Posolegate

[MountainDon]

aka, The Great Albuquerque Polsole Caper; Local Government Gets Stupid (Again)

Posole: po-so-lee   a spicy corn stew that is known as the ceremonial dish for celebrating life's blessings. It's a traditional New Mexican dish enjoyed particularly through the Thanksgiving to Christmas period.

A local church has an 84 year traditional of serving Posole and some other traditional New Mexican dishes to celebrants at a Thanksgiving event. The Food Nazis down at city hall have put their big foot into the stew this year. It's a small church. Approximately 500 people are served annually. The church kitchen is too small to do the preparation there. So as thousands upon thousands of other organizations do, members prepare the food at home and transport it to the church to be served. They don't get paid for this.

The percieved problem by the head food nazi is that the food is not prepared on premises or in an approved kitchen. So they sent a letter to the Nuns forbidding them to serve the home made food. They suggested they use canned store bought Posole, because it is approved. The head Nun declared canned Posole to be fake posole.

Today the owners of El Pinto, a truly fine locally owned restaurant that serves wonderful Traditional New Mexican cuisine stepped up to the plate and offered to supply Posole from their approved catering kitchen.

Mayor Marty is having his legal team look into the rules that prompted the issuance of the official warning.

According to the "law" the problem is that the event is open to the public. If it was a typical pot luck church dinner, where attendees are members of the organization the rule would not apply. So at least for the time being clubs are safe if they hold pot lucks among members. I wonder if guests are allowed under that rule?

Typical Ingredients:
    *  1 1/2 lbs. pork shoulder
    * 1/2 onion stuck with 2 cloves
    * 2 cloves garlic, peeled
    * 5 peppercorns
    * 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed
    * oregano, pinch
    * 1 onion, chopped
    * 2 cloves garlic, chopped
    * 2 tablespoon oil
    * 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    * 1/2 teaspoon cloves
    * 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    * 4 cups canned white hominy, drained and rinsed
    * 3 to 5 cups pork broth from cooking pork shoulder
    * 1 cup canned chopped green chilies
    * Salt to taste
    * 2 whole jalapenos, canned or fresh, chopped (optional)
Recipe From The Reluctant Gourmet

[NM_Shooter]

God Bless El Pinto!  I'm going to start using them for business lunches, and I'll tell them why I am there.

-f-

[MountainDon]

Those two brothers are smart guys! They got or are still getting great publicity from this. Villanucci spent at least an hour of his afternoon show on the subject.

They have great food too.

El Pinto, includes a virtual tour of the restaurant and the salsa factory. Mmmm!

[Sassy]

That looks like a great restaurant, good recipes...  lots a healthy looking live plants & nice decor...  glad they stepped in to cook the pasole.... stupid food cops - probably no one has ever gotten sick from the food in the past...  think of all the recalls the big food & meat companies have had...  & those were the few that were caught.

[MountainDon]

El Pinto was the first restaurant we ate at when we came to the ABQ area. We don't go there a lot, but each time is something special. [we don't eat out a lot... ]

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Mmmm.... a lady at our church here brings posole to the fellowship dinner.  Pretty good stuff.

[NM_Shooter]

BTW... the "guess the name of shooter's coop" won salsa from El Pinto...

-f-

[MountainDon]

I remember.    I've been wondering what temperature they got and how much it was enjoyed? That is one of the staple food groups as far as I am concerned. That and dark chocolate. 

[NM_Shooter]

I don't remember for sure... I think it was a jar of mild and a jar of hot.  I did warn folks that it wasn't a NY-city-gringo sort of sauce.

Although I had some salsa a couple of weeks ago in Santa Fe that I liked even better, at La Choza in Santa Fe. 

-f-

[MountainDon]

Well, we have a happy ending.  Mayor Marty had his henchmen in the legal department write up a temporary exemption for the Nuns at the church. Home made Posole, Menudo, and everything else have received an official city blessing. The traditional feast shall go on. A permanent rewrite of the ordinance will be made. So potluckers can rest easy; guests will be allowed to partake under the rewritten rules. We can all breath a sigh of relief. 

Mayor Marty called the whole thing a silly interpretation of the rules. Good for him. I'd like to hear what was said in private. 

There were two other city restaurants and caterers that volunteered their approved kitchens to the church, but now none of that will be needed.

[Sassy]

Yes, only the most important issues for the dear, illustrious public servants to address so they can keep us safe