I was stuck in a comfortable but boring food slump, eating the same things every week, really eating for sustinence, rather than the pleasure of new and unexpected flavors. But I finally broke free, and it happened, as you might expect, when I changed my surroundings.
On a road trip through the Southwest, inspiration arrived first in the welcome form of a green chili cheeseburger. There is something about the green chiles grown in New Mexico that really don't compare to any others. You need to eat New Mexico green chiles a few times to get your mouth used to the increased level of hotness. When they're draped all over a big and juicy burger, you won't find a better meal.
Unless, of course, you happened to visit a small, hole-in-the-wall warehouse where huge barbecues were preparing some of the best beef brisket I've ever had. Served up with a hearty portion of pinto beans --- no, they're not bland when you add those devilish green chiles --- and you're in serious danger of overeating. I did, and was sad there were no leftovers.
Did I mention the Navajo cheese enchiladas at the former Navajo Nation Inn at Window Rock? I don't recall the name of the big hotel chain that took over the NNI, but it's still the same great food I had a few years back. The difference in the Navajo enchiladas or tacos, for that matter, is the base. No corn or flour tortilla here, but a big, hefty piece of Navajo fry bread, which resembles a pita in shape, but puffs up like a tortilla does when you quick fry it. The chewy heft of the fry bread makes an excellent anchor for the generous toppings of melted cheddar, sweet corn and beans, chopped onions and fresh shredded lettuce, a couple dollops of "Christmas" salsa ---both red and green, some sour cream, and of course, naturally, plenty of the beloved green chiles.
My food gyroscope was happily moving in all directions, sampling blue corn pancakes and chile-dusted pistachios, pecan fudge and sausage burritos, a wonderful quick version of chocolate beignets hot from the oven, and peach-infused lemonade. I scribbled down a few meals I particularly enjoyed, including a huge salad in Death Valley, made with icy-cold greens, fresh dates, local goat cheese and crispy pumpkin seeds, with a ruby red grapefruit coulis surrounding the very pretty presentation.
One last inspiration: tooling through Moab, Utah on a warm and sunny midday, I stopped at a truck vendor who had set up a wood-fired pizza oven. He had on offer freshly-prepared pizzas and various soft drinks. I ordered a four-cheese version with hot sausage, red peppers and proscuitto, and basked in the sunshine while I watched him stretch and toss the dough and expertly prepare the pizza. He said he had been making artisan pizzas in Alaska, but a job called him to Moab. The finished product was thin-crusted and bursting with flavors, peppery and rich. I savored every last bite and still dream about that amazing pizza.
Does food taste better when you're away from home? Probably, but away from home gives you great ideas for tweaking your regular meals. I returned, inspired once more to create something amazing and different at least once a day.