Merry National Tater Tot Day!
This is truly a national holiday, since the tater tot was invented in America in 1953. Tater tots, those golden, crispy cylinders of potato goodness we all love were invented by F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg (the founders of a little company you may know named Ore-Ida) when they were attempting to solve the problem of all the slivers of cut-up potatoes they were facing. They chopped up the slivers, threw in seasoning and some flour, pushed the mixture through holes and sliced off little cylinders.
Boom! Tater tots happened. Actually, Tater Tots happened. It turns out that Tater Tots is a registered trademark of Ore-Ida but this versatile snack has become so popular throughout the years that those 2 little words have become part of our common vernacular.
Shockingly, the public wasn't taken with tots at first. They were sold at such a low price that there was no perceived value (a lesson from which we can all learn, hint hint). Raising the price solved that problem and now proud Americans tear through about 70 million pounds of tater tots per year.
Cue the patriotic music, salute a bald eagle, and check out these 3 delicious tot recipes.
Cheers!
Irish Tater Totchos are a fantastic variation on Irish nachos, themselves a delicious take on traditional nachos. As with all nachos, you can get as fancy or simple as you want with them, experimenting with all sorts of toppings. You can also make these vegetarian by omitting the bacon.
Speaking of variations, Bacon Jalapeño Poppers with a Cheesy Tater Tot Crust are a mind-blowing spin on poppers, a time-honored bar snack.
Looking for something that's both easy to make and easy to eat? Try these Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots.