Fall 2015 - Rio Grande Cuisine

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Rio Grande Cuisine ISSUE 40 · FALL · OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 DEPARTMENTS 2

GRIST FOR THE MILL

By Willy Carleton and Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

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CONTRIBUTORS

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COOKING FRESH Rio Grande Cuisine by Amy White

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BACK OF THE HOUSE

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

A History of Tradition by Russell Thornton Cutting It Up with Knives by Stephanie Cameron

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LOCAL HEROES Bocadillos, La Montanita Co-op, and Camino de Paz

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AT THE CHEF'S TABLE Lois Ellen Frank and Frederick Muller by Tara Lanich-LaBrie

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AT THE CHEF'S TABLE

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AT THE CHEF'S TABLE

Matt Yohalem and Mark Kiffin by Katherine Mast Florence Jaramillo by Willy Carleton

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EDIBLE NOTABLES

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EAT LOCAL GUIDE

72 LAST BITE Mezcalita de Green Chile and Piña

by Enrique Guerrero

FEATURES 22 TALKING SHOP: AN EVENING WITH TWO CHEFS By Sarah Wentzel-Fisher 26 LANDRACE CHILES: A PERSPECTIVE ON NEW MEXICAN TERROIR By Kelly Urig

O N T H E C OV E R

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30 BEANS: THE FOUNDATION OF NEW MEXICO CUISINE By Amy White 34 TAMAYA BLUE: A DIFFERENT KIND OF CORN By Sarah Wentzel-Fisher 38 GREAT GREENS: FROM QUELITES TO KALE

Rio Grande Cuisine ISSUE 40 · FALL · OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

By Mark DeRespinis

46 COONRIDGE ORGANIC GOAT CHEESE: FOUR HUNDRED NEW MEXICO ACRES IN A BOTTLE By Nissa Patterson

Lamb carnitas with ovendried tomato, potato coulis, tempura green chile, and wild arugula. One hundred percent local. Created by Jonathan Perno, executive chef at La Merienda.

60 QUINTESSENTIAL NEW MEXICO

Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

42 GRASSFED NEW MEXICO

By Nancy Ranney

By Stephanie Cameron

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grist for the mill

PUBLISHERS Bite Size Media, LLC Stephanie and Walt Cameron

It’s fall in New Mexico and the farmers market stands brim with bok choy, purple

EDITORS

carrots, and winter squash. Smells of roasting green chile, fresh baked bread, and warm

Willy Carleton and Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

apple cider waft in the air. The buzz of food truck generators mixes with the din of

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countless conversations and occasional squeals of laughter from kids playing. The band

Jodi L. Vevoda

strikes up a polka.

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New Mexico has the deepest agricultural roots in the United States, and with them, some of the oldest culinary traditions in the country. Yet while the cuisine of New Mexico is rooted in traditions, our customs are dynamic. Throughout the centuries, new ingredients have been introduced that have added to the regional palate, and home cooks and chefs adapt long-used ingredients in new and different ways based on tastes and technology. The cuisine of our region continues to change as farmers experiment with new crops, new crop varieties, and new farming technologies; and as chefs and diners explore new ways to combine, prepare, and enjoy those foods.

As New Mexicans, what do we eat? What should we eat? In a perfect world, what

Margaret Marti

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Stephanie Cameron

PHOTOGRAPHY Stephanie Cameron, Nancy Ranney, Melanie West

WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS Stephanie Cameron, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

ONLINE CONTRIBUTORS

would we eat? A regional cuisine exists when people embrace, question, and enjoy tra-

Ashlie Hughes, Nissa Patterson, Amy White

ditional and new foods grown in a patterned way; it must reflect the broader culture.

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This issue of edible examines how a Rio Grande cuisine, to borrow a term coined by La

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Merienda's Jonathan Perno, might look, taste, and feel. The history and traditions of

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New Mexican foods offer an important foundation—landrace chiles, for instance, pro-

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vide valuable climatized genetics that may prove essential as weather becomes increasingly unstable in the years ahead; blue corn is tradition and entrepreneurship at work on Santa Ana Pueblo; and if we find ourselves in the weeds, we might just make a salad.

We hope our exploration of what makes New Mexican food New Mexican inspires you to ask questions of your food, too. Try your grandmother’s recipe just the way she wrote it and make the second batch with your own personal touch, then taste the difference. Ask yourself: What makes a burger from Bang Bite as New Mexican as a bowl

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and eating, understand how they reflect how you consider yourself to be New Mexican, then share these ideas with your friends and family.

This issue investigates some core ingredients that form a basis for a regional cuisine in New Mexico. These ingredients, both literal (corn, chile, greens, beans, cheese, and grassfed meat) and abstract (history, tradition, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology) are key to the recipe for a vital and living culinary culture and the framework for defining Rio Grande cuisine.

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contributors STEPHANIE CAMERON Raised in Albuquerque, Stephanie Cameron earned a degree in fine art, then worked as a commercial muralist, sculptor, and model maker. After photographing, testing, and designing a cookbook in 2011, she and her husband, Walt, began pursuing Edible Communities and they found edible Santa Fe in their backyard. Today, Cameron is the art director, head photographer, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible Santa Fe. WILLY CARLETON Willy Carleton, an avid vegetable grower, forager, and editor, is writing a dissertation on the agricultural history of New Mexico in the twentieth century.

MARK DERESPINIS Mark DeRespinis is a farmer, photographic artist, foodie, and new father. He encourages everyone to celebrate seasonal and local abundance every day in a new, or old, or really any old way.

TARA LANICH-LABRIE Tara Lanich-LaBrie is a painter, cook, and art teacher in Northern New Mexico. Hailing from Chicago, she grew up immersed in a diverse food and art culture which led her to pursue degrees in art and cooking classes in foreign countries. She lives on a small farm with her young daughter and husband, where she spends her time devising ways to sneak kale into pancakes.

KATHERINE MAST Katherine Mast is a freelance science and environmental writer living in Santa Fe where she dabbles in backyard gardening and vermicomposting.

MICHELE PADBERG A certified executive sommelier, Michele Padberg is working on a master’s degree from the International Wine Guild in Denver, Colorado. She coowns Vivac Winery and Red Hot Mama Wines, and has been a wine consultant, educator, and writer for more than ten years. She is also the fromagere and owner of Kissable Cheeses.

NISSA PATTERSON Nissa Patterson is a mother, urban gardener, and public health professional. She blogs about gardening at: www.ediblesantafe.com/author/nissa 4

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

NANCY RANNEY Nancy Ranney manages the Ranney Ranch for her family using the soundest, most humane, ecologically resilient principles. In 2003, she put in place a restoration plan based on rotational grazing and started the Ranney Ranch Grassfed Beef program. She sits on the boards of the Quivira Coalition and of the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance.

RUSSELL THORNTON Russell Thornton grew up in Arizona, California, and Texas, and has been a chef for over three decades. For nineteen of those years, he has continued growing up in Santa Fe, cooking, drawing, writing, sculpting ice, vegetables, and recently even dabbling in wood carving. With his partner Elizabeth, he enjoys exploring the natural beauty of the area.

KELLY URIG Lifelong chile fan and Santa Fe native, Kelly Urig (known on social media as the ChileChica) literally wrote the book on chile. New Mexico Chiles: History, Legend & Lore and its companion film The Chile Film celebrate all things chile and are available throughout the state.

SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER Sarah Wentzel-Fisher is the editor of edible Santa Fe. She also works for the Rio Grande Farmers Coalition and the Quivira Coalition New Agrarian Program, and wants you (yes, all of you) to consider becoming a farmer. In her free time she visits farms (she highly recommends this activity), experiments in her kitchen, and keeps chickens in her backyard.

AMY WHITE Amy White teaches science classes for teachers at Central New Mexico Community College and is the education coordinator for Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District. Over the past eight years, she has developed programs such as RiverXchange and the Arroyo Classroom Program to teach kids about New Mexico’s precious ecosystems and water resources. She also writes about urban foraging, gardening, and cooking on her blog, Veggie Obsession (www.veggieobsession.com).

F A L L

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Georgia O’Keeffe, Dark and Lavender Leaves, 1931. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art. Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Estate, 1993.

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cooking fresh

Rio Grande Cuisine PAIRED WITH NEW MEXICAN WINE Recipes by Amy White ∙ Pairings by Michele Padberg ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Sweet pumpkin with whipped goat cheese and Zinfandel wine.

Several key ingredients shape Rio Grande cuisine including chile, beans, corn, squash, grassfed meat, piñon, apples, and greens. In the following recipes, Amy White interpreted traditional dishes and classic ingredients in unusual and new ways. In addition, edible worked with the New Mexico Wine Growers Association and 6

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

sommelier Michele Padberg to provide just the right local wine to go with each of these dishes. Tip to pairing: Make sure your food never overpowers your wine and your wine doesn’t overpower your food. When pairing with something sweet, make sure your wine is always sweeter!

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BEANS AND CHICOS

Serves 4

This dish is classic New Mexican comfort food, a twist on the basic bean recipe. It’s worth seeking out beans from this year’s harvest, because they are more delicious and cook faster than store-bought beans. Chicos are dried roasted sweet corn, a very old delicacy not often seen on restaurant menus. They were traditionally cooked with beans, not only because they take about the same amount of time, but because when combined they form a complete protein.

1 cup bolita or pinto beans 1/2 cup chicos 1 tablespoon red chile 1 clove garlic 4 cups water 1 teaspoon salt Rinse and pick over the beans. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker on high for 3 hours (or more if using older beans.) Serve as a side dish to enchiladas or as a main dish dressed with fresh chevre, grated cheese, fresh cabbage, red chile, lime, tortillas, or just about anything that goes well with beans.

Pair with Gruet Winery NV Brut Rosé sparkling wine.

Dry rosé wines are like white wines with more flavor and are some of the most food-friendly wines in the world.

Make it a sparkling rosé and an everyday dish can be a celebration!

BEEF WITH RED CHILE AND PIÑON

Serves 4

New Mexico forests offer some of the finest piñon nuts in the world, hidden within the cones of our piñon pines. They are often collected in the fall by laying blankets under the trees and shaking down the cones. I sometimes dream about this unusual appetizer from El Bruno’s original restaurant in Cuba. It is so addictive I had to re-create it, although now I can get my fix at their Albuquerque location.

1/2 cup local piñon nuts (in the shell is fine) 2 tablespoons oil 1 pound beef chuck or sirloin 1/4 cup red chile flakes 1 tablespoon cream 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt Spread the piñon nuts on a kitchen towel, and cover with another kitchen towel. Roll vigorously with a rolling pin until you hear them crack, then separate the nuts from the shells. Toast the piñon nuts in a skillet over medium flame until they turn a shade darker and emit a toasty aroma. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

Slice the beef across the grain, into thin 3-inch strips about 3 inches long. Add oil and beef to the pan, and fry until nicely browned. Add the chile and piñon, and heat until the chile is fragrant. Stir in the honey and cream until the chile and piñon start to stick to the beef.

Sprinkle with salt and serve with flour tortillas.

Pair with Luna Rossa Winery’s 2010 Nini red wine blend.

This dish can handle a bold wine spiced with bold fruit.

Italian varietals grow well in New Mexico and this blend shows how rich a meal can be when paired well. Big, bold, and beautiful, the Nini in unforgettable.

APRICOT-GLAZED PORK SHOULDER WITH LEEKS AND CHARD

Serves 4, with leftovers for tacos

For me, apricots embody New Mexico. In a good year (without an early frost), apricots are so abundant that you can make enough jam to last you until the next good year. Pork shoulder is lusciously tender after a long slow braise, and leeks and chard are a great complement to the sweet glaze. Use any kind of greens in this recipe as they cook down almost to a sauce.

1 3-pound pork shoulder 2 teaspoons salt 3 tablespoons red chile flakes 1 bunch chard (or collards, quelites, or other greens) 1 large leek 1/2 cup apricot jam Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub the pork shoulder all over with salt and chile. Chop the chard coarsely. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, trim away the dark green parts, wash thoroughly, and slice crosswise into 1-inch chunks.

Place the pork in a covered casserole or Dutch oven, and pile the chard and leeks around the sides. Rub half the apricot jam over the pork, and cover. Bake for about 2 1/2 hours, until it is tender and the internal temperature is about 195°F. Using two forks, pull the pork apart a bit in several areas to create crevices. Rub the rest of the jam over the top and into the crevices. Bake uncovered for an additional 45 minutes, until glaze is bubbling and internal temperature is about 205°F. Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.

Pair with Vivac Winery’s 2013 Heaven & Hell Artist Series Divino red wine blend.

The combination of a lighter meat, the sweet element, and spice can present a wine pairing challenge. Choose a medium-bodied wine that is light enough to be paired with the pork, but has the fruit to handle the sweetness and acidity to give it structure. This Italian varietal blend demonstrates that red wine can go with any dish, and that this lighter-bodied red really is divine.

LEFTOVER PORK TACOS WITH GREEN CHILE APPLE SALSA Serves 4

Apple Salsa 2 medium apples 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon oil 1 medium leek 1/4 cup roasted green chile, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt Tacos 1 cup apple salsa 1 pound leftover pork shoulder (from above) 1 dozen corn tortillas 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage Quarter apples, remove cores, and slice 1/4 inch thick crosswise.

Toss apples with vinegar as you go to prevent browning. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium flame, add leeks, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add apples, vinegar, chile, and salt. Cook, stirring gently, until apples are soft, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Heat pork in a microwave or in a pan on the stove with a little water. Warm the tortillas by wrapping them in a towel and microwaving for a minute or 2, or heat each tortilla directly on a stove burner. To serve, top tortillas with pork, cabbage, and salsa.

Pair with Guadalupe Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer white wine.

This dish could easily overpower a white wine, while a red could easily overpower it. A Gewurztraminer has the combination of fruit, acid, and a classic flavor profile to handle the spice, apple, and lighter meat. This is a white wine to always have on hand.

SWEET PUMPKIN WITH WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE

Serves 4

Goat cheese whipped with honey is a delightful, slightly savory topping for all kinds of desserts, especially fresh fruit. The abundance of sweet winter squash in the fall is irresistible, and needs little adornment.

1 2-pound pumpkin or winter squash 2 teaspoons oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seed Pinch of salt 4 ounces fresh goat cheese 1 tablespoon honey

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Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut squash into wedges about 2 inches thick. Coat with oil and set skin side down on a baking sheet.

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Top left, clockwise: Beans and Chicos, Beef with Red Chile and Pi単on, Atole Ice Cream, Leftover Pork Tacos with Green Chile Apple Salsa, and Apricot-Glazed Pork Shoulder with Leeks and Chard.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

Mix spices and salt, and sprinkle over the wedges. Bake about 30 minutes, until tender.

Add goat cheese and honey to the bowl of a mixer and beat until smooth and light. Place a dollop on each wedge and serve. Add a drizzle of honey to accommodate a sweet tooth.

Pair with Milagro Vineyards 2009 Zinfandel red wine.

The combination of sweet and savory in this dish is incredible when paired with a red wine that has supple tannins, integrated fruit, and solid acid structure. Not all Zins are made the same—this one stands out from the crowd.

Heat the half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium flame, then whisk in the cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Bring to a very gentle boil. The mixture should thicken and begin to taste more like corn.

Chill overnight, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

Pair with Black Mesa Winery Criadera sweet sherry-style wine.

Ice cream is a notorious wine killer, but this unique recipe offers more savory notes, making it more accessible.

You need a wine sweeter than the ice cream, but with enough structure and complexity to make it interesting.

This sweet sherry-style wine does that perfectly and with great finesse.

