A Whole Lotta Burritos

Listening to nonstop news about the national health care debate, coupled with hearing about new political corruption indictments, and even more DWI accients in the state is, well, making us hungry.

After 15 morning newscasts maybe it's just time for breakfast. We're definitely thinking about a #9 burrito at Golden Pride Chicken or a breakfast roll at the Frontier Restaurant.

Starving or not, we were excited to hear News Director Pat Allen's story this morning about the International Federation of Competitive Eating's world burrito eating championship at the New Mexico State Fair next month.

The September 18th contest goes beyond just enjoying lots of your favorite burritos, because there's actually a $3,000 dollar prize up for grabs if you eat the most grub.

The burrito eating contest is the 14th contest of the Major League Eating Circuit.

You can register at http://www.iofce.com/.

Now we just hope that they use El Pinto's green chile sauce.

Keeping It Fresh! No Canned Posole Here.

770 KKOB & El Pinto Restaurant Cans the Canned Posole Edict & Busts the Bizcochito Ban

(11/12/08) This morning the ABQ Journal's Olivier Uyttebrouck reported that an 84-year-old tradition at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Albuquerque honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe was being stopped by the City’s Environmental Health Department. Officials revealed after all these years that health regulations mean that the church can no longer serve homemade traditional holiday foods as part of the celebration. No more Posole unless it’s the canned variety. No more delicious homemade Official State Cookies. The Bizcochitos from home are banned, and on and on and on.

Incensed by this tasteless situation afternoon 770 KKOB talk host Jim Villanucci contacted Jim Garcia, El Pinto Restaurant Director of Operations to see how this wrong could be overcome. Garcia talked with El Pinto owner John Thomas and they agreed to supply all the Posole, Bizcachitos, Tortillas, and any other needs to make the St. Francis Celebration delicious and agreeable. El Pinto’s kitchens comply with health regulations and their food is marvelous.

Updated - 8pm

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was faced with the prospect of ditching plans to make a home cooked meal for more than 400 parishioners at its annual celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Celebrating the holidays with fake – or canned – posole and store bought bizcochitos is not proper New Mexico etiquette.

“We are committed to being a community partner,” said El Pinto co-owner John Thomas. “We are always eager to support organizations in our community because these people are our neighbors.”

The parish had planned to have a home cooked meal served but the City of Albuquerque health inspector nixed the idea. “No worries now,” says Thomas. “The food will be fresh and will exceed City standards.

The festival will follow a procession honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 14, and is open to the public.

Muchas Gracias El Pinto.

Commerce Secretary: America Will Pay Dearly for Economic Isolation Policies

Carlos Gutierrez rose from Cuban refugee to captain of industry to Secretary of Commerce. On Sunday, he visited Albuquerque.

Before a town hall meeting with small business owners he talked to us about his role opening new international markets for New Mexico farmers and small business entrepreneurs.

In this AUDIO INTERVIEW Gutierrez says America’s exports are a bigger part of our economy than ever before with annual growth above 12.5 percent.

He also addressed increasing unemployment rates. In July unemployment rates grew to 5.7 percent. Some 51,000 jobs were lost nationally. New Mexico’s stable economy help buffered job losses here, but the state still had 1,000 positions eliminated in June.

Gutierrez said, “losing just one job is bad,” but insists the Bush Administration $150 Billion dollar stimulus package is working. He says second quarter growth was 1.9 percent, and believes tax policies are critical to creating jobs. Gutierrez tells us he’s supporting Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain, because his tax policies will allow small companies to create new jobs.

“He has a passion for small businesses,” said Gutierrez. “He’ll give them incentives to grow and prosper with his free trade policies.”

Gutierrez says America can compete on the world economic stage and briefly accessed this weekend's Russian vs Georgia conflict.

“We cannot step back and isolate ourselves. If we do that today when everyone else is trying to gain access to countries for their companies we’re are going to be at a serious disadvantage.”

He warns the country will “pay dearly” if America isolates itself at a time when other developing everyone is involved in competing. He says McCain wants to push forward.

Gutierrez said likely-Democratic Presidential Nominee Sen. Barack Obama has a policy of economic isolation. He says that “will hurt us.”

Before heading to a town hall meeting in the north valley at El Pinto Restaurant Gutierrez also talked to us about high gas prices, offshore drilling, the need for developing nuclear power in the U.S., and his profound disappointment that Congress didn’t act on the 700-page immigration law because of one word: Amnesty.

The former CEO of Kellogg Company, a Cuban Exile advocate, also laid out his own plans following his term in the Bush Administration.