Photo credits: El País online, Public Domain, International Nacho Fest Facebook page
Much like the creation of ketchup, it could be said that the birth of nachos was a happy accident. If one is to believe the legend behind the day nachos were born, it was a result of quick thinking, a missing cook, and a group of peckish military wives.
Place: The Victory Club in Piedras Negras (a border town), Mexico
Year: 1940 or 1943 (sources vary)
Characters: Ignacio Anaya, Sr. (aka “Nacho”, Head Waiter), Wives of American Servicemen, Missing Cook
According to the well-told tale, Mr. Anaya was surprised by a group of officers’ wives who crossed the border to Piedras Negras from Texas’s Fort Duncan. They were hungry and wanted something quick to eat; however, the cook was missing in action. Mr. Anaya scattered some fried tortilla strips onto a sheet pan, covered them with cheese, added slices of jalapeño peppers, then toasted everything on the grill. When the ladies complimented Mr. Anaya about the snack and asked what the name of the dish was, supposedly his response was “Nacho’s Special”. And so a star dish was born!
Many iterations later, nachos are one of the most popular snacks in the world. It has become a staple dish at American sporting events since the 1970’s. The world’s largest single nacho chip is created bigger and cheesier every year at the International Nacho Fest in Piedras Negras. The huge, one-piece chip is baked on a special grill by dozens of nacho assistants. Here in the U.S., we observe National Nacho Day on November 6, but really any day is a good day to celebrate this tasty treat.
While we’re on the topic of culinary creations from south of the border, please check out some of the very colorful and tastebud-tempting Mexican cookbooks we have in the RPL collection. We also have a delightful children’s book about Mr. Anaya’s story. If you’d like to celebrate National Nacho Day, it might be fun to get the family involved in making a savory tray of Nacho’s nachos!
From the RPL Catalog:
Juvenile Non-Fiction
Nacho’s Nachos – the Story Behind the World’s Favorite Snack, Sandra Nickel and Oliver Dominguez
Adult Non-Fiction
La Vida Verde – Plant-Based Mexican Cooking with Authentic Flavor, Jocelyn Ramirez
Made in Mexico: the Cookbook, Danny Mena with Nils Bernstein
Mi Cocina – Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico, Rick Martínez
Nachos for Dinner, Dan Whalen
Seasons of My Heart – a Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, Mexico, Susana Trilling
Treasures of the Mexican Table, Pati Jinich
