I can appreciate fine foods like a sublime slice of o-toro, a fat fig wrapped with prosciutto and gently roasted, a glistening sphere of white truffle gelee...but sometimes, a girl's just got to have a chaotic mess of chips and cheese that's possible to share, but not likely to happen. Nachos. Nachos are one of my all-time favorite foods.
Nachos, like a "sandwich," or "pasta," are more of a technique than a real food item because there are many ways to throw together a pile of chips and cheese. Now the problem is this - I am torn. I made nachos at home with tortilla chips, Jack cheese melted in the broiler (never a microwave or you get chewy chips), and everything under the Mexican sun piled on top - salsa (homemade), guacamole (homemade), jalapenos, olives, onions, tomatoes, and even sliced scallions as a garnish! The nachos were good...but for some reason, I felt like I feel when I put on my makeup at home under a dimmed a fluorescent light then walk out into the sunshine - way too much. A clown. Overly made-up.
But are the "other" nachos better? They are the no-frills nachos, the kind you get at the movie theater or Dodger stadium. Do I really prefer the little, yellow round tortilla chips that you dip into a container of vinyl cheese? If I'm lucky the "cheese" has a garnish of three plastic jalapenos?
I am torn.
11-16-2005 @2:12PM Marc said... Don't forget "Nachos Flanders' Style"! (http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F01.html) (http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_townspeople_rod.htm). They're just cucumbers with cottage cheese.
I have many fond memories of making and eating nachos as a kid. It was northern Michigan in the 1980s, so we used canned refried beans, jarred salsa, and brick cheese. But they tasted great when eaten at a picnic table on a warm summer day, looking out over the lake, with absolutely nothing on our schedule.
I prefer a semi-complicated nacho: some refried beans, cheese, pickled jalapeno, good salsa. But canned black olives, though pseudo-traditional, are decidely off the list.
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11-16-2005 @2:45PM Alex said... Isn't it strange that you crave bad food? I have had good french fries, but sometimes crave McDonalds fries. Or instant ramen or microwave popcorn ...
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11-20-2005 @6:59AM Tom said... Ummm, I guess the novelty and the almost comforting taste of synthetic food from Sports Stadiums has its pluses. Everytime you eat you ask yourself whether the food your are eating is more that synthetic sludge moulded into pretty shapes. But quite frankly in my opinion, making nachos at home or going out to a real Mexican restaurant and getting them there beats the other nachos hands down. When you do it yourself you have complete control over what goes into and where its from, and I always find that eating food yo made and finding out that it is actually edible has a very satisfying feeling. Restaurants once agains seem to hit the spot I love Mexican food and whenever I go out I usually get nachos and the perfect mix of salsa, guacamole, sour cream jalapeno peppers and the occasional olive is just legendary.
So before I bore you all to death: sports stadium nachos have their pros but its Home and Restaurant nachos win...any day!
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11-16-2005 @6:01PM BenE said... lives are Greek right? Not Mexican.
I must add while we are mixing ethnicity taht my local Scottish pub serves a fantastic Nachos with a slight drizzle of tomato sauce "?a Italiano" instead of Salsa. I think the key with this type of nachos is to not overdo it with the toppings.
From what I remember these great nachos have onions, black olives, jalapenos, bell peppers, tomato sauce from a squeezable ketchup bottle (not ketchup obviously!) a bit of grated cheese (not too much!) and a drizzle of sour cream added just before serving. And to make them even more Italian they sprinkle dried oregano (I think) on top.
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11-16-2005 @5:41PM Patrick Bennett said... I would have to agree with Marc. Split the difference. There are just certain foods that taste better when made with inferior ingredients.
I have this dish I make I fondly refer to as "dog food" which is basically canned chilli, cheap pasta, already shredded melted cheese, onions and peppers. One day, I tried to impress someone by making it with homemade chilli, homemade pasta, and other amazing ingredients and seasonings. It tasted ok, but it felt awkward. I felt like it was lying to me or something.
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11-16-2005 @6:49PM Misty said... Want good nachos? Try using Queso Jalapino... you can find it at most grocery store... Great melted texture... Mmm.
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11-16-2005 @8:45PM Rob Brooks-Bilson said... The High Street Caffe in West Chester, PA does my favorite take on Nachos - Cajun Nachos: ground filet mignon grilled with peppers, onions, andouille sausage, and cajun spices. Served with sour cream, cheddar, and salsa.
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11-16-2005 @8:51PM sarah said... marc, bene, and rob - how on earth did i forget to mention the refried beans and sour cream?!?! for shame, for shame. can't have nachos without refried freakin' beans.
alex, there really IS something about weird, bad food, isn't there? probably is some mixed up psychology related to childhood comforts and having things now that sre considered naughty. LOL!
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11-16-2005 @11:22PM extramsg said... In Texas, Nachos are often made by placing ingredients on only one chip at a time. So, eg, you might slather a little refritos on a chip, then some ground meat, then some cheese. In many ways it makes for a better product because each chip is properly prepared and they don't get soggy or stuck together.
I disagree that inferior products make a better nacho. I'll take a quality cheddar, jack, or Queso Oaxaca on housemade chips over what one of my friends grew up on: Doritos drenched in melted Velveeta with ground beef and Lawry's taco seasoning. Even for me, extramsg, that's a bit too much of the umami and salt.
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11-17-2005 @4:34AM sarah said... yeah, extramsg, i think that's the point of those new little tostitos (not so new anymore, actually) that are shaped like tiny tostada bowls - so you can make an individual little nacho bowls.
i still prefer the big ol' mess - i kind alike seeing the melted cheese ooze all over everything and stretch, like pizza. mmmm.
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11-17-2005 @8:13AM Deuz M.A. said... Denny's has the best nachos.
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11-17-2005 @10:03AM sarah said... deuzma - i have to go call my friend eve right now and tell her you just posted that about denny's nachos!!!! LOL!!! we always say that secretly, we think denny's nachos are AWESOME (ok, not secret anymore) especially at 4 am with a side of...moons over my hammy.
LOL!
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