I Will Never Forget Hobbs, New Mexico 1975

I learned to make Chile Rellenos ten years after my first bite, its luscious light as air golden goddess melting on my tongue, the firm fleshy Poblano submitting to my relentless bite, the sharp cheesy lava rolling through the cavern of my mouth, taste buds convulsing in ecstasy. I had never tasted anything so delicious, so exciting. Ten years after that day in a Hobbs, New Mexico restaurant, I roasted peppers I’d grown in my backyard, peeled & seeded them, stuffed them lovingly, carefully with slender fingers of cheese, dipped them in egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, then in lemony yolks, rolled them in blankets of soft flour, lowered them in a bath of hot oil, fried them to a shade of gold rivaling the sun. They were almost too beautiful to eat but I did so with a ten year-long crave-filled wish finally fulfilled. And I have to say, they were damn good for a first try.

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Written for dVerse Poets Pub’s prompt to write a poem about food. Chile Rellanos is my favorite food so I whipped up this prose poem . Be sure to check out the other poems inspired by food at dVerse.

Image via Tide and Thyme – this is not the recipe I use, however.