Planning southwest trip

[Barb Stout]

I live in Albuquerque and just wanted to reiterate something that was already said: NM can be very, very windy in the spring to the point that spring has become my least favorite season. I also had lived in the Phoenix area, but I don't remember Phoenix being particularly windy in the spring, so it's not because it's a desert.

 

[Oaxacajo]

I find that bread cuts the spiciness better than milk.

 

[dwebarts]

My ex-boyfriend is from ABQ, so I've been there many times. He did warn me about the chile during my first trip, and any time a server gave me a strange look when I said, "No chile," he'd add, "She's from Michigan". I definitely went through several glasses of milk whenever I ordered Huevos Rancheros.

It's such a beautiful area, but being away from water for longer than a few days always felt strange to me. He used to joke that we could stop by the Aquarium if I went into withdrawal.

I get it. I'm originally from Michigan also. Of the seven states I've lived in (so far), NM is the only one that doesn't border at least a Great Lake, if not an ocean.

 

[dwebarts]

I live in Albuquerque and just wanted to reiterate something that was already said: NM can be very, very windy in the spring to the point that spring has become my least favorite season. I also had lived in the Phoenix area, but I don't remember Phoenix being particularly windy in the spring, so it's not because it's a desert.

About 30 years ago, I was driving on I-25 in ABQ when the wind kicked up so much it picked up a lot of dirt that blew out the passenger side windows of my car. I was fine, but the woman behind me freaked out so much she followed me to where I'd pulled off at the next exit.

 

[Asher]

Thank you! This is excellent! We rather opted not to take the adorable train from Williams, preferring to spend more time in Flagstaff and the canyon area.

I’m wondering what canyon area your referring to.

On a different subject, I used to dine at a place in LA way back that specified it was New Mexican food. It’s where I first learned about blue corn, black beans and one of my favorites, sopapillas. Oh yeah heat Too. But, then I hadn’t tried Thai food Yet.

 

[ScottR]

Oh a sopappilla with some butter and honey is a glorious thing. I’m not a foodie, but it seems like a more savory beignet like you get in New Orleans, either one …are both delicious. I need one now!

 

[me_little_me]

I’m wondering what canyon area your referring to.

On a different subject, I used to dine at a place in LA way back that specified it was New Mexican food. It’s where I first learned about blue corn, black beans and one of my favorites, sopapillas. Oh yeah heat Too. But, then I hadn’t tried Thai food Yet.

Black beans - that's one of those California infestations into the Santa Fe area. Everywhere else in NM, you get refritos - refried beans mostly mashed.

The best is the dinner of chile rellenos - [Preferably hot] NM chiles roasted, skin peeled, filled with cheese, dipped in a corn meal batter, fried and eaten with delight. NOT Poblano chiles like in the east or, worse yet, bell peppers stuffed with meat (UGH!).

It's heaven on a plate. We still get them every year in August/September when the local Fresh Market which brings in the hot and (boo!) mild chiles. We grab 30 or so. I roast them the next day (or the same day) then we freeze them. When ready to have them, we thaw out 3 each, peel them (the defrosted moisture beneath the skin makes it come off easy). Slit them and stuff with cheese. She makes the batter and I do the frying. Then they're soon a pleasant memory.

Please have some for me until we get back to Albuquerque in March.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Black beans - that's one of those California infestations into the Santa Fe area. Everywhere else in NM, you get refritos - refried beans mostly mashed.

The best is the dinner of chile rellenos - [Preferably hot] NM chiles roasted, skin peeled, filled with cheese, dipped in a corn meal batter, fried and eaten with delight. NOT Poblano chiles like in the east or, worse yet, bell peppers stuffed with meat (UGH!).

It's heaven on a plate. We still get them every year in August/September when the local Fresh Market which brings in the hot and (boo!) mild chiles. We grab 30 or so. I roast them the next day (or the same day) then we freeze them. When ready to have them, we thaw out 3 each, peel them (the defrosted moisture beneath the skin makes it come off easy). Slit them and stuff with cheese. She makes the batter and I do the frying. Then they're soon a pleasant memory.

Please have some for me until we get back to Albuquerque in March.

Reminds me of when I was stationed in Clovis NM we used to go to a little restaurant called the Guadalajara, definitely on the "wrong side of the tracks" so it was wise to go there with a group, but they had the best sopapillas and chile rellenos, something I have never been able to find since

I also remember that New Mexico wind in the early spring, red dust would come in under the door and get over everything.

 

[tricia]

Black beans - that's one of those California infestations into the Santa Fe area. Everywhere else in NM, you get refritos - refried beans mostly mashed.

The best is the dinner of chile rellenos - [Preferably hot] NM chiles roasted, skin peeled, filled with cheese, dipped in a corn meal batter, fried and eaten with delight. NOT Poblano chiles like in the east or, worse yet, bell peppers stuffed with meat (UGH!).

It's heaven on a plate. We still get them every year in August/September when the local Fresh Market which brings in the hot and (boo!) mild chiles. We grab 30 or so. I roast them the next day (or the same day) then we freeze them. When ready to have them, we thaw out 3 each, peel them (the defrosted moisture beneath the skin makes it come off easy). Slit them and stuff with cheese. She makes the batter and I do the frying. Then they're soon a pleasant memory.

Please have some for me until we get back to Albuquerque in March.

