No other Latin American staple quite captures the imagination, or a burrito, like a tortilla. Whether corn or flour, used in tacos and tostadas, soups and enchiladas or pies and casseroles, the ubiquitous tortilla is undeniable. The corn tortilla chip provides the greatest example of its popularity.
Tortilla chips sell all over the world from European supermarkets to grocery stores in Japan. It builds a culinary bridge between otherwise disparate cultures. So without further ado, let’s examine the history of the tortilla chip and the development of its most famous plate, the nacho!
Nixtamal, Masa and Tortillas
Homemade corn tortillas began to appear around 2500 BC, when indigenous people realized using maize, water and lime gave them softer dough in a process called nixtamalization. Mesoamerican peoples soaked corn kernels in an alkaline solution for a day, then cooked them with lime-infused hot water to remove their outer shell. They ground the nixtamal into masa, letting it dry to make cornflour or keep it wet for dough. Finally they cooked the dough on hot stones with each tortilla made from a golf ball size scoop.
The Nahua (Aztec) people called them tlaxcalli in their native language and would eat them fresh off the griddle, wrapped around meat, fish and chili peppers for a meal. Spanish conquistadors took to the flatbread immediately, naming them after the “tortilla de patatas” from the Navarra region and using them as a staple food.
The word tortilla comes from the Latin root for twisted bread. This developed into the Spanish word “torta” meaning cake appended with “illa” meaning little. By the 19th century, the tortilla industry was well underway and the mixture of native and European foods created Mexico’s first cosmopolitan cuisine. Batch-made and wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to retain heat and moisture, tortillas started their illustrious street food career.
Tortilla Chip Explosion
Tortillas didn’t really reach their current level of global popularity until the 20th century with the invention and introduction of tortilla chips. The tortilla chip as we know it is widely credited to Rebecca Webb Carranza. She invented the snack in mid-1940s Los Angeles. The recipe was simple: she cut a batch of misshapen tortillas into triangles and then fried them on a hot skillet for a family party with friends. Soon, she and her husband began bagging and selling these homemade tortilla chips for a dime a bag.
Initially called tort chips, tortilla chips became an instant hit and since then the appetite for chips has only grown. Now sold in over 100 countries around the world, they have become one of Mexico’s biggest exports and a staple in Mexican, Tex-Mex and Mexicali cuisine. Today one can purchase from many brands of tortilla chips including blue corn and flavored chip varieties. The related corn chip, made from cornmeal and water and popularized by the Fritos-Lays company, eschews the nixtamalization recipe for a stronger, saltier, buttery taste. Ask any person today and they are bound to have a favorite!
Come try “Nacho’s Special” at Mayan Mexican Restaurants today!
Nacho’s Special
Without a doubt, however, the most famous tortilla chip dish is the almighty nacho plate.
Named for the legendary restaurateur Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, he improvised a meal for some US military wives in Piedras Negras, Mexico. With no chef and limited ingredients at the Victory Club, Anaya had to improvise. Gathering corn tortillas fried in vegetable oil and then adding melted cheese with jalapenos on top, Anaya made food history. According to the legend, one of his patrons, Mamie Finan, asked him what they should call the dish and he responded: “well, I guess we can just call them Nacho’s Special.”
By 1943 they were on the menu as “Nacho’s Special” and in 1961, he opened his own restaurant called Nacho’s after the Victory Club closed. Nowadays, you don’t need to visit Piedras Negras to find Nacho’s Special. Just visit our Mayan Mexican Restaurant locations across the Olympia and Tumwater area to enjoy the legend of “Nacho’s Special,” today!
Enjoy Tortilla Chips at Mayan Mexican Restaurants Today!
The corn tortilla chip became an important part of the culture and symbol of Mexico. While only existing for less than a century, it transformed the ubiquity of the Mexican food industry. Tortilla chips and salsa were made the official state snack of Texas in 2003. They make for the perfect banquet food.
We hope this blog post gave you a good introduction to the origin of the tortilla chip as well as some background information about their history. If this whetted your appetite for more chips then come see us at our locations across Olympia. There we’ll be happy to serve authentic dishes like tacos al pastor with appetizing chips and salsa starter. We even offer banquet facilities for your next family party. Contact us today!
FAQs
Many people believe the honor goes to Rebecca Webb Carranza. Carranza, who was born in Durango, Mexico, and her husband Mario co-owned a Mexican deli and El Zarape Tortilla Factory in Los Angeles way back in the 1940s.
