Red and Green: New Mexico’s Culinary Scene is on Fire – July, 2026
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF CHEESE: I often self-gloss as a turophile, a connoisseur, enthusiast, or lover of cheese. Compared with Hanna Lee of Albuquerque’s Mouse Hole Cheese Shop, I’m a rank amateur. At the 2026 Cheesemonger Invitational (often referred to as the “Olympics of cheese”) in New York, Hannah eaarned the title of “Best Cheesemonger in America,” one of the cheese industry’s most prestigious honors. Hannah is a cheesemonger at the Mouse Hole, the city’s only cut-to-order cheese shop. The Mouse Hole specializes in small-batch artisan cheeses from around the world and offers seasonal food, cheese pairings and a Cheese of the Month Club. The Downtown Albuquerque shop specializes in sourcing artisan cheeses from small producers who prioritize quality, animal welfare and sustainable farming.. FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME TO EAT: The Gospel of Matthew (25:35) teaches about kindness, love, and helping people in need. “For I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Navajo Chef Justin Pioche, a 2026 “Chopped” winner cooked alongside incarcerated individuals and world-renowned chefs at Grafton Correctional Institution in Ohio for a charity dinner organized by the EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant…