Late Summer 2022: Borderlands

edible NEW MEXICO

®

THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

Borderlands

ISSUE 80 · LATE SUMMER JULY / AUGUST 2022

FARM INSPIRED CUISINE

Proud recipient of EDIBLE'S LOCAL HERO AWARD Best Restaurant 2016 Best Cocktail Program 2018 Best Bartender 2020 and this year. . .

BEST CHEF 2022!

Thank you for your support!

505 CERRILLOS, SANTA FE ra d i s h a n d rye . com

505 . 930 . 5325

Late Summer

What's in season. Photo by Anjelika Gretskaia.

JULY / AUGUST 2022 DEPARTMENTS 2

GRIST FOR THE MILL

By Willy Carleton and Briana Olson

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CONTRIBUTORS

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LOCAL HEROES 2022 Local Heroes and Planty Sweet, Dru Ruebush, Squash Blossom Local Food, and Tikka Spice Food Truck

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TOUCH AND GROW Harvesting Hornworms by Marisa Thompson

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WILD THING

Making Connections through the Rio Grande and DIY Bitter Liqueurs by Stephanie Cameron

76 LOCAL SOURCE GUIDE AND EAT & DRINK LOCAL GUIDE

NEW MEXICO

®

THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

88 LAST BITE

Barrigas Mexican Food MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

BACK OF THE HOUSE

62 REMEMBERING THE CHICHARRONES

Cruces or Die: Sipping Neat with Dry Point Distillers by Briana Olson

edible

Is Plastic Waste the Cost of Eating? by Emily Payne and Danielle Nierenberg

FEATURES

FERMENTI'S PARADOX

ON THE COVER

80 EDIBLE COMMUNITIES SIGNATURE SECTION

On the Road to Recovery: Gould’s Turkey

by Katie DeLorenzo Seafood & Metal by Israel Holtzeimer

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48 AT THE TABLE & COOKING FRESH

Borderlands

ISSUE 80 · LATE SUMMER JULY / AUGUST 2022

Esquites with Mexican white corn at Elemi in El Paso, Texas.

Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

by Denise Chávez

70 BUILDING A BETTER REMOTE FOOD SYSTEM

by Jennifer C. Olson EDIBLENM.COM

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GRIST FOR THE MILL

Borderlands “To those who would legislate and erect walls and borders, our tracks and paths are long here, and they will remain,” declares Denise Chávez in these pages. “Footsteps twenty-three thousand years old have been found and documented at nearby White Sands, New Mexico, and so the migratory travelers through El Paso del Norte will continue to seek their homeland.”

The borderlands we inhabit are not demarcated neatly by lines on maps. They have long been a place of movement, a place of mixing, a place of deep roots. They are a homeplace and a center, and central to this homeplace is food. This issue of edible offers a small testament to the ways food roots us, even as it crosses, as it always has, unlegislatable terrain.

PUBLISHERS Bite Size Media, LLC Stephanie and Walt Cameron

EDITORS Willy Carleton and Briana Olson

COPY EDITORS Marie Landau and Margaret Marti

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Stephanie Cameron

PHOTO EDITOR Stephanie Cameron

EVENT COORDINATOR Natalie Donnelly

VIDEO PRODUCER Walt Cameron

We follow the tracks of the recovering Gould’s turkey across our state’s bootheel and northern Chihuahua; we learn how to make bitter liqueurs at a gathering near the headwaters of the Rio Grande, across our state’s northern border; and we explore a promising food hub linking farmers with markets throughout southwestern New Mexico. We talk blue corn bourbon and agave spirits with a Las Cruces distiller and visit a seafood restaurant in Juárez whose chef and bartender have toured eastern Europe playing heavy metal.

Not least, guided by Chávez and her ties to the region, we trace the stories behind El Paso’s famed Elemi.

SALES AND MARKETING

Whatever your position in relation to the borderlands, we hope these stories deepen your thinking on the tapestry of footsteps and foodways that connect us.

Mailing Address: 3301-R Coors Boulevard NW #152, Albuquerque, NM 87120 info@ediblenm.com ediblenm.com

Kate Collins, Melinda Esquibel, Gina Riccobono, and Karen Wine

PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Cristina Grumblatt

CONTACT US

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EDIBLENM.COM We welcome your letters.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

Life’s better when you share it with friends — Good Memories, Great Wine.

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CONTRIBUTORS STEPHANIE CAMERON Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. Cameron is the art director, head photographer, recipe tester, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico and The Bite.

DENISE CHÁVEZ Denise Chávez is a fronteriza writer, bookseller, and activist from Las Cruces. She is the founder of Libros Para El Viaje / Books for the Journey, an ongoing refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeker book-donation initiative, and the owner of Casa Camino Real Bookstore in Las Cruces. Chávez is the author of The King and Queen of Comezón; A Taco Testimony: Meditations on Family, Food and Culture; Loving Pedro Infante; Face of An Angel; and The Last of the Menu Girls, among other works. She and her husband, Daniel Zolinsky, are working on a long-term project, Museo de La Gente / Museum of the People, an archival resource center celebrating the Borderland in art, culture, literature, food, and music, in the Mesquite Historic District on El Camino Real.

Chávez is the winner of the American Book Award and the New Mexico Governor’s Award in Literature. Recently, she received the BIPOC Bookseller Award in Activism, given by Duende District and The Word to a national bookseller who goes above and beyond to advocate for Black and Brown booksellers and literary representation in their stores and communities.

WILLY CARLETON Willy Carleton is the co-editor of edible New Mexico and The Bite. He is the author of Fruit, Fiber, and Fire: A History of Modern Agriculture in New Mexico, which explores the cultural and environmental history of apples, cotton, and chiles in our region.

KATIE DELORENZO A hunter, conservationist, passionate home cook, and the western regional manager for conservation group Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Katie DeLorenzo’s free time is spent exploring our wild public lands and waters, mentoring new hunters, and sharing the gospel of an outdoor lifestyle.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

ISRAEL HOLTZEIMER Israel Holtzeimer is the author of the novels Artemisa café and Balada de los ángeles caídos.

He is currently the senior editor of Rio Grande Review, a bilingual journal published by the University of Texas, and contributes to newspapers and literary magazines in Mexico and the United States.

BRIANA OLSON Briana Olson is a writer and the co-editor of edible New Mexico and The Bite. She was the lead editor for the 2019 and 2021 editions of The New Farmer’s Almanac.

JENNIFER C. OLSON Having grown up working and playing in her family’s orchard in the Mimbres River Valley, Jennifer C. Olson made a childhood vow to never eat store-bought apples. What she meant was “Eat local whenever possible.” When the family moved on from the year-round responsibility of tending 950 trees, she began relying on other means of acquiring produce grown close to home. The Frontier Food Hub is one of those avenues.

