Just found two recipes for "Chili con Queso dated 1956: one uses Velveta; the
other recommends "1 lb. Old English cheese".

See "Fiesta Fa Mexican, Spanish and Southwestern Recipes ... Commemorating
Albuquerque's 250th Anniversary." Albuquerque: Home & School Association,
[1956].

Andy Smith

ASmith1946 muttered....

> Just found two recipes for "Chili con Queso dated 1956: one uses
> Velveta; the other recommends "1 lb. Old English cheese".
>
> See "Fiesta Fa Mexican, Spanish and Southwestern Recipes ...
> Commemorating Albuquerque's 250th Anniversary." Albuquerque: Home &
> School Association, [1956].
>
> Andy Smith
>

I had forgotten "Old English", Kraft's sort of 2nd level up in flavor from
Velveeta (with the Blue-box "American" in between).

Thinking back to the mid50s, Chili con Queso made at home for parties and
the restaurant versions found in the ubiquitous "TexMex" joints of the
period were often quite different, with the reaturants favoring an approach
which began with a bechamel/white roux with cheese (the restaurant supply
sort, "Cheddar", Longhorn, Rat, etc.) and added flavorings, while the
homemade varieties seemed to consistently begin with a simpler "easy food"
format of simply melting processed cheese (and maybe adding a little milk
or evaporated milk), although Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chilis, available
throughout the Southwest, providied ample liquid for the hoped for
consistency. Pace's Picante Sauce must have emerged from the shadows in
San Antonio in the mid50s, still a local/regional product on the way up the
ladder of fame like Tabasco Sauce.

At least for Texans, the big TexMex places of the sort like El Mat and El
Toro in Austin, served a barely cheesy sauce (with little tomatos or
chilis)over crisp tortillas on most of their combo plates and specials, but
IIRC served a thicker richer "Chili con Queso" when ordered separately.

TMO

ASmith1946 wrote:
>
> Just found two recipes for "Chili con Queso dated 1956: one uses Velveta; the
> other recommends "1 lb. Old English cheese".
>
> See "Fiesta Fa Mexican, Spanish and Southwestern Recipes ... Commemorating
> Albuquerque's 250th Anniversary." Albuquerque: Home & School Association,
> [1956].
>
> Andy Smith

Got an older recipe from: 'The Genuine New Mexico Tasty Recipes' by
Cleofas M Jaramillo.
This is a 1981 reprint of the original pamphlet, which was published in
1942.

'Green Chile with Cheese

Stew in milk to moisten, as many peeled, chopped green chiles as you
wish to serve. Add yellow cheese cut up in small pieces and salt to
taste. Simmer a few minutes to melt cheese; serve.'

A later recipe from: 'Historic Cookery by Fabiola C Gilbert, published
in 1970

'Chile Verde con Quest

Dried green chile is best, but canned chile may also be used--one cup
canned green chile or its equivalent of the dry product after it has
been soaked.

3 T(bs) fat
3 T chopped onion
1 clove chopped garlic
1 c canned green chile
1 c thinly sliced cheese
1 t(sp) salt

Fry onion and garlic in fat. Add coarsely chopped green chile and sliced
cheese. Add salt. Cook over slow fire until cheese is melted.'

Maybe the Anglos use(d) Velveeta while the New Mexicans use(d) real
cheese?

Hi Arri and TMO:

Two minutes after I hit the send button on my original message, I ran across
two more early chili con quesso recipes:

Chili Con Queso
Three cans green chili or ten fresh chilies parched and peeled and chopped
fine. One large onion also chopped. One-half pint of thin cream or rich milk.
Three-fourths pound cheese cut in small pieces. Put butter the size of an egg
in the skillet, add chili and onion and salt to taste. Pour in milk. Simmer for
about one hour and just before serving stir in the grated cheese. /25/

Chili Con Queso
Have green chili mashed and cheese grated and one small onion cut up. Heat one
tablespoon crisco in frying pan, add one teaspoon flour, then chili, cheese and
onion and a little cream. Delicious served with lamb or any meat. /26/
Salsa de Barbacoa /26/

Source: St. Vincent's Guild, "How to Prepare and Serve€“ Mexican Food. Silver
City, New Mexico: St. Vincent's Guild, nd

Unfortunately, there is no date on the cookbooklet, but there is advertising
and the telephone numbers range from "6" to "011." Subsequent editions were
published in the 1940s. Anyone help on the date for this?

