Gorditas are one of Mexico’s greatest breakfast foods
Torreón’s gorditas are made with flour instead of the more common corn variety.
There might not be another breakfast in the world quite as good as Mexico’s. From staples like chilaquiles, molletes or huevos rancheros to regional specialties like machaca, tortas ahogadas or Jalisco-style barbacoa, few countries have mastered the art of breakfast so well.
And in the northern city of Torreón there is one undisputed breakfast king: the gordita. Located in Coahuila state, Torreón is a scorchingly hot industrial city surrounded by imposing hills, dry lake beds and miles of desert. Every morning, thousands of Laguneros, as locals are known, of all ages and social classes flock to their nearest gordita merchant.
Gorditas can be stuffed stuffed with any combination of meat, cheese, eggs, beans or veg.
They are not hard to find. On almost every street there’s someone selling gorditas, from humble vendors on bicycle carts to chain restaurants like La Pestaña.
The gordita, meaning “little fatty,” is a popular snack across Mexico, typically consisting of fried masa dough stuffed with any combination of meat, cheese, eggs, beans, or veg. In Torreón, however, the dough is made with flour. Slightly thinner than the corn variety and a little lighter on the stomach, it almost resembles pita, with a beige surface beautifully mottled with golden brown speckles.
Gordy Mania opened 24 years ago and now sells 500 to 600 gorditas every day.
To understand this local obsession, I visited Gordy Mania, a small, family-run establishment on a busy Torreón street, early one Friday morning…
The Tequila Files 