Creamy, golden nacho cheese sauce is an indispensable element of Tex-Mex cuisine, transforming tortilla chips into the snack food of choice for many.
Whether relaxing by yourself in front of a big game or hosting party,it is one of the best ways of jazzing up snack treats. What makes it even more popular is that, while it’s easy tomake at home, there are also plenty of store-bought options available to make snack time a bit easier.
Making it at home requires onlyfew ingredients and the best part is, it’s made of real cheese, not cheese products making for a healthy, tasty snack.
Nachos has an interesting history, borne out of convenience and necessity.Curious? Read on.
What’s in a name? Ignacio’s legacy
According to a 2002 article in the San Antonio Express, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya was the maitre d’ at the old Victory Club in PiedrasNegras, Mexico. When a group of military wives from nearby Fort Duncan in the US made a day trip in 1943 to the little Mexican town, they discovered that all the restaurants were shut. Taking pity on them, and with the Club’s chef not available, Anaya sliced and fried some tortilla chips, covered them in grated Wisconsin cheddar and added some jalapenos for bite. He quickly baked them for a few minutes and created one of the world’s now favourite snacks, christening it Nacho’s Especiales (ultimately shortened to nachos).
Unfortunately, Nacho Anaya never got the full credit for his invention, his son confirming that they looked into how to claim ownership of the recipe but it was too little too late. However, he did serve as a judge in an annual nachos competition in PiedrasNegras until his death in 1975.
The man who really did make nachos famous, San Antonio local Frank Liberto (of Sicilian, not Mexican ancestry), died just one day short of US National Nachos Day (yes, it is a thing, on October 21) in 2017. Liberto, considered the father of nachos, introduced the dish as a stadium concession during a Texas Rangers baseball game in 1976 with a secret sauce recipe that became a staple in many US households.The Dallas Cowboys started selling the snack in 1977. “Monday Night Football” television announcer Howard Cosell mentioned the nachos several times, and the concession snack became a hot commodity.
Easy homemade nachos cheese sauce!
Nachos cheese sauce is available off the shelf, with products likeAnita Cheese Sauce by Pure Dairy. But if you can’t get to the shops and just need a good hit of gooey cheesy goodness, you can make it in your kitchen in minutes.
All you need is four basic ingredients: 1 teaspoon of butter, 150 ml evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup grated cheese, then follow these four easy steps
Step 1. Heat a small saucepan and melt the butter.
Step 2. Add flour, mix and cook until it thickens.
Step3. Slowly add evaporated milk and whisk it.
Step 4. Bring the mixture to the boil and add grated cheese. Mix well until cheese melts and the mixture thickens. Season it with salt and pepper.
Your own nachos cheese sauce is ready!!
Nachos with cheese sauce is a great snack for every occasion. But who wants to make it every day?If you want to preserve it for sneaky treat in a few weeks’ time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep out the moisture and preserve yumminess. Simply reheat it while stirring well and serve.
Use nachos cheese sauce to enhance any dish
Nachos cheese sauce doesn’t just have to go on corn chips. You can use its delicious, gooey cheesiness to add something special to chicken, steamed vegetables or as a dipping sauce. The opportunities are endless.
Do you have something interesting to share about delicious nachos cheese sauce? Add your recipe ideas, favourite nachos eating time or Tex-Mex food experience below.