MARISA THOMPSON Marisa Thompson is New Mexico State University’s extension urban horticulture specialist. In addition to landscape mulches and tomatoes, her research interests include abiotic plant stressors like wind, cold, heat, drought, and soil compaction. She writes a weekly gardening column, Southwest Yard & Garden, which is published in newspapers and magazines across the state. Readers can access the column archives and other hort-related resources at desertblooms.nmsu.edu. Find her on social media @NMdesertblooms.

Wine Director

Kristina Hayden Bustamante

lunch • dinner bar • patios

Come celebrate this “Highest Distinction” with us!

CompoundRestaurant.com 505.982.4353 653 Canyon Road Santa Fe

photo: Gabriella Marks

EDIBLENM.COM

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LOCAL HEROES

C

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TO OUR 2022 LOCAL HEROES

a t

s

An edible Local Hero is an exceptional individual, business, or organization making a positive impact on New Mexico's food systems. These honorees nurture our communities through food, service, and socially and environmentally sustainable business practices. Edible New Mexico readers nominate and vote for their favorite local chefs, growers, artisans, advocates, and other food professionals in two dozen categories. (Winners of the Olla and Spotlight awards are nominated by readers and selected by the edible team.) In each issue of edible, we feature interviews with a handful of the winners, allowing us to get better acquainted with them and the important work they do. Please join us in thanking these Local Heroes for being at the forefront of New Mexico's local food movement.

RESTAURANT

w

Photo by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers.

Albuquerque M’Tucci’s Restaurants Santa Fe Paloma y

q Photo by Lara Manzanares.

Greater New Mexico Blades' Bistro, Placitas

Albuquerque Ray Naranjo, Manko (formerly of Indian Pueblo Kitchen) w

FARM/RANCH Central New Mexico Matt's Mushroom Farm, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Northern New Mexico Shepherd's Lamb, Tierra Amarilla q

y Photo by Douglas Merriam. t

CHEF

BEVERAGE ARTISAN

Santa Fe Dru Ruebush, e Radish & Rye Greater New Mexico Kelly Torres, r Black Bird Saloon, Los Cerrillos

BEVERAGE ARTISAN

Beer Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe Wine Vivác Winery, Dixon t

Spirits Safe House Distilling, Albuquerque u

MIXOLOGIST

Sam Coca, Bar Castañeda, Las Vegas 6

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

e r

u

Non-Alcoholic Zendo, Albuquerque

AN ICONIC SANTA FE L ANDMARK, RE-IMAGINED Savor elevated Southwestern cuisine at SkyFire, the signature restaurant of Bishop’s Lodge.

Embark on a sunrise horseback ride overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range.

Engage in playful al fresco art classes with renowned local artists.

Curate an intimate celebration with loved ones in our charming event garden.

EDIBLENM.COM aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge | 1.888.741.0480 | bl.reservations@aubergeresorts.com 7

LOCAL HEROES

C

o

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TO OUR 2022 LOCAL HEROES

a t

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SPECIALTY GROCER

BAKER/BAKERY

GASTROPUB

SUSTAINABILITY: WASTE REDUCTION

tiny grocer ABQ, i Albuquerque

Planty Sweet, Albuquerque

The Skillet, Las Vegas o

The Grove Cafe & Market, d Albuquerque

FOOD TRUCK

Tikka Spice Food Truck, Albuquerque

a CAFÉ

Iconik Coffee Roasters, a Santa Fe

FOOD ARTISAN

Wild Leaven Bakery, s Taos and Santa Fe

i NONPROFIT

YouthWorks Social Justice Kitchen, Santa Fe

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INNOVATOR: FOOD JUSTICE

OLLA AWARD

Christina Keibler, New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association

Squash Blossom Local Food, Santa Fe

SPOTLIGHT AWARD: FRONT OF HOUSE

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Kristina Hayden Bustamante, Wine Director, The Compound Restaurant

SPOTLIGHT AWARD: BACK OF HOUSE

Photo by Douglas Merriam.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

o

Djuna Benjamin, Production Manager, Vara Winery & Distillery

home

kitchen

provisions

gifts

books

vintage

219 W San Francisco Street in Santa Fe next to the Lensic www.blackdiamondcurio.com

LOCAL HEROES

PLANTY SWEET BAKER/BAKERY

AN INTERVIEW WITH KARINA CAKE, OWNER AND CHEF Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Karina Cake, owner of Planty Sweet.

Planty Sweet is Albuquerque’s first 100 percent vegan and gluten-free cakery. They specialize in beautifully crafted cakes, Bundt cakes, and cheesecakes that one would never guess are vegan and gluten free.

Planty Sweet’s goal is to create desserts that will not only fix a sweet tooth but be an experience on their own!

Talk about your journey to a plant-based diet.

I turned vegetarian during my first year in college, when I read all about the detrimental effects of factory farming on our environment as well as our health. I was also studying botany and ecology at that time, so it all came together for me. I was fascinated with our biodiversity, and wanted to do my part to not destroy it.

Being vegetarian in the mid-2000s was still not a norm—I had to cook some of my own food since the usual broke college student 10

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

fast-food lunches were no longer an option for me. I naturally found joy reading vegetarian recipe books, and discovering different vegetables and legumes. Strangely, I developed cravings for spicy food after going vegetarian. I generally became so much more fascinated with cooking and food, which then sparked an interest in culinary arts. My closest option for a plant-based culinary institute was strictly raw vegan—something unheard of for me. Especially in Cantonese culture—we love our wok hei and soups—we even stir-fry cucumber and lettuce! I decided to give it a try anyway, and I fell in love with the creativity, the vibrant textures and flavors. The raw part didn’t stick, but the vegan part obviously did!

Your culinary influences are global. Do you have a formative pastry memory?

How have you drawn from different dessert tradiGabe Romero at Campo. Photo by Stephanie Cameron. tions to create your own?

¡ A NA S A Z I

F I E S TA !

Taco Tuesday 3 Tacos $25 Including Salsa Trio and Chips

A NA SAZ I

ROS EWO OD I N N OF TH E ANASAZ I ROSEWOOD INN OF THE ANASAZI 11 3 WA SHIN GTO N AV E N U E | S A N TA F E , N M 875 0 1

113 WASHINGTON FE, NM 87501E ( 5 0 5 AVENUE ) 9 8 8 - 3 0 3| 0SANTA | rosewoodhotels.com rosewoodhotels.com (505) 988-3030 | F O R R E S E R VAT I O N S , P LE A S E CA LL ( 5 0 5 ) 9 8 8 - 3 0 3 0

RESTAURANT

BAR & LOUN G ERESERVATIONS, FOR

PLEASE C ALL (505) 988-3030

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Planty Sweet's Bundt cakes (upper left) and beautifully crafted custom cakes.