Who invented the tortilla in Mexican cuisine? ›
A Tortilla as Old as Time
As the story goes, a peasant invented the corn tortilla as a present for his hungry king over 12,000 years ago. In the ancient highlands of modern Mexico, tortillas were a staple in both Mayan and Aztec diets.
Who invented the tortilla chip? ›
The tortilla chip as we know it is widely credited to Rebecca Webb Carranza. She invented the snack in mid-1940s Los Angeles. The recipe was simple: she cut a batch of misshapen tortillas into triangles and then fried them on a hot skillet for a family party with friends.
Where did the Mexican chip come from? ›
The triangle-shaped tortilla chip was popularized by Rebecca Webb Carranza in the 1940s as a way to make use of misshapen tortillas rejected from the automated tortilla manufacturing machine that she and her husband used at their Mexican delicatessen and tortilla factory in southwest Los Angeles.
When did restaurants start serving chips and salsa? ›
Around the mid-1980s, salsa transformed into an ubiquitous American chip dip and condiment.
Who are the founders of tortilla? ›
Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC (branded as Tortilla) is a Mexican fast-food restaurant based in the United Kingdom, founded in 2007 by Brandon and Jennifer Stephens. As of October 2022, it has 84 branches in the UK.
Did tortillas originate in Mexico? ›
They originated in Mexico and Central America, and remain popular throughout the Americas. Peoples of the Oaxaca region in Mexico first made tortillas at the end of the Villa Stage (1500 to 500 BCE).
Do Mexicans actually eat chips and salsa? ›
Chips and salsa is a U.S. invention, full stop. Restaurants in touristy places in Mexico serve it, because their tourist customers expect and demand it. And it tastes different because it is not a dish that Mexicans are accustomed to serving.
What are tortilla chips called in Mexico? ›
In Mexico, we called tortilla chips, totopos. They are best known as originating from Zapotec peoples of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Did Aztecs eat tortilla chips? ›
During Aztec times, corn tortillas were usually dipped in a chili sauce or stuffed with meats, beans, squash and other ingredients. Sounds familiar right? Yep, the ancient Aztecs were eating chips, salsa and burritos.
Takis were developed and released by a company called Barcel in Mexico in 1999, coming to America in 2006.
Why do chips from Mexico taste better? ›
For example, in Mexico, Doritos taste slightly different than their American counterparts. Mexican Doritos are said to have a stronger concentration of flavor, with a greater focus on the cheese and jalapeño aspects. In other words, Mexican Doritos may have more heat than you'd normally expect.
Who invented Tostitos? ›
In January 1978, Frito-Lay's product development group led by Jack Liczkowski completed development of Tostitos, a Mexican-style tortilla chip lineup.
Why do Mexican restaurants give you free chips? ›
Entices You To Buy More Drinks: Drink sales are where restaurants make the big bucks, and a salty free appetizer is just the way to encourage drink sales. There is a lot of thought that goes into those free chips and salsa, trust me. - Chef Mike bread.
Is salsa Mexican or Spanish? ›
Though the word salsa means any kind of sauce in Spanish, in English, it refers specifically to these Mexican table sauces, especially to the chunky tomato-and-chili-based pico de gallo, as well as to salsa verde.
What state did Taco Time start in? ›
Founded in Eugene, Oregon in 1960, TacoTime has become one of today's leading Mexican fast-food restaurants.
Who made the first tortilla? ›
According to legend, tortillas were invented by a Mayan peasant for his hungry king. The first recorded use of tortillas dates to roughly 10,000 BC, and were made from corn. And when the Spanish arrived, they discovered native inhabitants like the Aztecs and others all ate some sort of maize bread.
Who invented the Spanish tortilla? ›
According to legend, during the siege of Bilbao, Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui invented the "tortilla de patatas" as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army.
What did the Aztecs call tortillas? ›
The Aztecs and other Nahuatl-speakers call tortillas tlaxcalli ([t͡ɬaʃˈkalli]). The successful conquest of the Aztec empire by the Spanish and the subsequent colonial empire ruled from the former Aztec capital have ensured that this variation become the prototypical tortilla for much of the Spanish-speaking world.
Are tortillas Mexican or Spanish? ›
If by tortillas you mean the corn flatbread used to make tacos, then they are Mexican. But if you mean the omelet-like dish made with eggs and potatoes (also known as “tortilla de patatas”), then we're talking about a Spanish specialty.
