It’s International Nacho Day. Why? Well, I’ll have to consult the Wikipedia.

From the Wikipedia: Nachos.

The Wikipedia defines Nachos as “a popular corn based food of Mexican origin associated with Tex-Mex cuisine,” which really understates it, but whatever. The Wikipedia probably assumes everyone coming to Nachos’ Wikipedia page knows what Nachos are.

Nachos got their name from their inventor, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, the maitre d’ at a restaurant in a town on the Mexican side of the Texas-Mexico border called Piedras Negras. So when the Wikipedia says “associated with Tex-Mex cuisine” it means, literally, that Nachos are like the most Tex-Mexican thing imaginable.

Like so many great snack foods — the Buffalo wing and ice-cream cone come to mind — Nachos were born of necessity. A group of 10-12 wives of U.S. soldiers came into Anaya’s restaurant, hungry after a long day of shopping.

The restaurant was closed for the day and nearly out of food, but the enterprising Anaya made the women a snack from what he had left in the kitchen. He cut tortillas into triangles, shredded cheddar cheese over them, broiled them for a while to melt the cheese and brown the chips, then added sliced jalapenos.

He called the dish “Nacho’s especiales” — Nacho’s specials — and presumably the women were overwhelmed, because, you know, no one had ever eaten nachos before.

Nacho Anaya soon took his recipe to a different restaurant, then later opened a restaurant of his own. Word of nachos’ awesomeness spread swiftly through Texas, and they started showing up in cookbooks before the decade was out.

By the late 70s, nachos were well enough established in the Lone Star State that Texas stadiums began serving ballpark-style nachos, with the processed dipping cheese and everything. They gained exposure on the national stage thanks to Howard Cosell, who took to mentioning nachos on Monday Night Football broadcasts.

Nachos are now served with many toppings, way more than just cheese and jalapenos, and the Wikipedia page includes a list of the more popular ones. Nachos are now served all around the world and are delicious in most places. It sucks when nachos come with a disproportionate amount of toppings to chips or vice versa, but that’s not stated on the Wikipedia page.

Nacho Anaya died in 1975. There is a bronze plaque in Piedras Negras in his honor, presumably a worthy mecca for nacho lovers. After his death, the town declared October 21 — this day — the International Day of the Nacho. No word on why October 21, but I guess now seems like as good a time to be eating nachos as any.