ATOLE ICE CREAM

Makes 1 quart

Atole is a very old and traditional breakfast drink or porridge made from finely ground, toasted corn meal. It also makes a delicious ice cream! Santa Ana Pueblo produces delicious blue cornmeal for atole, and other corn products, under the name Tamaya Blue. See page 34.

2 1/2 cups half-and-half 1/4 cup Tamaya Blue or other fine cornmeal 3/4 cup sugar Salt (to taste)

New Mexico is the oldest wine growing region in the United States…and in true New Mexico tradition and hospitality, the New Mexico Wine Growers Association wants to help you get the most out of your experience. Whether you are a wine novice, enthusiast, or expert, there are resources on their website that will guide you through the enchanted wine trails of New Mexico. www.nmwine.com

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back of the house

A History of Tradition LANE WARNER KEEPS NEW MEXICO CUISINE TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

By Russell Thornton · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Lane Warner, executive chef at La Plazulea in the La Fonda and Rellenos de La Fonda Christmas-style.

Every day media shares some new spin on what we should or could be putting on our plates and in our bodies. Restaurateurs, nutritionists, travel writers, and food bloggers busy themselves with the latest trends of celebrity chefs, pop-up restaurants, and innovative food concepts.

Not Executive Chef Lane Warner. He’s a traditionalist. For over two decades at the La Fonda Hotel off the Santa Fe plaza, Warner unapologetically satiates appetites with the same red and green chile recipes he and his crew developed twenty-two years ago.

"You can’t change it. The posole, the pinto beans, the black beans… the same. You can’t make it better. You don’t wanna mess with it…if you do you don’t get these." Warner shows me a thick stack of hotelguest comment cards on his desk. "Best chile rellenos EVER!" the top one says. "I get these three, four, five times a week."

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The La Fonda Hotel has a prominent spot in the history of New Mexico. Local lore has it that there has been an inn on this site for over four hundred years. The current building was built in 1922, and to this day, the architecture and atmosphere of the iconic La Fonda hearken to an earlier, more rustic but also grander time in the Old West.

I’ve personally been aware of this for only about nineteen of those years, the same amount of time I have known Chef Warner. We recently sat down in his kitchen for a chat about his food philosophies and experiences there: How do you describe our cuisine, the foods of the Rio Grande Valley?

"All these foods and cooking methods migrated here from Chihuahua. Sure, they’ve evolved over the last five hundred years, but really

nothing has changed or you wouldn’t have these tourists who keep coming back to Santa Fe every year." And come they do. La Plazuela, the signature restaurant, typically serves six to eight hundred plates a day, according to Warner. "It’s a jammin’ restaurant!"

Do you ever feel pressured to make things more modern?

"As far as more modern goes, we’ve gone from a round plate to one like this." Lane indicates a large deep oval platter. "It helps a lot with the presentation of the dish."

"We buy local when we can and it makes sense dollar-wise. I love the local Rio Grande farmers, like my neighbors Tom and Mary Dixon, owners of Green Tractor Farm."

What brought you to New Mexico?

"What brought me here? Well, look at that wall. I’m so close to everything." Displayed next to his desk is a montage of photos from his hunts. Anyone who knows Warner knows the look he gets in his eyes when he talks about his duck, turkey, deer, and elk hunts. "What really brought me out here was the skiing. I thought it was the coolest thing until this Hoosier said 'Wow! Look at all you can hunt around here!' " "I’ve made a lot of friends. Chefs make a lot of friends. Hunting in Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, the farmers and ranchers… they may have money but one thing they don’t have in their house is a good cook.

When I visit, I make it a big point to cook them a great dinner."

What do you think about people’s perception of chefs as celebrities nowadays?

"Waaaay overrated. But it’s nice to be noticed! As high school kids, we started out washing dishes. The chef would notice if you worked hard and say 'Hey, let’s bring him up.’ When I was seventeen years old, I had a chef yelling at me and throwing monkey dishes at me as I did plate up on the line. I never thought of a chef as a 'personality.’

"The majority of my time is spent right here in the back of the house as a 'shrink’ scheduling and accommodating a staff of forty-two and getting them through their week. Cooking is my love, here and at home. I stay busy writing menus, recipes, cooking wine dinners, and coaching my team."

from new york to new mexico Masterworks of aMerican ModernisM froM the Vilcek foundation collection

What’s new on the La Fonda horizon?

"I can’t believe there would be any change in what we do foodwise, but we will always strive for perfection. We will always be moving forward.

"My job is to cater to people coming to this state. To have the best New Mexican food. I think that for the next five hundred years there will always be pinto beans, posole, red chile, green chile. There will always be rellenos, enchiladas, combination plates. It’s not going away."

From the dining room of La Plazuela Chef Warner sweeps his hand outward. "You see every one of those rooms here? They’re booked.

They’re coming here for their chile fix. It says New Mexico."

Marsden Hartley, Berlin Series No. 1, 1913. Oil on canvas board. Collection of Jan T. and Marica Vilcek, Promised Gift to The Vilcek Foundation. Howard Cook, Complex City, c. 1956. Oil on canvas. Collection of Jan T. and Marica Vilcek, Promised Gift to The Vilcek Foundation.

september 25, 2015 - january 10, 2016 Part of the Fall of Modernism: A Season of American Art www.FAlloFModerniSM.org

100 E San Francisco, Santa Fe, 505-995-2334 www.lafondasantafe.com

217 Johnson st., santa Fe, nM

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tools of the

trade

Shihan Fine Knives $190 - $560

By Stephanie Cameron

"...great weight, feels good in my hand, good quality metal."

-Andrew Cooper, Terra Restaurant

SHEHAN

PRULL

Shihan knives combine rigorous metallurgical processing with traditional Japanese techniques.

Each knife is forged by hand to meet the highest performance standards while expressing the subtle beauty of craftsmanship.

"One of, if not THE finest knives I have ever used."

-Rocky Durham, Santa Fe Culinary Academy

B

ladesmithing, like cooking, is a blend of art and science. Shehan Prull, a bladesmith and knifemaker from Santa Fe, has spent years mastering the precision of a sharp blade. Ask any chef what their most important tool is and they will tell you it's their knives—showing them off with pride and telling the stories of how they were acquired. After meeting Prull at his workshop and discussing his craftsmanship, it became clear why chefs covet their knives.

Prull lived next door to Tom Joyce, a local blacksmith, who took him under his wing at age twelve and taught him the tools of the trade on Mondays for most of his childhood. Prull really couldn't have had a greater opportunity; Joyce is a foremost practitioner of forging steel. Prull, fascinated with the artform and process of blacksmithing, recalls, "Sharpness became intriguing and engaging." After high school, Prull studied art history in Scotland at St. Andrews. When he came home, he worked for Peter Joseph, another Santa Fe blacksmith, doing architectural details. In 2006, Prull moved to Japan with the hopes of learning the language and finding an apprenticeship. Unfortunately, apprenticeships proved hard to land so Prull returned home knowing Japanese, but without the hands-on training he had hoped 14

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

for. After spending two months back in the US, he finally connected with Mr. Ashi and returned Sakai-shi, Japan, where he forged and sharpened hundreds of blades, mastering the aesthetics of Japanese bladesmithing. He returned to Santa Fe to build his own Japanesestyle cutlery shop, Shihan Fine Knives, importing equipment from Japan and sourcing steel from the United States.

Today, Prull creates a product that speaks to the years of discipline and study it took him to master the craft of bladesmithing. When a professional or home chef wields one of his knives, they know they are holding something very special with a story. www.shihanfineknives.com

cutting it up with

Ginger Ninja

knives

$45 - $75 for saya $60+ custom handle $100+ cutting boards

Gear and services for the kitchen knife enthusiast including knife sharpening, end grain cutting boards, custom sayas, and handles.

CODY

PAUL

to "honor the farmers and treat their veggies and fruit with respect." To him this means a sharp knife that cuts into the produce effortlessly. He wanted the shoppers at the farmers market to "understand having a sharp knife can make it fun in the kitchen." He loved the interaction with his customers and soon began customizing the knives he sharpened.

ody Paul adds another layer of storytelling to the chef's knife.

With respect for the sharpness of the steel, Paul adorns blades with beautiful custom-made handles and sayas (wooden sheaths that protect the blade.) Paul is a self-taught craftsman who was drawn to the sharpness of the blade working in various restaurant kitchens around Albuquerque. A sharp knife became very important to him, and he wanted to share that experience with others. He became fascinated with knives and how they were made, how to care for them, and how to adorn them.

Paul's custom handles and sayas can bring new life to a knife that has been used for thirty years. Knives truly can hold stories for generations and be passed down just like the pocket knife your grandfather gave you as a kid. Paul gets a thrill from the conversations he has with his customers about why their knife is special, and then uses that conversation as inspiration around the new handle and matching saya he makes. He sources wood from Albuquerque Exotic Woods, he upcycles, and he even uses found wood in the bosque to create a one-of-a kind product. He makes sayas to protect the edge of the blade and the user from that edge, but he also says there is something about that sound of iai (Japanese for drawing the sword) that is empowering when you pull the blade from the saya.

He set up a tent at the Nob Hill Growers Market three years ago and began his knife sharpening business while honing his woodworking skills. As he admired the beautiful produce around him, he wanted

Paul can be found at the Nob Hill Growers Market and Mile High Market in Albuquerque. facebook.com/thegingerninja.abq

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local heroes

Bocadillos BEST CAFE

An Interview with Chef Marie Yniguez On January 14, 2015 edible Santa Fe recognized as Local Heroes a group of amazing individuals and organizations for their work to create a healthy, sustainable food system in New Mexico. We determine these awards through reader nomination and a reader poll. The local food movement is a grassroots effort that often involves late nights, backbreaking work, getting your hands dirty,

Bocadillos, owned and operated by Chef Marie Yniguez and her partner Karla Arvizu, is a sandwich shop (soon with two locations) and catering company working with charter schools in the Albuquerque area to provide healthy, local, made-from-scratch meals to students for breakfast and lunch.

What inspired you to open Bocadillos?

I was tired of working for everyone else’s dreams! So decided to open up my own business for my family and myself. My goal is to pass down the old traditions to younger generations so they might do the same.

What do you love most about your work, as it relates to local food?

I love getting fresh food! The taste, look, and smell are so much more favorable. You know where it comes from, and you know it’s good for you. You benefit both by supporting your local farmers and in keeping your local community and yourself healthy!

Who inspires you?

My family inspires me. My grandparents and parents have taught me to be a good person, to be compassionate, strong, and to do what is right no matter what. Be good to everyone and they will be good to you. But also to fight for what you believe in and never give up.

I come from a background of strong, skilled, hard workers. That’s what I know how to do—work hard and do my best. I just want to live up to my family’s standards and values, and in doing so, inspire someone else.

Karla Arvizu and Chef Marie Yniguez.

Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

checking your ego at the door, and generally being a good sport.

In an effort to showcase these individuals, organizations, and businesses for their work to build a stronger local economy and a robust local food system, each issue this year will spotlight several of the winners with interviews about the work they do.

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Where do you like to eat?

What are your favorite foods?

Bocadillos gives me a chance to give back to the community by feeding the kids good food and maybe teaching them something about eating local food and how to prepare it. To show how much more cost effective it is to make food from scratch. This is how food is supposed to taste. We feed our community and it’s an honor to be able to say that we do both in the sandwich shop and the schools.

Why is local food important?

It needs to drive our economy in New Mexico. We need to keep our money here, create jobs here, and better our community. By supporting local we can grow and prosper!

Do you have any specific stories to share about Bocadillos?

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I love the Dog House, the Monte Carlo! They are old Albuquerque. All food is my favorite. It’s hard to choose, I’m still tasting and learning. I am always down to try new places and flavors. I do have to say my favorite place to eat is at my mama’s house!

Why do you do what you do at Bocadillos?

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Bocadillos is my heartbeat! I don’t know what I would do without it. It makes me happy to see my crew everyday working so hard and enjoying what they do. I have to give them a huge thanks for working so hard and putting as much heart in it as I do. Because of all the work put into everything, it’s amazing to hear the students [we feed] say, "You guys make the best food."

We all get stopped in places by parents and customers thanking us for what we do. We hope to be the start of a ripple effect in the community so others might do the same.

Do you have anything else you'd like to share?

We would love to thank everyone for the continued support.

Our customers, friends, and families have helped us grow. We are able to expand and open a second location at Green Jeans Farmery located at 3600 Cutler here in the 505! We are so proud to be named alongside other local businesses such as Santa Fe Brewery, Amore Pizza, Rustic Food Truck, and up and coming new businesses like Epiphany Espresso and Rockin' Taco. It is going to be an amazing spot for locals and visitors.

1609 Indian School NW and 3600 Cutler NE, Albuquerque 505-200-0053, www.bocadillosnm.com WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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local heroes

La Montañita Co-op BEST RETAIL

An Interview with Karolyn Cannata-Winge, Marketing Director at La Montañita Co-op

Giuditta Paci, deli department team leader, Westside store.

Photo courtesy of La Montañita Co-op.

La Montañita Co-op is a natural and organic food market owned by sixteen thousand New Mexicans. We spoke with Karolyn CannataWinge, the Co-op’s marketing director, about their work in local food and the community.

How did the Co-op get started and why?

La Montañita Co-op is New Mexico’s largest community-owned natural and organic food market. We opened our first store serving three hundred families in 1976 at the corner of Central and Girard in Albuquerque. We’re really excited to be celebrating forty years serving New Mexico in 2016. Since then, we have grown to approximately sixteen thousand active members. We have six locations in New Mexico (four in Albuquerque, one in Santa Fe, and one in Gallup) and a distribution center all bringing quality organic and/or local products to our community.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

How does the Co-op inform local food?

Through our monthly newsletter; weekly owner eBlasts; attending local events, like the 2015 Naked Food Fair; and our marketing efforts in local print publications, radio, and television (to mention a few).

La Montañita informs and educates our potential customers on who we are, how we support local farmers and ranchers, what differentiates us from our competition, and why shopping with us is a special and unique experience.

Who inspires you?

I am proud to have joined the La Montañita team as marketing director in October 2014. I’m inspired by all of our staff and the daily efforts made to make our customers' shopping experience exceptional.

Our customers also inspire me because they are making a choice to

spend their hard-earned money with us on quality local and/or organic products.

Where do you like to eat?

At any one of our eat-in, carry-out deli departments.

What are your favorite foods?

No question: the Smoked Gouda Pasta Salad available at our delis!

Why do you do what you do at the Co-op?

I love my job, and I like to tell people that I work for a for-profit organization with non-profit values, which is a perfect fit for me.

Why are local food and farms important?

La Montañita believes in the shared benefits of healthy food, sound environmental practices, and a strong local economy. We are a leader in the local foods movement. We carry over eleven hundred local products from over four hundred farmers, ranchers, and producers by way of our local foodshed, three hundred miles from around Albuquerque. And, as a result of the La Montañita Cooperative Distribution Center, products from these local producers make it to small community grocers, restaurants, and commercial kitchens.

Simply put, we believe in supporting local.

Do you have any specific stories about the mission of the Co-op?

We believe strongly in sharing the benefits of eating quality, healthy, organic, and natural foods. And, the best place to start education on those foods is with children. So any kiddos shopping with an adult, at any of our locations, can munch on a free piece of handheld fruit while cruising the aisles at La Montañita Co-op. One of my best friends’ daughters is always asking her mom if they can go to the banana store—meaning us, of course—one of her favorite places to shop!

Do you have anything else you'd like to share?