Andy Smith

T>
>Got an older recipe from: 'The Genuine New Mexico Tasty Recipes' by
>Cleofas M Jaramillo.
>This is a 1981 reprint of the original pamphlet, which was published in
>1942.
>
>'Green Chile with Cheese
>
>Stew in milk to moisten, as many peeled, chopped green chiles as you
>wish to serve. Add yellow cheese cut up in small pieces and salt to
>taste. Simmer a few minutes to melt cheese; serve.'
>
>A later recipe from: 'Historic Cookery by Fabiola C Gilbert, published
>in 1970
>
>'Chile Verde con Quest
>
>Dried green chile is best, but canned chile may also be used--one cup
>canned green chile or its equivalent of the dry product after it has
>been soaked.
>
>3 T(bs) fat
>3 T chopped onion
>1 clove chopped garlic
>1 c canned green chile
>1 c thinly sliced cheese
>1 t(sp) salt
>
>Fry onion and garlic in fat. Add coarsely chopped green chile and sliced
>cheese. Add salt. Cook over slow fire until cheese is melted.'
>
>Maybe the Anglos use(d) Velveeta while the New Mexicans use(d) real
>cheese?
>
>
>
>
>
>

My _Mexican Cookbook_, Erna Ferguson, U of NMexico Press, 1945 edition of
1934 original, does not contain Chili con Queso or anything closely
related.

On the other hand, it does feature a dish called "Burritos", fresh corn
tortillas rolled thick, stuffed with chicharonnes (described as are today's
versions) and then baked...a far cry from the burritos of today. Evidence
of its New Mexico origin, the book is filled with recipes calling for
squash, green corn and green chiles.

TMO

According to the OED, the first printed use of the word burrito (in any
language) was in Ferguson's "Mexican Cookbook" (1934). There should be earlier
references, but have not found any. Perhaps someone else has?

Andy Smith

>My _Mexican Cookbook_, Erna Ferguson, U of NMexico Press, 1945 edition of
>1934 original, does not contain Chili con Queso or anything closely
>related.
>
>On the other hand, it does feature a dish called "Burritos", fresh corn
>tortillas rolled thick, stuffed with chicharonnes (described as are today's
>versions) and then baked...a far cry from the burritos of today. Evidence
>of its New Mexico origin, the book is filled with recipes calling for
>squash, green corn and green chiles.
>
>TMO
>
>
>
>
>
>

Olivers wrote:
>
> My _Mexican Cookbook_, Erna Ferguson, U of NMexico Press, 1945 edition of
> 1934 original, does not contain Chili con Queso or anything closely
> related.
>
> On the other hand, it does feature a dish called "Burritos", fresh corn
> tortillas rolled thick, stuffed with chicharonnes (described as are today's
> versions) and then baked...a far cry from the burritos of today. Evidence
> of its New Mexico origin, the book is filled with recipes calling for
> squash, green corn and green chiles.
>
> TMO

Erna Fergusson certainly was a well-known figure in Albuquerque.
However, she was Anglo and it wouldn't surprise me if her style of
cooking differed somewhat from Hispanic 'Mexican' cooking of the time.
(One of the ABQ public library branches is named after her.)

"Arri London" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Erna Fergusson certainly was a well-known figure in Albuquerque.
> However, she was Anglo

Anglo? With a name like Fergusson? Seems unlikely to me.

Charlie

> and it wouldn't surprise me if her style of
> cooking differed somewhat from Hispanic 'Mexican' cooking of the time.
> (One of the ABQ public library branches is named after her.)

Arri London muttered....

