As a recent transplant to New Mexico since April of this year, I had a bit of a culture shock when it came to the local dietary customs. Coming from North Carolina, the land of barbecue, sweet tea, tobacco and Baptist churches on every square block, the novel scenery here was a welcome change. One of my earliest memories here involves visiting a Wendy’s, ordering a Double Stack and being asked by the pimple-faced teen behind the register if I wanted green chile on it.Green chile?! What the hell is that?! Countless times I have visited the smiling, pigtailed, freckled redhead and they’ve never asked me such a question. Visiting the afro-adorning, redheaded clown yielded similar results. Green chile on your double cheeseburger, sir? I was astonished, confused, scared and starving. What the hell, I thought, and hesitantly gave this new treat a try. I was simply blown away. A crisp, tasty, non-average way to spice up seemingly average food. And the more places I went to settle my 1,700-mile worn feet, the more common this little green angel was. It was on everything, and made everything taste heavenly. Like I was born again in a non-religious sense. Burgers, eggs, pasta, burritos, tortillas, sopapillas, anything you could possibly imagine. And with my roommates informing me about the upcoming roasting season in the fall, I now feel like a full-fledged New Mexican, or at least part of the way there. As a stalwart proponent of all things delicious for as long as I can remember, the food in New Mexico alone seems to be well worth the move. Here’s to all things holy, and spicy!
Green Hot Chile Peppers!
Adam Fox
\
2 min read