Anyone can shop in our stores. You don’t have to be an owner to shop with us, but if you are, you’ll save even more, and to be an owner for one year only costs fifteen dollars.

La Montañita’s staff has over fifteen hundred combined years of experience and knowledge about everything local, natural, and organic, and produce tops the list. We averaged the years worked per staff member, but that’s still really cool. www.lamontanita.coop WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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local heroes

Camino de Paz BEST FARM

Camino de Paz students at the farm. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

Camino de Paz School and Farm (CDP) is a private Montessori middle school for grades seven through nine in Santa Cruz. The school’s curriculum is fully integrated with the activities of the farm where students learn about vegetable farming, small dairy operation, food business, and much more in their journeys to adulthood. As part of edible’s local heroes stories, we asked everyone there what inspires them about CDP and its relationship to food. They also shared one of their favorite stories from their CDP experiences.

Justin Sanchez, Grade 8 I want to be a vet when I grow up and CDP has a large animal component. My favorite place to eat is at home; I love fettuccine alfredo, salad with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and plenty of ranch dressing. Growing food is important because it is a lot healthier than eating out and buying food, and you know that the only thing that goes into your food is hard work—not chemicals, GMOs, or antibiotics.

One time one of the goats, Hillary, had three babies down at the bottom of the farm during an open house. We found three babies coated in dirt, mud, blood, and placenta. We picked them up and carried them up to the shelters. After we cleaned them off, I was 20

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

holding one of the babies and she nuzzled her head down on my shoulder and fell asleep.

Keegan Brotton, Grade 8 The hands-on work and all the animals are what inspired me to come to Camino. My dad is my inspiration and at school it is Greg who inspires me. Backroads Pizza is one of my favorite places to eat. Growing food is important because not many people are willing to do it but we need to eat.

Galen Haynes, Grade 8 I was inspired to attend CDP because it was so different from all other types of education. After seeing what public school is and what it teaches, it [CDP] seemed like such a unique experience being out in the fields learning science and math. I am inspired by everyone because each person has something so unique to motivate a person to better themselves or improve the world around them. I generally like to eat at local restaurants because I know where the food comes from and because there are nice people and nice friends. My favorite foods are Italian, Chinese food, and whatever happens to be sitting in front of me at the time.

One day one of the month-old kids escaped from the babies’ pen and for some strange reason she began to run after the diesel-engine pickup truck that Greg was driving away in. As she rushed up to the highway she looked back in regret and fear, but kept going toward the road. I was running after her as fast as I could. My heart was pounding. Afraid of the noise of the road, she ran back to me.

I picked her up and wanted to strangle her and hug her at the same time because I realized that she had messed up, but learned something at the same time. We do what we do here at CDP because it’s a unique opportunity to look at the world in a different way.

Orlando Barraza, Grade 9 I used to love working with animals as a little kid: insects, dogs, cats, llamas. I was going to Santa Fe Indian School, but my mom pushed me to visit CDP and I liked it from the first day. My family inspires me to work hard to do my best in school and at home. I like to eat at Blue Heron Brewing because they order their food from local farms.

My favorite food is deer stew, meat, potatoes, salads, fish and chips, and pizza. Someday I hope to have my own little farm where I can raise animals.

Kristyn Salazar, Grade 8 I love to work with animals. I love being here because we grow our own food, and we work outside a lot. I like to know where my food comes from and I enjoy our lunches. My mom inspires me because she works hard.

Siara Brotton, Grade 7 The world inspires me. Working at the farmers market is my work related to local food. My favorite restaurants and foods are Chinese food and seafood. I do what I do at Camino de Paz because I like it and it’s fun. Growing food is important because it keeps food supplies available and people (we) need the vitamins, minerals, etc.

Paige Gonzales, Grade 7 I was inspired by a small environment different from other schools with kind people, and the fact that they are helpful really made me want to come here. I love the fact that I can take care of the plants and animals that provide food for us. I am inspired by the bands I listen to. The band members are really good people, always mostly positive, striving for the best. I like to eat at the Teahouse because all the food is healthy, clean, local, and organic and they have a large selection of teas.

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Clayton Jacob, Grade 7 I go to CDP because I love to work and thought it would be a good experience. I love to grow some of the food I eat and also love it because there are no chemicals in the food and no GMOs. I am inspired by one of my football coaches who is so nice. I really want to be like him. Love to eat at a local Chinese restaurant in Colorado.

I also love any kind of local hamburger. I do what I do because it is what they teach us, and if I did not our animals would suffer.

Read the rest of the CDP's responses and see photos from the school on our website at www.ediblesantafe.com/localheroes.

03A Cam De Paz, Santa Cruz, 505-747-6707, www.caminodepaz.net WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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Talking Shop AN EVENING WITH TWO CHEFS

By Sarah Wentzel-Fisher ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Jonathan Perno and John Sedlar talking shop on the patio of Elosia.

It

to Santa Fe. Chef John Sedlar had invited us to come experience his new project, Eloisa, named after his grandmother and housed in the Drury Plaza Hotel on Paseo de Peralta, and to have a conversation about the state and future of local food.

On a monsoon evening in late August, we scooped up Chef Jonathan Perno of La Merienda at the Los Poblanos Inn and farmer Lisa Brown of Toad Road Farm to head out on a culinary excursion

We arrived at Eloisa just before sunset, and were seated at a table at a west-facing window where the evening light set the stage for the full sensory experience to come. The meal, titled The O’Keeffe Table, started with an aromatic tour of Northern New Mexico and of the painter’s garden. Sedlar, who grew up in Santa Fe and whose great aunt Jeronima (Eloisa’s sister) cooked and drove for O’Keeffe,

is a rare and momentous occasion when two chefs get time to talk shop or have the opportunity to experience each other’s work. Publisher Stephanie Cameron and I often find ourselves in the position of bringing people together; farmers and chefs and eaters. For some time, we’ve brainstormed ways to unite in conversation and collaboration more Northern New Mexico chefs. Recently, one such opportunity arose, and this is the story of what happened.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

draws thoughtfully and deeply from these roots when developing his menus. We each stuck our noses in a rotation of small plates— apricots, sage, lavender, fresh green chiles, and roasted red chile—as Sedlar talked about his childhood experiences in family kitchens, the landscapes of his family ranch, and of O’Keeffe—and the how evocative smells of food can be of memory.

Stage set, we waited for what would come next—color. We were presented with a book of images of classic Northern New Mexico landscapes and with a cow skull adorned with blue potato crisps topped with trout roe. After further immersing our senses and appreciating Sedlar’s intense attention to detail, I ask Perno about how and what he’s thinking about food these days, and if he’s working on anything new in his kitchen.

Perno, a Corrales native, acquired a love of food around his family’s dinner table, but his appreciation for cooking, ingredients, and technique came later in fast-paced kitchens in California. His tutelage in the Bay Area informed an evolving food ethic based on working with the freshest ingredients possible and maximizing flavor. He explained he likes to listen to the ingredients and let them guide him. In other words, he defines his style as spontaneous, drawing from what was grown out the backdoor, and a constant stretching of fundamentals—like knife skills, which, he informed us, are what has his attention recently. “With good technique, you can turn good ingredients into great food.”

After sampling tortillas decoradas, a housemade corn tortilla embedded with flower petals, Sedlar invites us to meander from the dining room to see a set of exquisite photographs by Michel Zabe depicting key ingredients—spices, fruits, vegetables, insects— in traditional Latin food. His O’Keeffe menu is expository; his thoughts on these images and what they represent flow poetically and extemporaneous from a deep knowledge and passion for the traditions they represent and the foods they make. For Sedlar, part of the return to Santa Fe is connecting the cuisine of Northern New Mexico to a larger conversation about Latin cuisine. Sedlar and Perno quickly fall into a more intimate conversation than our table would permit, and it feels like the ice has broken.

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As we return to the table, conversation shifts to local ingredients.

We talk about the farm at Los Poblanos and what it has enabled Perno to do in his kitchen. But, he explains, the farm only provides a small portion of what his kitchen really needs. He loves working with the Co-op Distribution Center, and has developed relationships with other growers, which he believes builds consistency in the ingredients he purchases from them. “Good products streamline logistics in the kitchen.”

He describes how, over the years, his responsibilities have grown, but so have the opportunities. While managing events and an ever growing staff are par for the course, what he really loves is increased access to new and different local ingredients, and to tools to make them last all year. Los Poblanos has increased its food storage space enabling him to can, jar, pickle, preserve, cure, and freeze all manner of summer abundance for the colder months. He explained that WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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Top left clockwise: Jonathan Perno and John Sedlar; cow skull adorned with blue potato crisps topped with trout roe; radish salad plated on Georgia O'Keeffe's portrait; and dessert featuring fresh pueblo peaches and bush raspberries served with honey and cream.

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After wrapping his responsibilities in the kitchen, Sedlar returns to our conversation. Regarding local produce and products, he tells us he enjoys the relationships he’s built with local farmers and ranchers, and looks forward to forging others as time goes on. He also tells us about how he would love to tour more local farms. Earlier in the evening, he shared that his LA restaurant had a rooftop garden where cooks grew and cared for greens and herbs for the kitchen. Perno, who spent time working on farms as part of his culinary education, is also deeply committed to garden education for his kitchen staff. When a farmer understands how a chef works, she works to tailor her crops to his needs. For example, Brown grows only two or three crops every season. One is perennial arugula for Perno, and he knows he can count on quality and quantity all season long to accommodate his menus. Through mutual farmer-chef understanding of the work involved in producing good food Sedlar explains, “We narrow the field. It helps farmers focus on their strengths so we can focus on ours in the kitchen.”

Based on his love of the diverse and unusual ingredients in the photography exhibit, I ask how Sedlar approaches challenging ingredients with cautious eaters? He explains, “It’s about pairing the familiar with the exotic; to make the food approachable.” His commitment to a rich and informative journey for diners where flavors are contextualized and beautiful shines through in his tasting menus. “Food is about pleasure. People want less magic and fewer hidden things. They want to eat.”

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Outside, a short shower has added sparkle to the evening, and we all step onto the patio for a breath of fresh air. Out of the dining room, the two chefs fall into an easy conversation again, and while I should be taking careful notes, their tone and cadence indicate an intimacy I don’t want to interrupt. The men are at different points in their careers: Sedlar has come to Santa Fe to explore intellectual interests and family history; Perno, in his seven years at Los Poblanos, is coming into his own defining Rio Grande cuisine. They practice very different styles in the kitchen but have a quick comradery based in a deep respect for ingredients, training, and craft.

We wish Sedlar the warmest of goodbyes with gratitude and a desire to continue a mutual exploration of local ingredients, their cultural and historic significance, and the myriad ways they can be creatively used in new and traditional dishes. Perno invites Sedlar to explore his cellars and to see the gardens at Los Poblanos. Brown and I invite them both to experience more farms with us, and we all feel like the evening has left us full in ways beyond the sustenance of the meal.

Eloisa at the Drury Plaza Hotel 228 E Palace, Santa Fe, 505-982-0883, www.eloisasantafe.com La Merienda at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm 4803 Rio Grande NW, Los Ranchos De Albuquerque, 505-344-9297 www.lospoblanos.com

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Landrace Chiles A PERSPECTIVE ON NEW MEXICAN TERROIR

By Kelly Urig · Photo by Stephanie Cameron

Jemez Pueblo chiles.

O

n the corner of Mountain Road and Broadway Boulevard in Albuquerque between the months of August and November a steady stream of cars flows in and out of the parking lot at the Chile Connection, a small grocer specializing in chiles.

Standing close to the outdoor roaster, the conversation involves discussion of heat, size, and texture of this season’s chile and how precipitation, weather, location, and grower all impact those distinguishing characteristics. While most would never call it such, these chile connoisseurs have a deep appreciation of chile terroir. Like Champagne, which can only be labeled as such if a particular variety of grapes were grown in a particular region and made into wine there, chile has its set of characteristics which aficionados use to make choices beyond the simple red or green. At the Chile Connection, discerning customers want to know if the Lemitar chile has come in or if the extra-hot is as hot as last year because of all the rain. They buy a small quantity to sample, and if the vintage is good, they will be back for more.

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Many people know improved varieties like Big Jim or Hatch, but Northern New Mexico is home to at least fifteen varieties of unique chiles less commercially available, and which hold in their genetics cultural, political, and environmental significance. Landrace chiles, or what many New Mexicans call native chiles, have adapted to the specific environments of various regions of New Mexico. For a seed to be considered landrace it must cultivated in the same place over a very long period of time, often centuries, and have unique and uniform genetic characteristics adapted to its specific environment as a result.

For well over four hundred years, growers in present-day New Mexico have saved seeds from the hardiest chiles—the ones that withstood drought, pests, frost, and other sources of plant stress—for the next season. The landrace chiles that have evolved under these conditions are culturally important not only because of their unique flavors, but also because they are uniquely adapted to grow in the short season of New Mexico under traditional cultivation and irrigation methods.

Documented landrace chiles of New Mexico by New Mexico State University chile researchers: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Alcalde Casados Native Chimayó Cochiti Pueblo Dixon Escondida Isleta Pueblo Jarales Jemez Pueblo Nambe San Felipe Pueblo San Juan Pueblo Santo Domingo Pueblo Velarde Zia Pueblo

These chile seeds are direct descendants of peppers brought from Mexico by Spanish colonialists and Indian traders. Communities along the Rio Grande have cultivated these varieties for centuries, selecting seeds from hardy plants with desirable chiles. Charles Havlick, a senior research assistant who studies landrace chiles of New Mexico at the Agricultural Science Center in Los Lunas, explained the five defining differences between landrace chiles from their more commercial counterparts like the Big Jim or Hatch: 1) Landrace chiles have narrower leaves. 2) They have an indeterminate growth pattern, meaning that they grow in a vine-like manner closer to the soil. 3) They produce smaller chile pods. 4) On average they have a higher pungency (or are spicier.) 5) They mature earlier.

If a chile newbie asks a typical question such as "How hot are your Dixon chiles?" the farmer is likely to respond with "You never know the heat until you bite into one." This answer isn’t particularly comforting to the culinarily cautious, but this "roulette" chile works for my long-time New Mexican family who are well acquainted with a random, surprisingly hot chile. On one Big Jim chile plant, it is common to have a pepper that is medium hot but the next pepper lower on the plant might be hotter or milder than the first—chile peppers are just that way. With landrace varieties this variability is even more apparent. While landrace chiles are hotter overall, they have evolved to survive which doesn’t mean they produce uniform fruit. Landrace chiles do what they want and that changes every season, more so than commercial varieties bred for uniformity.

The main way to differentiate a landrace chile from a more commercial variety is its size. Most landrace chiles measure two to five inches, whereas the world’s longest green chile, a Big Jim, spanned eighteen inches. Next, smell the pepper. Many landrace chiles are so high in heat that you can detect the pungency with your nose.

Santo Domingo, San Felipe, and Escondida tend to be the hottest landrace chiles, doubling and sometimes tripling the heat of a Big Jim. Landrace chiles can be delicious when served green; however,

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While landrace chiles are hotter overall, they have evolved to survive which doesn’t mean they produce uniform fruit.

Landrace chiles do what they want and that changes every season, more so than commercial varieties bred for uniformity. roasting them can be difficult as many of them lack meatiness desirable for roasting. Once roasted and peeled, often only a small portion of the chile remains. Their earlier maturation allows the pepper more time to sun dry in the temperate New Mexican fall. This, along with their difficulty to roast and peel green, makes landrace varieties more popular for their red, mature flavor.

Chimayó is famous for its red chile, which can be found in small bags selling for upwards of twenty-six dollars in some specialty shops.

