Hard Taco Shell and Method and Apparatus for Producing the Hard Taco Shell

A hard taco shell having a first end, a second end and a midpoint which are spaced from one another along a longitudinal axis of the hard taco shell, said hard taco shell comprising:

• a first sidewall;
• a second sidewall;
• a first arcuate line of depressions extending up both the first and second sidewalls;
• and
• a second arcuate line of depressions extending up both the first and second sidewalls, with the first arcuate line of depressions being located entirely between the first end of the hard taco shell and the midpoint of the hard taco shell, and the second arcuate line of depressions being located entirely between the second end of the hard taco shell and the midpoint of the hard taco shell,
• wherein, when the hard taco shell is bitten from one of the first and second ends, the hard taco shell is configured to break along a predetermined break line defined by one of the first and second arcuate lines of depressions.

A method of producing a hard taco shell comprising:

• cutting a dough piece from a dough sheet;
• creating a first arcuate line of depressions, a second arcuate line of depressions and a straight line of depressions in the dough piece;
• folding the dough piece to form a shaped dough piece having spaced first and second sidewalls;
• and
• baking the shaped dough piece to produce the hard taco shell having the first arcuate line of depressions extending up both the first and second sidewalls, the second arcuate line of depressions, the straight line of depressions intermediate the first and second arcuate lines of depressions, and a first region, free of depressions, encompassing an entire area between the first arcuate line of depressions and the straight line of depressions.