Green chile blues

Who knew there were so many expat New Mexicans living in Southern California? Wednesday’s California Cook column on cooking with green chile drew almost 50 e-mails and that was just before lunch. Many of them were sharing memories of the Land of Enchantment, and many were sharing cooking tips, but I have to say that most of them were asking for recommendations for restaurants where they could find good New Mexican food around here.

And for that question, I’m afraid I had no good answer. In fact, this is something that makes me crazy: Why is it that every Southwest Airlines flight between here and Albuquerque is jammed to the rafters, yet there isn’t a single place in Southern California where you can get decent green chile? I know someone’s going to bring up that place in Fullerton and the only thing I can say is: Don’t bother. I’m not sure how you can do such simple food so badly, but you’d have to be really hungry for a sopapilla to go there. And I’m writing as someone who, on more than one occasion over the last 20 years, has been just that desperate.

So here’s a deal for some hungry Southern California cook: Open a good New Mexican restaurant and you can have my green chile enchilada recipe; you can have my calabacitas recipe; you can have my posole and green chile stew. And you can have my business on a regular basis. Just open the danged thing.

And judging from the amount of mail I got Wednesday, I probably won’t be the only customer you get.

-- Russ Parsons

Photo: Green chile enchiladas. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

Save your money, skip the hype, and make it a D.I.Y. V-Day

Is there a holiday that causes more anxiety than Valentine's Day?

The pressure is on to come up with something decadent, romantic, luxurious...but all of that can be pretty expensive.

How about something different this (manufactured) holiday? Instead of overpriced flowers and cards, costly boxes of candy, or an hour-long wait for a pricy restaurant meal, how about a homemade card and a home-cooked meal, eaten by candlelight?

Make it extra special by topping it off with something sweet: Here's a photo gallery look at some recipes -- some chocolate, some not -- that should do the trick. Among them: The Tortona chocolate cookies at Massimo's Delectibles in Marina del Rey. A reader, Joan Harelick of Brentwood, wrote to Culinary S.O.S. to ask for the recipe:

"I’ve never tasted anything like them...I’m drooling just writing this letter to you!"

Massimo's was kind enough to share the recipe with Times Test Kitchen Manager Noelle Carter. More S.O.S. requests here, and more dessert recipes here.

--Rene Lynch

Photo credit: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times

Stud Muffins in the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

This is how the day started in the L.A. Times' Test Kitchen, with KTLA doing a spot on Stud Muffins. (We'll leave it up to the video to explain in details, lest we get in trouble with anyone over anything.)

Needless to say, it created quite an early-morning stir with the few folks who were inside the building at the crack of dawn. Several cranky types complained about the noise. The rest lined up to watch.

— Rene Lynch   

Geoduck is for lovers

We're not in the business of mocking press releases (might as well shoot fish in a barrel), but every now and then something comes across our desk that's so goofy, we can’t help ourselves.

"When gift packages of panties get old, or adult toys are no longer a funny gift to find under the tree, show your lover you really care with high-end sensual food gifts," MarxFoods.com suggests. You could go for aphrodisiacs ranging from the obvious (oysters, chocolate) to the odd (truffle honey, lobster-filled heart-shaped ravioli). But "for the adventurous couple" (in and out of the dining room) there's the geoduck.