When the landrace chiles mature, the natural sugars increase creating a flavor that is spicy with an earthy sweetness. Many New Mexicans who haven’t tasted landrace chiles will be surprised to discover their heat and a smoky-sweet complexity. Several people have asked me how one can differentiate a Dixon chile from a San Felipe chile or a Chimayó chile from a Jemez chile, and my honest answer is that the variability of these varieties make it very challenging. That said, chile fanatics know the characteristics of just the right chile: who grew it and where, whether the monsoon cycle will impact flavor, and what varieties they prefer.

Each landrace pepper produced varies by plant and by season. I encourage my New Mexican friends and those visiting (that have an appreciation for spice) to take a New Mexican chile challenge. Find some landrace chiles like Alcalde, Zia, or Velarde and compare them to the more popular varieties like Big Jim, Sandia, or Joe Parker coming from Hatch, Mesilla, Deming or Los Lunas. See if you can taste the history and the terroir of the many chile-growing regions of New Mexico.

NEW MEXICO CHILES: HISTORY, LEGEND AND LORE The story of red, green, and everything in between.

To some, chile might be considered a condiment, but in New Mexico it takes center stage. Going back four centuries, native tribes, Spanish missionaries, conquistadors, and Anglos alike craved capsicum, and chile became infused in the state’s cuisine, culture and heritage. Beloved events like the annual Fiery Foods Show brings together thousands of artisans specializing in chile. The Chile Institute at New Mexico State University devoutly researches the complexity of chile and releases carefully crafted varieties. Legendary farms like Jimmy Lytle’s in Hatch and Matt Romero’s in Alcalde carry on generations-old practices in the face of dwindling natural resources. Acclaimed restaurants continue to find inspiration in chile, from classic dishes to innovative creations.

Join local author and award-winning documentary filmmaker "Chile Chica" Kelly Urig for the enchanting history of chile. www.kellyurig.com New Mexico Chiles: History, Legend and Lore is available at fine retail locations in New Mexico and online.

Chimayó chiles. Photo courtesy of The Chile Pepper Institute.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

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Beans THE FOUNDATION OF NEW MEXICO CUISINE

By Amy White · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

A

sk Farm and Table’s Cherie Montoya, who comes from a very old New Mexican family, what beans mean to her and she’ll say, "Beans are the staple. It doesn’t matter what’s for dinner, there’s always a pot of beans cooking. They’re the foundation—you never run out of beans. When I was a kid my grandmother always had a pot on the stove, and we never got tired of them."

Perno is guided by the ideas of Dan Barber’s The Third Plate. He knows that farmers need to grow a rotation of crops to build soil health, and believes chefs need to showcase all of those crops rather than cherry-picking the most desirable, resource-intensive produce.

"It’s a relationship," says Perno. "The question is whether you want to have a healthy relationship or a mediocre relationship?"

Pinto beans, and other heirloom beans such as bolita and tepary beans, are a defining feature of our cultural identity here in New Mexico, not only because they are nutritious and easy to put up for the winter, but because they are a key part of the regional agriculture system. When farmed in rotation with corn and other crops, bean plants’ roots fix nitrogen, build soil, and contribute to the sustainability of the agricultural system as a whole. As Montoya says, "Not only do they feed our families, they feed our land."

For example, the traditional three-sisters combination of beans, corn, and squash reflects a whole system of agriculture designed to maintain soil fertility and plant health. While big, perfect, flavorful tomatoes are exciting, crop rotations including beans and grains are necessary to create the conditions that produce those tomatoes. Perno and Montoya purchase bolita and pinto beans through La Montañita’s Cooperative Distribution Center, and this year, Los Poblanos’ farm is growing their own tepary beans.

Chef Jonathan Perno of Los Poblanos Inn and Farm defines a true cuisine as a collection of dishes that utilize all of the crops produced in the area and reflect all the parts of the agricultural system. He uses the term Rio Grande cuisine to describe what he’s trying to achieve at La Merienda, Los Poblanos’ restaurant.

Montoya says, "It’s not a trend, it’s a way of life. I like to joke that in New Mexico, we’re so far behind we’re actually ahead of the trends.

We don’t have to look back very far to see it here—we’ve been doing this all along. Our grandparents knew you can’t just grow one kind of crop. You need cover crops, chickens, livestock…And we have all

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these precious New Mexican varieties of crops and livestock that have been successful in our climate over generations."

Although beans may not seem very exciting, through the centuries people have grown an infinite variety in a breathtaking array of colors, shapes, and sizes. Beans are one of the earliest domestic crops in the world, from as early as 10,000 BC. The Phaseolus genus, which includes runner beans, tepary beans, lima beans, and many other common beans, originated from a wild ancestor somewhere in South America and probably reached New Mexico about 1300 AD through ancient trade routes. Two hundred years later, the Spanish began an exchange of Old and New World varieties. Fava beans (Vicia faba) were first cultivated in the Mediterranean region in late Neolithic times. The Vigna genus, which originated in Africa, includes cowpeas, yardlong beans, mung beans, and adzuki beans.

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) include most of the familiar dry bean varieties, such as pinto, navy, kidney, and black beans, as well as regional heirloom varieties such as bolita beans. The green beans we’re familiar with are simply the immature pods of this genus. Tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius) are tiny, but have a lower glycemic index and higher protein content than other beans, and they can be grown in extremely dry climates without irrigation.

Many very old cultivars have been collected in Central America and the southwestern US. Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are similar to common beans and include some traditional varieties cultivated by the Tarahumara people of northwestern Mexico.

Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) include the familiar butter bean as well as some traditional Hopi varieties.

From 1902 until a drought hit New Mexico in 1946, the Estancia Valley was a major center of dryland bean farming. It’s a good area for growing beans because of the elevation, hot days and cooler nights, and dry weather around harvest time. But after a decade or more of drought, most farmers switched to ranching, and the bean industry never returned to its former prosperity. Now the majority of US-grown pinto beans, the most popular variety in the country, are grown in North Dakota.

Wildlife West Nature Park’s tiny Pinto Bean Museum in Edgewood is housed in an old bean processing barn once operated by the Hill family on Venus Road. (Edgewood’s original name was Venus.) Owner Roger Alink and friends dismantled and rebuilt the barn on his property, funded by a Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area grant. They salvaged the belt with scoops that carried the beans up to the second floor for cleaning, and the chutes that collected the beans for bagging. Nearby sits a vintage horse-pulled thresher. Piles of bean plants were loaded into the machine by hand. The machine chopped up the plants, and a big fan blew the stems out of a large tube at the top while the beans fell down a smaller tube into a hopper. The museum also has a bean cleaning machine which used screens of different sizes with a shaking apparatus and a fan to separate beans or grains from dirt and rocks.

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Pinto beans, and other heirloom beans such as bolita and tepary beans, are a defining feature of our cultural identity here in New Mexico, not only because they are nutritious and easy to put up for the winter, but because they are a key part of the regional agriculture system.

Schwebach pinto beans, Ivellise and Dean Schwebach in front of their forty acres of beans.

Today, Dean and Ivellise Schwebach grow about forty acres each of beans and sweet corn just outside Moriarty; another thirty-four acres are devoted to a variety of vegetables, melons, and berries. Dean’s father, Don Schwebach, started farming in this area in 1960, growing mostly pinto beans, grain corn, wheat, barley, and potatoes. In 2003, Dean and Ivellise took over the farm and expanded the vegetable side of the business.

Schwebach Farm is one of the few farms growing large quantities of heirloom bolita beans, as well as pinto beans, for sale directly to consumers. One of the original bean varieties brought from Mexico by the Spanish, bolita beans are beloved by many New Mexican families because they are both sweeter and easier on the stomach than pinto beans.

Don had heard about bolita beans from some of his older customers who remembered eating them as children. He obtained the seeds from a farmer in Southern Colorado twenty years ago, and the family has expanded production by saving seed every year. A few years ago, Dean shared some of the seeds with his neighbor, Mike Pope of Patchwork Farms; now Patchwork supplies the Cooperative Distribu32

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

tion Center and the Schwebachs sell most of their crop directly to consumers through their farm stand and at a few farmers markets.

Modern bean harvesting is a bit different from the methods of the past, but based on the same principles. In the morning while the dew is still on the plants, the Schwebachs pull a bean cutter behind their tractor, uprooting six rows of plants at a time and dropping them alongside in a big pile known as a windrow. A few days later when the plants are dry, they come back through with a bean combine that separates the beans from the plants more efficiently than the old thresher. The beans then go to a bean cleaner operated by nearby Thomas Farms, a modernized version of the one at the museum, and return in bags to the farm stand.

The Schwebachs pay close attention to what their customers say and close attention to their land, continually working to find ways to accommodate both in ways that are sustainable. They care for their soil by using very light tillage and leaving the chopped up plant matter on the field at the end of the season, adding a bio-stimulator to help it break down. Each year, they do soil sampling and plant tissue analysis to make sure they know what the soil needs.

Alternating beans with corn adds nitrogen to the soil, but doesn’t help with other necessary elements. Composted chicken manure and fish liquid supply additional nitrogen as well as micronutrients that chemical fertilizers don’t provide. Cover crops like rye and triticale help prevent erosion and runoff during the winter, and their biomass is added back into the soil. Looking ahead, Dean would like to get onto a three-year rotation with something like winter wheat that doesn’t use too much water. To conserve water, the Schwebachs have outfitted seventy-four of their one hundred sixty acres with subsurface drip irrigation, and plan to add another twenty-seven acres this spring.

GROWN IN ITALY

For eaters, buying local beans is not just about doing what’s good for the land, it’s about flavor. As Dean says, "Most of the beans eaten in New Mexico are grown somewhere else, shipped in, and stored in a warehouse for two to three years. People are really missing out not getting fresh beans, because it makes such a difference.

They’re actually spending more on utilities just because cooking old beans takes so long." Ivellise loves when little old ladies come in for the fresh beans. "They’re so serious," she says. "They want to see the beans, and they can tell by the color if it’s last year’s crop."

Now is the time to stock up on this year’s crop of pinto or bolita beans. By doing so, you’ll be participating in a new movement and a centuries-old tradition simultaneously. The way we eat and the way we farm has changed significantly from our grandparents’ time, but hopefully we’re coming back to the understanding that we must respect the land in the choices we make. And as Montoya says, "The bean is so cool. We just celebrate it for the simple and awesome thing that it is."

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505-832-6171, www.schwebachfarm.com 505-281-7655, www.wildlifewest.org Vintage hay rake in front of Schwebach's acres of onions, bolita beans, and other crops.

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Tamaya Blue A DIFFERENT KIND OF CORN

By Sarah Wentzel-Fisher 路 Photos by Stephanie Cameron

In

a nondescript warehouse where the village of Bernalillo meets the Pueblo of Santa Ana, Ray Leon and Melvin Lopez spend their days roasting and grinding thousands of pounds of blue corn. Together, along with Santa Ana Agricultural Enterprises director Joseph Bronk, they make up Tamaya Blue, a tribe-owned business offering Native American products made with traditional blue corn. The mill where they grind corn represents more than a successful tribal business; it has revitalized a culinary and agricultural tradition, created a model for moving toward economic sovereignty, and reimagined the most controversial and ubiquitous food in America.

In the late 1980s, the Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos (FSIP), a regional nonprofit aimed at strengthening and improving the social and economic status of its member tribes, received economic development grant money to purchase and operate a small grain mill as a way to help Pueblo farmers market their extra corn and to be able to grind corn for personal and ceremonial use. At the end of the grant funding, the organization decided to sell the operation to the Pueblo of Santa Ana. Under the direction of Jerry Kinsman, the tribe took over the mill in 1990 and, a few years later, hired Leon to oversee the project.

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In the early days, Leon ran the mill out of the Santa Ana community wellness center. Initially, the mill did not make financial sense, but kept itself afloat on its ability to generate cultural capital, diligent grant writing, and community planning efforts of Kinsman. Shortly after Santa Ana took over the project, a representative from the Body Shop discovered Tamaya Blue and developed their Blue Corn 3-in-1 Mask Scrub, a top-rated best seller on their website and in stores, using Tamaya Blue corn flour as a key ingredient. Now, annual Body Shop purchases represent about fifteen percent of total sales for Tamaya Blue. Leon describes grinding the first Body Shop order and needing to enlist help because he had to keep the mill running twenty-four hours for several days on their small machine. Today, their facility houses a roaster, the original hammermill, a larger hammermill, copacking equipment, and a small commercial kitchen. It processes and sells over thirty-five thousand pounds of blue corn meal to customers near and far, as well as offering milling and co-packing services to individuals and other small businesses.

With their facilities, they can offer custom milling services to anyone in the area, and processing has become as much a part of their business as selling their own blue corn products. Leon says that many

community members grow small plots of corn for ceremonial use, roast it at home, then bring it to the mill where it can be ground to a customer's preferred texture for $1.10 a pound. August to October are their busiest months, with neighbors from Taos to Isleta to Jemez bringing in their harvest for processing.

Traditionally, blue corn is roasted and finely ground for making chaquegue, a blue corn mush. Leon has spent years testing corn moisture levels, roasting times and temperatures, and grinding textures to develop what he considers the perfect cornmeal for chaquegue. He eats his simply with cream and a little salt. He’s particularly proud of the blue corn pancake mix and straight blue corn meal. The roasting process gives the meal a rich aroma and toasty flavor which separates it from its unroasted white or yellow corn counterparts.

In addition to the mill, Santa Ana has a number of other small businesses that fall under the auspices of its Agricultural Enterprises division, including a native plant nursery, thirty acres of wine grapes, and about eight acres of blue corn. Much of the corn that the mill uses for its Tamaya Blue products isn’t grown at Santa Ana, but what they can grow goes into their mixes and meals. The volume of corn they need to meet demand requires hundreds of acres—which the Pueblo isn’t currently in a position to cultivate.

The tribe cultivates a few acres, but the majority of their blue corn is grown in the northeast corner of New Mexico and northwest corner of Texas, with a small amount of production in the Panhandle and southern Colorado. They purchase through Sunny State Products, a processing company located in San Jon that purchases from area farmers and bags the blue corn kernels.

Sunny State Products started as a family operation in 1928 as a seed farm and distributor. In the late 1980s, they focused on aggregating corn and sold the seed company. Several Navajo and Hopi customers asked for blue corn and shared open pollinated seed for Sunny State to grow out. By 1995, most of their business was organic blue corn; today ninety-five percent of their business is in sales of sacks of the dark round kernels. They work with area growers who cultivate open-pollinated, traditional Hopi varieties and a proprietary hybrid they have developed over the years.

On rare occasions, when demand outpaces supply, they source from further afield in the Midwest and Mexico, but this is usually a small portion of what they sell. Leo Thrasher, the business owner and operator says that two factors challenge his ability to continue to grow his business: diminishing water supplies from over-taxed aquifers and a serious shortage of organic acres. To be certified organic requires significant paperwork and a three-year crop rotation in other products like cotton and peanuts. In other words, when a field comes out of organic production, it will take three years to bring it back into organic certification. Even when producing organically, corn takes up significant space and water. In years when the price of corn-based ethanol goes up, growers are sometimes incentivised to take their fields out of organic production. In spite of these challenges, Trasher says the blue corn market is growing.

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Left to right, clockwise: Ray Leon, Joseph Bronk, and Melvin Lopez in the Santa Ana Agricultural Enterprises’ nursery; blue corn growing in the fields; and blue corn kernels.

