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The food of the Southwest is all about big flavours in big
landscapes. A fusion of 4 different cultures - Aztec, Native
American, Spanish and American - taking place over as many
centuries has evolved into what is today, quite simply, a
taste sensation. But throw out any preconceptions you have
about enchiladas and burritos or - even worse - Tex-Mex. The
diluted, fast food version that you're likely to have experienced
in the past (although you find plenty of this on the neon-lit
strips, especially on the approach into towns) has no bearing
on the mouthwatering gastronomy of authentic Southwestern
cuisine.
The history of this extraordinary food reads like a recipe
in itself. Take the Native American Puebloan's staples of
corn (maize), squash and beans, plus their elk, bison and
venison. Throw in some Spanish colonisers, fresh from Mexico
and bringing with them an aromatic Aztec influence, as well
as their own basics - beef, rice, wheat, cheese, butter and
sugar. Finally, stir in some rugged American traders and fur
hunters, opening up the Santa Fe Trail in the early 1800s
and bringing to the region cowboy cuisine - one-pot trail
cooking. Allow to simmer for a few centuries, the flavours
melding and fusing. And there you have La Cocina, Southwestern
cooking.
Hot Stuff
Of course, it all begins and ends with the chile.
Found in everything from tacos to beer to chocolate to ice
cream, the chile is practically synonymous with the cuisine
of the Southwest; it is the region's primary agricultural
product and is closely intertwined with the culinary history
of the place, featuring heavily in traditional Native American
cooking. Strings of ristras - dried red chiles - hang
in the doorways of restaurants and homes alike, simultaneously
decorative and tempting. You don't need to have tastebuds
of steel to stand the heat - chiles come in many varieties
and levels of fieriness, measured in Scoville Units. Bell
peppers rate a measly zero on this scale, while jalapenos
are around a sizzling 5000, and other varieties have been
known to come in at an eye-watering, brain-exploding 577,000
Scoville Units.
"Red or white?" is commonly asked of wine, so it
may take a moment of mental adjustment the first time you
are asked "Red or green?" in a Southwestern eatery.
It's not that choices are limited to Merlot or Midori - rather,
the question refers to whether you want your sauce made with
dried (red) or fresh (green) chile, but the heat of either
will depend more on the variety, where and in what season
they were grown. Asking for "Christmas" allows you
to try both options, served side-by-side.
Kaleidoscopic Corn
Corn is such an essential part of this style of food that
it is revered in Native American dances and celebrations.
As the staple that has enabled cultures in the area to sustain
life for thousands of years, corn is also seen symbolically
as representing life itself - from planting to when the cornstalks
dry out in the fields, leaving behind new kernels to continue
the cycle. Native Americans instructed the Spanish conquerors
in the harvesting and use of corn - roasting it in clay pits,
making cornmeal, hominy (dried corn) and posole
(a stew made from hominy), as well as the dough for tortillas.
Corn in the Southwest is grown in six colours including -
patriotically enough - red, white and blue. Blue corn is the
most distinctive and highly prized of these, and if you're
in Santa Fe, check out the eponomously named café on
Water St, which dishes up massive servings of locally
authentic food and makes a great margarita to wash it all
down with.
A visit to an Indian pueblo is almost certainly a must on
any visitor to the Southwest's itinerary, and observing traditional
bread making - plus, of course, sampling the results - is
essential to such a visit. Large, dome shaped hornos
(outdoor ovens) are heated up and bran is used to test when
they are at the right temperature. The bread dough is inserted
through the archway mouth of the oven, and the end result
is delicious. Navajo fry bread - flattened dough which
is deep-fried - is also tasty, mainly served at Indian feasts
and special occasions. Navajo tacos use this base and
load them up with beans, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and, of
course, chiles.
With an appetite the size of the Grand Canyon, you could
happily eat your way from one end of the Southwest to the
other, so here's a few ideas on what to look out for:
Chorizo burrito - also known as a breakfast burrito,
there is no better way to start to the day. A rolled tortilla
stuffed with scrambled eggs, potatoes, spring onions (scallions),
red or green chile, cheese and chorizo (a spicy sausage) Variations
may offer a different type of sausage - elk is sensational.
Huevos rancheros - a corn tortilla smothered with
fried eggs, cheese, red or green chile and dark pink or purple
pinto beans
Tamales - seasoned meat and cornmeal mush, wrapped
in cornhusks and steamed to retain the juices
Sopaipillas - a light, puffy pastry, deep-fried in
oil and served hot with butter and honey. They're also sometimes
served stuffed with chiles, cheese, beans and meat.
Fajitas - strips of marinated beef or chicken, served
sizzling with tortillas, beans, guacamole, salsa, onions &
peppers.
Carne adovada - strips of pork marinated in red chile
and other seasonings, baked until tender
Green chile stew - The ubiquitous chile, cooked into
a stew, chunked up with meat, beans and potatoes
Posole - a rustic corn stew, flavoured with herbs,
spices and chile, to which pork or beef is sometimes added.
Traditionally eaten during the holiday season, it is believed
to bring good luck for the coming year if eaten on New Year's
Eve
Chile rellenos - stuffed peppers, deep-fried and topped
with green chile sauce
The rustic, wholesome flavours and textures of the Southwest
have of course evolved with modern day availability of non-local
ingredients, plus the innovation and experimentation of cutting-edge
chefs. Nouvelle Southwestern cuisine offers a subtle fusion
of traditional influences and modern day restraint. Examples
include marrying seafood or exotic meats, rather than pork
or beans, to local flavours, resulting in such delicacies
as shrimp tacos and barbequed duck quesadillas. The Coyote
Café in Santa Fe is a top-notch example - pricey,
but well worth it.
Don't fret if you really can't face another chile - Utah,
in particular, is influenced less than any other Southwest
state by indigenous influences, its Mormon roots lingering
in blander, more stodgy fare. And of course, any major town
in the southwest is going to have the usual cosmopolitan array
of restaurants representing all ethnicities, so you really
can clear your palate in preparation for the next fiery onslaught.
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