Thai Cuisine – Rio Rancho, New Mexico
New Mexican men can be so haughty. (I don’t include New Mexican women in this categorization because they’re generally smarter.) We laugh at what Californians, Arizonans and especially Texans call “chili.” We pride ourselves on machismo, some of which is on display even when we eat out. We never ask if the chile is hot. We assume (and hope) it is so we can prove how tough we are. We question the manhood of any New Mexican who prefers his chile “mild.” Mild chile is for children and law enforcement officials in Uvalde, Texas. Give us chile with the piquancy of napalm or volcanic lava. Give us chile even Satan can’t eat. Yeah, right! I’ve seen New Mexican men wheeze and sputter, their eyes watering with tears as they beg for sweet, merciful death as they try to eat Thai food…and that’s not even at the “Thai hot” level of heat. Thai peppers provide another level of heat, one that makes New Mexican chile seem like bell peppers in comparison. Consider that sacrilege if you will, but Thai peppers have kicked even my tail and I’m pretty heat tolerant. I still order the “Thai heat” level at most restaurants. Over…