New Mexico, Land of Enchantment (or Land of Entrapment, as some less-enthused residents call it).
It is perhaps the only state in the U.S. where you can be in a completely flat, dry desert climate (like Artesia), drive an hour, and end up in a completely different world—sometimes in the mountains of Cloudcroft or Ruidoso, or the plains to the east, going toward Texas. As a state, we also boast a few amazing attractions—The Gila Cliff Dwellings and Eddy County’s own Carlsbad Caverns, just to name a few.
But these unique features notwithstanding, New Mexico is best known for the question—Red or Green?
One cannot call New Mexico home for long without that question coming up, and few can remain in the area without eventually falling in love with one, if not both types of chile. Honestly though, of the two, green chile, and more specifically, Hatch Green Chile, is by far the more popular garnish.
If you do not believe me, just drive to any burger joint anywhere in New Mexico and ask for red chile on your cheeseburger. Good luck finding one.
But green chile on a cheeseburger? They are a dime-a-dozen. In fact, it is far more surprising to find an eatery in New Mexico that does not offer green chile as an option for a burger topping. The same is true in Artesia. Nearly every food establishment in our city offers some form of green chile on their menus.
Why limit green chile to just the typical dishes? Green chile thrives when put atop burgers, inside of burritos, mixed in with ranch dressing, in or on tamales, and do not get me started on the chile relleno. Stuff one of those in a bean burrito, and it is lights out. The spicy delicacy also adds a delicious kick to mac n’cheese, rice casserole, and even pairs nicely with Italian dishes like pizza or chicken alfredo. In addition to these popular entrées, there are other food items that marry well with our state’s pride and joy that no one would have ever thought to consider. No one, that is, except Rob Morrisey, owner of Kith+Kin Roasting Co. in Artesia.
In recent years, Morrisey has made Artesia’s most beloved coffee shop the poster child for incorporating green chile in every way imaginable. Kith+Kin boasts green chile as its typical garnish—it can be added to any sandwich on the menu and is even baked into their Green Chile Cheddar Bread.
But what about throwing some in your ice cream? Never crossed your mind. Well, what about mixing it in with a cup of coffee?
Morrisey has done both, and they have quickly become staples on the menu.
To some, this may sound repulsive; to others, it is extremely appealing (I like to call these the “party people”). Regardless of your personal interest, you are most likely wondering: What on earth inspired this man to put green chile in coffee and ice cream?
I wondered the same thing, so I asked Morrisey who responded:
“We’re New Mexicans! Putting green chile in everything is what we do. I must brag a little that we’re the only café that I’m aware of that makes a green chile latte (known as the “Hatch+Honey Latte”). It was something that I wanted to do for a long time.”
He continues, “But I quickly found out why no other coffee shops were doing it. Every test we performed on a recipe was pretty nasty. I put it on the back burner for two years till I finally had an idea on how to make it happen. We tested it, and boom! It was delicious. So, maybe someday Kith+Kin Roasting Co. will be known as the home of the Green Chile Latte. But we also have a green chile ice cream, green chile cheddar bread, and even did a green chile lemonade. Not sure what’s next, but we’re always down to create something out of the ordinary.”
Morrisey’s enthusiasm for green chile experimentation is inspiring, and when I asked him about his thoughts on the impact of green chile on food in New Mexico as a whole, he was equally passionate:
“New Mexico cuisine in general is known for its wonderful Mexican food (at least for those that know we’re a state in the US). Even restaurants with a mostly American based menu [have] to throw in some enchiladas or a burrito dish. But we’ve done for green chile what Florida has done for oranges. Green chile is truly the pride of our state. You know it’s green chile season when you smell that wonderful roasted chile smell outside Fenn’s Supermarket and even Walmart. Where else do they do that?”
New Mexico is special in so many capacities. When it comes to cuisine, green chile is the secret ingredient that puts our food over the top. I am proud to say that courtesy of Morrisey and his crew at Kith+Kin, Artesia is on the cutting edge what green chile can add to both food and drink.
If you have not had the opportunity to try these wonderful items, check out the reviews below! Do not just take my word for it—make sure to stop by Kith+Kin and sample them for yourselves.
Green Chile Ice Cream The ice cream is rich and creamy with the perfect balance of the sweetness of the honey and subtle spice of the chile. The crushed pistachios sprinkled in add a nice bit of crunch to every bite, as well.
Hatch+Honey Latte Kith+Kin’s rich espresso is the shining ingredient here, but similar to the ice cream, the honey sweetens the bite of the green chile, giving each sip the perfect blend of bittersweet spice.
