As a longtime resident of Colorado (I came here the same year that John Elway did, if that helps pin me to a specific era), I not only eat more than my share of green chile, I think about it — a lot.

Green chile is as hotly debated in the Southwest as barbecue is in the South. You can dig into the finer points—the traditional New Mexican stew is made specifically with Hatch chiles, and yes, chile ...