CULTURE ALSO COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN

By Teresa Dovalpage
“Here in Hobbs, where I currently live, the Cuban community, very small when we moved here seven years ago, is growing fast.”

MUNDANE MAJESTY: THE FOOD ODES OF PABLO NERUDA

By Vanessa Baca
“Seeing the tomato as an item of beauty and rarity allows us to appreciate it as though we are seeing it for the first time.”

CHOCOLATE: FROM FOOD OF THE GODS TO THE FOOD OF LOVE

By Nicolasa Chávez
“The artfully packaged chocolate boxes cherished today were not invented until 1868. How did this beloved delicacy change from a cherished food of the gods in liquid form to a desired food of love?”

SLOW BURN: A FAMILY HISTORY OF GREEN CHILE STEW

By Vanessa Baca
“Ubiquitous in our state, chile is a staple in our recipes year-round, but in the winter, it truly stakes its claim.”

FISH NOT FLESH: SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW MEXICO LENTEN FEAST

By Vanessa Baca
“Ultimately, it is the return to life after the darkness of death that is at the heart of Lent and Easter Sunday, and it is this contrast that is represented in the food eaten by New Mexico Catholics.”

A SWEET AND SPICY MEMORY: BISCOCHITOS IN NEW MEXICO CULTURE

By Vanessa Baca
“Biscochitos have a far deeper significance than being just sweet treats. They represent family roots. It is the rare Hispanic New Mexico family that does not have its own recipe for biscochitos.”