I think having grown up in Hong Kong definitely plays a role in my style of desserts. I didn’t grow up baking like many Americans, because most homes in Hong Kong don’t have ovens—there is no space. We did have bakeries that taunted me, on almost every block.

My favorites were the fancy pâtisseries, of course, with beautiful displays of delicate entremets. So when I started Planty Sweet, I knew I wanted to make plant-based versions of the beautiful cakes I grew up adoring.

I try to use locally grown blooms and edible flowers for cake decoration whenever available. Marigolds, globe amaranth, and yarrow from Bluefly Farms are my favorite florals to use during summertime. I love using Siberian elm and Russian olive for greeneries in my cake floral arrangements, instead of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is very trendy in wedding florals, but it doesn’t make sense to me to use imported greeneries when Siberian elm and Russian olive grow abundantly here.

As I grow older, I learn to appreciate my heritage more and more, so I am always incorporating Asian flavors and traditional Chinese ingredients like black sesame and red bean in my desserts.

Whatever I can with the vegetables I get from my CSA. It seems like radishes and turnips are around all season, and because I am Cantonese and we cook everything, I find myself always making miso soup with turnips. If I have bok choy or napa cabbage on hand, I’ll throw those in. If not, I’ll just add extra of the pantry staple wakame. During fall, I’ll use local kabocha squash or delicata squash—the sweetness really pairs well with miso.

What role do the seasons and/or local ingredients play in your designs? What is your process for designing custom cakes for weddings and other occasions?

Seasons definitely play a role, and always should! Although I still use berries and some tropical fruits, I try to go heavy on menu items using local fruits when they are in season. I am so grateful that one of the most delicious fruits on earth, peaches, grows abundantly in New Mexico in the summer! I love combining local ingredients like peach and lavender to create a special summer cake.

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What is one of your favorite savory things to cook or eat?

I also love making this Chinese cold cucumber dish with Silver Leaf cukes. It is basically cucumbers marinated with soy sauce or tamari, black vinegar, and chile oil. I often pair this with dan dan noodles, which is absolutely my favorite thing!

a

2506 Washington NE, Albuquerque, plantysweet.weebly.com

photo courtesy: Sergio Salvador

‘TiS ThE SeAsOn

LaVeNdEr

Lavender season makes us downright giddy here on the farm. And we couldn’t be more excited to share all that we have to offer during this fabulous season. Join us for our favorite time of year by attending any of our upcoming events: the Annual Lavender Dinner on July 21st, La Quinta Tea Service on Wednesday or Sunday afternoons on the breathtaking La Quinta portal, and the Outdoor Music Series every Thursday night. The Dr. Armin Rembe Lecture Series at La Quinta continues with a lineup of stimulating conversations on art, botanical distillation and sustainable ranching. Or simply immerse yourself in nature with any of our farm and garden tours or lavender distillation demonstrations.

Treatments at the Hacienda Spa incorporate seasonal botanicals that relax and restore, just steps from our lavender fields. The serene courtyard, historic lounge, and attention to the finest details evoke a sense of well-being that awakens all the senses. At home, surround yourself with lavender anytime with your favorite Los Poblanos bath and body products from the Farm Shop or online.

Visit lospoblanos.com for all event details, spa information and to purchase lavender products.

LOCAL HEROES

DRU RUEBUSH CHEF, SANTA FE

AN INTERVIEW WITH EXECUTIVE CHEF AND PARTNER AT RADISH & RYE Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left: Smoked baby back ribs with chipotle Carolina sauce and pickled cucumber, and a glass of Chartreuse. Right: Dru Ruebush.

Born in Deming and raised in Silver City, Dru Ruebush’s first restaurant job was as a server in New York. He was drawn to the kitchen, and picked up extra shifts doing prep and honing his knife skills.

In 2012, he moved to Santa Fe, where he now lives with his wife, Camille Bremer, and their two bullmastiffs. Together, they opened Radish & Rye in 2015.

to the land and the business of agriculture. My parents encouraged me to begin cooking at a very young age, and by high school I was hosting dinners for friends and family.

How would you characterize your relationship to food as a kid growing up in New Mexico?

All my previous work has influenced how I operate. My time in the arts taught me about holding yourself accountable for the quality of your work, and the commitment to excellence. Working with my dad in the appraisal business really solidified my business sense and level of integrity. Working in numerous restaurant settings taught me

Food has always been an integral part of my life, and something I’ve been passionate about as long as I can remember. I spent summers and weekends on my grandparents’ farm and developed a strong tie 14

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

You didn’t embark on a career as a professional chef until you were in your forties. How have your previous work experiences shaped your approach to running a kitchen?

Ahmed Obo, founder and chef-owner of Jambo Cafe.

SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOVE MOST ABOUT LAVENDER SEASON.

We love all the seasons on the farm, but with rows upon rows of organic lavender in bloom, summer truly sings. Our farmers and gardeners gather in the early morning to hand-harvest the resinous stems, leaves and blooms into fragrant bundles. Steam distillation in traditional alembic stills draws out the oils, moisture and fragrance that are separated between the essential oil and hydrosol to form the base of our artisan lavender product line.

Enjoy the essence of Los Poblanos with our tried-and-true lavender products. Lavender’s naturally occurring antiseptic and soothing properties are infused into each all-natural formula. Experience the rejuvenating, healing properties of lavender in your daily routine or share as an uplifting and thoughtful gift.

Visit the Los Poblanos Farm Shop in our renovated, historic dairy barns to shop the complete lavender apothecary collection, from our classic Lavender Lotion and refreshing Lavender Mist to the deeply moisturizing Lavender Salve and aromatherapeutic candles.

The Farm Shop is open daily, 9-6.

lospoblanos.com EDIBLENM.COM

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Left: Grilled pork chop served with mushrooms, yellow corn polenta, and pickled fennel; duck fat fingerlings; grilled asparagus. Right: Grilled American bison served with seasonal salad and cider dijon vinaigrette.

about people, and in turn, how I wanted to treat our staff, our guests, and our vendors. Being a chef takes tremendous organization, a passion for business, and commitment to excellence. Those are skills I spent years developing in other fields, and it’s working extremely well for me.

Describe what it takes to deeply commit to local agriculture as a chef right now.

It’s challenging, especially in Santa Fe with its short season. When I’m thinking of new dishes, my first thought is, “Does this fit our concept?” Then, “Can I source locally?” There are times of the year it’s nearly impossible to get any local produce. I have strong relationships with my vendors and we talk almost every week about what’s available or coming up.

Radish & Rye’s menu is farm-to-table fare with “a Southern sensibility.” Are there certain Southern dishes that seem particularly well suited for New Mexico’s ingredients?