>
>
> Olivers wrote:
>>
>> My _Mexican Cookbook_, Erna Ferguson, U of NMexico Press, 1945
>> edition of
>> 1934 original, does not contain Chili con Queso or anything closely
>> related.
>>
>> On the other hand, it does feature a dish called "Burritos", fresh
>> corn tortillas rolled thick, stuffed with chicharonnes (described as
>> are today's versions) and then baked...a far cry from the burritos of
>> today. Evidence of its New Mexico origin, the book is filled with
>> recipes calling for squash, green corn and green chiles.
>>
>> TMO
>
> Erna Fergusson certainly was a well-known figure in Albuquerque.
> However, she was Anglo and it wouldn't surprise me if her style of
> cooking differed somewhat from Hispanic 'Mexican' cooking of the time.
> (One of the ABQ public library branches is named after her.)

Looking through the slim little red book (faded now, but with a couple of
fragments of yellow cover stuck to the binding courtesy of a water-soaking
of the bottom inch), there are some items of interest....

1) The inscription, to my mother from my father....
"These enchiladas sound like Ramona's Kitchen. How about some."

Where was "Ramona's Kitchen"? Looking at the recipe, "stacked" enchiladas
topped with fried egg and containing chopped ripe olives, leads me to
believe that it may have been in the San Diego area where we lived early in
WWII or in the ABQ area, not back home in Texas. In my earliest memories
of ABQ, passing through on 66/Central Avenue, we would detour to the Plaza
to eat at La Placita, still there, not near so good as memory, even the
sopapillas for which it may have been best known.

2) I forget that New Mexico has a North and a South (Las Cruces, Roswell,
the Middle Pecos and a strip across the state above IH10) but also a
"Central", ABQ and environs.

3) _Mexican Cookbook_ is far less Anglo than you might expect, pretty
solidly lard with a little olive oil. Lots of squash (but no blossoms).
Garbanzos, unknown in TexMexeria or Anglo cuisine, even a few mutton
recipes. I'd call it solidly "North Central". Lots of store-bought yellow
cheese, but homemade goat and cowsmilk cheeses. The omission of soft tacos
or much in the way of variety/organ meats in almost any form moves it up to
the Cetral Part of the state.

4) The foreword claims that the recipes are all in a category which were
used in New Mexico when it was part of Mexico. I'm guessing that there was
a purposeful attempt to avoid modernizations such as "Creesco".

5) I had always thought that the inclusion of ripe olives with enchiladas,
stacked or rolled, was a "California" thing, and am interested to see them
used in new Mexican cuisine. Original or cultural transposition?

6) The book would have been appealing certainly to tourists, but more
likely was aimed at the quickly multiplying Anglo "immigrant" residents of
the ABQ area, numbers of which must have swelled vastly during WWII. I
suspect that the 3rd edition/printing of 1945, was a bigger run than the
'34 and '40 editions.

For those interested in how ethnic/regional cuisines and US lifestyles
change, among the most vivid (if not always accurate) accounts are found in
the pages of church, women's clubs and "Junior League" cookbooks (with the
Junior League versions providing amazing insight as to the social and
eating habits of regionally and locally identifiable affluent middle
classes for a 20-30 year period prior to publication). Unfortunately, when
attempting to compare ethnic recipes with original "European" versions,
readers have to reconstruct bridges from modern to "homeland" based on the
arrival of penniless immigrants forced to adapt their mothers' recipes to
affordable and available substitute ingredients.

The "Kolaces" of West, Texas are likely a bit different than the ones in
the bakeries of what was Moravia, just as the local "smoked sausage" of the
Brazos and Colorado valleys represent local ingredients melded into
traditions ranging from Alsace to the edge of old Russia.

I'm sure there are mutually incompatible theories as to how "fried pies"
arrived in Nachitoches (Nac-o-tish) and how rice got into boudin....(or
along what minute of Longitude, andouille becomes "smoked sausage", and who
the Hell ever first contemplated deep frying blue crab and calling it
"barbecued").

