International Day of the Nacho

The nacho is usually served as a crunchy side or a starter to a Mexican main but have you ever wondered about the invention of such a simple yet delicious snack?

The invention of food dishes is usually a difficult thing to pin-point, however the invention of the nacho is a very easy one to establish. It all started in 1943, during WWII, when the wives of American soldiers in Texas would take day trips together over the border into Northern Mexico to a town called Piedras Negras. On one of these trips the women stopped at a restaurant called the Victory Club after it had closed, where they were greeted by Ignacio “Nacho” Ayana. It just so happened that on this day the chef was no where to be seen and so It was up to Ignacio to throw something together for them to eat! He went into the kitchen, saw whole corn chips, quartered and fried them, melted cheese on them, threw in some Jalapenos and so the nacho was born.

Since then the corn tortilla chips have been transformed from a simple “what have we got in the cupboard” dish to some quite elaborate sides! Here are some fantastic Ideas if you wanted to wow some guests at a dinner party this Autumn!

• Go for the traditional: scatter tortilla chips onto a tray, cover with salsa, grated cheese and chopped spring onion. Grill for a few minutes to melt the cheese and sprinkle some dried chili flakes for a bit of a kick. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
• Healthier option: Place tortilla chips onto baking tray. Cover with a mixture of avocado, tomato, sweetcorn and red onion. Scatter some chopped coriander and a good amount of cheese. Heat for a few minutes in a hot grill.
• Healthier option: Place tortilla chips onto baking tray. Cover with a mixture of avocado, tomato, sweetcorn and red onion. Scatter some chopped coriander and a good amount of cheese. Heat for a few minutes in a hot grill.

Sources:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/236612/homemade-chicken-nachos

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/nachos-inventor_n_1515233.html

Date Created: 21/10/2013