Ahh nachos. You know, you'd think that just about every website, every book, everything would have a little section in it somewhere about nachos. Why? Because they're nachos, dude. Nachos are why god put on this rock here in space. Yet, I must admit, there is not much we know about the modern day nacho. Where did it come from? Why does it exist? What is a nacho?
The answer is not an easy one. Like far too many other crazy Spanish words, the word nacho has not literal english translation. As far as my understanding, it is a Mexican nickname, like "Hi I'm Jose, but call me nacho." I don't get it either. So therefore, when we go get ourselves a plate heaped high with delicious nacho goodness, what exactly are we eating? Well that all depends on how you like your nachos. Personally, I like them served all different ways, different toppings depending on mood, day of the week, time I have on my hands, what's in the fridge, and more. Usually it's just cheese. Sometimes, if I have easy to make, good, and fast refried beans those will go on as well. And as much of a nacho fan as I am, when I make my own, those two toppings really seem to be it. If I have meat, I'm going to enjoy that some other way, not take the meat and add it to chips. It never works out to be as good as the stuff you can buy down at the restaurants no matter how ya do it. for me anyways.
Wikipedia tells me 'nachos' originated about 65 years ago in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. To all you whities thats 'black stones' Mexico. They were made when a chef didn't have any other ingredients so he just fried up some tortilla and melted cheese on it. So originally, nachos is simply a quesadilla, but deep fried. So when toppings are added, when you slather on sour cream, beans, rice, meat, etc, is it still a nacho? An interesting dilemma.
No matter what though, you've gotta respect the nacho. The nacho is a life saver. I don't know how many times I've been low, I've been at the bottom and nachos have been there for me. When I had no friends, nachos were there. They're so easy to make, their ingredients so cheap. It allows to try different things with nachos. You see what if it's a Sunday, right, and you have had a few too many Keystone Ices, and you decide nachos would hit the spot? When you're drunk, I highly recommend nachos with lots of hot sauce, salsa and cheese, but here's the twist: add the salsa and hot sauce first and then the cheese. You see, the salsa like most food is as good if not better hot. So you'll have gooey sticky cheesy salsa chips...
Just imagine that. Now you've got delicious chips, but they will not last. Those are going to be gone in ten seconds flat. If you're looking for a gourmet nacho, something that's basically a meal on chips, I have the thing for you. I recommend the bean and meat nacho. It's simple. If you're anything like me at all, you don't just have meat lying around, cooked, and ready to use whenever you decide it's convenient. So making it is half the adventure. At first you're not sure about whether to pan fry or bake. The dilemma is simple, pan fry may be faster, but you also suck at it, and with the oven, all you have to do is throw the meat in and walk away. But what temperature. Say 450, I always aim high.
So you wait and you wait, and your hunger dies down a bit and you wait, and you check constantly but it just never looks done. You flip it about 1000 times, and eventually you figure it's been in there 45 minutes, it must be done. Now you see, a ten second food from the first paragraph has taken you 45 minutes already. Then you make the beans. Then you reheat the meat. then, cursing yourself, you go to the store and buy chips. While there you pick up sour cream- you know, bonus. Then you reheat everything again, throw it all together, and a ten second food just took you an hour and fifteen minutes. That's gourmet.
It seems in order to make a nacho, all one needs to do is simply have chips and add something to them. But then, wouldn't chips and salsa technically be nachos? The answer is no, and I believe I know the reason. Cheese is essential. Cheese is the end all, be all behind nachos. Without cheese, nachos are nothing. Without nachos, cheese is nothing. They compliment each other like a fine wine compliments a meal. They work as a pair, in unison, because as themselves they would be surpassed. There are far too many good, quick, easy foods to make that could easily overtake chips as best snack food, but nachos is another dimension of chips. It's chips, squared.
It is for these reasons that I firmly believe nachos are the supreme snack. Whether or not you like nachos, I think everyone has to recognize the impact they've made, the lives they've changed. And besides, everyone likes them.
-Theo