Since the shift to blue corn, their sales have increased ten to fifteen percent every year and show no signs of slowing.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, about onefifth of the nation’s land—about four hundred eight million acres—is in crop production. Of those acres, farmers use about twenty percent, or eighty-four million acres, to grow corn for a grand total of about sixty-four billion dollars in sales. In 2014, only cattle production brought higher cash receipts than corn, but arguably, most cattle production relies extensively on corn grain for producing heavy and desirable animals. These statistics ultimately point to the fact that in industrial commodity agriculture, corn rules supreme. Of all of this corn, only about eleven percent goes directly to feeding people—the rest feeds animals or is used to produce ethanol—and most of what’s grown to feed people goes to producing high fructose corn syrup, sweeteners, or starch additives. According to the National Corn Growers Association, only about one and a half percent of corn grown in the US gets consumed as grain or cereal by humans, and only a small portion of that is blue corn.

Although the corn that Tamaya Blue grinds and sells is a proverbial drop in the bucket, it is a valued source for an important cultural food in Pueblo and other American Indian communities, and increasingly elsewhere as well. Tamaya Blue products are all whole grain, meaning they use the entire corn kernel—bran, germ, and endosperm— and these parts contain much of the nutritional value of the grain.

Nutritionally, blue corn, unlike its pale and sweet cousins, has a low glycemic index and is high in anthocyanins, the pigment that gives 36

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

the corn its color. Anthocyanins are flavonoids or plant metabolites thought to provide health benefits and antioxidant effects. The dark kernels offer both lysine and tryptophan, two of eight amino acids humans cannot synthesize and must obtain from food. Blue corn also offers a number of essential minerals and about twenty percent more protein than white or yellow corn.

Leon says changing food culture in his community is a challenge.

Fast food choices abound around Bernalillo, grocery options are few, and gardening is only slowly coming back into style. In contrast, blue corn is a food that makes cultural and nutritional sense for tribal communities struggling to address and mitigate public health issues.

Arguably, sweet corn used to make sugary beverages and other nutritionless, high calorie, food-like products contributes significantly to incidences of obesity and diabetes, which impact American Indian communities at higher rates than anywhere else.

The new warehouse where Leon and Lopez do their work opened last year and houses tools to help other entrepreneurs develop food businesses. It offers the possibility for a number of new Tamaya Blue products, and it serves as a viable economic development model for other tribes and rural, agriculture-based communities. The success of Tamaya Blue and other businesses under development with Santa Ana Agricultural Enterprises signal, however slow and incremental, a shift in how the tribal leadership thinks about food, community, and economy.

Tamaya Blue products can be purchased on their website or at any La Montanita Co-op location. www.cookingpost.com

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Great Greens FROM QUELITES TO KALE

By Mark DeRespinis · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

At

my first-generation Italian-American grandmother’s table, we were inevitably served a proud heap of escarole or broccoli rabe, sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil with garlic, alongside a bountiful bowl of her signature fettucini alfredo and a platter mounded high with roast chicken. It was those garlicky greens that I first yearned for when navigating my own kitchen and fledgling garden exploits in the early years of my adult life. From a curt, desperate row of broccoli rabe, with its impossibly brief harvest window, sacrificed to the skillet for one indulgently nostalgic meal, to a two-hundred-foot bed of closely planted mustard, kale, endive, chard, and orach I currently custom grow for a high-end restaurant, I have tracked the greens phenomenon with a devotion that can only be described as a cultural inevitability. We need our greens.

Before there were farmers markets as we currently know them and organic farms growing specialty greens and salad mixes, there were wild greens. And in my preparation for this article, I discovered that everywhere you look, you find people who revere, or at least regularly eat, a wide variety of wild greens. The Greeks have horta, a catch-all term for any greens that are in season, boiled or steamed and dressed with olive oil and lemon. In Mexico and north into our very own Rio 38

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

Grande region, the term quelites, often understood to specifically refer to lamb’s quarters, may also refer to a wide variety of other seasonal wild greens and weeds, including amaranth, or redroot pigweed, and even young tumbleweeds. In fact, the Spanish Franciscan Fray Bernardino de Sahagún described over two thousand species of quelites in in his exhaustive Codice Florentino, a compendium of sixteenthcentury Nahua, Spanish, and Latin writings.

Recent generations of grocery store devotees may only carry faint memories of grandparents gathering and preparing greens in the way of our ancestors. To the culinary rescue comes a cadre of local farmers and chefs who have conspired seed by seed and leaf by leaf to re-green our regional cuisine. We can now celebrate the increasingly diverse colors, textures, and flavors of our local salad mixes, which might sport any of dozens of varieties of sweet baby lettuce leaves, combined with spicy brassicas, bitter chicories, and salty chenopods—delight in the hearty bunches of bumpy dino, toothed Russian, or curly Siberian kale, stacked abundantly beside radiant rainbow chards and purply or verdant aromatic mustards on our farmers market tables. These cultivated cousins of the wild plants that constituted our historical daily greens are spreading "like weeds" throughout the contemporary culinary landscape.

Nina Yozell-Epstein is the proprietor of Squash Blossom, a mission-driven social enterprise that aims to provide a dependable income stream for local farmers, bring healthier food to the community, and strengthen the local economy. She works directly with twenty to thirty Santa Fe restaurants to provide seasonal produce from local farmers. "Kale is popping up everywhere, and chard is right behind it," says Yozell-Epstein of the greens scene in the region. "There’s more awareness of the health benefits of chard and kale by the end consumers who then are like 'throw some kale in' with something that wouldn’t necessarily traditionally have it but might end up having kale in it because people know this is a superfood and you can get so much more out of it." Chefs now include numerous varieties of kale and chard with different colors, textures, and leaf shapes in rustic or esoteric dishes. According to Yozell-Epstein, they increasingly request baby leaf production of these and other dark leafy greens, such as mizuna and tatsoi. These might show up on a salad plate, either mixed with lettuces or on their own. "The chefs are more interested in the bitter greens now, and wanting to diversify; they want their salads to have a little bit of other greens that people haven’t really heard of." Sweet, juicy, nutty, grassy, salty, and peppery greens add a complexity to the plate that delights the palate and delivers a healthful complement of phytonutrients to boot.

As appreciation for the nutritional and culinary virtues of greens has increased, local growers have adopted innovative growing practices to meet the demand amid various climatic and cultural challenges. The natural season for greens begins in the spring, when brassicas, chicories, and lettuces thrive in the cool nights and warm days. A combination of low soil temperatures, freezing temperatures at night, and drying winds, can severely staunch the growth potential of early spring greens plantings in Northern New Mexico; and growers are limited as well by the fact that many acequias don’t begin to flow until early April. To respond to these conditions, growers use spun-bonded fabric row covers suspended on wire hoops to create a mini-greenhouse effect to protect young transplants until they can survive on their own. Often farmers water these early plantings using drip tape irrigation from wells, which delivers an appropriate amount of water directly to the root zone of the plants in the row. These simple materials and cultural practices can produce harvestable greens weeks to months earlier than plants grown without such technological advantages. Similar techniques are used in the fall to extend the season deep into the months of nightly frosts, such that when all the unprotected plants around have descended into their senescence, a peek beneath the row cover might reveal lush, hardy greens ready to be harvested for market.

Some growers in the region have undertaken the daunting task of growing greens even through the dead of winter. On a warm morning in early September, I met with Don Bustos at Santa Cruz Farm, to learn about New Mexico’s growing winter greens industry. A trailblazer and blockbuster in this realm, he began selling salad mix to the Santa Fe Public Schools over twenty years ago, as

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To the culinary rescue comes a cadre of local farmers and chefs who have conspired seed by seed and leaf by leaf to re-green our regional cuisine.

Mark DeRespinis and Don Bustos at Santa Cruz Farm.

well as being one of the first growers to bring greens to the Santa Fe Farmers Market throughout the winter. "We incorporate a little bit of technology that allows us to be economically viable, including a method of using cold frames [unheated high tunnels] so that we can grow produce in the winter using nothing but solar energy and meet the demand of institutional buyers," says Bustos, looking out over his three-and-a-half acre farm, where five high tunnels of approximately three thousand square feet each are sited among annual crop rotation fields and perennial plantings of blackberries and asparagus. "I think I’ve put up twenty-five different cold frames over the last four years," says Bustos as he reflects on the successes of the 2012 Farm Bill which instituted the NRCS EQIP cost-sharing grant program for high tunnels. In fact, the Natural Resources Conservation Service granted funding for the erection of forty-one high tunnels and over one hundred irrigation systems on farms in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Taos Counties between 2010 and 2014. Meanwhile, Bustos has established 40

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

a training program for farmers statewide which is focused on yearround production and growing to meet the demands of institutional buyers. This program has had forty-eight participants in recent years and has spawned the Agri-Cultura Network in Albuquerque, as well as growers cooperatives in the Española Valley and Las Cruces.

With this army of greens growers being set loose on New Mexico, we can expect a flourish of local market offerings as the nights cool and the snow begins to fall outside. And eaters in restaurants, home kitchens, and school cafeterias can enthusiastically fortify themselves for the cold months ahead with hearty kale salad, motley mesclun mix, and savory sauteed greens, perhaps prepared simply my grandmother’s way—sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil with garlic. www.squashblossomlocalfood.com www.foodshedguide.org/cases/santa-cruz-farms

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Grassfed New Mexico Story and photos by Nancy Ranney

Herd at the Ranney Ranch with piles of removed juniper.

In

the 1830s, Josiah Gregg reported, "By far the most important indigenous product of the soil of New Mexico is its pasturage. Most of the high-table plains afford the finest grazing in the world." Despite almost two centuries of acute change—railroads, roads and cattle trails, overgrazing of native grasses, and juniper invasion—New Mexico still boasts vast expanses of grassland. Well over fifty percent of our state is open grassland and the term continues to evoke the sense of space and sky that we associate with our New Mexican identity.

These open grasslands stand in marked contrast to the narrow river valleys and mountain terraces where most of our local produce is raised. What role should New Mexico’s grasslands play in developing a healthy, local food economy today? Can they be restored to the richness and majesty of earlier times? Are they living up to their full potential for native biodiversity, ecosystem function, and agricultural production?

years of the twentieth century, this land provided some capacity for dryland bean farming, but like most of New Mexico’s grasslands, the limited rainfall, rugged landscape, and depth to significant aquifers have precluded large-scale cultivation of crops. In agricultural terms, this is grazing land. In 2003, inspired by the notion of raising healthy, grassfed beef and seeking to offer a local product (still, in 2015, less than two percent of New Mexico beef is consumed in-state), Ranney Ranch undertook new land management practices in the hope of restoring our high-country grasslands to their earlier diversity and richness. In five years’ time and without any supplemental irrigation, external fertilizers, or manual seeding of grasses, Ranney Ranch documented the re-emergence of over thirty-five species of native grasses, measured an increase of over twenty-five percent soil organic carbon in our rangeland soils, and saw increased water retention capability across the ranch exceeding five hundred thousand gallons per acre.

This, in addition to producing our healthiest and heaviest calves ever, even during extreme drought years.

For the past half century, our family has ranched in the high mesa country of central New Mexico near the town of Corona. In the early

What might this mean for the state of New Mexico? New Mexico is home to a variety of grassfed meat producers—beef, bison, lamb,

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

goats, and chickens—and to a number of grassfed dairy farmers, and their numbers are growing. Most of these producers are small scale, selling between five and two hundred animals per year (compared to the hundreds of thousands produced by the industrial livestock model), and most are committed to true grassfed production, meaning grassfed for the entirety of the animal’s life, and not fed corn or animal byproducts, antibiotics, or growth-producing hormones in a confined setting during the final months before slaughter. Grassfed producers are passionate about their land, their animals, and their customers. Many are certified by Animal Welfare Approved (AWA), a rigorous annual certification which mandates not only humane livestock handling but also wildlife-friendly practices; many carry the stamp of the American Grassfed Association, which, along with AWA Grassfed, are currently the only national organizations requiring pasture for the entire life of the animal.

And significantly, grassfed producers are in the forefront of regenerative land management.

Regenerative agricultural practices increase the biodiversity of soil, vegetative cover, and animal populations; reduce erosion potential; improve the water holding capacity of rangelands, in turn feeding large regional aquifers; and capture astounding amounts of carbon in the soil. (Stay tuned for the results of a large-scale scientific study underway at Arizona State, New Mexico State, and Texas A&M exploring the potential of well-managed rangelands, specifically including livestock as a management tool, to offset annual greenhouse gas emissions.)

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By purchasing grassfed and grass-finished beef from local farms and ranches, in addition to keeping food dollars local, New Mexicans promote the health of the greater New Mexico landscape. And they also support their own health. For some time, grassfed meats have been recognized for their healthy blend of omega-three and -six fatty acids, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and conjugated linoleic acid. Recently, nutritional research has shown that the health of our soil, particularly a biodiverse complex of bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms, is critical to the health of our food and thus to the health of the human gut. Research also shows that, especially in semi-arid ecosystems, grazing animals with their rich abdominal flora are essential to this very soil health.

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By purchasing grassfed and grass-finished beef from local farms and ranches, in addition to keeping food dollars local, New Mexicans promote the health of the greater New Mexico landscape.

Above: Ranch manger Melvin Johnson and Joe Ranney.

Inset: Healthy native grasses on a well managed range.

seasonal nature of our business by communicating that frozen meat products are excellent (easily up to two years in the Ranney Ranch freezer); and we need to promote public awareness that the purchase of native New Mexican grassfed meat products is good for the land, for the animals, and for the consumer.

Since 2003, the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance (SWGLA), based in Santa Fe, a non-profit alliance of producers, consumers, land managers, conservationists, and researchers, has worked tirelessly to strengthen local agricultural communities by educating producers and the public about grassfed livestock production. SWGLA has organized tastings; held ranch planning and grassfed marketing workshops for producers; and worked with consumer groups to differentiate grassfed production from that of industrial beef in regard 44

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

to health, environmental, and animal welfare benefits. The organization is a great place to start learning more about grassfed beef and its producers in New Mexico. Although most small producers still directmarket their products via the internet and at farmers markets, some producers are interested in cooperatives and larger buyers who adhere to organic and/or grassfed standards.

It is an exciting time to be part of local healthy food production and working toward the renewed health of our New Mexico landscape, our cherished open grasslands. I invite you to be part of our adventure! www.ranneyranch.com www.swgla.org

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Coonridge Organic Goat Cheese FOUR HUNDRED NEW MEXICO ACRES IN A BOTTLE

By Nissa Patterson · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Goats roam the piñon forest on Nancy Coonridge's land in Catron County.

T

he most common goat cheese is plastic coated and log shaped, standard fare at potlucks and available at every chain grocery store. Let’s be honest—they often taste like something a kid might make in a blender—a little chalk, some cream cheese, dash of lemon-in-a-bottle from the back of the refrigerator.

I often wonder what log-producing goats eat, since so much of the flavor of cheese comes from the quality of the animal’s diet. Perhaps the one person in New Mexico who would not send me off to the goat funny farm for thinking about these things is Nancy Coonridge, the co-founder of Coonridge Dairy. She has raised goats and made cheese from their milk for thirty-four years on a four-hundred-acre stretch of Catron County.

“When we have a heavy piñon crop, the cheese has more fat and you can taste the difference,” Coonridge points out.

Piñons to goats?

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

That’s expensive feed, you might think. Not for Coonridge. Her goats pick their own piñons. Every morning forty goats, along with five dogs and seven sheep, head into the wilds of New Mexico. Every day the herd decides when to head out and when to come home. The goats map their own route and choose their own forage. And if there happen to be piñons hanging in front of their noses, then that is what they will gobble for lunch. The only time they don’t go out is because of a snowstorm or just before a doe kids.