TMO

Olivers wrote:
>
> My _Mexican Cookbook_, Erna Ferguson, U of NMexico Press, 1945 edition of
> 1934 original, does not contain Chili con Queso or anything closely
> related.
>
> On the other hand, it does feature a dish called "Burritos", fresh corn
> tortillas rolled thick, stuffed with chicharonnes (described as are today's
> versions) and then baked...a far cry from the burritos of today. Evidence
> of its New Mexico origin, the book is filled with recipes calling for
> squash, green corn and green chiles.
>
> TMO


Ms Jaramillo's book was originally published in 1939 and the recipes are
primarily from Northern New Mexico. Since the cooking differs between
ABQ and Northern New Mexico today, one can imagine it differed even more
in the past.
She doesn't mention burritos at all, but does give a recipe for the
typical flat New Mexico enchilada, using chicharrones.

Arri:

What are the differences between cooking in Northern New Mexico and
Albuquerque?

Andy Smith

>
>Ms Jaramillo's book was originally published in 1939 and the recipes are
>primarily from Northern New Mexico. Since the cooking differs between
>ABQ and Northern New Mexico today, one can imagine it differed even more
>in the past.
>She doesn't mention burritos at all, but does give a recipe for the
>typical flat New Mexico enchilada, using chicharrones.
>
>
>
>
>
>

ASmith1946 wrote:
>
> Hi Arri and TMO:
>
> Two minutes after I hit the send button on my original message, I ran across
> two more early chili con quesso recipes:
>
> Chili Con Queso
> Three cans green chili or ten fresh chilies parched and peeled and chopped
> fine. One large onion also chopped. One-half pint of thin cream or rich milk.
> Three-fourths pound cheese cut in small pieces. Put butter the size of an egg
> in the skillet, add chili and onion and salt to taste. Pour in milk. Simmer for
> about one hour and just before serving stir in the grated cheese. /25/
>
> Chili Con Queso
> Have green chili mashed and cheese grated and one small onion cut up. Heat one
> tablespoon crisco in frying pan, add one teaspoon flour, then chili, cheese and
> onion and a little cream. Delicious served with lamb or any meat. /26/
> Salsa de Barbacoa /26/
>
> Source: St. Vincent's Guild, "How to Prepare and Serve€“ Mexican Food. Silver
> City, New Mexico: St. Vincent's Guild, nd
>
> Unfortunately, there is no date on the cookbooklet, but there is advertising
> and the telephone numbers range from "6" to "011." Subsequent editions were
> published in the 1940s. Anyone help on the date for this?
>
> Andy Smith

Hello Andy and Olivers

Given that Silver City still isn't a very large place (about 10,000) and
is mostly rural, the telephone numbers might not be much help LOL!

Crisco was introduced by P&G in 1911. Wouldn't imagine it reached New
Mexico that same year, but I suppose it could have. So your window is
between 1911 and the 1940s, not that that helps a great deal.

Don't know when chiles were first available canned in NM either, but
that would be another clue.

Again, I'm guessing the Crisco recipe is Anglo. Even today Hispanic
cooks in NM would tend to prefer lard.


>
> T>
> >Got an older recipe from: 'The Genuine New Mexico Tasty Recipes' by
> >Cleofas M Jaramillo.
> >This is a 1981 reprint of the original pamphlet, which was published in
> >1942.
> >
> >'Green Chile with Cheese
> >
> >Stew in milk to moisten, as many peeled, chopped green chiles as you
> >wish to serve. Add yellow cheese cut up in small pieces and salt to
> >taste. Simmer a few minutes to melt cheese; serve.'
> >
> >A later recipe from: 'Historic Cookery by Fabiola C Gilbert, published
> >in 1970
> >
> >'Chile Verde con Quest
> >
> >Dried green chile is best, but canned chile may also be used--one cup
> >canned green chile or its equivalent of the dry product after it has
> >been soaked.
> >
> >3 T(bs) fat
> >3 T chopped onion
> >1 clove chopped garlic
> >1 c canned green chile
> >1 c thinly sliced cheese
> >1 t(sp) salt
> >
> >Fry onion and garlic in fat. Add coarsely chopped green chile and sliced
> >cheese. Add salt. Cook over slow fire until cheese is melted.'
> >
> >Maybe the Anglos use(d) Velveeta while the New Mexicans use(d) real
> >cheese?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >