HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 88

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Joseph Cervantes

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO LIST CHILE, CAPSICUM ANNUUM, AS THE STATE VEGETABLE.

     WHEREAS, the chile plant, Capsicum annuum, is the most popular vegetable in New Mexican meals; and

     WHEREAS, mass immigration to New Mexico in the past four hundred years has been rumored to be a result of the addictive qualities of chile attributed to endorphins released upon human ingestion of the capsicum plant; and

     WHEREAS, chile is best grown in New Mexico, and further testimonials as to local preeminence within the state would foster too much dissension and endless amendments of this memorial, since every community claims to be the birthplace of the species or to possess the champion chef of chile dishes; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexicans are more proud of this magical vegetable than they are of the Lobos basketball team, the roadrunner state bird, the biscochito, the state's sunsets or its blue skies, combined; and

     WHEREAS, the chile plant has been ascribed medicinal qualities, aphrodisiacal characteristics and spiritual attributes; and

     WHEREAS, pending the federal food and drug administration's approval for prescriptive authority, New Mexicans' cultivation and culinary preparation of the delicacy is unabated and unmatched anywhere in the world;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the secretary of state be requested to list the chile plant, Capsicum annuum, as the state vegetable in the next publication of the blue book; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of state.

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