Though true queso lovers don't need a national holiday to celebrate the glorious cheese-chip pairing, we're pleased to announce once again that today is National Nachos Day.

The festive gooey treat was first served 66 years ago by ingenious maitre d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in a Piedras Negras, Mexico, restaurant, located across the Rio Grande from Texas. According to legend, some Americans happened to stumble upon the eatery just as the chef had stepped out, so Nacho cleverly satiated them by piling a platter of tortilla chips high with cheese and topping them with a zesty jalapeno garnish.

And the carb-heavy dish has been improving ever since, with the additions of everything from Rotel to radishes, cilantro to crema, guacamole to Velveeta, pinto beans to pulled pork.

What are your favorite nacho variations? Spill the beans, after the jump!

Leftover pitas, tortillas and other thin, bready products can make a superb, simple and salubrious baked snack.

Naturally, I'm going to have nachos while watching the Super Bowl, but before the guests arrive, it's a good idea to set out what is basically "nachos light" because it doesn't have to be served hot: tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole and maybe a bean and cheese dip on which to snack all day.

I like to set out two different types of shovels chips: the giant restaurant-style white corn tortilla chips and the thick-cut yellow corn tortilla chips. While I have little issue with store-bought salsas our of a jar or "fresh" from the refrigerated section, there is absolutely no excuse for not making guacamole and a very naughty hot (temperature) and spicy cheese dip made with something that starts with "V," ends with "A," and rhymes with "melmeeta."

Ah, nachos. The old standby for parties, watching football games, and appetizers at your favorite Mexican restaurant (though not this one).

Today is National Nachos Day, and I'm not really sure how we can celebrate it. Maybe we can celebrate by putting a topping on our nachos that we usually don't have. Or maybe you can just make one of the classic nachos recipes, like this one for Italian Nachos (pic on the right) or maybe this one from the Food Network for Macho Nachos.

When I was a kid, my dad and a couple of his friends had season tickets to see the Portland State Vikings. I would frequently go along even though I had very little interest in football. I was there pure and simply for the food. For the nachos and the popcorn, the hot chocolate and the ice cream. We didn't get much in the way of junk food in my house, but my dad was always willing to shell out for a few treats at the game.

The Wachovia Center in Philadelphia is offering a deal that would have mightily appealed to my young self. They are selling "all you can eat" packages for Flyers and 76ers games that includes hot dogs, soft drinks, popcorn, nacho chips and salsa. Not particularly good for the waistline but very nice for the fans of the junk food.

OK, maybe not everybody, but this guy does, and he has a new blog about it.

The subtitle of the blog says it all: "This site is dedicated to everyone who loves nacho cheese." That's pretty upfront. You know what you'll be getting if you go to the site. It's not a site where you'll learn about the baseball or discuss politics or even see pictures of his cats. Unless, of course, they're covered in nacho cheese.

For such a limited topic, this is a great blog. You'll reviews of nacho products, links to other nacho blogs, and, of course, many recipes.

Suddenly I have an incredible urge to make nachos for dinner.

Fall is the time for football. And with football comes food like buffalo wings, sausages, pizza, and potato chips. And while most guys (and gals - yes, I know you're football fans too) go for cold beer with their football viewing, don't forget that you can also drink wine with these foods too.

The Boston Phoenix asked the owners and beverage managers of several Boston restaurants for their picks for the best wine to serve with football food. If you're serving spicy wings, Josh Childs at the Silvertone Bar & Grill suggests a California zinfandel from or a syrah from the Rhone region of France (or, for a contrast, a German riesling). For nachos, a sparkling white.

Bill Earle at Bouchee' says that if you're serving chili, he'd suggest a California zinfandel, for the rich fruit and the spice to go with the hotness in the chili. And for hearty sausages? Kate Smith at Butcher Shop suggests a pinot gris or a gewuztraminer or a riesling.

But wait: pizza is missing from this list! I'd say pizza is eaten more while watching football than sausages or wings. Suggestions, readers?

Nachos are a great Super Bowl snack, especially when liberally topped with or dipped in salsas or guacamole. Not all kids can handle the spice of salsas or the green color of guacamole, which looks too healthy (too green, in other words) to taste good to them. I know that even after I started to enjoy salsas, at first I would only dip a chip into the sauce, carefully avoiding the possibility of getting any actual vegetables on my chip. But I loved nachos. Why? The combination of salt and cheese was simply too good to resist. Instead of making multiple batches of nachos to appease the kids while you are trying to watch the game, or having them pick through your tray in an attempt to find the "good" chips, make them their own snack: parmesan popcorn. Just liberally top hot microwave (or air popped) popcorn with finely shredded or powdered parmesan cheese, with or without a dash of garlic salt, too. The heat of the popcorn and a touch of butter will make sure the cheese stays firmly in place - and far away from any vegetable-filled salsas - for the whole game.

[Photo by Nicole Weston]