Monday, October 17, 2011

Will the Chimichanga Be Arizona's Official State Food?

Posted By on Mon, Oct 17, 2011 at 4:30 PM

When I talked to Ray Flores from El Charro restaurants a month or so ago I told him of my efforts to get a state food designated for Arizona. He said it was a great idea, and that he'd been kicking around the idea of trying to get the chimichanga named the state food. We talked about it for a bit and he said he was going to ask some of his connections to make it happen.

Well, apparently it has started. I direct you to the Check Yes for Chimi petition, and the corresponding story by AZCentral.com:

Just in time for Arizona's centennial, two family-run Mexican restaurants have launched a campaign to make the chimichanga the official state food.

Proponents argue it's a homegrown specialty, wildly popular with diners and thus should be installed in the pantheon of state symbols, along with the official tie (the bola), the official flower (the saguaro blossom) and the official fossil (petrified wood).

To do that, the owners of Macayo's and El Charro restaurants need the state Legislature.

But judging from lawmakers' initial reactions, it might be asking them to bite off more than they are willing to chew, so to speak.

Tags: , , ,