My favorite thing we serve is our green chile corn bake. I took a family casserole recipe and created a Southern spoon bread that has some of the best flavors of New Mexico: Hatch green chile, Tamaya polenta, and Tucumcari sharp cheddar. My aim is to honor local ingredients, while letting that Southern sensibility inform my decisions.

Some restaurants reopened from COVID closures quickly, pivoting to carryout and outdoor seating; Radish & Rye stayed closed for a more extended period. What did you make with this forced time off? Who were you cooking for? How would you say that pro16

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

longed time away from the professional kitchen influenced you, as a chef or as a person?

Camille and I spent a lot of time and effort recommitting to our concept of casual elegance at the restaurant. We upgraded our dining room, our lounge, and the restrooms. We spent countless hours talking about what we wanted for our business and how we would make it happen. That time off was such a blessing for us as a couple.

It gave us the opportunity to hone our mission and do things that we simply didn’t have time for before. It also allowed me to reconnect with my love for cooking. Having the time to cook dinner for us at home was something lost during those first five years, and that’s what fueled my desire in the first place.

Do you have a favorite summer meal?

There are foods I eat in the summer that I don’t eat any other time of year. Grilled corn, watermelon, ripe red tomatoes, and calabacitas.

You can find all of those favorites anytime, but I’d rather hold out for when they are at their finest, and when nature intended us to eat them. And nothing reminds me of summer more than home-churned ice cream, especially a simple vanilla with tiny pieces of local peach.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with edible readers?

The restaurant business is a team sport, and without the hard work and support of Camille and our staff, none of this would be possible.

Thank you so much to all who voted for me and continue to visit Radish & Rye. I’m eternally grateful.

505 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-930-5325, radishandrye.com

Beautiful patio and indoor dining!

Visit our website to book dinner and upcoming special events.

8917 4th St NW

Albuquerque, NM 87114

505.503.7124 Farmandtablenm.com Dinner hours: Tuesday-Saturday open at 5pm

LOCAL HEROES

SQUASH BLOSSOM LOCAL FOOD INNOVATOR: FOOD JUSTICE

AN INTERVIEW WITH NINA LADEGAARD, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Nina Ladegaard.

Squash Blossom works with dozens of small-scale family farms throughout New Mexico, distributing their fresh produce to restaurants in Santa Fe and directly to consumers. Signature retailed Blossom Bags contain the best of what’s in season year-round, and are available via home delivery or pickup at numerous workplaces, schools, and local businesses in and around Santa Fe. Blossom Bag subscriptions and wholesale sales to chefs are done on their website, which showcases their 100 percent local offerings. A social enterprise, Squash Blossom’s mission is to provide a dependable income 18

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stream for local farmers, bring healthier food to our community, and strengthen their local economy.

How have your experiences as a farmer in New Mexico shaped your work as a food distributor?

I started Squash Blossom as a bridge between farmers and chefs. There had to be a better way than selling restaurants “seconds” after a farmers market. Facilitating bulk sales and deliveries from our impeccable local farms to Santa Fe’s stellar restaurants wasn’t being done. Chefs appreciated the streamlined ordering, bookkeeping, wholesale prices,

Amazing coffee, incredible food.

™

1600 Lena St. & 314 S. Guadalupe St. in beautiful Santa Fe

Pre-order food and coffee for take-out or dine-in @ Iconikcoffee.com Free parking everywhere

My husband and I have a farm in Nambé, Ground Stone Farm, that also supplies Squash Blossom, and is where we live and grow together. Having a home farm helps me stay connected in the most intimate way to the daily growing process, which I communicate to our customers through my weekly notes. I share trials, tribulations, weather patterns, successes, and recipes with our customers, so they get a deeper connection to the food.

Food Justice can be a far-ranging concept. What does it mean to you, and how have elements of food justice fit into the business model of Squash Blossom Local Food? What stands in the way of a more just foodscape in New Mexico?

Squash Blossom works toward an equitable and just food system by uplifting small-scale, regenerative farms and making healthy food accessible to our community, but we have a long way to go. Until every New Mexican is eating local, we are not there. Food justice, to me, means that all farmers and farmworkers make a living wage, that all eaters can afford healthy and culturally relevant food, and that our growing practices leave the land and soil better than we found it, in harmony with all the other creatures who live here too.

It takes policy change. It takes the web of local food businesses working together. It takes the continued commitment from edible readers to vote with their forks, every time they eat out or cook at home, to choose local and to know their farmers.

How has the scale and selection of local produce changed over the course of your career working with local food? Is there a vegetable you wish customers were more eager to experiment with?

and reliable delivery and communication that we offered. Farmers appreciated getting orders in advance and only harvesting what was presold (eliminating food waste and extra time harvesting), moving their produce in bulk, and receiving payments biweekly (like a paycheck!).

We were able to support dozens of farms. Our bulk-buying power encouraged the creation of new farms, and season extension for veteran farms. After a few years, we started offering this unparalleled produce retail via our local food subscription service in what we call our Blossom Bags. This grew exponentially during the pandemic, when restaurant sales halted and grocery store shelves were bare due to supply-chain interruptions. Our community turned to their local food system for security and sustenance. We were poised and ready to step up to the job of feeding more households. Now the retail side of things is bigger than our wholesale, but we continue to do both because a truly local food system requires both.

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I see the selection of local produce increase each year, especially in the off-season. We have more crops available year-round, and more crop diversity in every season. The fun part about offering our Blossom Bags is that we get to curate what goes in the bags each week. We accommodate food allergies, and customers can add on more items, but we choose the base produce in the bags depending on what’s really showing off in the fields each week of the year. This means that there are usually some things to nibble on fresh like carrots, radishes, fruit, cucumbers, lettuces; some things to cook like kale, potatoes, bok choy, broccoli, squash; and often something a bit more unusual that our customers may not have chosen on their own, like fennel, celeriac, kohlrabi, hakurei turnips, or sunchokes. Most often, customers will love new things if they know what to do with them. We offer recipes and easy preparation tips. squashblossomlocalfood.com Top: Blossom Bag subscription offerings, photo courtesy of Squash Blossom Local Food. Bottom: Martha Trujillo picks up her CSA share from Nina Ladegaard at Squash Blossom's farmstand in Nambé.

Gallery Ethnica 933 Baca St, Santa Fe · (505) 557-6654 galleryethnica.com Open to the Public Thursday-Sunday

LOCAL HEROES

TIKKA SPICE FOOD TRUCK FOOD TRUCK

AN INTERVIEW WITH BASIT GAUBA, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & MARKETING Photos by Stephanie Cameron

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Left: Basit Gauba. Right: Duke City Smash Burger with green chile and sautéed onions.

Using traditional street foods and curries and fusing with red and green chile, Tikka Spice brings Pakistani/Indian street food to Albuquerque with a twist to fit the tastes of New Mexicans.

What inspired you to start Tikka Spice? Was there a specific dish you knew you wanted to serve?

