Nacho’s Nachos: The Story behind the World’s Favorite Snack by Sandra Nickel (review)

Sad to say, there was once a world without delicious nachos. The man who pulled humanity out of this despair was Ignacio Anaya, known as Nacho, who grew up in Mexico with a love of cooking and became a talented waiter. He was eventually hired on as staff at the swanky Victory Club in Piedras Negras, which drew clientele from both sides of the Rio Grande, and when asked by a regular one afternoon in 1940 to whip up a snack, he created a dish he called “Nacho’s Special.” The dish became all the rage, Nacho was promoted to executive chef and eventually opened his own restaurant, and nachos became a happily familiar treat. This is a cheerfully told story that gives a quick glimpse of the border-crossing culture of the era and due credit to the restaurant owner who respected and encouraged Anaya without diminishing the glory of Nacho’s creation. The mixed-media illustrations are at times awkward, but the picture of the bustling restaurant and the vibrant crowd sets an effective period scene. A lively food history piece, this also demonstrates the rich value of cross-cultural and cross-border commerce. End matter includes an afterword about Nacho and other key players, a note about the author’s research on a challengingly vague piece of history, and a bibliography and endnotes—and, of course, a recipe for nachos.