I'm with you about "heaven on a plate." But disagree about poblanos. We grow one poblano plant each summer specifically so we can make chile rellenos with the peppers. (No batter. Just dip in eggs then in seasoned cornmeal with maybe some flour--my husband cooks these, so I'm a bit hazy about that.) On a plate with sliced garden tomatoes and a nice rice pilaf--heaven indeed.

Edit: Even better than rice pilaf, fresh sweet corn on the cob.

 

[Trollopian]

This catches many people off-guard. New Mexican food is generally much hotter than Mexican food. Green Chile is great for the sinuses. Milk products help more than water if you're not a chile fiend like some of us...

Some Like It Hot. Chile peppers are a serious crop in NM and the state university confirms it: Chile Pepper Institute - Wikipedia.

 

[dwebarts]

The Fiery Foods Show is held in ABQ for a reason.
https://www.fieryfoodsshow.com/

 

[me_little_me]

The Fiery Foods Show is held in ABQ for a reason.
https://www.fieryfoodsshow.com/

Argghhh! March 4-6. We arrive on the 7th on the Chief.

 

[Asher]

Argghhh! March 4-6. We arrive on the 7th on the Chief.
Redacted

 

[toddinde]

Big difference between them.

Definitely! New Mexican food is a thing.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

On a different subject, I used to dine at a place in LA way back that specified it was New Mexican food. It’s where I first learned about blue corn, black beans and one of my favorites, sopapillas. Oh yeah heat Too. But, then I hadn’t tried Thai food Yet.

It's interesting how Thailand ended up with lots of spicy meals with nonnative New World chilies while Costa Rica ended up with a bunch of bland staples that avoid spicy heat almost entirely.

 

[Asher]

It's interesting how Thailand ended up with lots of spicy meals with nonnative New World chilies while Costa Rica ended up with a bunch of bland staples that avoid spicy heat almost entirely.

And all this information maybe very helpful for Lonnie as she plans her Southwest trip.
Learning whats hot and what’s not.

 

[Lonnie]

And all this information maybe very helpful for Lonnie as she plans her Southwest trip.
Learning whats hot and what’s not.

Indeed! Love all these tips! One of my first dates with hubby was in a shop selling bottles of hot sauce in cold Syracuse, so my friends thought of him as The Hot Shop Guy. To this day he drinks it straight from the bottle. Me, I'm more on the mild spice side, but at least I know the difference between picante and caliente.

 

[dwebarts]

It's interesting how Thailand ended up with lots of spicy meals with nonnative New World chilies while Costa Rica ended up with a bunch of bland staples that avoid spicy heat almost entirely.

I've been looking at potential retirement destinations and thought of this when debating between Costa Rica and Panama. At least in Panama, you can go to Panama City for more international fare.

More likely, I'll visa hop so I can get my spice fix in Southeast Asia.

 

[jis]

Moderator’s Notes: gentle nudge back towards Southwest trips. Thanks!

 

[GoAmtrak]

Perhaps not perfectly on topic, but...

I have a question: Why isn't it possible to coordinate Amtrak and the Grand Canyon Railway that Amtrak goes straight to the Williams depot and then back to the main line? It's not a detour which would take much time nor aren't tracks available. The Amtrak trip of the Southwest Chief would just need a little more time, perhaps 10-15 minutes. The trip from Los Angeles to Chicago takes that long time that 10 minutes don't matter in my eyes, but the benefit would be huge. Then you could transport a large number of tourists to the Grand Canyon, one of the US most famous natural spectacles.

While the schedule from Chicago seems to be okay (arrival would probably be around 22/10 pm), the time of arrival from Los Angeles in the area isn't good (around 5 in the morning). Couldn't the Southwest Chief leave Los Angeles a little bit later (2 hours) for a better time of arrival around Flagstaff?

 

[BlackDiamond]

While the schedule from Chicago seems to be okay (arrival would probably be around 22/10 pm), the time of arrival from Los Angeles in the area isn't good (around 5 in the morning). Couldn't the Southwest Chief leave Los Angeles a little bit later (2 hours) for a better time of arrival around Flagstaff?

Arrival in Williams would be about 4 AM if the train is on time. I agree delaying the LAX departure by 2 hours would help but then at the other end you would move the CHI arrival to around 5 PM which might miss some connections.

 

[Willbridge]

Arrival in Williams would be about 4 AM if the train is on time. I agree delaying the LAX departure by 2 hours would help but then at the other end you would move the CHI arrival to around 5 PM which might miss some connections.

It's also better not to be scheduled to arrive in Chicago before about 6 p.m. due to commuter train traffic. If scheduled before the peaks, allowing for a range of delays, we end up on or about the current schedule.

 

[Lonnie]

Perhaps not perfectly on topic, but...

I have a question: Why isn't it possible to coordinate Amtrak and the Grand Canyon Railway that Amtrak goes straight to the Williams depot and then back to the main line? It's not a detour which would take much time nor aren't tracks available. The Amtrak trip of the Southwest Chief would just need a little more time, perhaps 10-15 minutes. The trip from Los Angeles to Chicago takes that long time that 10 minutes don't matter in my eyes, but the benefit would be huge. Then you could transport a large number of tourists to the Grand Canyon, one of the US most famous natural spectacles.

Amtrak already has enough trouble arriving on time to coordinate with its own trains. I can't imagine any other railroad agreeing to hold its trains in the station half an hour, or an hour or three, while waiting for the Amtrak to finally arrive. Am I missing something?