The Power of Nachos
The History of Nachos and Why They’re Awesome
T’s Nachos!
Gooey, melted cheese, crunchy tortilla chips, tasty toppings..these are the visions nachos create when thinking of the popular Mexican snack. Versatile and easy to share, nachos are the perfect game-time food, appetizer or meal.
The Story
Surprising enough, nachos have not been around all that long. It wasn’t until 1943 when about a dozen U.S. military wives decided to stop for dinner after a day of shopping on their way back to the base at Fort Duncan, Texas. All the restaurants were closed, however Ignacio Anaya, a maître d’ at the old Victory Club in the small Mexican city of Piedras Negras took pity on them and decided to cook what was left in their kitchen. Slicing and frying tortillas, he covered them in cheddar cheese and jalapeño peppers, and added it to the oven. Serving it to the ladies, he called it ‘Nachos Especiales’ after his nick-name, “Nacho.”
The recipe was found in an Eagle Pass church cookbook, which “confirms the existence of Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Anaya, gives the Victory Club as the place in which he invented his ‘nacho specials’, and provides his own original recipe.” (According to Adriana P. Orr, who contributed the story to the Oxford English Dictionary).
Hungry for a taste? Timoti’s nachos are BACK! Get them at all three locations every Friday.
Can’t wait until Friday? Make your own Timoti’s variation with our very own Cajun Blackening Blend.
Recipe: Easy At-Home Nachos
Ingredients
1 Standard Size Bag Of Tortilla Chips
1 pound block of cheese such as cheddar Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack, shredded
Timoti’s Cajun Blackening Blend
Black beans or pinto beans
Diced Tomatoes
Jalapeños or chilies
Diced onion
Meat optional: tofu, chicken, wild-caught shrimp
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or foil.
Spread chips over cookie sheet.
Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the chips.
Sprinkle toppings over the chips and cheese.
Sprinkle on remaining cheese.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until cheese is good and melty.
Serve warm with sides such as guacamole, sour cream or salsa.