Green Chile and Flour Tortillas: The Making of a Standard New Mexican Cuisine

Regional and ethnic cuisines result from generations of cultural mixing and adaptation. In the case of regional New Mexican cuisine, a food culture distinct from other southwestern diets, emerged since the colonial era, based on the central role of chile peppers, both green and red varieties. The mestizaje in preparations of such as flour tortillas, sopaipillas, and blue corn further defines New Mexican culinary traditions. The unique ingredients and cooking practices of New Mexico cuisine are assessed in this article as essential expressions of cultural identity and regional tourism, and are increasingly important to marketing and the agricultural industry.