Ignacio Anaya

Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya (c. 1894 – 1975) was a Mexican restaurateur credited as the inventor of nachos.[1]

Anaya was living in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, USA, and had a restaurant called the El Moderno there, when he invented nachos and served them at the restaurant as "Nacho's Especiales".[2] The original form of nachos, as made by Nacho Anaya, included fried tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and jalapeños.[1]

Anaya died at age 81 in 1975.[3] Anaya's son, Ignacio Anaya Jr., (1935-2010) and daughter, Stephanie Bahner (1945-current), lived in Eagle Pass, Texas and gave several interviews about his father, stating that Mamie Finan was the woman who named it Nachos Especiales after being served the snack with several friends.[4] In the early 1990s, a holiday called the International Day of the Nacho was initiated to commemorate the invention of nachos and to celebrate nachos. The International Day of the Nacho, which takes place on October 21, is observed chiefly by eating nachos.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ORR, Adriana P. (July 1999). "Nachos, anyone?". Word stories. Oxford English Dictionary. Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  2. ↑ BROWNING-BLAS, Kristen (May 11, 2005). "Ellerbee's looking forward to next bite". Denver Post. Retrieved April 4, 2013. The restaurant owner said, "They are Nacho's Especiales."
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 McLEMORE, David (October 22, 1995). "Nacho Man: Border resident invented Tex-Mex treat - or did he?". Dallas Morning News.
  4. ↑ DUNNE, Mike (January 28, 2004). One spicy tale: 'Macho Nachos'. Sacramento Bee. p. F1.