The argument about whether burritos are authentically Mexican

I see this come up and I want to put down my own position clearly. The burrito in its current most common form — large flour tortilla, rice, beans, protein, multiple toppings — is a border and northern Mexican food that evolved through the 20th century in Sonora and Chihuahua and in the US border states. It is not ancient, it is not pan-Mexican, and it is not identical to what you find in most parts of Mexico. But 'not ancient' and 'not pan-Mexican' do not mean 'not Mexican.' Food evolves. The burrito has Mexican DNA — the tortilla, the beans, the chile-based proteins — and developed in places where Mexican food culture was central. Arguing about authenticity in food is usually less interesting than understanding the history. The burrito's history is specific and interesting. The authenticity debate is not.