Remembering the tortilla chip pioneer

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Feb 7th 2006 @ 12:50PM

tortilla manufacturing If ever you've torn open a bag of Doritos, or dived into a mountain of nachos, or simply scooped up your favorite gucamole with a tortilla chip, you have Rebecca Webb Carranza to thank.

Rebecca Webb Carranza passed away in mid January, but is remembered for pioneering the machine-manufacture of tortillas in the late 1940s. When once tortillas were made by hand, Carranza's El Zarape Tortilla Factory was pumping them out more than 12 times faster. Sometimes, the machines were turn out slightly misshapen tortillas. Carranza cut her factory-rejected tortillas into wedges and deep-fried them for a party. Thus, the tortilla chip was born.

By the 1960s, the tortilla chips were being made and sold commercially. Thank you for inventing one of my all-time favorite snacks, Rebecca!

[Photo: LA Times]

Filed Under: Business, Raves & Reviews, Newspapers, Ingredients, Methods
Tags: food, food and drink, food and wine, frying, grains, LA, los angeles, LosAngeles, mexican cuisine, mexican food, snack foods, snacks, tortilla ships, tortillas, west coast

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-07-2006 @1:38PM Justin H. said... The machine might have sped up the production of corn tortillas that could then be turned into chips, but this can hardly be credited as the first corn tortilla chips. Crunchy tortillas have been around for a couple thousand years, toasted and later fried. Taco Bell did not invent the tostada.

I doubt that in so many years no one ever broke one up and used it to scoop up some leftovers. Someone in Oaxaca probably deserves the praise.
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