I have always loved the food truck concept. The very first dish we served at a pop-up for a community event in 2017 was the bun kabab. It is a lentil, meat, and potato patty that we dip in an egg wash and pan-fry. Put it on a squishy bun toasted with ghee. Add onions, ketchup, and chutneys. Just like it was made back home. Serving this item and seeing the reaction on people’s faces was amazing. It lit a spark and two years later, Tikka Spice was born.

You’ve recently opened your first brick-and-mortar restaurant, but edible readers voted you best food truck. How did you decide on 22

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the menu for your food truck(s)? What are some of the challenges and rewards of serving meals from a food truck?

We recently opened up our location at 6001 Osuna Road NE, all thanks to the amazing guests that frequent the food trucks. Over time, we change our menu, making additions or taking things off.

The menu is decided based on a little bit of personal interest, seasonal items, and the availability of certain products and resources. The great thing about having a restaurant now is that we can serve whatever we want without being limited to space or storage capacities.

The biggest challenge with the food truck is the amount of space we are limited to. I would love to serve everything that is on our full menu, all the time, but that is just not possible. The reward of serving meals from a food truck is the ability to reach so many people.

When we do events, we see so many new faces and have our food

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Left: Samosa Chaat. Middle: Chicken Makhni Curry Bowl. Right: Chicken Tikka Tacos.

and flavors reach so many people that have not had the opportunity to try our food yet.

Can you share a bit about street food culture in Pakistan? What are some of the quintessential street snacks, and how have these shaped your menu?

Street food in Pakistan is easily accessible and easy to eat on the go.

Chaats are a perfect example. Chaat literally means to lick or to taste.

It will be so good that you will be licking your fingers afterward.

We have on our menu our samosa chaat. The samosa is a stuffed, fried pastry filled with potatoes, peas, and spices. We load it with our chickpea curry, yogurt sauce, mint sauce, red chile chutney, tamarind chutney, pico, cilantro, and crispy chickpea noodles. It’s sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy, savory, crunchy in every bite.

Are there some ingredients you have to source internationally?

What are you able to source locally, and who are some of your favorite local partners?

We do source our spices from India and Pakistan as well as our mangoes for the mango lassi. We love New Mexico, but there are just some things that are not available here. We try to source locally as much as possible, including our green and red chile from local vendors, tortillas made locally by Sabroso Foods, buns made custom by Sergio’s Bakery, and produce such as the microgreens from Micro Hive.

Do you have a favorite sauce or chutney? What does it pair with?

My favorite chutney is our tamarind chutney. It is sweet and slightly spicy. It goes great with samosas, fries, and literally on anything.

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Staffing has been an ongoing struggle in the food industry for the past couple of years. How have you handled staffing challenges as you continue to expand?

Staffing has definitely been a challenge for us, just like other organizations all over the state. We take pride in the way our team is treated.

When we say you will be joining our family, we mean it. We give fair wages to our staff—on average they earn $17–$18 hourly with tips.

We offer paid time off starting day one. Full-time benefits like 401(k).

Mostly, the staff coming in to fuel our expansion has been through word of mouth. Referrals through our current employees.

Is there a local food issue that’s important to you?

We are very big on feeding those less fortunate. Providing food across our communities who are underserved. Giving back is one of our core values as a company and is something we live on a daily basis.

What’s next?

We plan to expand. We plan to grow and serve our flavors all over.

Whether it is our fried chicken brand, Kūkri, that launched January of this year downtown (we just opened our second location at the end of May on the Westside) or bringing our new smash burger brand, Stackers, to the Albuquerque community.

Anything else you’d like edible readers to know?

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TOUCH AND GROW

Words and Photos by Marisa Thompson

If you know tomato hornworms, you probably hate them. I know I did.

Instead, let’s grow with the hornworms. Stick with me on this—it’s going to be fun.

Who can blame us? These chubby caterpillars sure are pest-like: sneaky, creepy, and very, very hungry. I understand. I’ve killed plenty.

And I shrieked every time because they’re fleshy and wiggle as you pull them off the plant.

If you haven’t seen one yet, imagine a huge, green worm with six tapered, segmented true legs up near the head; another ten squishy, stumpy prolegs with pads that hold on to leaves (and fingers) with an uncannily firm Velcro grip; and a cute little horn on the far end.

The caterpillar is just one stage of the hornworm’s life cycle. After that they’re wrapped up snug in the pupal form, buried in loose soil for a few weeks or overwintering for several months before emerging as amazing winged pollinators. Common names for moths in this Sphingidae family include hawk moths, sphinx moths, and hummingbird moths. Call them what you will, but I’ll select hummingbird moth because it might help us honor them instead of demonizing them, like saying butter beans instead of lima beans.

Yes, hornworms decimate some of our garden plants. And yes, some hornworm species target tomato plants. But we don’t have to grow tomatoes with the idea that we’re fighting against hornworms.

Though they are caterpillars for only a few weeks, this is the stage that worries gardeners. Most hummingbird moths never harm vegetable plants, even in the caterpillar stage. The only two species that

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Left: Hornworm with squished-up face and six underdeveloped segmented true legs. Right: Sphinx moth pupae.

affect plants in the Solanaceae family (including tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, tomatillos, and chiles) are the five-spotted hawk moth or tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) with a black horn, and the Carolina sphinx moth or tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) with a red horn. As adults, both are important native pollinators, particularly in the desert Southwest. As caterpillars, the tobacco species seems to pop up on tomato plants in our region more readily. Common names can be silly like that. You say “tobacco,” I say “tomato.”

Unsure if you have hornworms or not? Telltale signs include almost completely defoliated leaves with only a few green midribs sticking out like very sore thumbs, and blackish pellets of caterpillar frass (a.k.a. insect poop) on lower leaves or on the ground (the frass is always greener when it’s fresh). Hornworm droppings tend to be fairly large—large enough to distinguish segmented grooves. Imagine a Barbie doll–sized hand grenade.

Even after confirmation with frass and denuded leaves, finding the worms can be surprisingly difficult, especially considering how portly and obvious they are when you do see them. Time and patience usually do the trick, like waiting to see the hidden picture in a stereogram.

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Beat the heat and find hornworms in a fraction of the time by searching at night using an inexpensive black light flashlight. While some insects fluoresce under black light, hornworms do not. At least not technically. Luckily, they do reflect light differently than tomato leaves, so hornworms are much easier to spot under black light, and their body stripes offer extra-helpful contrast.

Okay, you found one. Now what? Squeamish? Gloves help. So does squeezing your eyes closed as you pluck it off the plant. And yelling loudly.

Keep in mind that hornworms are not our biggest garden hurdle by any means. Water stress is the top tomato issue in our hot New Mexico gardens, followed closely by the curly top virus. For more on protecting young tomato plants by covering them with shade cloth, visit nmsudesertblooms.blogspot.com and enter “tomato” in the search prompt. There you’ll also find a video tutorial on finding hornworms.

