THE ISLANDS OF HAWAII are closer to New Mexico than you might think, thanks to the culinary creativity of Sue and Ray Lucero. The couple’s Las Cruces–based company, Riptide Spice House, delightfully fuses island flavors with New Mexico’s high-desert chile in mouthwatering marinades and sauces (and other products in the works). Hola Aloha, for instance, combines Hatch green chile with pineapple juice and other fresh, flavor-forward ingredients in a versatile marinade that can also be used to baste, sauté, roast, and stir-fry. Or pour it right out of the bottle as a salad dressing or dipping sauce. Heritage (the original sauce) and Aloha Roja (the newest) blend Hawaiian notes with red chile. They all go well with meat, chicken, fish, and veggies, and can kick up cocktails and even cupcakes. “We add chile on everything,” says Sue. “A friend of ours said, ‘You have to bottle this. It’s like liquid gold.’ ”
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Find Riptide Spice House’s marinades and sauces at Toucan Market and Sage Spices, both in Las Cruces, or at Plaza Gifts, in Albuquerque’s Old Town.