhere "between the bridges," is what it's called.

>> COLLINS: What is "between the bridges"?

>> "Between the bridges" means not at the bridge.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> So anywhere else along the border, right?

>> COLLINS: And then, and then that's a way to get processed as an asylum seeker?

>> Yes, and then, and then they get released with, you know, a promise that they will show up.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh.

>> Right?

And... >> COLLINS: And so, they get, they just get dropped off at the bus station?

>> They get dropped off at the bus station and we have nonprofits that help in assisting with the humanitarian side of it.

>> COLLINS: Oh, really.

>> Do they have clothes?

Do they have, you know, do they have what they need for their journey?

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> But I can tell you, 99% of the people don't stay here, and they don't want to stay here.

They have a place to be and a place to go, and that's where they want to go.

>> COLLINS: What are some of the nonprofits that do that work there at the bus station?

>> Uh, Team Brownsville is probably the most well-known.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh.

>> They've gotten all kinds of humanitarian awards and recognition.

>> COLLINS: How do you describe what you do to people who know nothing about it?

>> I think the most important thing is that we are about the work of welcome.

Team Brownsville is about the work of welcoming people.

We're letting them know that we care about them, and that we're just trying to provide them with some basic supplies, so that they can get across the country to their families.

>> COLLINS: How did you get started doing this?

>> Well, a group of us work together in the Brownsville Independent School District, as educators.

We weren't Team Brownsville at the beginning.

We were just kind of people that wanted to do something.

There were people literally sitting on our bridge here.

We found people, we walked across from here to, right across the bridge.

And we found families with children sitting on the bridge, right on the concrete, without anything.

With, with no food, no water, no resources.

And it spurred us on.

>> COLLINS: Como se llama?

>> Adriana.

>> COLLINS: Adriana.

Hola.

Cuanto años tiene?

>> Cinco.

>> COLLINS: Cinco?

Wow!

Where are you from?

>> Do you understand?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: How long have you been traveling?

>> (speaks Spanish) >> COLLINS: Did you travel by bus?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Uh-huh, uh-huh.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: What was she sick with?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Jaundice?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Oh, yeah.

Her eyes are a little bit, a little bit yellow.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Cuatro dias in the hospital?

Oh, wow.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: I'm sorry.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Do you have family here?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: In New York?

>> New York.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh, so are you going to New York?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Is this your first time in the U.S.?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Well... >> Gracias.

>> COLLINS: Bienvenidos.

>> Gracias.

>> COLLINS: What are you most excited about to see in the U.S.?

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Yeah.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Oh, what about you?

Nice to meet you.

High five, high five.

High five!

>> (laughs) High five, high five, ah, ah!

Oh!

♪ ♪ So you guys ate here last night?

>> We did, it was great.

(both talking at once) Scouting out the good tacos in town.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Tripa, the tripe is a little conceptually challenging.

>> Yeah, it's hard to... >> Yeah, if you think about it a lot... >> COLLINS: I try not to think about a lot of things.

>> (laughs) >> COLLINS: I didn't bring my wallet-- somebody... Well, we'll pay afterwards.

>> (speaking Spanish) >> COLLINS: Okay, sure, she's, like, "Sure, you will."

(laughs) >> And run for it, run for it.

>> It's, I think it's part of the experience.

You got to eat it on the hood of a car or in the back of a pickup.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh.

>> Very spicy and crispy.

>> Sí.

>> COLLINS: Where are you both born?

>> San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Central Mexico.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> Hilly mountains.

He's more in the North.

>> Yeah.

So I was, I was born in San Antonio, but my family is from Coahuila, Mexico.

>> COLLINS: Which is northern?

>> So that's a Northern state.

>> COLLINS: Uh-huh.

Are your extended families here?

>> For the most part, yeah.

>> Uh-huh.

>> COLLINS: And do you see them?

>> Yeah.

>> COLLINS: Yeah.