Now you have to decide what to do with your hornworm collection. One option is to simply move them over to other host plants in the area, like that tomatillo that doesn’t seem to be growing very

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well, or perhaps sacred datura or even silverleaf nightshade. Next year, plant some extra datura and eggplants as designated hosts for hornworm relocation.

Placing the wormies near bird feeders is another great option—at least for the birds. Hornworms also make nutritious feed for chickens, as well as lizards, chameleons, and other reptiles.

Another option is to rear them in a lidded terrarium, feeding them daily with fresh foliage from any of the Solanaceae plants, watching them pupate, and releasing them as pupae or after they emerge as moths. We did this last year at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas with tomatoes grown for a research study. After noticing the leaf damage and frass on July 16, I went out after dark with a friend and two blacklight flashlights. We started finding hornworms within minutes, collecting a dozen within the hour. Over the coming weeks, research staff, volunteers, and more friends removed over a hundred hornworms by hand from as many tomato plants. I lost count of how many made it to the moth stage, and it became a little bit of a hassle to arrange for their care when I went out of town, but it still felt worth it. One night in late August, my headlights shined on the sacred datura plants lining my driveway, and I was greeted by multiple hummingbird moths deep-diving into each huge flower before flying busily to the next. I was so excited that most of my photos came out blurry.

Don’t worry, even with a heavy population of hornworms in 2021, we still harvested over 5,400 pounds of tomatoes from our tomato study plants. The key is to start scouting in early July. You may not have tomatoes yet, but you definitely won’t have any if these voracious caterpillars are left alone for long.

And scout often. Before long, the chore of scouting becomes interesting and fun itself. Any time you slow down and look closer, you’ll see more.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ABQ Backyard Refuge Program (friendsofvalledeoro.org/abq-backyard-refuge) Backyard Beneficial Insects in New Mexico, NMSU Extension Guide H-172 (pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H172) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies for Common Garden Insect Pests of New Mexico, NMSU Extension Guide H-176 (pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H176) Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Home Gardeners, NMSU Extension Circular 655 (pubs.nmsu.edu/_circulars/CR655) Top: Face of tobacco hornworm. Middle: White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) sipping golden currant (Ribes aureum) nectar at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas. Bottom: Prominent red horn on tail end of tobacco hornworm at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas.

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EDIBLENM.COM

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WILD THING

ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY GOULD’S TURKEY

By Katie DeLorenzo

Gould’s turkey hen, taken in Peloncillo Mountains, New Mexico.

Photo by Mark L. Watson, terrestrial habitat specialist, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

New Mexico’s bootheel region is a treasure trove of unique plants and lesser-known native wildlife. With limited public access through the Coronado National Forest and other small public land parcels, the area is a bit harder to access than other national forests but worth the extra effort. The remarkably small Coues white-tailed deer, ringtail cat, white-nosed coatimundi, and Gould’s turkey (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana) all call this uniquely beautiful landscape home and contribute to its otherworldly feel.

In 1856 English ornithologist John Gould collected the first recorded specimen of the Gould’s turkey in Mexico, citing their hav32

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ing a taller stature and brilliant white tail-feather tips that set them apart from other subspecies. New Mexico is home to three of six wild turkey subspecies, including the Gould’s, Merriam’s, and Rio Grande, with the Gould’s being the least abundant.

The Gould’s habitat range is incredibly unique. Most of its home range is in Mexico, with only a small range in the Sky Islands region of the United States that spans the borderlands of Arizona, Mexico, and southwestern New Mexico. The Gould’s primary habitat in New Mexico is the Peloncillo Mountains. While the Animas and San Luis Mountains also have presumed small populations, private

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the 1980s it was believed that the Chihuahua pine was the Gould’s main roost structure, and most population surveys focused on these sites. However, new data shows that the birds prefer to roost in oak and cottonwood trees. The telemetry study is also helping to pinpoint the habitat types where Gould’s turkeys are foraging for the insects, grass seeds, and fruit from trees and shrubs that they rely on for sustenance.

In addition, when starting this research, biologists didn’t know the extent of the Gould’s range north or south in New Mexico. Evidence now shows that some birds are moving as far as fifteen to twenty miles across the border into Mexico. The intermingling of birds across the border means a more rigorous genetic pool and better long-term viability for the species, assuming (and hoping) that habitat connectivity is maintained in the future.

Left: A strutting gobbler shows off his brilliant white tail-feather tips in hopes of impressing a hen. Photo by Jay Scott and Kade Purser of Gouldsturkeyhunt.com.

ownership has restricted research access. In 1974, due to limited habitat range and an unknown population status, the Gould’s turkey was listed as a state threatened species under the New Mexico Wildlife Conservation Act. Since then, research has ramped up: New Mexico State University researchers studied the birds’ diet, range, and habitat use in the Peloncillos from 1982 to 1992, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the National Wild Turkey Federation have executed annual population surveys since 2006. In 2017, a Gould’s Turkey Recovery Plan was developed and it established clear parameters to “ensure the long-term persistence of Gould’s turkey within its historical range in New Mexico.”

Wild turkeys are an underappreciated native species, thanks in large part to the abundance of their domestic counterparts on the grocery store shelf. But, unlike the domestic turkey, the Gould’s wild turkey is highly adaptable and resourceful in a harsh environment.

In 2018 the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish began an ongoing telemetry study that is revealing the incredible aptitude of this large game bird to thrive in the desert mountain ranges of the Sky Island region.

By capturing and then tagging birds with GPS transmitters, Game and Fish biologists accumulate location data points to paint a picture of where and when these birds are moving. The transmitters ping one location every night and three locations every other day, and are operable for about two and a half years. This year, twenty-five birds were outfitted with longer-lasting transmitters, although these intelligent birds are now becoming wary of being lured into the feeders where they are caught and tagged.

The current tagging program has collected more than sixty thousand location points. With this data set, biologists have reviewed the bird’s range and primary areas of use to determine which habitats the Gould’s prefers for roosting, nesting, brooding, and feeding. In 34

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These insights and other scientific findings enable biologists to more effectively estimate populations and execute habitat conservation and enhancement work. The Gould’s is doing so well that biologists recently recommended that the subspecies be delisted from the state’s threatened and endangered species list. For the last three years, population counts have estimated at least 200 birds—25 more than the sustaining population of 175 birds set as an objective by the recovery plan. Other pre-identified threats to Gould’s recovery, like potential hybridization with domestic turkeys, have been mitigated.

While domestic turkeys may have been present in the New Mexico Gould’s habitat range in the late 1980s, no nearby private landowners are currently raising domestic turkeys.

