Every so often there comes a dish that is so special it changes a nation. Colorado is home to one dish that did just that.

America. The melting pot of nations. We are home to so many unique people from all sorts of backgrounds and with those backgrounds come various food influences. It's what makes this nation so incredible. Not only can we see the world among us, we can taste it in the dishes we eat.

And some of those dishes can change a nation.

These dishes are so memorable that they aren't just a flash in the pan (pun totally intended), but rather a culinary icon served on a plate. Recently, Thrillist found over 100 dishes that they believe have stood the test of time and compiled them into a list of the "101 Dishes That Changed America." Some of these dishes date back over 100 years. They all share similar traits. They have been mass produced, re-imagined and even ripped off, but never ever forgotten.

Colorado has one of those dishes.

The Customizable Burrito

Is "customizable" even a word? Who cares! It means things are done the way we want and Denver is the birth place of that concept for burritos. The year is 1993 and Steve Ells, a classically-trained chef, has found he lacks the funds to open his dream fine dining restaurant. Instead he opens a "quick-serve, bare bones burrito joint" called Chipotle to raise money for his actual dream. The idea catches like wildfire. It's fine dining ingredients in a fast food atmosphere... genius.

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