>> Yeah, family's heavy in my culture.

We can't really ignore each other.

You could, I guess, but... >> That's very hard.

>> That's not very nice.

(laughter) >> COLLINS: Yeah, I love that.

>> Yeah.

♪ ♪ >> Vera's is a treasure for Brownsville because it's the only restaurant ever in Brownsville that's won the James Beard Award, right?

And it's quite funny, I don't know if Mr. Vera told you, but James Beard Award was trying to reach him.

>> COLLINS: No, he didn't, he didn't tell this one.

>> Yeah, yeah, this is a funny story.

James Beard Award was trying to reach him to tell him, "Hey, you won an award."

But he wouldn't answer, he hung up on them, because they, he thought it was, like, a telemarketer.

(Collins laughing) >> So they actually had to call the mayor.

>> COLLINS: No way, really?

>> Yeah, and say, "Hey, mayor, we're trying to reach Mr.

Vera."

Anyways, the mayor finally reached him and finally told him, "Hey, you want an award.

"You might want to, like... >> COLLINS: Answer the phone?

(both laughing) ♪ ♪ >> COLLINS: Mando?

>> Hey!

>> COLLINS: You ready for me?

>> Yes, sir, come on in.

It's your day, buddy.

>> COLLINS: It's my day?

I'm still sweating.

>> I know, I can see.

(laughs) And you're going to sweat more once I tell you what you're going to do next.

>> COLLINS: Uh-oh, okay.

Oh, yeah, I still feel the heat coming up.

>> Yeah, it's still hot.

So we're going to make you part of the team now.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

Oh, my God.

>> So you're going to do the honors, buddy.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> You're going to go in there, you're going to take one out.

Put that one right there, so you don't get burned, and then put this... >> COLLINS: So I don't get burned?

It seems quite toasty.

>> (laughs) Here, so you can grab the beef head.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> Just try to jump and jump over, one leg over there and one over here... >> COLLINS: Okay.

>> Okay?

So now what you're going to do is, you're going to take that beef head that's right there.

>> COLLINS: This one?

>> That one right there.

Who would've thought you would've been doing this, right?

There you go.

Make sure you send me some pictures.

Can you get out or you want me to give you a ladder?

I got the stepladder here.

>> COLLINS: My foot's... (metal clanging) >> Here you go.

You good?

>> COLLINS: I think so.

We'll see.

I'm slipping.

(laughs) Thank you.

Sorry, I pinched you.

>> There you go.

>> COLLINS: Thank you.

>> Ah, you forgot to take that other one out!

(laughing) (talking softly) Let me get the door for you.

Then I guess you're going to de-bone it, okay?

>> COLLINS: Okay.

>> This here is the cheek meat, the lean-- this is what sells the most.

And guess what that is?

El ojo, that is the eye.

And on that one, you would just take the pupil off.

>> COLLINS: Take the pupil off?

>> Yeah, that's sour.

That black part?

That's not edible.

>> COLLINS: Okay.

(exclaims) >> (laughs) Does it tickle you or what?

>> COLLINS: It's just... >> (laughs) >> COLLINS: All right, I'm, I've got this.

>> Just don't think about it.

>> COLLINS: I can't not think about it.

>> Think of, you're in Southern California, and you're by the beach... >> COLLINS: I don't do this in Southern California!

>> Just pull it out.

>> COLLINS: I know, I know.

I'm just having a little...

It's a conceptual...

There's a lot of nerve.

(sighs) Where does this go, in there?

>> That's trash, yeah.

>> COLLINS: Yep, that gave me the chills.

(metal clanging) Great.

>> Let me see what's left here.

>> COLLINS: When we started shooting Roadfood, I didn't, I never imagined that I would be... >> Doing this.

>> COLLINS: Pulling hot eyes out of a cow's head.

>> I'm real proud of you.

Getting those guts and doing it.

>> COLLINS: Thank you.

>> You have guts for doing that.

