Green Chile

Green Chile

Not the pepper itself but a gravylike stew is what Coloradans refer to when they talk about chile verde, the heady mixture that migrated with families who made their way from Mexico up through New Mexico and Texas and over from California to settle the high country. Its recipes vary as much across the state as minestrone does across Italy and pot-au-feu across France, but you can usually count on a pork-based concoction with jalapenos, sometimes tomatoes, and maybe tomatillos, with the heat ranging from mellow to sinus-clearing.

Arguments rage over the best Mexican joints for a proper bowl, but most agree that Federal Boulevard in Denver is the place for the most auténtico. Green chile can smother just about anything -- from enchiladas to huevos -- but a plain bowlful with a warmed tortilla is all the purist requires, and it's the best hangover cure ever.