Sometimes a dairy staff member joins them to check on how older goats are keeping up or just for fun, but usually the goats tend themselves. They wear radio collars just in case one decides to straggle off on its own or has an injury.

Coonridge’s love of goats can be traced back to when she was a nineteen-year-old living in the Bay Area and was seized with a thought, "I need a goat." She hitchhiked to California’s Central Valley

and got a goat. And then she got a herd. The next realization for her was that she really wanted her goats to have a free life, roaming and choosing what to eat. A long story, involving truck driving and a husband, brought her to New Mexico.

Coonridge started with forty acres and a small herd. She has slowly amassed land, and the infrastructure needed to process the cheese, including things we might not realize go into making cheese—water catchment systems, dozens of young volunteers who come on farm stays, trucks that can take rough roads, and dogs.

The main companions of her herd are Maremma sheep dogs, magical mountain yetis with snow white hair that were bred in Italy to protect farm animals from wolves. Over the years Coonridge tried various breeds of dogs but she settled on this breed after wolves were reintroduced just south of her property.

Coonridge raises her Maremmas from puppies with the goats.

The dogs are not in charge but rather they are a part of the herd.

They instinctually, without any training from Coonridge, protect their companions.

To see this dairy in action, I traveled three hours to Coonridge Dairy, which is located halfway between Datil and Pie Town, due north of both and an hour down a nearly impassable dirt road. The day I visited the farm I was standing on the back porch of the house at about 4pm when a dog came up the driveway. Alone. I looked down the barrel of a green valley and saw a few goats heading in.

Another dog came into view, then some more goats. The herd was home.

They laid around resting for a few hours before heading into a barn to be milked by staff Madeleine and Tim who machine milked twelve goats at a time. Everyone, goats included, danced along to KUNM’s "Home of Happy Feet" radio program, goat bottoms swaying while they munched on a treat of organic cottonseed. Before hopping off the stand, one goat stopped for an extended hug from Madeleine.

A volunteer doing her last milking shift on the farm remarked, "This is my third goat farm and these are by far the happiest and healthiest goats I have seen."

All of the milk is pasteurized and then made into cheese using non-GMO vegetarian enzymes and bottled in sunflower oil. Certified organic New Mexico grown ingredients such as green chile, basil, and garlic are added to the bottles, which are frozen to preserve the conjugated linoleic acid (CLAs). CLAs are healthy fats that are present in high concentrations in pasture raised animal products.

In this case the high desert is the pasture.

The whole cheese making process uses modern technology and is inspected regularly by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.

Yet, there is a bit of magic, perhaps even madness, in each bottle.

Sitting on the back porch of her kitchen Coonridge talks about cheese. Grey hair flapping against her face in the monsoon breeze, it is clear this is a woman still dreaming in goat time.

WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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Top left, clockwise: Nancy Coonridge with her goats, backside of four-hundred-acre stretch, fresh goat's milk, Maremma watches over herd, and Maremma pups.

"You know thousand-year-old strains of culture were wiped out when the European Union food safety standards were put in place."

She goes on to explain that these ancient strains are preserved in a French cryogenics facility but are no longer used in recipes. She talks about the old ways to culture cheese—using cardoon blossoms, fig sap, nettles, and deadly nightshade.

Later that evening, Coonridge and her staff and volunteers gather for an evening meal. Fresh goat milk is on the table. Local beef burgers are stacked with homegrown tomatoes and spicy Coonridge green chile cheese. I ask Coonridge if she knows of any other goat herds in the US that roam free, grazing on the range like hers. Active in the goat Facebook community and an international speaker, Coonridge is not as isolated as she might seem. A hush comes over the table. Coonridge pauses longer than usual and finally says, "No, really, I don’t."

I look at the bottle of cheese on the table. This is perhaps, but not certainly, the only cheese in the country that comes from free ranging, 48

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

foraging goats. It is the only cheese with the paper-fine flavor of the fourwing saltbush and the tang of mountain mahogany. It is the only cheese that takes you over a craggy rock and into a remote canyon. In a bite you might even detect fear, from the sight of a mountain lion, or pleasure, from a mid-day rest beneath a scrub oak tree.

That log cheese is from somewhere else. It came here on a cold truck and sat on a shelf. It has the essence of somewhere else in it.

Nancy Coonridge lets her goats run wild and bottles four hundred acres of wild New Mexico.

Now that is something to taste.

Coonridge is looking for a couple to take over the dairy, someday. If interested contact her: organicgoat@gmail.com, 888-410-8433, or www.coonridge.com.

WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

49

at the chef's table

Lois Ellen Frank

TRADITIONAL OFFERINGS: FROM SEED TO PLATE

By Tara Lanich-LaBrie ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left to right: Blue corn cornbread made with Tamaya Blue corn flour, Lois Ellen Frank on the line at pop-up event, and tri-color posole.

W

hen I left Santa Fe for several years, I remembered daily the smell of the rain on the red earth, the taste of the roasted chiles in September, and the way the light played on the adobe walls at sunset. Lois Ellen Frank—chef and owner of Red Mesa Cuisine, teacher, Native American food historian, and James Beard award–winning author—has discovered a way to transform those visceral experiences into a stew, inculcating the stories of Rio Grande cuisine into every bite.

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I met up with her at the Santa Fe School of Cooking as she finished teaching a class of culinary enthusiasts from around the country. As she explained her gastronomical leanings, the story of native and local food rich with complex flavors and long-forgotten ingredients came into focus.

"People come here [to New Mexico] to experience what might be labeled as the landscape, but there’s a lot more 'scapes' that I like to bring to people’s attention. What do you smell here? How is it different

than the smells where you are from? Do you smell the rain on the desert floor? And what do you hear? What do the birds sound like?"

Frank explains that "What I do is the foodscape. What is the experience of the food I am serving you? Is it an elk tenderloin with a wild cherry sauce? Is it hand-harvested prickly pear cactus? Is it wild game?

Is it Antonio’s [Tierra Amarilla] lamb? What is it, and how does it affect the foodscape of the Southwest?"

Frank, as a cultivator of knowledge and learned wisdom, shares her love of traditional foods with everyone. She sows seeds in the memories of her clients and students with every sautéed dandelion green and succulent cactus pad served. She wants the fresh-milled Tamaya Blue corn from the Santa Ana Pueblo and the smoky red chiles from Chimayó to sing the story of the ancestors to those who are ready to listen.

"If you want just a catered meal, I’ve got a number for you." Instead, Frank shares the full experience and narrative of a meal, from seed to plate to composted garlic skins and fodder for chickens and coyotes. From the farmer who sings to their plants to the dishwasher who stacks the plates at night’s end, she wants diners to know they are equally a part of this re-education and revitalization of food.

American Indian communities that are faced with an onslaught of type-two diabetes and other diet-related diseases have welcomed her. Calling it "Food for Life," she cites the healing properties of na-

tive foods such as purslane and nopales cactus. When teaching her students how to transform corn into flour, she begins with the land and the farmer who grew that corn. Hand-grinding the dried kernels into flour can transform more than the grain; it can leave an indelible mark on cook and eater alike.

"Once you have consciousness, you can’t undo the knowledge.

You can ignore it, but you can’t undo it. And so consciousness is something you either have to shift or pretend doesn’t exist and go back to your old ways. But I think what most people do…is shift.

Even if it is a little bit." As a chef who has featured dishes like yucca blossom salad with goat cheese dressing, stuffed quail with squawberry sauce, and blue corn gnocchi with Guajillo chile, Frank is doing her part to facilitate such a shift. Her incorporation of native ingredients with various culinary traditions helps define an everchanging Rio Grande cuisine.

For several mornings after the interview with Frank, I imagined the farmer that grew the corn for the tortillas I ate for breakfast and wondered if he was serenading his field, strolling through the high-spouting tassels; and I wondered if there was a person mixing lime with corn to make the masa. As the husks opened to reveal the tender, inner kernel, I wondered if they remembered the stories of their ancestors.

Red Mesa Cuisine, 505-466-6306, www.redmesacuisine.com

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51

at the chef's table

Frederick Muller

STIRRING THE MELTING POT OF REGIONAL CUISINE IN THE SOUTHWEST

By Tara Lanich-LaBrie ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Truchas Yerba Buena and Frederick Muller in front of the stunning view from El Meze's patio.

A

self-described country boy, Frederick Muller, chef and owner of El Meze in Taos, is anything but provincial. Growing up in Europe and the American South, he honed his culinary skills in the training grounds of the Bay Area before reclaiming his roots in North Carolina, then following the path of chile to regional American cooking here in New Mexico.

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El Meze Restaurant is housed in the restored, nineteenth-century Hacienda Torreon, located on the main road through Taos. Footthick adobe walls hold its storied past, and the view from the patio is likely one of the best in New Mexico. Muller, a food historian and published author, is quick to point out the tactical reasons for the location and design of the rustic compound. He selected this home

with careful consideration, and it is with this same attention to detail that he approaches his menu offerings.

The word meze, Arabic in origin, roughly translates to small-bite dishes or tapas. Muller designed his menu to reflect the variety of influences that comprise the New Mexican regional cuisine, specifically Moorish, Spanish, Mexican, and Aztec. El Meze grew out of Muller’s passion for the exploration and the preservation of the heritage of Northern New Mexico’s unique food culture.

"I like to think of our restaurant like a small restaurant in the country in Europe, where you’d go to eat an item that’s a specialty of the house. Like they’d feature wild boar or rabbit; and that’s kind of how we are."

Muller excuses himself to flip and score the fresh trout he is grilling; Truchas Yerba Buena is El Meze’s signature dish. An inherently New Mexican meal, trout with savory wild mint originated at the Taos Pueblo; Muller has amended it to include preserved lemon and a cilantro sauce by way of North Africa.

"It’s a dish that evolved from nature. I was hiking the Gila Wilderness and there’s trout swimming in the river. Along the banks is growing wild watercress…and wild mint. And I think, 'My God! There’s my dish! In nature!’ And it just dawned on me that’s how the Pueblos got it…from nature. So it is very personal and very important to me."

The menu at El Meze boasts local delicacies affected with Muller’s personal touch, like buffalo short ribs adovada, chicharrones Andalusian style, and frijoles de olla. Menu items preach of rich flavors, and complex combinations abound. Phrases like "swimming in a bowl of green chile" keep the promise of Northern New Mexico, while the buffalo tamale finished with local feta nods to the influence of Old and New Spain.

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Over the last eight years, Muller has noticed a positive change in Taos regarding the availability of local produce and an expanding presence of growers, but he says there’s still a long way to go. Securing a consistent amount of produce on a regular basis has limited what he can do with the local farmers.

"Selling to restaurants is where it’s at! I think it’s profitable for the growers to think large and specific. This is what I really need: I would like you to grow it for me, and grow a lot of it, and I will buy it all."

He continues with a wry smile, asserting, "Farm-to-table is not anything new to me, and I don't throw that in your face. It’s just what good chefs do. If you’re a good chef, it’s what you’ve always been doing."

Muller is an innovator as well as a good chef, looking toward the future of American regional cooking with an eye always on the past, bringing to the table the culinary heritage of the Southwest.

1017 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, 575-751-3337 www.elmeze.com

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at the chef's table

Matt Yohalem

FARMER AND CHEF: PARTNERS IN INNOVATION

By Katherine Mast ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left to right, clockwise: Matt Yohalem shows off his bounty of chanterelles; Matt Yohalem, chef de cuisine Jake Ault and "the mushroom guy" Ras-I discuss the chanterelle delivery; gnocchi with Santa Fe chanterelles; and house-cured New Mexico pork shoulder with roasted beets, greens, and peaches.

A

handful of patrons sit at the bar and at quiet corner tables at Il Piatto on a warm August afternoon, but the restaurant is buzzing. Matt Yohalem pushes through the kitchen door with a plate full of yellow chanterelles in his hands. Two bright strobes and a camera on a tripod point at a central table, where Yohalem places the mushrooms next to an arrangement of breaded squash blossoms nestled beside a platter of red and green peppers—Yohalem’s famed Jimmy Nardellos. "Everything on that table 54

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

is from the Rio Grande Valley" says Yohalem, Il Piatto’s chef and owner. The chanterelles couldn’t be much more fresh, "They arrived just an hour ago," he says.

This access to local abundance has come from two decades of building relationships with local farmers and foragers—seeking out the best and prodding growers to plant new and different vegetables and varieties. More than simple altruism drives his support of local farms."The stronger the farms are, the more they have for me!"

Not long after he moved to Santa Fe from New York and before opening his Italian farmhouse restaurant Il Piatto, Yohalem ran the French Bistro 315, and he stocked up for the restaurant each week at the farmers market. It became part of his reputation, he says; he adapted his menu based on the produce he found that week. "When I’m tied to the ingredients, the menu revolves around what’s available. Then I write a recipe." He teaches his staff to understand the ideas of cooking—to know the ingredients and to learn how they work together—rather than expecting them to perfect particular menus. It gives him the flexibility to be creative on the fly. Then, when a load of chanterelles harvested from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, or a box of delicate squash blossoms hours from the vine, arrives unexpectedly, Yohalem can change up the evening’s offerings and print a fresh menu in minutes.

As if to prove the point, Matt Romero, Yohalem’s long-time collaborator who grows the Jimmy Nardello peppers, walks through the door carrying a box heavy with perfect heads of artichokes. "Picked this afternoon, on the menu tonight!" Romero chuckles. This is the first time that anyone from the region has grown enough artichokes to supply a restaurant, so far as either man knows, and Yohalem is ecstatic—he’s been jonesing for local artichokes for years. "We’re on the age of discovery here!" Yohalem says, and when this farmer-restaurateur relationship hits its stride, there’s incentive for farmers to look to the future, to take some risks and grow new products.

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Yohalem wants to keep pushing the edge of what he can source locally, and what makes up Rio Grande cuisine, because the local food landscape is more than green chiles or posole. "You can do a whole cuisine of foods from this region without doing 'New Mexican,’" he says. Of course, there are onions and piñons, but this summer, there are also an unprecedented harvest of wild mushrooms. Golden chanterelles and meaty boletes have grown abundantly with the plentiful rains. "These are a gem of the region," he says.

95 W Marcy, Santa Fe, 505-984-1091, www.ilpiattosantafe.com

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Throughout the interview, the kitchen door hasn’t stayed shut for long. Romero brings one load of produce after another: heads of purple, yellow, and green cauliflower, a bag bursting with leeks, dozens of round, turgid onions, and fire engine-red Jimmy Nardellos, which are "candy," says Yohalem. This kind of innovation and energy is contagious, he adds. But the opposite is true, too. "If you’re not moving ahead, you’re falling behind," he warns, and that’s something he deeply wants to avoid. "What comes after stagnant? The end."

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To spur the kind of innovation Yohalem would like to see, he says that relationships with growers, and consistency, are key. Chefs have to be reliable in their purchasing, and farmers have to deliver on what they promise. When an unexpected bounty does arrive, Yohalem cans, pickles, and smokes much of the produce that comes through his door, which means he can offer local ingredients long after the growing season has ended.

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55

at the chef's table

Mark Kiffin

LOCAL AGRONOMIES OF SCALE

By Katherine Mast ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Mark Kiffin with chef de cuisine Josh Kalmus and summer tomato salad with heirloom tomatoes from Alcalde.

T

he parking lot behind The Compound on Canyon Road is packed at 2pm on a hot Thursday afternoon. This is a fairly typical summer day at one of Santa Fe’s largest and

most well-known and highly respected restaurants. With indoor, outdoor, and conference room seating, the restaurant’s maximum capacity nears three hundred. It’s been a Santa Fe mainstay for half a

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century, and for the past fifteen years, James Beard Award–winning chef Mark Kiffin has manned the helm.