Biologists’ evaluations of the Gould’s, measured according to predetermined goals and potential threats from the 2017 plan, have been compiled into the Gould’s Wild Turkey Delisting Investigation Report that is currently available on the New Mexico Game and Fish website.

While wildlife management decisions should be guided by science and the opinions of dedicated professional biologists, wildlife is a sacred public trust. Everyday New Mexicans are encouraged to take part in the game commission process by reading the report and providing comment by September 18, 2022.

Speaking about the Gould’s recovery and the recommendation to delist, Casey Cardinal, resident game bird biologist for the Department of Game and Fish, says, “Through the research we’ve conducted over the last few years, we’ve gained so much information on [the] Gould’s turkey population status, habitat use, and genetic connectivity. Evaluating a population like we’ve done here is a financial and labor-intensive process, but the department is highly supportive of this type of research. With what we know now, we feel confident that Gould’s turkeys will persist into the future in New Mexico.”

Hunting and fishing license sales provide roughly $20 million annually to fund Game and Fish operations, which receive no money from New Mexico’s General Fund. This operating budget, supplemented with federal funds from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act that matches every state dollar invested at a 3:1 ratio, are key to the recovery of the Gould’s and many other species. These dollars fund department operations including retaining qualified and passionate biologists and paying for their research. In addition, two enhancement hunting tags raise money to exclusively benefit Gould’s

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Left: A male Gould’s harvest by conservationist and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers volunteer D.J. Zor with a traditional bow in Arizona. Photo by D.J. Zor.

wild turkey management. One tag is raffled off by the local National Wild Turkey Federation chapter and the other is auctioned off at the federation’s annual convention. Due to their scarcity, highly coveted auction tags for the New Mexico Gould’s have raised up to $6,000 apiece for conservation.

Should the Gould’s be delisted, it would be managed as a protected species. A small number of once-in-a-lifetime hunting tags may be made available to hunters, giving them a chance to harvest this uniquely Southwestern bird. While most will likely never have the chance to pursue a New Mexico Gould’s, hunters remain deeply invested in the proliferation of all turkeys that call our state home.

Every spring, my family and many others take part in the tradition of spring turkey hunting. If we’re lucky, we are able to enjoy several 36

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

meals from each bird. There are many preparations we enjoy, but simply pounding out the breasts, breading, and frying them is one of our favorites. In addition to using the meat, my dad often crafts turkey calls from the wing bones and inscribes our names on them as keepsakes. These tangible tokens of our hunt are incredibly valuable, but the real gift is knowing that these birds, with their cunning senses and thunderous gobbles, will enliven the landscape for generations to come.

With a little planning and time, you can visit this remote corner of the state to experience the stark beauty of the desert Southwest and the distinctive Gould’s turkey firsthand. Interested readers can reach out to me for more information at newmexicohuntress@gmail.com.

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BACK OF THE HOUSE

SEAFOOD & METAL A PERFECT MATCH FROM JUÁREZ Words and Photos by Israel Holtzeimer

El Platillo Juanga at Costa Brava.

Orcus O Dis is a remarkable heavy metal band from Juárez. They have thousands of followers on Facebook, have toured Europe multiple times, and have produced two studio albums, with a third, Post Mortem, to be released at a highly anticipated concert at the Hysteria Bar on July 2. (You can imagine the atmosphere of a bar called Hysteria: dark, noisy, the floors sticky with cheap beer and the air filled with secondhand smoke).

But few know that Orcus O Dis’s vocalist, Alfredo Rocha, is the chef at Costa Brava, a downtown seafood restaurant only a block 38

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

away from the Benito Juárez monument and very close to Santa Fe Street Bridge.

“I’ve been in the band for nineteen years and here, in the restaurant, I have twenty-five years of my life,” says Rocha, corroborating this information with Orcus O Dis lead guitarist Emmanuel Gonzalez, who is the bartender at Costa Brava. “Many times I’m cooking and thinking of lyrics for the band and, vice versa, many times I start talking about food with people who come up to us after the shows.”

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Chef Alfredo Rocha (left) with bartender Emmanuel Gonzalez at Costa Brava.

And despite his rough image—he wears a serious beard and has tattoos all over his body—Rocha always receives his customers with a big smile. You won’t find a restaurant that treats you better than Costa Brava, and this sense of really feeling at home has been part of its success. While other stores at Plaza Insurgentes, where the restaurant is located, have closed because of the pandemic, Costa Brava keeps all their tables occupied during peak hours and weekends.

Ironically, one of the restaurant’s specialties is dedicated to Juan Gabriel, a great idol of popular Mexican music who grew up in Juárez. El Platillo Juanga is made with fish fillets, shrimp, and chicken breast empanizada (battered and fried), smothered with salsa de chile California (roasted Anaheim peppers, olives, bacon, and cheddar), and sprinkled with Chihuahua cheese. Very crunchy, and if you love cheese, you really will love this. By the way, if you are afraid of Mexican food, don’t panic—this is not a spicy dish, I promise.

Like all dishes at Costa Brava, El Platillo Juanga is accompanied by mashed potatoes, rice, buttered bread, and a delectable bowl of fish soup. (I must confess, many times I come just for the fish soup, which is as good as that in the Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi,” but here no one is yelling “No soup for you!”)

You will need three stomachs to eat this, or you can share it, of course.

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“We wanted to honor our great Divo de Juárez,” says Rocha about the dish. “And there’s no better way to honor him than with an exotic dish, just like his life, his music, his character. Personally, I really like his music, his person, his way of being."

By the way, don’t expect to find heavy metal playing here; instead, you’ll find the music of celebrated Mexican singers such as José José, Vicente Fernández, and the Divo himself, who was famous for wearing sequined suits as he sang the happiest and saddest songs you’ll ever hear. Rocha and Gonzalez know that heavy metal is not music to all people’s ears.

Like all good restaurants in Juárez, Costa Brava serves a respectable variety of Mexican beers and commercial liquors, with classic cocktails prepared by Gonzalez, who stands behind the bar with his long hair in a ponytail and a more serious expression than his lead singer.

But come on, there’s no drink that he won’t serve you in record time, almost as fast as he plays a guitar solo on stage.

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FERMENTI'S PARADOX

CRUCES OR DIE SIPPING NEAT WITH DRY POINT DISTILLERS

By Briana Olson · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

“I claim it,” Chris Schaefer says when I ask if he’s from Las Cruces.

Schaefer, the head distiller at Dry Point Distillers (“I’m the everything—the janitor, the repairman, but also, yeah, head distiller”), was born in Dallas and lived in both Colorado and Albuquerque in his early childhood, but his formative years unfolded in southern New Mexico’s largest city. “I’m kind of a Cruces-or-die person,” he adds, rattling off all the reasons he loves it, from its small-town quality to the surrounding public lands to the proximity of the US-Mexico border.

