If you watch Breaking Bad, you may have seen Walter, Hank, and Skylar sitting around a table of white fast food bags, munching on burgers. Those bags come from Blake's Lotaburger, a chain that doesn't exist outside of New Mexico's borders. They're my favorite fast food in this country. And I've written about the burgers before, but it's not only the burgers they do right. More

And we're back with another edition of our March Madness-style tournament of tacos. We traveled thousands of miles to taquerias, taco trucks, corner stores, and carnicerias to find the 64 very best tacos in the country as part of a feature for Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine's March issue. Yesterday we told you about the West coast picks; today we're heading to the South for migas and suadero. More

Yak meat smells like aged beef and tastes a great deal like it too. As you can see, the meat is marbled but not as fatty as pork or beef, and tastes closer to beef than it does to say, venison. The neck bone meat, with its combination of bone, flesh, and tendon, is perfect for stewing. More

In this video from the Perennial Plate series, we meet a man who lives out of his truck (and camping), teaches at The University of New Mexico about wild greens, and forages from the mountains. More

What makes the Hatch chile so special? That it's only available in August and September? Maybe that adds to the appeal. But I think it's because they're the perfect chile-loving balance of flavor and heat. I just picked up a batch at the grocery store, and came up with these 15 ways to enjoy the precious chiles. More

Over the weekend I flew home to New Mexico. As I write this a five-pound bucket of pig's tails sits on my mother's windowsill; the pig's tails are a normal part of my life, though the location is not. More

The Dog House is a tiny shack on Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that's been serving up burgers, chili cheese tater tots, hot coffee and their signature foot-long hot dogs to truckers, locals and tourists alike for at least 60 years. The food is fast and cheap, and you know you're in New Mexico when the chili comes with a choice of "green or red." More

During my recent trip back to New Mexico I ate rice, beans, and cheese almost every day, and no matter what dish I ordered, there was green or red chile on top. Just about every traditional food at a New Mexican restaurant is served smothered in chile. Immediately after placing your order, your waitress will most likely ask, "red or green chile?" Indecisive diners can order theirs "Christmas-style" but I've always gone one way or the other. Check out this roundup of some of our favorites, after the jump.... More

Sopaipillas are fried pockets of dough, a specialty in New Mexico that's rarely seen in restaurants outside of the state. The dough, leavened and enriched with shortening or lard, is rolled out and cut into squares or rounded shapes. Deep-fried, the dough pieces puff up dramatically, crisping on the surface while remaining soft and tender inside. The perfect sopaipilla? The outermost layer, fried in the oil, should be paper-thin and crisp on the corners. When properly fried, the interior will separate into two layers: the chewy yet soft layer of dough directly underneath the browned shell, followed by the innermost layer—soft, a little stretchy, and just cooked through. While each New Mexico restaurant has their own rendition, all tables... More

Over my holiday in Santa Fe, I met up with cookbook author and long-time Tesuque resident Cheryl Jamison who, along with her husband Bill, leads culinary tours in France and has written James Beard award winning-books on everything from New Mexican cuisine to outdoor smoking and grilling. We dined at The Shed, a Santa Fe staple on Palace Avenue in the historic plaza district. The Shed can only be described as cavernous, a space that's comprised of a series of vibrantly decorated, eclectic rooms. When Cheryl told me that her favorite on the menu—the number five enchilada plate with red chile—is the one dish that she and Bill can't help but order every time, I chose the plate straightaway.... More