Every three months, Kiffin changes the restaurant’s extensive menu.

"We’re true to the season," he says, though a few staple dishes remain constant throughout the year. The regular changes keep the work interesting, says Kiffin, who re-imagines the menu, then seeks out the

highest quality ingredients. In the summer months, he can source many of his ingredients nearby, but as the weather cools, it becomes a bigger challenge. "We love to talk 'local,’" Kiffin says of the Santa Fe foodie scene, but for a restaurant that hosts the kind of traffic that The Compound sees, "it’s really hard to do."

In addition, "We need a common definition for 'local,' " says Kiffin.

Does it mean from within your own community? County? State?

Under the 2008 Farm Act, anything produced within a four hundred-mile radius can legally be marketed as a local item. For Santa Fe, four hundred miles extends into Wyoming and Mexico, covers most of Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, and dips deep into Texas and Oklahoma. With a radius that large, the label loses its potency, and Kiffin rejects that kind of broad definition. He settles on a definition that covers only New Mexico.

When Kiffin arrived in Santa Fe in the 1990s to join Mark Miller at Coyote Cafe, Santa Fe’s economy was booming, and many of Santa Fe’s best restaurants worked directly with Elizabeth Berry, an Abiquiu-area farmer who could produce an astonishing volume of amazing produce on a five-acre plot. Kiffin traveled the world, collecting seeds from unusual varieties as he went, and would give the seeds to Berry to grow. It’s a relationship Kiffin remembers fondly —the close-knit partnership between farm and restaurant—but since Berry retired, and Kiffin moved to The Compound, it’s one he has been unable to replicate.

Mostly, it’s an issue of quantity—Kiffin would love to work more closely with regional farmers, but has yet to meet someone who can supply enough, or is willing to allocate their harvest to a single buyer. "I would use everything," says Kiffin, which may sound like an appealing thing, but he knows there are plenty of reasons growers may not be willing to make that commitment. Selling at the farmers markets fetches higher prices and provides some oft-needed face-to-face interaction during the Saturday morning bustle. Selling to various restaurants helps keep a grower’s customer base diverse. And, most of the region’s larger farms are in the Albuquerque area—which has its own ample markets, leaving little incentive to truck produce up La Bajada hill.

So for now, Kiffin sources whatever local tomatoes and onions, green chile and corn, squash, and squash blossoms that he can, and seeks out other direct-from-the-farm ingredients from whomever is producing the very best. His foie gras, for instance, comes from New York’s Hudson Valley. When he travels, which he does regularly, Kiffin takes the flavors of New Mexico with him to share.

He’s proud of what the state produces and enjoys introducing New Mexico’s unique cuisine to other regions. "They don’t have what we have," he says frankly. He just wishes there were more of it, in more quantity and in greater variety. He’d like to make a roster with more regional farmers to fill the kitchen in one of Santa Fe’s finest establishments. "This is about a family," he says. "Let’s get more names on this list!"

653 Canyon, Santa Fe, 505-982-4353, compoundrestaurant.com

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at the chef's table

Florence Jaramillo AND RANCHO DE CHIMAYÓ

By Willy Carleton ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Top left to right: Chimayó cocktail, carne adovada, and Mrs. J.

R

ancho de Chimayó has much to celebrate as it turns fifty years old this October. Over the past half-century, the restaurant has built a large and loyal local following, earned national accolades, and has become an exemplar of quintessential Northern New Mexican cuisine. A new woven rug in the restaurant’s hallway, reading "1965 - 2015: Rancho de Chimayó, A Time-

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less Tradition," marks the festive occasion but only tells one chapter of the story. The restaurant owes its longevity and success not only to its adherence to the region’s culinary heritage, but also to its ability to adjust to changing agricultural economies and cultural tastes.

The secret ingredient to a timeless tradition is an openness to change.

"Just give people good food.

Don’t cheat on the chile."

Florence Jaramillo (or Mrs. J., as she is affectionately known to workers and diners) explains that a large part of the restaurant’s success comes from listening to customers. Whether it has been eliminating lard and wheat from her recipes, adding more vegetarian dishes, or instituting a no-smoking policy, Mrs. J. has adapted to the changing tastes of diners.

The restaurant’s two most popular menu items—the carne adovada and the Chimayó cocktail—illustrate the restaurant’s ability to balance tradition with changes in the agricultural landscape.

The slow-cooked, pork-based carne adovada at Rancho de Chimayó exclusively uses red chile grown in Chimayó. The complex, subtly smoky flavor of the chile imparts a local terroir to the signature dish that chile grown elsewhere can’t quite match. Mrs. J. recalls that when the restaurant first opened, all the chile she used came from local growers. The restaurant has adapted to a changing agricultural economy, and the increased availability of high-quality chile from areas such as Socorro, Lemitar, and Hatch, by including Southern New Mexico chile in most of their dishes. These larger, often meatier chiles have no doubt changed the profile of chile dishes from their counterparts fifty years ago. No matter the chile or where it was grown, however, Mrs. J. insists on the highest quality and explains the success of her restaurant with a simple dictum: "Just give people good food. Don’t cheat on the chile."

In addition to its iconic chiles, Chimayó has a rich apple-growing history that has shaped the menu of the restaurant. When the doors of Rancho de Chimayó first opened for business, Northern New Mexico produced more apples than any other region of the state. Local producers organized an apple cooperative in Chimayó that included a commercial cider press. In a creative use of the local abundance, the restaurant invented a refreshing cider-andtequila-based cocktail that quickly gained local, and eventually even national, popularity. Other local restaurants—and even a few non-local ones (TGI Fridays among them)—have since developed their own versions of the drink.

When Arturo and Florence Jaramillo conceived the idea for opening a restaurant in the mid-1960s, they envisioned a "living history" dining experience that would harken back the old ways of Northern New Mexico with traditionally prepared meals based on recipes handed down by Mr. Jaramillo’s grandmother. The restaurant still bases its menu on those old recipes, but the original vision has continually morphed to create a far more dynamic destination. Rancho de Chimayó has helped define the cuisine of Northern New Mexico for half a century not only by embracing old regional culinary traditions, but also by creating a few new ones along the way.

300 Juan Medina, Chimayó, 505 351-4444 www.ranchodechimayo.com

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59

Quintessential New Mexico THE GREEN CHILE CHEESEBURGER SMACKDOWN

By Stephanie Cameron

O

n September 10, 2015, eight of Santa Fe's finest chefs competed in the third annual Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown.

Two innovative iterations of the green chile cheeseburger took home top honors: Bang Bite Filling Station won the Judge's Award to become the Reigning Chomp, and Agave Lounge at the Eldorado Hotel and Spa won the People's Choice Award.

The community event showcased Santa Fe as the capital of the green chile cheeseburger. The competition this year was open to any willing Santa Fe county restaurant. Next year, the event's organizer, edible Santa Fe, plans to open the competition state-wide, but keep the Smackdown's home in Santa Fe to celebrate the culinary capital.

Enrique Guerrero, owner of Bang Bite said, "We are thankful for this super great exposure. In our heart of hearts, we know that we are lucky and blessed. When you serve a style of cuisine that is so well-represented in this country, and especially in Santa Fe, you can’t help but feel like an underdog at times, especially if you are a food truck. You find yourself taking the road less traveled and you hope that it pays off in the end.

You bear down, keep the bar high, and try to make universally delicious food. And you hope that when all is said and done, that is all that will matter. This is the moment that affirms the idealism that I built this establishment on."

Anthony Smith, executive chef at Agave Lounge said, "Myself and the young guns had a great green chile night! We are honored to be selected as the People's Choice for 2015!"

Above: Eddy, Enrique, and Danny of Bang Bite crowned the Reinging Chomp.

James Forbes, sous chef, Kayleen Pacheco, cook, and Anthony Smith, executive chef of Agave Lounge at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, take home the People's Choice Award.

Photos by Melanie West Photography.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

Edible thanks all our supporters, attendees, volunteers, partners, Sante Fe Tourism, and the countless others who helped make this event a success. Especially, we want to thank all the restaurants and chefs for their efforts in showcasing the green chile cheeseburger. Without them, we wouldn’t have a reason to celebrate.

Fall Into Waterwise Habits City of Santa Fe Water Conservation Office CONSERVE • EDUCATE • LEAD

Saving Water is Always in Season Santa Fe Water Conservation Office

It’s important to remember that cooler weather means your outdoor landscaping requires less water. As the days shorten, so should your watering time. Include water conservation as part of your regular winterizing routine every fall. Be sure to turn off your irrigation systems by November 1st so you can conserve water, reduce water bills, and avoid the unwelcomed surprise of broken pipes. Together, let’s help to conserve our precious natural resource. For more waterwise winterizing tips visit www.savewatersantafe.com.

Save Water Santa Fe

(505) 955-4225 • www.savewatersantafe.com WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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The Burger Roundup Edible asked each Smackdown finalist about their philosophy and style in the kitchen. Below are their responses. #ediblesmackdown

"My style in the kitchen is to serve what I like to eat. I taste recipes back home [in Mexico] and I try to put my memory into the food that I have had before and then I apply it to some of the food we have here on the truck. It’s based on memories."

- Enrique Guerrero, Bang Bite Filling Station Instagram @bangbitesf

"I like to keep it fresh and not over complicate the food, make sure we season well, and that everyone in our kitchen loves what we do. We just want to keep it fresh and simple."

- Anthony Smith, Agave Lounge at Eldorado Hotel & Spa Twitter @AgaveLoungeNM 62

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

"My philosophy in the kitchen, first and foremost, is to cook with love and passion. Secondly, it’s about having fun. And above all else, to keep the guests in the front of our minds at all times."

- Marc Quiñones, Living Room at Inn and Spa at Loretto Instagram @chefmq

"My philosophy in the kitchen is to find the best ingredients we can. We work with as many regional ingredients and source locally whenever we can."

- Juan Bochenski, Anasazi Restaurant, Bar and Lounge Twitter @RWInnofAnasazi

WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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"Keep it in the region, keep it in the season, and do something artisanal with the food, that is what my philosophy is all about. Know where your food comes from, know the season you're buying in, and be able to do something fun and creative with it." - Andrew Cooper, Terra Restaurant at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado Instagram @chefandrewcooper

"I am a fourth-generation native of Santa Fe. We serve four-generation-old recipes. We are not an upscale restaurant, but we serve an eighty percent local menu. My philosophy in the kitchen is nothing pre-made, everything made-to-order."

- Cindy Barreras, Caffe Greco Twitter @CaffeGrecoSF

"I believe in making the best food—blending what I think is the most delicious from the South with what Santa Feans think of as delicious. I want a team environment where people get along, take care of each other, and have fun."

"In my kitchen, it’s all about discipline and fresh-as-possible ingredients. We have a farm on Pojoaque Pueblo delivering us a lot of our ingredients.

My style in the the kitchen is collaborative and cooperative—everybody brings something to the table."

- Milton Villarrubia, Second Street Brewery Instagram @mjv3music

- Thomas Hartwell, Red Sage at Buffalo Thunder Twitter @buffalothunder All burger and chef photos by Stephanie Cameron.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

Farmers • Families • Communities

" "

Potatoes require a lot of work. But, when you are used to the work it isn’t that hard."

Las papas necesitan mucho trabajo. Pero, cuando est ás acostumbrado al trabajo no es tan difícil."

Photo and caption by Augustin Orozco, El Guique Farm Photo courtesy of Farm toThe Frame,Bavarian a project of dining La Familiaroom Medical Center

Bring the Harvest Home WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM www.FarmersMarketsNM.org 65

EL MORRO , NEW MEXICO

COME EXPERIENCE AN ENCHANTING GETAWAY WILD SPIRIT WOLF SANCTUARY 505-775-3304, info@wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org Daily Tours 11-3:30 pm, Tuesday - Sunday wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org • Find us on Facebook Lodging, food available, feeding tours.

WILD SPIRITS ANNUAL HOWL-O-WEEN PARTY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 - 11AM-10PM PUMPKIN TOSS- SPOOKY TOUR- BONFIRE

edible notables GALISTEO STUDIO TOUR 2015 Hit the road in Northern New Mexico and head to the historic village of Galisteo and just up the hill to Ranchitos de Galisteo.

On October 17 and 18, twenty-seven local artisans will open their private studios and share their expertise. Tours begin at the Pre-

drink not currently being served in Santa Fe. The Sage Inn plans to leverage their locale adjacent to the railyard, and develop what they believe will be a hip and fun bar and patio that will also serve the local market.

Derailed will support local farmers market vendors and combine stylish fusion with

view Gallery in La Sala de Galisteo, where

American comfort foods.

a piece from each artist will be on display.

The drink menu will include some of Santa

This restored 1899 dancehall historically

Fe and New Mexico’s most delicious tap

hosted weddings, funerals, and social clubs.

beers, popular and reasonably priced vari-

Three food stops—Santa Fe Street Food In-

etal wines, a wide selection of margarita’s

stitute food truck bites, fresh wraps at Tan-

featuring one hundred percent blue agave

ya’s Treats, and Nuevo Green Chile Stew at

tequilas, and a fun selection of classic cock-

the Galisteo Community Center ensure all

tails which local mixologist Natalie Bovis

visitors will have what it takes to make the

helped to develop.

full circuit. The Galisteo Creek is running,

The bar has an industrial feel made of wood

the cottonwoods are bright yellow, and the vibe is sure welcoming! www.galsiteostudiotour.org

and iron railing and the patio and portal have ample outdoor seating areas which include semi-private fire pits to provide warmth and ambience under the beautiful evening skies.

The Sage Inn & Suites looks forward to sharing Derailed with all of Santa Fe. 725 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-982-5952 www.santafesageinn.com

ANCIENT WAY CAFE & EL MORRO RV PARK AND CABINS 505-783-4612, elmorrorv@gmail.com www.elmorro-nm.com Visit our Website for Monthly Dinner Menu Creative Casual Cuisine. Hike El Morro National Monument, Local Art at the Old School Gallery.

CABIN AND DINNER FOR TWO $110 INCLUDE A WOLF FEEDING AND TOUR $65

Photo courtesy of Galisteo Studio Tour.

DERAILED OPENS AT THE SANTA FE SAGE INN & SUITES Santa Fe Sage Inn & Suites is locally owned and operated in a premier setting and is one of Santa Fe’s largest hotels. They are pleased to announce their new bar, De-

A CENTER FOR WELLNESS

505-783-4039, waveridersheal@yahoo.com redwulf.dancingbare@facebook.com www.waveridersoftheancientway.com Sessions, Workshops, and Retreats. Come Quiet your Mind & Rejuvenate your Spirit.

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Nestled among the pines at the base of San Lorenzo Mesa. edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

railed, and to invite all of Santa Fe and its visitors to come visit. The initial concept for Derailed was to offer guests and locals an additional amenity that would enhance Santa Fe experience.

As Derailed developed, opportunity emerged to create a unique and playful food and

Photo courtesy of Santa Fe Sage Inn & Suites.

ALBUQUERQUE eat local guide

MIUM PRE

Authentic

LO

Delicious

CA

L LY S O U R

D

EAT LOCAL GUIDE CE

New Mexico has its own unique food traditions —from Hatch to Chimayó—and we’d like to help you find some of the area restaurants and chefs that create the distinctively New Mexico dining experience. Restaurants are chosen for this dining guide because of their emphasis on using local, seasonal ingredients in their menus and their commitment to real food.

