If New Mexico could have one state food, it would be the green chile cheeseburger, with each restaurant, diner and roadhouse cafe claiming to have the ultimate version. It was a scorching early August day in New Mexico and I was heading south on the I-25, up and over rolling desert hills skirting the mighty Rio Grande River under a sky of endless blue. My destination was Hatch : a tiny village in the river’s valley, 70 miles north of the Mexican border, where a distinct aroma of sizzling fresh green chiles laces the air come harvest time, which had just begun.
When I arrived and got out of the car, I was hit by a smoky scent that I soon traced to the nearby Grajeda Hatch Chile Market , one of many brightly painted chile purveyors dotting Franklin Street, the village’s main road. Here, I stood and watched for a while, transfixed, at the prized local ingredient tumbling in rotisserie-style roasters over roaring gas flames. A deafeningly loud and hot spectacle, necessary to scorch and loosen the chile skin to bring out the flavour before they're peeled, chopped and then roasted or turned into sauces.
Dubbed the chile capital of the world , Hatch was my final stop on a road trip to discover a fascinating dish unique to New Mexico that features this cherished fruit-and-spice in one: the green chile cheeseburger – or GCCB as it’s known locally. Not your regular burger, it comes served big and juicy, with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and, of course, a generous helping of .