Readily portable food item

• US 4,447,457 A
• Filed: 05/25/1983
• Issued: 05/08/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taco Operations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Taco Operations Incorporated
• Inventors: Bernal, Eddie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinstein, Steven L.
• Application Number:
  US06/498,148
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 426/91, 426/92, 426/94, 426/134, 426/297, 426/138, 426/391, 426/283, 426/421, 426/110, 426/523, 426/439, 426/440, 99/450.1, 99/450.6
• US Class Current: 426/91
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 10/10 Securing foodstuffs on a non-edible supporting member
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers

Abstract

A highly portable food item is provided and more specifically a burrito-type product on a stick. A burrito consists essentially of a highly pliable, soft tortilla wrapped around a burrito food filler. The new burrito-type product includes a self-sustaining tortilla with an edge portion thereof wrapped around a stick or other suitable elongate member which is held by the customer. The food filler is circumferentially enclosed within the remaining portion of the tortilla, with the upper end of the tortilla first turned in to enclose the upper end and with the lower end of the tortilla subsequently tucked in to enclose that end. The portability of the food item thus approaches that of an ice cream bar or coated hot dog having a stick impaled in one end thereof, for example.

Claims

1. A portable food item comprising an edible sheet in a self-sustaining state, a substantially rigid and self-supporting elongate member capable of being hand held and supporting the edible sheet, said elongate member having a substantial portion of its length projecting beyond an edge of said sheet with the remaining portion of the member having an edge portion of the sheet affixed thereto by being wrapped completely therearound from said edge portion of said sheet toward an opposite edge portion thereof, with the remaining portion of the edible sheet, which is a major portion of the sheet, forming a chamber contiguous with the wrapped portion, a food filler contained within said chamber, said sheet having one edge portion between the aforesaid edge portions at an end of said chamber turned over the food filler and extending into the chamber to enclose an end of said chamber, said sheet having another edge portion at the other end of said chamber closed off to enclose the other end of said chamber, said sheet being at least partially cooked and in a semi-rigid, self-sustaining state.

2. A portable food product according to claim 1 characterized by said sheet having a state of hardness between a cooked taco shell and an uncooked soft, pliable tortilla.

3. A portable food item according to claim 1 characterized by said sheet having a hardness similar to that of a crescent roll.

4. A food item according to claim 1 wherein said elongate member is of non-circular shape in transverse cross section.

5. A portable food item according to claim 1 characterized by said sheet being swollen slightly in its cooked state from its original state so that the wrapped portion thereof tightly engages said elongate member.

6. A food item according to claim 1 wherein the portion of the sheet which is wrapped around the elongate member forms at least two layers on one side of the elongate member.

7. A portable food item according to claim 6 characterized by said layers of said sheet on opposite sides of the elongate member extending beyond the end of the elongate member to an edge of the sheet.

8. A food item according to claim 1 characterized by said remaining portion of the sheet forming the chamber being in substantially overlapped relationship.

9. A portable food item according to claim 1 characterized by said edible sheet being a tortilla.

10. A portable Mexican-type food item comprising an at least partially cooked tortilla in a semi-rigid, self-sustaining state, a substantially rigid and self-supporting elongate member capable of being hand held and supporting the tortilla, said elongate member being non-circular in transverse cross section, said elongate member having a substantial portion of its length projecting beyond an edge of the tortilla with the remaining portion of the elongate member having an edge portion of the tortilla affixed thereto by being wrapped therearound from the one edge portion toward an opposite edge portion, the remaining portion of said tortilla, which is a major portion thereof, forming a chamber contiguous with the wrapped portion with said opposite edge portion of said tortilla being in overlapped relationship with the portion of the tortilla adjacent the wrapped portion, the wrapped portion of the tortilla extending beyond the wrapped end of said elongate member, an edge portion of said tortilla between the aforesaid edge portions and beyond the wrapped end of the elongate member being turned inwardly to form a flap enclosing an end of said chamber, said remaining portion of said tortilla having an edge portion at the other end of said chamber extending inwardly to close off that end of the chamber, and a food filler located within said chamber and partly under said flap.

11. A portable Mexican-type food item according to claim 10 wherein the wrapped portion of the tortilla is slightly swelled in its cooked state from the original state to cause said wrapped portion to be tightly adhered to said elongate member.

12. A food item according to claim 10 wherein said elongate member is of non-circular shape in transverse cross section.

13. A food item according to claim 10 characterized by said tortilla being of generally circular shape, when flat.

14. A method of making a portable food item comprising providing a soft, edible sheet of predetermined shape, laying the edible sheet on a surface, positioning an elongate member on the sheet with a substantial portion of its length projecting beyond an edge of the sheet a sufficient distance to be hand held and located asymmetrically on the sheet with a large portion of the sheet on one side of the elongate member and a smaller portion of the sheet on the opposite side of the elongate member, said elongate member further being positioned with an edge portion of the large portion of the sheet extending beyond an end of the elongate member on the sheet, turning back the edge portion of the large portion of the sheet which is beyond the end of the member, wrapping the smaller portion of the sheet and part of the large portion around the elongate member, placing a food filler on an inner part of the remaining portion of the large portion of the sheet which is adjacent the wrapped elongate member and under the turned back edge portion, positioning the remaining portion of the large portion around the food filler and with an outer part of the remaining portion of the large portion in overlapping relationship with the wrapped portion to circumferentially enclose the food filler, and immersing the sheet and filler in hot liquid to cause the wrapped portion of the sheet to swell and become secured more fully to the elongate member and to render the sheet in a substantially self-sustaining state.

15. A method according to claim 14 characterized by tucking in edge portions of the sheet adjacent the projecting elongate member to enclose the food filler at an end thereof opposite the turned back edge portion.

16. A method according to claim 14 characterized by fastening together overlapped portions of the sheet prior to immersing the sheet and the filler in the hot liquid.

17. A method of making a portable food item according to claim 14 characterized further by positioning said elongate member on the edible sheet such that the wrapped portion thereof extends beyond the inner end of the elongate member.

18. A method according to claim 14 characterized by heating said hot liquid to a temperature of 325°

-375°

F. prior to immersing the sheet and filler therein.

19. A method according to claim 14 characterized by cooking the sheet and filler in the liquid until the sheet and filler rise to the surface of the liquid, and removing the sheet and filler from the liquid.

20. A method according to claim 14 characterized by providing the soft edible sheet in the form of a tortilla of generally circular shape.