Yeah, its that time of year again.  Wasn’t it just 2008?  2005?  Sheesh.

If you want to do something a little different but not crazy over Valentine’s Day, head out of town just a few miles to the green pine trees of Cedar Crest and the Greenside Cafe.

The owner/chef Jay Wulf is of the Range Cafe / Standard Diner clan and has been giving those in the East Mountains a better alternative for the last few years, with reliable morning-noon-night hours that keep nearly everyone happy.

On top of that, Jay likes to do wine dinners and special  occasions like he’ll be doing for Valentine’s Day.

Some teaser menu items from the evening pre-fixe meal:  crab cake salad, homemade truffles, pepper steak….

Here’s his info from the website (greensidecafe.net):

http://www.greensidecafe.net/valentine.pdf

Believe it or not, prior to this blog post (and hopefully not for long afterward), you would get zero Google results for the phrase “low fat torta de huevo”.

Given how delicious and traditional the dish is around spring, you’d think someone found a work around for those of us who prefer (even if not always practice) to avoid deep-fried foods.

What is Torta de Huevo?  Simple yet involved, delicious and rich, perfect for days you’re not so much into meat and such.  Take separated eggs, beat the whites to peaks, beat the yolks to frothy, fold together and fry in little patties.  Drown it all in red chile sauce.  Done.

So, the key is how to reproduce the crispy texture that frying imparts, without deflating what is essentially a souffle.  My bet?  Broil the puppies, or REALLY gently pan-sear in a good non-stick.  Or both – pan sear then chuck the whole pan in the oven with no flipping required until it is done.

Haven’t tried this yet, but I know it will work, and if a local restaurant also wanted to try it, that would be super cool.  Let me know!

The Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail is now officially done and a must-have for those in-state travelers searching for unique and delicious burgers.

Yet, if you wanted to make your own, you could add the ideal cheese for melting – American.  Or, you can go a little more upscale and flavorful, even if the results won’t be quite as silky in the end.

I think you cannot go wrong with a cheesemaker that’s a mere few miles from where I grew up in America’s Dairyland:  Widmer’s Cheese Cellars in Theresa, WI.

Getting a big ol’ pile of shrink-wrapped bars is a holiday tradition, but you can have the delicious love, too – their prices online are identical to in the store.  You’ll only pay shipping, and they’re even pretty cheap in that regard, too!

For the top of the line, 10 year aged Cheddar is as rich and decadent as Parmesan, for slivers on a salad or whatever use you can dream up.  On burgers, I’d probably go a little more mellow, like Provolone, salty and tender.

Here’s to green chile meets meat meets cheese!

The Albuquerque restaurant world lost one of its matriarchs in the last few weeks – Loyola Baca, the guiding soul of Loyola’s Family Restaurant on Central.

I noticed when it occurred and wondered why I didn’t visit the cozy little spot more often.  Sometimes I hit Mannie’s instead, but Loyola’s was also one of those places that made you feel almost like a regular even if you were not.

Someone who went there as often as I would have liked to was a fantastic writer on Duke City Fix who goes by “Masshole in Fringecrest”, and he wrote a poetic tribute to Loyola and her legacy.

Enjoy.