>> COLLINS: Thank you.

>> Very different of what you've done in your whole life, huh?

>> COLLINS: I've never done anything like that, yep.

Yeah.

>> Yep.

>> So how was it?

>> COLLINS: It was great.

>> It was great?

>> COLLINS: It was, um... >> It was good to see you there.

>> COLLINS: It was intense.

Are there parts of the barbacoa that you've not tasted?

>> The eye.

>> COLLINS: You haven't tasted the eye, either?

What?

>> (laughs) I shall do-- you're going to taste an eye today?

>> COLLINS: I'll taste an eye, but you have to taste an eye.

>> I'll taste the eye.

>> COLLINS: You've been here for decades.

>> 37 years.

>> COLLINS: Decades, and you've never tasted it?

>> (laughs): Honestly, no.

>> COLLINS: This is like a complete controversy!

>> I shouldn't have confessed, right?

>> COLLINS: No, you shouldn't!

>> (laughs) But I will try it today, as you're trying it.

(laughing) Excuse me.

>> COLLINS: That's exciting.

♪ ♪ >> Here's where you become a brave man-- this is what separates...

This is what separates the men from the boys.

>> COLLINS: Here's where you become brave.

(laughing) You ready?

>> Okay.

>> COLLINS: Are you ready?

>> Yes, I'm ready.

>> COLLINS: Okay, let's do it.

>> Ready?

One, two, three.

>> COLLINS: One, two, three, go!

>> Mm, it's good!

>> COLLINS: It's a very different texture.

(chuckles) >> Amazed that you tried it.

>> COLLINS: Well, of course, I mean, come on.

>> Yeah, you have to.

>> You can scratch that off your bucket list.

>> That's going to be my favorite taco now.

>> COLLINS: It wasn't on my bucket list.

(laughing) >> It is good!

>> I had never eaten an eye like that.

>> COLLINS: Really?

This is the first time that Mando has had a whole eye.

>> ...48 years or 50 years ago.

>> (laughs) Well, this is my very first time.

>> COLLINS: Well, I'm glad that I could inspire you both to... >> Thank you, yes.

>> COLLINS: ...try something, to reach out and try something new.

>> I saw you, I saw you over there, you know, working away and really getting into it.

I said, "I'm going to try it myself."

Yes.

(laughs) >> COLLINS: I'm so glad that I could expose you to some new foods and broaden your horizons a little bit.

>> Thank you!

(laughs) >> COLLINS: Thank you, both.

>> Thank you!

>> COLLINS: Bye.

(cheers and applause) >> We're a hidden treasure down here.

Come down here, visit us.

>> COLLINS: It's a beautiful place.

The best tacos I've ever had, I have to say.

>> That's usually what people leave with.

>> COLLINS: It's really kind of remarkable.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If you want to see extended footage of these conversations or me spilling food on my shirt, or if you want to know more about the restaurants and recipes from this episode, go to roadfood.com.

♪ ♪ So this is where it all started, huh?

>> Yes.

>> COLLINS: This is ground zero for Barberton chicken.

>> These are the founders of Barberton-style fried chicken-- at one time, we were serving 30,000 chicken dinners every week.

>> COLLINS: That is a lot of chicken.

>> One, two, three, go!

And they're off.

>> COLLINS: In order to justify this for Roadfood, I'm going to eat this chicken.

♪ ♪ >> Major funding for this program was provided by: ♪ ♪ >> Yours is a front-yard family.

Because out front... >> How you doing?

>> ...is where all the neighborhood is.

And your neighbors know you well.

>> Mario, what's up?

>> They've seen your robe, your run, even your bathing suit.

>> (laughing) >> They also know your home turf stays open to the whole street.

So you stay out front.

We'll stay real-brewed.

And the world just might get a little golder.

Gold Peak real-brewed tea.

♪ ♪ (shade rustles) (doorbell rings) ♪ ♪ >> (softly): Yes!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