Happy Cinco de Nachos!

Since today is the official holiday of our beloved cheesy treat, we thought we break down a little history of this holiday so you could actually know why you crave that nacho goodness in the first place. So grab your sombraro (you know, the one you got at Epcot), salt your glass and melt the cheese... 'cause it's officially on.


Viva Nachos!
by Colleen Richardson

Feliz Cinco de Mayo NaCho lovers! On this day in 1862, General Ignacio Zaragoza led Mexican forces to victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla. As chance would have it, the creator of our beloved finger food was also named Ignacio (Anaya) although he was more affectionately known as "Nacho". And like most great discoveries, his inception of the quintessential party food was purely by accident.

The year was 1943 and Ignacio was the maitre d' at a restaurant called the Victory Club in Piedras Negras, Mexico. As the story tells us, a group of American airmen wives stationed across the border came to his restaurant after the kitchen had closed. When Anaya couldn't find the cook he decided that he didn't want to send the women away hungry so he improvised. Using what was available, Ignacio picked up tostados (tortilla chips), grated some cheese on them--Wisconsin cheese, the round one--and put them under the broiler. He pulled them out after a couple of minutes, all melted, and garnished the chips with a slice of jalapeno. The women, pleased with this new flavor experience, spread the word that Ignacio at the Victory Club could offer this special treat. Eventually, people all over south Texas came in search of the specialty. And that, my friends, is how nachos were born.

I bet neither Ignacio nor the American wives had any idea then that their late night snack would become a staple in the American diet. So today - as you sing "La Cucaracha" and seduce that hot girl from across the bar with a tequila body shot-- remember the "Ignacios" and how their bravery gave us something to celebrate, and better yet, something to eat.

Other interesting Nacho Day facts:

• October 21,1995 was declared the International Day of the Nacho. A bronze plaque was installed in Piedras Negras, Mexico, to honor Ignacio Anaya.
  
• Nacho means flat-nosed in Spanish
  
  
• The Oxford English Dictionary has identified the earliest known occurrence in English-language print of the word "nacho", in a cookbook called "A Taste of Texas", edited by Jane Trahey and published in 1949. "A Taste of Texas" refers to the story of Ignacio Anaya as the inventor of nachos.
  
  
• Nachos increased in popularity as a cheap concession food after the development of a processed cheese sauce, based on hydrogenated oil, which eased preparation. The cheese sauce can be dispensed on top of the tortilla chips, but it is often simply offered as a dip. However, since processed cheese sauce is not authentic to Mexican food, and may not be very healthy, nachos made with actual cheese also remain popular. Thankfully.
  
  
• The first professional sports team to offer nachos in the concession stand was baseball's Texas Rangers.
  
  
• The food surfaced in pop culture in quirky fashion. Monday Night Football's Howard Cosell used the word "nachos" to describe a spectacular play.

And there you have it folks, the history of the best food on earth. Special thanks to Ignacio Anaya for inventing the reason for this blog, and Miss Colleen Richardson for telling us all about it. Happy Nacho day everyone!

Got a great Cinco De Mayo recipe or story? Let us know and we'll post it up on the NaCho Blog: QuesoJoe@hotmail.com.