October 17th, 2013 § § permalink
The big food news in Santa Fe has centered around a recent episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown which explored the culture and food of New Mexico. HG/BSK saw the show and thought it unfocused, dull and ultimately failed to convey anything useful about New Mexico or its cuisine. Nevertheless, the show unleashed passions in Santa Fe. Bourdain ate a Frito Pie at the Five and Dime General Store located at Santa Fe’s historic Plaza. At the Five and Dime, a bag of Fritos is opened and gets a scoop of red meat-and-bean chili with a topping of cheese. You can top it with onions and jalapenos from a condiments counter. The F and D has been serving it for decades and folks like it a lot (HG is not a fan). Well, Bourdain tasted it. First, he said holding the warm bag in his hands was like clutching a “colostomy bag.” Then, he said the chili tasted like it came straight out of a can. Fury. Frenzy. Headlines in the Santa Fe New Mexican. The F and D cook swore she made the chile daily from scratch using excellent ingredients. Bourdain backed down, apologized and acknowledged his error. The town is mollified. As for HG, when he wants a Frito pie (which is rarely), HG gets it at El Parasol where it’s made with fiery green chili and served in a proper bowl. The other big news is that Bobcat Bite, the famous hamburger joint, has opened in a new and quite accessible Santa Fe location. Bobcat Bite has been lauded in many national publications as serving possibly the best burger in the USA. Bobcat Bite was, for many years, located in an out-of-the way spot on the edge of town. Hard to find. Then, there was a real estate dispute and BB closed. Sadness. And, then joy. BB has reopened in its better location and the early reviews have been raves. Will try it and post a report.
April 13th, 2013 § § permalink
HG never encountered the Frito Pie until HG and BSK’s move to New Mexico. Now, it ranks alongside the vaunted Nathan’s Chow Mein Sandwich (available ONLY at Nathan’s Coney Island location) as HG’s favorite messy, silly, funky treat. Let’s clarify one point. The Frito Pie is not a pie. It is composed of a pile of Fritos (yes, those crispy, salty corn things in a bag) covered in beans, red chile, cheddar cheese and topped with shredded iceberg lettuce. Piquant salsa or hot sauce is added to taste. Originally, this was constructed in a very proletarian manner: A bag of Fritos was opened. The chile, beans, etc., were poured into the bag. The bag served as both bowl and a vehicle for transporting this lovely meal. You ate the sauce-drenched corn chips with a spoon. El Parasol (in Pojaque about 15 miles north of Santa Fe) makes the Frito pie a bit more elaborate, serving it in a proper bowl with green chile and chopped raw onions upon request. A crunchy, spicy pleasure. HG believes the original rough and ready Frito Pie is still being served at the Five and Dime Store located on The Plaza in downtown Santa Fe.
November 1st, 2012 § § permalink
The election is a nail biter. Sandy has assaulted New York (wiped out the Rockaway boardwalk among other landmarks). Silver lining is that HG and BSK’s Brooklyn, Manhattan and Rhode Island family is safe (though facing some economic damage). Here in New Mexico the days are sunny, bright and clear with temperatures in the 60’s. Cools off at night so a blaze in the fireplace is welcome. Fortunate HG lunched with beautiful Sarah N., the multi-talented and adventurous woman who directs the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market. Lunch was at Shohko Cafe in Santa Fe. Excellent array of sushi. Highlights were delectable unagi (eel) and remarkable salmon eggs. This was followed by a platter of shrimp and vegetable sushi. Good food in a pretty room. Sarah gave HG a gift — a big bag of red New Mexico chile peppers. It is common in these Southwestern parts to see wreaths of dried red chiles tied together in clusters called ristras. Very colorful. When reconstituted they are the basis for fabulous sauces and moles. HG’s gift came from Matt Romero — known in the Farmers’ Market as “the chile guy.” Matt is very visible during the fall as he roasts green chiles, filling the market with their fragrance. His Romero Farms in Alcalde and Dixon grow many varieties of peppers as well as eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. All are extraordinary’ Check Matt Romero out on Youtube and get his recipe for a great eggplant sandwich on realsimple.com . Discussing his red chile peppers, Romero says: “We come to New Mexico for green chile. We stay because of red.” Sarah sent over Romero’s red chile sauce recipe. Generous HG shares it with you: Here’s what Matt has to say:
MATT ROMERO’S RED CHILE SAUCE (for Frito Pies, Eggs, Etc.)
What you need:
6 dried red chiles, a blender or food processor, 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (diced), salt, 1 1/2 pounds of ground chicken, pork or beef, a little flour for a roux
Boil 5 cups water. Rinse the dried chiles and break open one end and shake the seeds out.Rehydrate the Chile pods in the boiling water for about 15-20 minutes. Put the softened pods into a food processor or blender. Add some fresh water (not the water used for rehydrating the pods, as it will be bitter) and blend until it makes a thick sauce. Depending on how finely you process it, you may want to strain it to get the skins out of the sauce.
For meat eaters: In a cast iron skillet (my fave) brown the meat of your choice. Add your diced garlic in while browning the meat. Drain off the fat. a In a separate pan make a roux using some oil and flour. Add it to the ground meat with some water to make a “gravy.” Add the chile sauce. Cook it all together for a bit (30 mins) on very low heat and stirring a lot so the chile won’t burn. Add salt, which will bring out the flavor of the chile.
Non meat version:
Put olive oil in the pan. Add a bunch of garlic, but don’t brown it, just get it translucent. Make a roux with olive oil and flour. Add water to make it gravy-ish. Add the chile . Cook it for about 30 mins. Salt.
To make a frito pie follow the order of this recipe to keep the chips crispy (important!): First make a layer of pinto or black beans, then Fritos, then add your red chile, then grated cheddar cheese, top it with diced tomatoes, diced onions or scallions and chopped lettuce.
Drink a lot of Margaritas and enjoy!!!
August 23rd, 2011 § § permalink
HG’s brilliant, cherubic, handsome grandson, HS, presented HG with a gift: An 80 gram package of Hawkins Cheezies, the Canadian answer to Cheetos. 
HS, with wisdom beyond his five years, knows HG’s weakness. As mentioned in an earlier post, HG loves Cheetos. Could these northern Cheezies with their proclamation of “Vrai Fromage Cheddar” challenge the Cheeto as HG’s favorite guilty pleasure? Well. That’s what taste tests are made for. HG sampled ten of the little orange devils. Wow! Crispy, salty with the bite of real aged cheddar — similar to a fancy cheese straw, but better. Hands down triumph for our friendly neighbors to the North. Thanks Grandson HS!
And with that salty, crispness lingering on his palate HG recalls another guilty love — the Frito. And not just a Frito, but that ultimate triumph of New Mexican proletarian cooking: The Frito Pie. Oh, yes. The Frito Pie is constructed of chopped meat on a bed of Fritos flavored with red chile sauce (no, not that stuff in a bottle but a fiery, long simmered sauce made from Hatch chiles.). It is topped with grated American cheese, chopped onions and salsa. As the saying goes: Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.
Cheezies and the Frito are not exactly health foods. Much salt. Enormous amounts of calories. More cholesterol than you can imagine. But what would a guilty pleasure be if it did not actually make one guilty? So, do HG a favor and don’t tell his Doc.
