American living in Norway explains the country's taco craze—and how theirs are different
It looks like we've got some catching up to do.
Happy Tacofredag.
There are few dishes in this world so universally loved as tacos. And what’s not to like? There’s so much flavor packed into such a small hand held morsel. Hence why it’s close to impossible to eat less than seven in one sitting.
Americans, land of Taco Tuesdays, certainly holds a special place in its heart for Mexico’s most famous food staple. 76% of the country eats them every week, and over 4.5 billion tacos are eaten each year.
But as it turns out, Americans aren’t the only ones who are taco obsessed. Nor are they the only ones to make some alterations to the original recipe.
In a now viral TikTok clip, Krysta Alexa, an American mom living in Norway, reveals the country’s passionate love affair with tacos, even dubbing them the nation’s "unofficial dish."“You might think it would be the US, but after Mexico, Norway is the highest consumer of tacos in the entire world,” Krysta says in the video—a sentiment, while not confirmed, is shared by several online sources.
She continues “and they are often consumed on ‘Tacofredag,’ or ‘Taco Friday,’” which makes this comment left by a viewer so funny:
“I’m learning Norwegian on Duolingo and was wonder why it made Tacofredag seem so important 😂”
Krysta gives the caveat that if you were expecting authentic Mexican cuisine or even Tex Mex, “you’re in for a rude awakening.”
Here’s how the Norwegians do it: ground beef seasoned with generic taco spice mix, plus the essentials consisting of canned corn, sour cream, Norvegia cheese, salsa, guacamole and cucumbers, which are apparently quite the popular topping. Then wrap it all in a large tortilla and enjoy.
@krystaalexa Did you know, after Mexico, Norway 🇳🇴 is the second largest consumer of tacos IN THE WORLD?! 🤯 #norway #tacos #mexicanfood #livingabroad #tacofredag #lifeinnorway ♬ original sound - Krysta Alexa | Life in Norway
Is this sounding more like a burrito to you? You’re not alone. Several viewers chimed in to note how Norwegian tacos seem to give big burrito energy. Others couldn’t help but joke about how strikingly similar these tacos were to what they’ve eaten in the Midwest.
But several commenters who identified as Mexican or Mexican-American still approved of the recipe, even graciously giving bonus points for heating up the tortillas.
"As a Mexican, just enjoy and Cheers up," one person wrote.
Krysta also points out that in addition to the standard toppings and condiments list, she had also seen pineapples used (which isn't totally uncommon in traditional Mexican tacos) as well as ketchup, which she is “not a fan of.”
Still, though she at first viewed Norwegian tacos as “an abomination,” she concludes her video by admitting that now she finds herself craving them.
Tacos might be dinner time favorites around the globe now, and the culinary concept itself has probably been around for millennia, but the name “taco” isn’t as immemorial as one might think.
History professor, author and taco connoisseur Jeffrey M. Pilcher, writer “Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food,” explained that the word “taco” referred to charges made of small, round pieces of paper wrapped around gunpowder that miners would use to excavate silver in the 18th century.
Later in the 19th century, one of the first types of tacos ever described in any found archive were called tacos de minero, or “miner’s tacos,” suggesting that the food was named after these detonation tools. Similarly, taquitos resemble a stick of dynamite, further adding to this theory.
And while authentic Mexican tacos have their own characteristics, the general consensus seems to be to work with what ingredients are available, hence why Mexican-Americans began to incorporate yellow cheese, bell peppers and hamburger meat. And why Norwegians can celebrate Fridays with giant taco-burrito-hybrids. With tacos, the possibilities are endless. That’s what makes them a perfect food everywhere.
The Frenchman's monologue was absolutely spot on 
A court reporter taking notes.via
Depiction of Jesus Christ in Heaven.via
A photo of Santa Claus.via
A man sweating in his car.via
Many people—including 
If not for that darn silver....
Sadly, Lake Tahoe's proposals were overruled. 
National parks are the ultimate tourism magnets. 
Entire economies depend on a local national park. 
Dinosaur National Monument looks like a national park, but is it?
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.