The Melting Teapot

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of New Mexico and its cuisine in my life.  Today, I’m waxing nostalgic about the food and drink I seek out when returning to New Mexico for a visit.

Hatch or Mesilla Valley Green Chiles

Green Chiles are the heart of New Mexico cuisine, and they are a very special pepper.  They range from being mild but full of flavor like a sophisticated version of a bell pepper, to medium heat with a bit more kick, to searingly hot levels that satisfy any chile-head.  They not only taste good, but they make you feel good by providing an endorphin rush that stimulates your body and makes you feel happy and relaxed.  In addition to chiles in traditional Mexican foods, look for them on top of pizza (green chile + pineapple = Cindy’s favorite), on burgers, and in egg-based dishes.

From August through September, you can smell the aroma of chiles being roasted just about everywhere in town.  They’re roasted in front of grocery stores, at farmstands, and at farmer’s markets. Shoppers purchase a burlap sack of several pounds of chiles, then generally pay a few extra dollars to have them roasted on the spot. Chile roasters are large metal mesh barrels that are spun over a gas flame.  The chiles slip and slide and continually move as they are spun over the flame, which gives them an even char on all sides.

There are so many chiles being roasted from August through October that the entire region has aromas of toasty, caramelizing, spicy chiles wafting in the air.  That magnificent smell is one that defines New Mexico, and it is very recognizable and comforting to anyone who has lived in the state.  In fact, the sensory memory often makes transplanted New Mexicans quite homesick.

In August, I’ll be ordering green chiles that can be shipped to me, then I’ll roast them on my home grill before freezing a stash for the coming year.  It’s never quite as good of a roasting job, but the aromas from my grill still infuse the neighborhood with that wonderful smell of chile goodness.

Freshly made Tortillas

Tortillas are made fresh daily at some Mexican cafes and restaurants, or there might be a local tortilla factory that makes tortillas to order and supplies regional restaurants and stores.  There are even a few grocery stores that feature their own Tortilleria in the bakery department.  I’d make a quick run to one of these grocery stores, or to Roberto’s Tortilla Factory, and grab a bag of still warm tortillas that were as wonderfully fragrant as a freshly baked loaf of bread. Whether corn or flour, the tortillas were always very flavorful and satisfying.

In New Mexico, pieces of wax paper or light plastic are placed between each tortilla in a stack, so they don’t stick together -- why isn't this done in other parts of the country?

Chile Rellenos

New Mexico's traditonal rellenos are green chiles that are stuffed with a slice of cheese, lightly floured, dipped in an egg batter, then pan fried. Any Mexican eatery in town has its  own version,which might be served as part of a Mexican platter, on its own with beans and a bit of sauce, or (my personal favorite) wrapped in a tortilla and smothered with chile verde.

If you're interested in making your own, I found some good step-by-step instructions at about.com.

Pecans

Most people don’t know that there are very large pecan orchards in southern New Mexico, with vast orchards surrounding the Rio Grande.  These orchards are always about 5-10 degrees cooler than everywhere else in the valley, and it is wonderful to walk or drive through the rows of trees.  There are also pecan trees in many people’s yards, so you can harvest your own.  Luckily, Stahmanns Pecans has a great online store.  Ordering chile-dusted pecans and candy Zias from them has become a Christmas tradition for me. http://www.stahmanns.com/

Gingerbread Pigs

In Las Cruces, Lujan Bakery sells wonderful baked goods and supplies dessert pastries for many of the local restaurants, including fabulous empanadas and pan dulce.  My favorite of their sweet treats, though, are the large pig-shaped gingerbread cookies.  These are soft, chewy, and smell like a grandmother’s kitchen at Christmastime. The bakery always had limited hours, but luckily a local convenience store in my neighborhood just happened to stock them.  I haven't had one of these in a long time, so I searched online for a recipe.  I'm going to give this one a try soon:  Authentic Mexican Marranitos on Recipezaar.

Navajo Tacos

Navajo student groups at NMSU often sold these at fund-raising tables on campus, and there was always at least one place at festivals and fairs making the crunchy fried Navajo bread.  You could get these plate-sized fry breads dusted with powdered sugar as a sweet treat, or you could get one featuring items like green or red chile, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.

Cold & Icy Treats on Scorching Hot Days

Scoopy's Frozen Custard (now known as Caliche's). Imagine yourself on a hot summer day, with temperatures climbing over 110 degrees F, the sun beating down mercilessly, your lips chapped from the dry air.  Now, think about how wonderful it would be to have spoonfuls of creamy, thick, frozen yogurt custard, topped with fresh mangoes and salted pecans.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmm…..

Cherry Limes, from just about any fast food drivethrough.  Like Scoopy’s frozen custards, cherry lime drinks are very refreshing on a super hot summer day.  These are ice cold lemon-lime sodas with a squirt of cherry syrup.  They are usually served with a maraschino cherry and a wedge of lime.  During my last visit a couple of years ago, I made sure to grab one from a local Burger Time, then enjoyed it out in the desert on the outskirts of town.

Reading over what I've written above, I realize two things.  First, there are several great foods not mentioned here, most notably Red Chile (green chiles that ripen and dry on the pod) and Enchiladas, but I'll leave those for another day.  Second, much of the foods featured above are fried and rather unhealthy.  I promise that isn't always the case!  Look for more New Mexico foods in future posts, some of which might actually be fresh and good for you.