Nacho's Nachos

June 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 4-Ignacio Anaya (1895-1975) was a skilled home cook and a professional chef, but it was his invention of one of the world's favorite snacks that made him a household name. Born in northern Mexico, Anaya was given the nickname "Nacho." At the age of 23, he found work in a restaurant. When restaurateur Rodolfo de los Santos planned to open a new eatery, the Victory Club, in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, he recruited Nacho. It was there in 1940 that Nacho came up with the idea for his signature dish. Once his crunchy, cheesy, spicy creation took off, actors and presidents flocked to Victory Club. The simple but engaging text is well suited to this appealing story and makes this biography a perfect read-aloud for classrooms. Illustrations convey movement and familiarity while depicting a time period that might be unfamiliar to younger readers. Back matter includes a thorough list of sources cited, an afterword, and-best of all-a recipe for the original Nacho's Special. VERDICT A unique biography read-aloud title for younger kids. Recommended for elementary school libraries and classrooms.-Savannah Kitchens, Parnell Memorial Lib., Montevallo, AL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2021
Complex textures of Chicanx borderland aesthetics -- that inventive creativity born of working-class improvisation and pizzazz -- greet us on the cover of this picture-book biography. Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, looking sharp in suit and tie, presents platters of steamy, cheesy, crunchy nachos, rendered in Dominguez's lively acrylic, gouache, ink, and colored-pencil illustration in chillante yellow-orange hues, with touches of green ornamentation. Nickel tells an engaging origin story of the humble but mighty nacho, which Anaya created in 1940. Growing up in northern Mexico, Nacho "loved to sit in the kitchen" and savor his foster mom's quesadillas; he later began working in restaurants, where his inventiveness and "special talent for making diners happy" built him a reputation. In Piedras Negras, Mexico, just across the border from Texas, Rodolfo de los Santos was launching the Victory Club, a fancy supper club, and recruited Nacho. When one day an influential socialite asked him if he could "whip us up something new," Nacho activated his making-do abilities. The result: "So spectacular!" Nacho's nachos became an instant hit and grew legendary by word of mouth. A recipe, an author's note, and a robustly researched bibliography accompany this scrumptious visual and narrative feast.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2021
Complex textures of Chicanx borderland aesthetics -- that inventive creativity born of working-class improvisation and pizzazz -- greet us on the cover of this picture-book biography. Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, looking sharp in suit and tie, presents platters of steamy, cheesy, crunchy nachos, rendered in Dominguez's lively acrylic, gouache, ink, and colored-pencil illustration in chillante yellow-orange hues, with touches of green ornamentation. Nickel tells an engaging origin story of the humble but mighty nacho, which Anaya created in 1940. Growing up in northern Mexico, Nacho "loved to sit in the kitchen" and savor his foster mom's quesadillas; he later began working in restaurants, where his inventiveness and "special talent for making diners happy" built him a reputation. In Piedras Negras, Mexico, just across the border from Texas, Rodolfo de los Santos was launching the Victory Club, a fancy supper club, and recruited Nacho. When one day an influential socialite asked him if he could "whip us up something new," Nacho activated his making-do abilities. The result: "So spectacular!" Nacho's nachos became an instant hit and grew legendary by word of mouth. A recipe, an author's note, and a robustly researched bibliography accompany this scrumptious visual and narrative feast. Lettycia Terrones

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from April 15, 2020
On a platter or in a bowl, cheesy nachos are everywhere! But where did they come from? Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya was working his shift at the Club Victoria in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico--across the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass, Texas--when Mamie Finan, a regular Anglo customer, walked in with some friends, challenging Nacho to come up with something different for them to try. Nacho scrambled around the empty restaurant kitchen until he spotted some freshly made tortilla chips. Recalling his foster mother's quesadillas, he sprinkled cheddar cheese on the chips and crowned them with gleaming slices of pickled jalape�os. A few minutes in the oven, and history was made! Since that fateful day in 1940, celebrities from both sides of the border--even President Lyndon B. Johnson--have clamored for a plate of Nacho's Special. Eighty years later, minus the apostrophe and "special," people the world over dig happily into servings of cheesy, crunchy, spicy--nachos. Nickel's thorough research, including communications with the descendants of the principals, brings to life the man behind the world's favorite cheesy bites. Dominguez's detailed facial expressions and vibrant, full-bleed, double-page period illustrations successfully capture the people, the era, and its fashions. Nickel's homage to this congenial, hardworking man and his renowned snack is a celebration of ingenuity and kismet. (sources, citations, biographical note, author's note) (Picture book/biography. 8-12)

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