‘RED OR GREEN?’ HEATS UP SHOW
A new series on Food Network kicks off with New Mexico’s signature question.
When it comes to New Mexico cuisine, there are myriad options. What brought YouTube star Hannah Hart to the Land of Enchantment was to focus on the ageold question, “Red or green?”
Hart is the host of the new Food Network show “I Hart Food.” The six-part series kicks off in the City Different at 8 p.m. Monday.
“I wanted a series where we get to go to different regions and taste what the area is known for,” Hart says. “In New Mexico, there’s red and green chile. That’s what we focused on.”
Hart is best-known as the creator and star of the award-winning, weekly webseries “My Drunk Kitchen,” which has amassed millions of views since the inception in 2011.
Her latest show starts off in Santa Fe and moves on to New England, the South and the Northwest.
Hart says extensive research went
into each episode.
“When you go visit a place, you just don’t want to go to the tourist traps,” she says. “We researched online what people were saying. We found the best suggestions when we were on the ground and talking to the locals. This is where we found some hidden gems.”
Hart and crew were in Santa Fe for three days about six months ago.
“It’s beautiful, and I like the vibes,” she says. “The Southwest as a region is gorgeous.”
In the premiere episode, Hart visits Tecolote Cafe for breakfast.
There she had huevos yucatecos and huevos rancheros, and of course, the choice of red or green chile.
“It’s such a good debate, because both are delicious,” she says.
While in New Mexico, Hart also had an opportunity to dive into one of her favorite foods — sopaipillas.
“You really can’t get them outside of New Mexico, good ones, at least,” she says. “Growing up, my best friend was from Albuquerque and I went to visit her one summer and tasted a sopaipilla for the first time. I personally love sopaipillas.”
Though Hart has more than 5 million followers on social media, she is looking forward to going mainstream on the Food Network with “I Hart Food.”
The six-part series is completed, and she is looking forward to the premiere.
“We’ve only just touched the surface of all the great food,” she says. “It’s been surreal for the past couple weeks. I’m so grateful for this show on Food Network. It’s one of the greatest opportunities I’ve had. And I’ve had a great time visiting amazing cities like Santa Fe.”