Once upon a time, in the charming city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, located just across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, a delicious culinary invention was born. The year was 1940, and a man named Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya was about to create a snack that would become a worldwide sensation.
It all began at the Victory Club, a local restaurant where Nacho worked as a cook. One day, Mamie Finan, a regular customer, came in with an unusual request. She, along with three other women from Eagle Pass, wanted something different for a snack. Nacho, always up for a culinary challenge, was intrigued.
Nacho ventured into the kitchen, where he spotted freshly fried pieces of corn tortillas. In a moment of inspiration, he decided to transform them into something special. He cut the tortillas into triangles, fried them to perfection, and then covered them with a generous helping of shredded cheese. To add a kick of flavor, he added sliced pickled jalapeño peppers. With the finishing touches, the dish was complete.
When Mamie Finan tasted the snack, she was thrilled and wanted to know what to call this delightful creation. Nacho, with a modest smile, replied, “Well, I guess we can just call them Nacho’s Special.”
Not content with just creating this delightful snack, Nacho went on to open his own restaurant, Nacho’s Restaurant, in Piedras Negras. The original recipe for his creation even made its way into the 1954 St. Anne’s Cookbook, ensuring that his culinary innovation would be preserved for future generations.
The popularity of Nacho’s creation spread rapidly, especially throughout Texas and the Southwest. In fact, the first recorded use of the word “nachos” in English dates back to 1950, found in the book “A Taste of Texas.”
But the story doesn’t end there. Carmen Rocha, a waitress at El Cholo Spanish Cafe in San Antonio, Texas, is credited with bringing nachos to Los Angeles in 1959. Her introduction of the dish at the cafe helped further its recognition.
In 1976, a modified version of the dish, with cheese sauce and prepared tortilla chips, was introduced by Frank Liberto, the owner of Ricos Products, during Texas Rangers baseball games at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This variation became widely known as “ballpark nachos.”
The true turning point for nachos came during a Monday Night Football game on September 4, 1978, between the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys. The renowned sportscaster Howard Cosell, a fan of the snack, mentioned “nachos” in his broadcasts over the following weeks. This further popularized the dish, introducing it to an entirely new audience.
Sadly, Ignacio Anaya passed away in 1975, but his legacy lived on. In his honor, a bronze plaque was erected in Piedras Negras, and October 21 was declared the International Day of the Nacho.
Today, Nacho’s creation is enjoyed all over the world, and his son, Ignacio Anaya, Jr., has even had the privilege of serving as a judge at the annual nacho competition, ensuring that his father’s delicious invention continues to bring joy to people everywhere.
