Best Mexican Food - Albuquerque or LA??? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: vs., Whole Foods)

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by pbergen

but are the fish tacos in dallas as good and authentic as the ones in southern california? and are they ensenada-style (i.e. just like in baja california)? because i'm not just talking about fish tacos in general - i'm also referring to a specific regional variation.

Originally Posted by Debsi

They are not the same in Dallas.

yeah, that's what i suspected.

[RobSac]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I swear, this quest for "authenticity" has been turned into a religion for some.

It's funny you say that, because I was just starting to think that this quest for phony caricatures of things has turned into a religion for some. I mean, you're defending Baja Fresh...

Sorry to break the news, but if you're not Mexican and you're eating "Mexican" food (of any type), YOU are not authentic.

Nice try, but I didn't even come close to saying that. I don't even believe I've used the word "authentic". Keep reaching.

[albondigas]

I hate to say it, but Americans have become the better judges of mexican food these past thirty years. The Mexicans I know and grew up with love hamburgers. I think they are better judges of the typical American diet than most Americans. man things have changed.

[albondigas]

Unbelievable. The biggest dream of Everyone from New Mexico is to move to California. Let's be honest people.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by albondigas

Unbelievable. The biggest dream of Everyone from New Mexico is to move to California. Let's be honest people.

Well we probably know different Mexicans because in NM every Mexican I know and there were a lot of them would rather have a homemade tomale or Pasole than any hamburger anywhere.

As for your comment about people in New Mexico wanting to move to CA, again I don't know what part of NM you have lived in or spent time in, but absolutely that is a statement that is as comical as the Sunday comics. In fact are you aware of how many people in NM are Ca transplants?

Now, this has little to do with what state has the best Mexican Food? The answer still is, what type of Mexican food? Ca, NM, TX and AZ all have a version, all is good, but personal likes and dislikes are subjective. I slightly favor New Mexican or better known as South Western cooking. I am not a lover of Tex/Mex.

Nita

[RhumbRunner]

Let's clear up a little confusion that a few are suffering from.

CHILI (pronounced "chill ee") A mostly Texas concoction made up of meat (usually ground/chopped beef), tomato sauce, comino (cumin), red pepper to heat and LOTS of commercial "Chili powder" such as McCormicks. Purists shune beans. Google "Wick Fowler".

CHILE (pronounced "chee lay") Is the fruit of the plants from the genus Capsicum. There are thousands of varieties ranging from "Bell Peppers" to Habanero/Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Hatch, NM has been instumental in developing many hybrids unique to the area and used extensivly in New Mexico Mexican cuisine.

Red Chiles are NOT over-ripe chiles...they are left longer to harvest producing a different flavor than green chiles. They are usually hung to dry in ristras, the decorative, but very edible, "bunch of chiles". In NM red chiles are used mostly for "chile gravy" (akin to enchilada sauce) or Mole chile roja. One well known NM dish made with "red" is Carne Adobada, literally "marinated" meat, usually pork butt chunked and marinated in red chile then slow roasted until fall apart tender.

The NM eqivalent to TX chili would probably be "Green Chile Stew". Google is your friend!!

New Mexicans probably eat more fresh green chile than the rest of the country combined...no I don't have link to that fact, but ask ANY New Mexican and I bet they agree!

As to which is best? I was thinking a while past that I could probably make a GREAT tuna salad sandwhich if I got some fresh tuna, grilled it, chopped it....then it hit me! I grew up on canned tuna...and think it's great! Fresh tuna, no matter how good would probably be a huge disappointment!

We love what we "grew up" on.

[RhumbRunner]

Originally Posted by albondigas

Unbelievable. The biggest dream of Everyone from New Mexico is to move to California. Let's be honest people.

I have to agree with nmnita on this one "meatballs"!

I've lived in California...it is a beautiful state. Only problem is it's FULL of Californians!

I've lived in NM, Roswell and ABQ...never heard anyone wanting to move to CA in the least.

I've lived in TX, Amarillo and Arlington....never heard of anyone pining for CA in the least.

I've lived in AZ, Tempe, Mesa and Phoenix. The state of Arizona is very strongly considering putting a bounty on Californians...if it goes through there will be a huge influx of Arizonans moving to the east side of the Colorado River...hoping to get the first shot!

[nichole.hopkins]

Im a Burquena so i might be biased....and i dislike (and am smug about somehow) the utter ABSENCE of green chile outside of NM. We have a very distinct local quisine which isnt exactly Mexican. Its New Mexican, based on the ingredients of the native peoples (calibacitas, fry bread, chiles), and spaniards. Different from traditional Mexican cooking (I grew up with my stepafather from Zacatecas) I like to put it like this: Mexican food, keyword is FRESH . New Mexican food, keyword is FRIED (mmm...chiles rellenos, sopapillas, you get the idea)

[Cyborg13]

Originally Posted by albondigas

Unbelievable. The biggest dream of Everyone from New Mexico is to move to California. Let's be honest people.

New Mexico is quickly filling up with Californians, so I would say you have that backwards.

The food you find in Albuquerque marketted as "Mexican" is more "New Mexican," as the state has its own distinct food. Most easily identifiable by the green chile.

[nichole.hopkins]

Originally Posted by Userdavey

I hope so!

To clarify the chile, pepper, and chile con carne thing:

Hatch, NM is the world capital for growing Green Chile. No need to call it a pepper. Red Chiles are just over ripened and dried Green Chiles.

Green Chile Sauce is made with Green Chiles, usually fire roasted, and is usually made with fat or lard, and bits of pork and onions, garlic, etc. It is poured over burritos, enchiladas, etc.

Red Chile Sauce is made from dried Red Chiles and has a more rounded, robust flavor. IMHO, it is to die for. It is used in the same way as Green Chile Sauce.

In NM, you take a bowl of refried, slightly soupy pinto beans, pour a ladel of Red Chile in the middle and heat a flour tortilla directly on the electric burner of your stove, blackening it slightly. Optionally you can melt cheese on the top and add chopped onion. The tortilla is on the side, like a bread.

That is called Beans With Red Chile. My friend's grandma, whio lived in a tiny little house in Belen, NM, ate nothing but this dish, 3 meals a day, all the time. It is also to die for and it is very cheap.

Chile Con Carne which means "Chile with meat' is a little more Tex-Mex and can be bought in cans under the brand name "Wolf", among others.

Salsa is served cold, and usually is tomato based and can have Green Chile or Jalepenos, onions, garlic, cilantro, etc. Ever hear of chips and salsa? Also, Pico de Gallo is closely related to salsa, but it is chunky, not liquid, and is made and served fresh. My mouth is watering.

In Albuquerque, you can get roasted, peeled, diced Green Chile added to your food at Burger King, McDonalds, Dominoes, Pizza Hut, and every other restaurant in town. And it's HOT. It will make your eyelids sweat. It's addictive.

Plain and Simple!!! This is EXACTLY the way I make my beans and chile