Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The most common nacho cheese on earth is legally not allowed to be called cheese, and that's just the beginning of how weird the nacho's history actually is.
In this episode I'm tracing nachos through their three completely different forms. It starts with Ignacio Anaya, a Mexican maître d who improvised the original recipe for a group of American military wives in the 1940s using leftover American surplus cheese, then died decades later without a cent of royalty from what became a billion dollar snack. From there it jumps to a baseball stadium in 1970s Texas, where a concessions businessman invented a pumpable, shelf-stable cheese sauce just to solve a speed problem, then made jalapenos mandatory for one reason only, spicy food sells more beer. And finally it lands on the fully loaded pile most of us actually grew up eating.
Are nachos Mexican, Tex-Mex, or American? Turns out there was never a clean answer, the dish was a fusion from the very first plate.
We make all three versions from scratch, including hand fried chips, a proper queso, guacamole, and fully loaded nachos with taco meat and refried beans.
RECIPE: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/loadednachos
đź‘•SUPPORT THE CHAN, COP SOME MERCH!: https://adamwitt.store/
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
đź‘ľDISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
đź“ťMORE RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes
đź”—FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
My Cookware Set: amzn.to/3vaWhbG
My Dutch Oven: amzn.to/48MKuhq
Portable Single-burner Stove: amzn.to/3IytyjV
Butane Torch: amzn.to/48TkQra
Deli Containers: amzn.to/49QO635
Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth): amzn.to/49QO635
Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids: amzn.to/49QWlfy
Butane Canisters: amzn.to/3wLUtpM
Coarse Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3PePLHK
Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3TxvkYP
Sheet Trays: amzn.to/3IG3zXL
The BEST Smash Burger Spatula: amzn.to/3UdSHab
Cutting Board Scraper: amzn.to/3Jy64fx
Ice Cream Maker: amzn.to/3wd2vIu
My Induction Burner: amzn.to/4dfhJNE
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 Nachos We Imagine
01:08 The Nacho Anaya Origin Story
03:38 Frying Chips Like the Original
05:40 Birth of the Cheese Pump
09:45 The Loaded Nacho Debate
13:06 Toppings Lineup
15:56 Taco Beef
17:19 Guacamole
19:13 Refried Beans
20:50 Queso and Poblanos
22:14 Double Stack Assembly
24:56 Taste Test and Wrap
________________________________________________________
#nachos #foodhistory #tacotuesday
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
The most common nacho cheese on earth is legally not allowed to be called cheese, and that's just the beginning of how weird the nacho's history actually is.
In this episode I'm tracing nachos through their three completely different forms. It starts with Ignacio Anaya, a Mexican maître d who improvised the original recipe for a group of American military wives in the 1940s using leftover American surplus cheese, then died decades later without a cent of royalty from what became a billion dollar snack. From there it jumps to a baseball stadium in 1970s Texas, where a concessions businessman invented a pumpable, shelf-stable cheese sauce just to solve a speed problem, then made jalapenos mandatory for one reason only, spicy food sells more beer. And finally it lands on the fully loaded pile most of us actually grew up eating.
Are nachos Mexican, Tex-Mex, or American? Turns out there was never a clean answer, the dish was a fusion from the very first plate.
We make all three versions from scratch, including hand fried chips, a proper queso, guacamole, and fully loaded nachos with taco meat and refried beans.
RECIPE: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/loadednachos
đź‘•SUPPORT THE CHAN, COP SOME MERCH!: https://adamwitt.store/
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
đź‘ľDISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
đź“ťMORE RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes
đź”—FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
My Cookware Set: amzn.to/3vaWhbG
My Dutch Oven: amzn.to/48MKuhq
Portable Single-burner Stove: amzn.to/3IytyjV
Butane Torch: amzn.to/48TkQra
Deli Containers: amzn.to/49QO635
Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth): amzn.to/49QO635
Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids: amzn.to/49QWlfy
Butane Canisters: amzn.to/3wLUtpM
Coarse Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3PePLHK
Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3TxvkYP
Sheet Trays: amzn.to/3IG3zXL
The BEST Smash Burger Spatula: amzn.to/3UdSHab
Cutting Board Scraper: amzn.to/3Jy64fx
Ice Cream Maker: amzn.to/3wd2vIu
My Induction Burner: amzn.to/4dfhJNE
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 Nachos We Imagine
01:08 The Nacho Anaya Origin Story
03:38 Frying Chips Like the Original
05:40 Birth of the Cheese Pump
09:45 The Loaded Nacho Debate
13:06 Toppings Lineup
15:56 Taco Beef
17:19 Guacamole
19:13 Refried Beans
20:50 Queso and Poblanos
22:14 Double Stack Assembly
24:56 Taste Test and Wrap
________________________________________________________
#nachos #foodhistory #tacotuesday
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
