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NYNM 15 years, 9 months ago.
RE: Chile Beer:
I’m sitting here in Santa Fe with a bottle of
Rio Grande "Pancho Verde Chili Cervesa"
from Rio Grande Brewery Alburquque http://www.riograndebrewing.com
"made with premium malts, hops, chili, water"
(now how about a malted with chile!)
As a kid, I backpacked in the Sangre de Cristo range near Taos. Trying to cook dehydrated rations in that altitude was an experience for this low-lander! Speaking of red or green, I think the hottest (yet edible) concoction I ever ate was at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup (Rt. 66 touring). Some kind of red chile stew from hell[}:)]. I like my Texas chili the best, but for a close second I head west for any type of NM chilies.
Uh huh.
Most people on the East Coast are surprised to learn that Santa Fe is about 8,000 ft above sea level (a bit higher than Denver); Taos even higher. And they think its all "desert."
Actually Santa Fe is were the western end of the Great Plains, southern end of the Rocky Mountains and northern end of Chihuauha desert meet. Maybe that’s why the food – not to mention the views – are delicious.
I am one of those people who returns to New Mexico as often as possible for a chile fix. Probably the only place on earth I can eat 4 times in one day and loss weight! Something about the chile and the altitude.
No tomatillos in (Northern) New Mexico. Only red/green depending on time-on-the-bush. Also (in restaurants) sometimes the red is hottest, sometimes the green is hottest. You have to ask. But, usually the red is a thin-ish sauce (like thin tomato sauce) while the green is more like finely chopped pepper pieces. And it is not just the hot-ness, there is a "flavor" to each that is quite subtle and delicious. And healthy (not fattening; a true "veggie").
Most people come back to NM for a periodic "chile-fix"; chile is said to be somewhat addictive.
Speaking of green sauce—try it over your next chicken fried steak!! Terrific—first got the idea from a little place in Guyman Ok. I will take it over white gravy any day!
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=378&whichpage=1
there’s this thread from long ago about green sauces. When I learned to make chile verde in Arizona, it was always a tomatillo/pepper combination. A friend from the Yucatan always adds an Avocado in addition. Do tomatillos flourish in NM? Maybe it’s too high.
There is a custard stand in Las Cruces called Caliches, they have over 30 different toppings for custard. One of them, you guessed it, Green Chile! But I have not yet had the balls to try that one yet!
There’s Cave Creek Chili Beer, by the Black Mountain Brewing Company, in Cave Creek/Carefree, Arizona.
Donna
Red/Green/Christmas.
Get it?
(where else in USA is chili made with green chile?)(not tomatillo)
quote:
Originally posted by Scallion1
quote:
Originally posted by NYNM
Oh, I forgot beer.There’s a number of NM beer brands that put chili flavor and even real chiles in the bottle!
Others?
Whoa, Nelly. Beats the hell out of drinking some stupid worm. Do you have the names of any of these elixers?
Don’t knock that "stupid worm". Mescal "con gusano" (the stupid worm, to you) is the elixir of life on the border where my winter place is (south of Tucson) and I make regular trips across to procure it for CA devotees.
I suspect there’s somebody in Tucson putting chiles in just about anything, but I must admit the best ones come from New Mexico. Most of New Mexico has some altitude to it–6000 ft plus–which keeps it cooler. Chiles like sun and warm weather but not the hellish heat of the lower desert in summer (Tucson has had highs above 100 for more than 30 days in a row so far this summer–and Phoenix is even worse with 115 being too common).
I’ll be back in NM in a few weeks. I’ll get some names. I think Rio Grande is one brand; another – with the real live chile is Texas somethin’
quote:
Originally posted by NYNM
Oh, I forgot beer.There’s a number of NM beer brands that put chili flavor and even real chiles in the bottle!
Others?
Whoa, Nelly. Beats the hell out of drinking some stupid worm. Do you have the names of any of these elixers?
Oh, I forgot beer.
There’s a number of NM beer brands that put chili flavor and even real chiles in the bottle!
Others?
Having lived for a while in New Mexico – a "chile" (not chili) based economy, chile was a staple like salt and pepper. I had it in hot chocolate, on fruit, on popcorn, sold mixed in peanut brittle, popcorn, chocolate bars, of course "food" (like salsa, enchilada, potatoes, eggs), and almost everything.
And the Chile Culture, like Hatch chile, August roasting time, etc……
What other interesting dishes have you had made with chile?
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