This dish became popular in the 40s
Prepare some nachos to enjoy and use #NationalNachosDay to post on social media.
National Nachos Day is celebrated annually on November 6. In their simplest form, nachos are tortilla chips covered in nacho cheese or other melted cheese and served with salsa.
First created sometime around 1943, the popular and loved nachos are of Mexican origin. Nachos can be made quickly and served as a snack, an appetizer or prepared with extra ingredients as a full meal.
It is believed that Ignaci “Nacho” Anaya created the original nachos in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, just across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. The story talks of a group of wives of United States soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass that were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip. When done shopping, they arrived late to a restaurant after it had closed for the day. Maître d, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya served them a snack which he invented from what little was available in the kitchen: tortillas and cheese. Anaya cut the tortillas into triangles, topped them with shredded cheddar cheese and quickly heated them. He then added sliced jalapeno peppers and served them to the ladies. When Anaya was asked what the dish was called, he replied, “Nacho’s especiales“. As the word of this new creation traveled, people tried them, loved them and overtime, the name changed and Nacho’s “specials” became “special nachos”.
The original recipe is printed in the 1954 St. Anne’s Cookbook.
The popularity of the new dish spread swiftly throughout Texas and the Southwest and has since gained millions of fans across America.
Nachos with an abundance of toppings are often called loaded nachos, super nachos or nachos supreme.
Some popular nachos toppings are refried beans, ground beef, shredded beef, chicken, seafood, shredded cheese, jalapeno peppers, green pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, onion, sour cream and guacamole.
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