Support these restaurants, and support local food communities.

colombian bistro

now open

tuesday-saturday 11am-8pm

3216 Silver SE, Albuquerque 505-266-2305, www.ajiacobistro.com Ajiaco’s varied Colombian cuisine is influenced by a diverse flora and fauna found around Colombia.

Cultural traditions of different Colombian ethnic groups play a roll in our choice of ingredients.

The

2929 Monte Vista NE, Albuquerque 505-554-1967, www.amoreabq.com New Mexico's only certified authentic, handcrafted, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Handmade mozzarella, dessert pizzas, local beers, Italian wines. Casual atmosphere and rooftop patio.

Brew by

villa myriam

311 Gold SW, Albuquerque 505-814-1599, www.villamyriam.com Family owned from farm to cup, we are steeped in three generations of coffee excellence.

8917 4th NW, Albuquerque 505-503-7124, www.farmandtablenm.com A wonderful dining experience! Enjoy delectable seasonal dishes created from scratch, sourced from local farmers and our beautiful on-site farm.

5 5901 Wyoming NE, Albuquerque NEW: 1710 Central SW, Albuquerque 505-821-1909, www.5starburgers.com

300 Broadway NE, Albuquerque 505-265-4933, www.hartfordsq.com

Fresh beef, free of hormones or antibiotics. Best burger in New Mexico says USA TODAY. A wide selection of sandwiches, salads, a kid’s menu, beer and wine. Happy hour 4 - 6 every day.

Our seasonal menu features local ingredients and changes weekly—enjoy the variety! Breakfast, lunch, and dinners-to-go. Sunday Brunch. Specialty coffee. Wonderful baked goods. Catering.

125 Second NW, Albuquerque 505-923-9080, www.hotelandaluz.com A culinary creation by Chef James Campbell Caruso, MÁS offers a fresh reinvention of traditional Spanish cuisine located in one of Albuquerque’s most iconic spaces, Hotel Andaluz.

4003 Carlisle NE, Albuquerque 505-884-3625, www.nmpiecompany.com Handmade sweet and savory pies with an emphasis on simple, pure flavors, and premium ingredients. Locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks compliment our pies.

Order your holiday pies now.

4803 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque 505-344-9297, www.lospoblanos.com Rooted in organic ingredients from our own farm and the Rio Grande Valley region. Join us at La Merienda, Wed-Sun 6 - 9pm, by reservation only.

1403 Girard NE, Albuquerque 505-792-1700, www.piatanzi.com Our fabulous small plate Italian creations are crafted from the finest, freshest ingredients; organic, farm-raised, and locally sourced.

Featuring a beer and wine bar.

WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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ALBUQUERQUE

10601 Montgomery NE, Albuquerque 505-294-9463, www.savoyabq.com

2031 Mountain NW, Albuquerque 505-766-5100, www.seasonsabq.com

California wine country in the Northeast Heights.

Farm-to-table dining from the area's best farms.

Wine tastings and happy hour.

Oak fired grill, local ingredients, and the best patio dining Old Town has to offer!

600 Central SE, Albuquerque 505-248-9800, www.thegrovecafemarket.com The Grove features a bustling cafĂŠ experience serving breakfast, brunch and lunch. Local, seasonal, organic foods, Intelligentsia coffee and tea, beer, wine and signature sweets.

2933 Monte Vista NE, Albuquerque 505-433-2795, theshopbreakfastandlunch.com Come in for breakfast or lunch, creative American classics with Latin and creole influences, made from local and organic ingredients.

109 Gold, Albuquerque 505-244-3344, www.soulandvine.com Come experience traditional American-style tapas.

We serve beautiful wines and local craft beers.

We invite you to fall in love with our ambiance, food, drink, and staff. Cheers!

88 Louisiana SE, Albuquerque 505-268-0206, www.talinmarket.com Talin T-Bar Traditional flavors Made quickly and with love Ramen. Friday/Saturday: Dumplings!

TRIFECTA COFFEE COMPANY

413 Montano NE, Albuquerque 505-803-7579, www.trifectacoffeecompany.com

1828 Central SW, Albuquerque, 505-842-5507 www.vinaigretteonline.com

Coffee Bar, Roastery and, Baked Goods.

Open 7 days a week. Monday thru Friday, 6:30am 6pm. Saturday, 7am - 4pm. Sunday, 10am – 2pm.

Our salad-centric philosophy focuses on bold flavor combinations and savory proteins to compliment a huge variety of organic greens.

LOS LUNAS

3423 Central NE, Albuquerque 505-255-8226, www.zacatecastacos.com Zacatecas features recipes handed down from generation to generation with flavors that are true to the history and culture of Mexico.

Zacatecas is a real taqueria.

PLACITAS

Creative Casual Cuisine

3009 Central NE, Albuquerque 505-254-9462, www.zincabq.com

5 Thomas, Los Lunas 505-866-1936, www.greenhousebistro.com

A three level bistro featuring contemporary cuisine with a French flair. Dinner daily, weekend brunch, fabulous cocktails, and tasty bar bites!

Good food always puts you in a good mood!

Fresh, seasonal ingredients provide the basis for a meal that promotes healthy living.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

221 Highway 165, Placitas 505-771-0695, www.bladesbistro.com Chef and owner Kevin Bladegroen brings together fine and fresh ingredients, artistic vision, and European flair in every dish. Sunday brunch, fabulous cocktails, and an award-winning wine list.

SANTA FE

A NA SAZ I RESTAURANT 622 St. Michaels, Santa Fe 505-438-1163, www.agniayurveda.com

113 Washington, Santa Fe 505-988-3236, www.rosewoodhotels.com

502 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe 505-469-2345, www.bangbitesf.com

Our mission at Agni Ayurveda is to help you attain exceptional health of mind, body, and spirit through ancient Ayurvedic treatments, cooking classes, and diet & lifestyle consultation.

The recently redesigned restaurant and bar celebrates the creative spirit of Santa Fe with a new chic, sophisticated design that complements the buildings’s legendary architecture. Featuring Southwestern cuisine with regional Latin influences.

Fresh. Local. Tasty.

A bunch of food enthusiasts obsessed with serving the very best crafted food we can get and delivering it the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

4056 Cerrillos, Santa Fe 505-438-1800, www.bluecornbrewery.com

233 Canyon Road, Santa Fe 505-820-7996, www.caffegrecosantafe.com

725 Cerrillos, Santa Fe 505-982-5952, www.santafesageinn.com

A local favorite since 1997!

Featuring award-winning, handcrafted beers brewed on location. Northern New Mexican cuisine and contemporary comfort food highlighting local, sustainable ingredients.

Caffe Greco is nestled on the first block of historic Canyon Road boasting a beautiful patio, authentic New Mexican cuisine, sandwiches, salads, Lavazza coffee drinks, and winner of Local Flavor's reader's choice best Frito pie.

Drink. Dine. Unwind. Featuring American comfort food to stylish fusion cuisine that honors farmers market seasonal goods. Sip cocktails inspired by local spirits, popular wine varietals or a cold craft beer on the patio.

5

Kitchen Bakery & Butcher Shop

2860 Cerrillos, Santa Fe 505-471-0043, www.drfieldgoods.com Mouth-watering creative daily specials, locally sourced produce, house-made sausages and meats butchered daily, rotating selection of fifteen beers on tap, hand-muddled sake cocktails, executive chef owned and operated.

95 West Marcy, Santa Fe 505-984-1091, www.ilpiattosantafe.com A local favorite since 1996, boasting an authentic Italian farmhouse experience, sourcing its ingredients directly from local farms, dairies, and ranches. Extensive wine list.

604 North Guadalupe, Santa Fe 505-983-8977, www.5starburgers.com 222 North Guadalupe, Santa Fe 505-954-1635, fireandhopsgastropub.com Upscale pub food in a casual setting. Eleven craft beers on tap, select wines, and artisanal ciders.

500 Sandoval, Santa Fe 505-466-1391, www.infiernosantafe.com Great food, unique wine list, international beers on draft, patio seating, late night dinning, happy hour—come see why Infierno is the place to be.

Fresh beef, free of hormones or antibiotics. Best burger in New Mexico says USA TODAY. A wide selection of sandwiches, salads, a kid’s menu, beer, and wine. Happy hour 4 - 6 every day.

428 Agua Fria, Santa Fe 505-982-1272, www.josephsofsantafe.com Joseph's is the latest incarnation of Chef Joseph Wrede's mission to bring together the finest ingredients, artistic vision, and delightful, surprising flavor to every dish.

WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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SANTA FE

CAFFÉ BAR TRATTORIA

125 E Palace, Santa Fe 505-988-5232, www.lacasasena.com

100 E San Francisco, Santa Fe 505-982-5511, www.lafondasantafe.com

228 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe 505-989-1904, www.mangiamopronto.com

A local favorite for over thirty years!

Chef Gharrity features New American West cuisine infused with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients.

We also feature an award-winning wine list.

Showcasing contemporary interpretations of old favorites with New World influences and classic New Mexican cuisine, accompanied by an awardwinning wine list.

Enjoy fresh, authentic, Italian street food; house-made gelato; Lavazza espresso; and wine & beer all day long on our beautiful sidewalk patio.

637 Cerrillos, Santa Fe 505-930-5462, www.moderngeneralnm.com Modern General’s café offers simple organic breakfast items, pastries, and cold-pressed juice and smoothie options.

505 Cerrillos and 1098 South St. Francis, Santa Fe 505-982-9692, www.ohoriscoffee.com The original specialty, local micro-roasted coffee source since 1984. Along with our fresh beans, we serve espresso, pour-over, teas, pastries, donuts, burritos, chocolates, and more.

548 Agua Fria Street, Santa Fe 505-930-5325, www.radishandrye.com Farm inspired cuisine: simple yet innovative food and drinks sourced locally whenever possible. We work closely with local farmers and ranchers to build our menu.

414 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe 505-955-0765, www.riochamasteakhouse.com

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815 Early, Santa Fe 505-989-1288, www.rasajuice.com

20 Buffalo Thunder, Santa Fe 505-819-2056, www.buffalothunderresort.com

An organic juice bar and café committed to offering delicious plant-based foods, cold pressed juices, and innovative cleansing and detox programs.

Red Sage at Buffalo Thunder is perfect for your next romantic night out. Fare rotates seasonally. Enjoy the extensive wine list.

505 Cerrillos, Santa Fe 505-780-5073, www.talinmarket.com

653 Canyon Road, Santa Fe 505-982-4353, www.compoundrestaurant.com

Talin T-Bar Traditional flavors Made quickly and with love Ramen. Monday: Dumplings!

The Compound Restaurant has a heritage rich in history and regional influences. Chef Mark Kiffin continues to preserve a landmark tradition of elegant food and service at his Canyon Road institution.

edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

A "home away from home" for both locals and visitors.

Chef Blankenship features innovated classics on American cuisine with New Mexican influences. Offering the best prime rib, burgers and fondue in town. Our patio is one of Santa Fe’s most popular and inviting patios.

709 Don Cubero Alley, Santa Fe, 505-820-9205 www.vinaigretteonline.com Our salad-centric philosophy focuses on bold flavor combinations and savory proteins to compliment a huge variety of organic greens.

TAOS

5 124 F Bent Street, Taos 575-758-0606 THE BEST COFFEE IN TAOS! Fair trade, organic espresso, chai frappes, smoothies, gelato, and pastries. Featuring the only ROCKBAR ever! Come on in and drop a rock in YOUR drink!

125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos 575-758-1977, www.taosinn.com Serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Patio dining, fresh local foods, award-wining wines, and margaritas. Try our signature chile rellenos.

1032 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos 575-758-8484, www.5starburgers.com Fresh beef, free of hormones or antibiotics. Best burger in New Mexico says USA TODAY. A wide selection of sandwiches, salads, a kid’s menu, beer, and wine. Happy hour 4 - 6 every day.

TAOS DINER I & II TAOS, NEW MEXICO

103 E Taos Plaza, Taos 575-758-1994, www.parcht.com

908 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, 575-758-2374 216 B Paseo del Pueblo Sur, 575-751-1989 www.taosdinner.com

103 E Taos Plaza, Taos 575-758-8866, www.thegorgebarandgrill.com

/pärCHt/= the physical condition resulting from the need to drink wine, eat good food, and shop…in Taos.

Home to New Mexican and American homemade, homegrown, and organic breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Gluten-free choices. Beer and wine.

Our menu is straightforward yet eclectic, and chock full of favorites made from scratch using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible.

NO M I NAT E YOU R M O S T L OV E D , FA R M ER , R ES TAUR A NT, CHEF, FO O D A RTI SA N, FO O D TRUCK , FO O D O RGA NI ZATI ON, FO O D R ETA I LER , B EV ER AG E A RTI SA N, FO O D WR I TER, a nd LO CA L FO O D HERO FO R A N E D I B L E SA N TA F E L O C A L H E RO AWA R D .

Nominations must be made by October 15, voting opens November 1!

ediblesantafe.com/localhero WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM

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last bite MEZCALITA DE GREEN CHILE AND PIÑA Recipe by Enrique Guerrero Serves 4 1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch slices 2 roasted green chiles, peeled and sliced in small chunks 3 fresh tomatillos, peeled and roughly chopped 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 2 3/4 cups mezcal* or tequila 3/4 cup fresh lime juice 1 1/2 cups agave syrup Red or green chile salt Heat a nonstick grill pan over high heat, or heat your outdoor grill to high. Place the pineapple slices flat on the grill, and cook, flipping once, until charred on both sides, about 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Blend well half of the grilled pineapple, tomatillo, lime juice, agave syrup, and mezcal, about 1 minute. Add remaining pineapple, green chile, and cilantro to a 2-quart pitcher. Use a muddler or wooden spoon to crush fruit and herbs. Fill with ice, and then add puree. Stir well and pour into glasses filled with ice and rimmed with chile salt. Enjoy. * Mezcal is better with this recipe. It adds a smoked flavor that pairs perfectly with the roasted green chile and the pineapple.

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edible Santa Fe | FALL 2015

In the past two years, it has been an honor to be chosen as “BEST FOOD ESTABLISHMENT” by so many great magazines and media outlets: Best Food Truck 2014 / 2015 in SF by The Reporter, Ten Best Dishes in Santa Fe by Local Flavor, Ten Best Restaurants or Food Establishments in SF by The Reporter, Best Food Truck Local Hero by edible magazine, and Ten Best Places for Lunch in Santa Fe by USA TODAY. With so many great and popular new food establishments, we didn’t even let the possibility of recognition concern us, we just kept doing our thing—exercising high standards and a commitment to quality to create something delicious between two slices of pillowy soft bun that anyone can enjoy.

cuisine that is so well-represented in this country, and especially in Santa Fe, you can’t help but feel like an underdog at times, especially if you are a food truck. You find yourself taking the road less traveled and you hope that it pays off in the end. You bear down, keep the bar high, and try to make universally delicious food. And you hope when all is said and done, it all will matter. This is the moment that affirms all the idealism that I built this establishment on. My staff and I are humbled and grateful. We will continue to do what we do, and strive to maintain this ideal. Recognition aside, we will always push ourselves to be the best food truck in Santa Fe. Thank you all.

We are thankful for this super exposure. In our heart of hearts, we know that we were so lucky and blessed. When you serve a style of

E

502 OLD SANTA FE TRAIL • 505-469-2345 • BANGBITESF.COM

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Contact the Wealth Management & Trust department at 505.992.2403 or

Trusted financial advice that has spanned generations Backed by over 145 years of strength and stability, First National’s Wealth Management & Trust department provides expert guidance in identifying the best strategies to build, protect, and preserve your wealth.

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