Celebration for Pete Outside the Cantina

The Grains of Paradise

Dave DeWitt Humor Leave a Comment

By James Street Editor’s Note: This short story about a chile-eating contest in Tabasco, Mexico, was first published in The Saturday Evening Post on May 14, 1955. The author makes so many errors about chile peppers, black pepper, and melegueta pepper that it’s humorous. How many errors can you spot? I do not like stories that suggest one thing and …

So You Want to Be a Pepper Farmer?

Lois Manno Humor Leave a Comment

By Dave DeWitt [Editor’s Note: This piece of satire was written in 1993, so some of the estimated costs may have changed.  Do you think they might have gone up?] After a particularly good harvest, many of us amateur pepper gardeners yearn to go pro.  We dream of hitting the big leagues and making a fortune by growing and harvesting …

Chiles Drying on Adobe House

Historical and Hysterical Reactions to Eating Chile

Dave DeWitt Chile History, Humor, Mexico and Central America Leave a Comment

Edited by Dave DeWitt   The men of this rancho had all gone to the war and the house was full of women, who made supper for us all. We were twelve in number. We had tortillas, frijoles, and carne seca, stewed up, with chile Colorado. My readers may translate these terms for themselves. To me, it was all very …

OC Foodie Fest

Gourmet on Wheels: the OC Foodie Fest

Lois Manno Humor Leave a Comment

Words and Photos by Mark Masker Beef or pork—the eternal barbecue quandary. Luckily, Barbie’s Q offered both. Their truck carries ribs, greens, and mac n’ cheese too. “Did you hear about the food trucks in OC?” Olga asked me. An awkward silence later, she was still one punch line short of a full joke. For those of you who don’t …

How to Order Enchiladas in Santa Fe

Dave DeWitt Humor Leave a Comment

By Dave DeWitt Illustration by Lois Manno Recipes:   Machaca Shredded Beef Classic New Mexico Red Chile Sauce The Enchiladas Picture this: you’re sitting in a typical New Mexican restaurant in Santa Fe. There are red ristras on the wall, the smell of roasting chiles in the air, the traditional melody of “I Shot the Sheriff” by Bob Marley blasting from …