Schaefer opened Dry Point, Las Cruces’s only distillery, with his father, a since-retired family practice doctor, in 2018. They essentially 42

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started distilling in the garage, using a fuel ethanol permit, which, he explains, is one of the only ways to distill legally at home—“but everything you make must go into farm equipment.”

That’s not to say he grew up farming, exactly, although his mother always had a huge garden and the family owned a couple acres of alfalfa—both of which likely contributed to a certain ethos of place.

Why Dry Point? “Everyone thinks of New Mexico, and especially southern New Mexico, as being barren, but then we have this amazing valley,” he says, referring to the Mesilla Valley. Also, “the Organ peaks are pointy,” Schaefer notes, “and they’re definitely dry.” When I walked down to the banks of the southern Rio Grande in early fall,

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I found a riverbed so dry that the tire tracks running through it were undisturbed. It turns out that Dry River was an early contender for the business name, but an LA brewery had already taken it.

“At first,” he says, “we got really into making different brandies,” using foraged ingredients from prickly pears to mesquite pods to feral pomegranates. Contrary to common perceptions, “the Chihuahuan Desert is brimming with flora and fauna.”

But he got into the business because he wanted to make good whiskey.

“My Blue Corn Bourbon is something that I ferment from scratch,” Schaefer says, explaining that he gets New Mexico blue corn (along with a bit of yellow, mainly to boost starch content) from Southwest Heritage Mill in Albuquerque, which “does atoles and chicos and a bunch of stuff but sources to distilleries all over the state.”

The Blue Corn Bourbon is aged for fourteen months in smallerthan-conventional barrels, which speeds up the process. It’s produced in small batches, so it can be elusive outside Las Cruces—try Jubilation Wine & Spirits in Albuquerque, or ask your favorite bar or liquor store to order it. A bit more widely available is Dry Spell Bourbon, a whiskey sourced from MGP, a large whiskey producer from whom brands such as Bulleit, WhistlePig, and Templeton Distillery have sourced at one time or another. “Dry Spell was from when we first opened and the blue corn bourbon was still aging,” Schaefer says, and his original intent was to discontinue it once he had his own bourbon on the shelf. “But it’s a good whiskey,” and customers love it, so it’s transitioned into being their well whiskey.

“I’m not a microdistiller,” Schaefer asserts at one point, “I’m a nanodistiller.” Later, as he’s telling me about the mezcal he’s sourcing from Durango, Mexico—“an amazing mezcal,” with a different flavor profile from Oaxacan mezcals—which he’s serving at his taproom and bottling as Slow Desert Agave Spirits, he compares his role to that of a film producer. Part of what he does is creating, and part of what he does is finding things worth sharing.

Like the majority of small-scale distillers, Schaefer buys a base spirit to make his vodka. “I run that through a still again, really scrub it, then run it through a charcoal filter to clean it up as best as I can,” he explains. “The filtration is where I can do the most good for the drinkability.”

Gin is arguably more interesting, and it’s “fun for a distiller,” Schaefer tells me, “because as long as it’s 51 percent juniper, you can add whatever you want.” His Monsoon Gin is crisp, bright, and faintly sweet, with high notes of licorice, and one reason it might stand on its own is that Schaefer did all his tastings neat as he developed the recipe. It took around thirty batches before he got it right, and he laughs as he recounts being asked whether he’d tried mixing it with anything (he hadn’t).

“Thankfully, it mixes well with citrus and tonic and soda waters, as gin should, but it was absolutely developed to be sipped straight.”

Top: Blueberry Lavender Sour with blueberry vodka, bourbon, lemon, egg white, and syrup. Bottom: Mariposa with Monsoon Gin, butterfly flower syrup, lime juice, and soda water.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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To make the gin, he uses vapor infusion, which he finds to have a cleaner flavor than maceration. “Some people do separate batches with each herb,” he says, “but I do the whole flavor bill.” He’s observed that the flavor of different aromatics develops at different points: “Citrus must have a lower boiling point because you taste it early in the distillation process, whereas rosemary is tasted later.” Rosemary, along with coriander seed, can be sourced locally, but ingredients like licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) don’t grow here and have to be imported.

“We do a lot of infusions at the bar,” Schaefer says, “and that’s where we’re most using local ingredients.” He partners with FARMesilla to buy fresh-pressed apple cider, melons, and herbs, and also buys edible flowers and herbs from Calhoun Flower farms. On occasion, they’ve also used red chile, piñon, and pecan to infuse their spirits.

“The creativity [in the bar] really comes from Tammy,” he says, referring to his longtime bar manager, Tammy Mendes. “She’s the brain behind the mixology.”

Schaefer describes himself as a hands-off boss, one who’s happy to have someone else developing seasonal cocktails and training new staff. No doubt it helps that Mendes comes up with excellent house cocktails to serve alongside a solid roster of classics.

Prior to pivoting into entrepreneurship, Schaefer worked as a firefighter. It was a job he was drawn to because he likes to be outside and wanted to get off the beaten track, and the seasonal work schedule suited his rock-climbing lifestyle. It was less conducive to sustaining a relationship with his current partner, who’s also the graphic designer at Dry Point.

“As a firefighter, I didn’t like leading a crew, didn’t want to be responsible for someone else’s day,” he says, so now, he gives his team a lot of say—to the point of letting them weigh in on what time the taproom should close. He also pays a “tipped” and an “untipped” wage, boosting his employees’ pay on slow nights.

Schaefer views the size of his business as an asset, not only because he can more easily accommodate paying sick leave for ten employees than for sixty, but because he was able “to not completely freak out” in response to pandemic closures. Small also means his taproom, which feels busy with thirty or forty people inside (there’s additional seating on a patio), is appealing to those (this writer being one) who are drawn to intimate venues.

Next time I’m down, I’ll take a closer look at the old fire maps that adorn the walls in the taproom’s WC. Maybe I’ll follow Schaefer’s advice and try their paloma. As for where to hike, fire conditions permitting: “The Organ Mountains are unconquered mountains. The Sandias are gorgeous, but you can drive to the top.”

1680 Calle De Alvarez, Ste C, Las Cruces, 575-652-3414, drypointdistillersnm.com

Top: Dry Point Distillers' bar manager, Tammy Mendes.

Bottom: Old Fashioned with Blue Corn Bourbon, angostura, bourbon cherry, lemon, and orange.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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AT THE TABLE

This page: Long lunch table in the pastures next to Medano Creek. Opposite page: The lodge at Zapata Ranch.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

Making Connections through

THE RIO GRANDE Los Poblanos and Zapata Ranch Are Stirring Up Culinary Education Words and Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Just beyond New Mexico’s northern border, the headwaters of the Rio Grande flow through the San Luis Valley, flanked by the San Juan Mountains and the Great Sand Dunes and Spanish Peaks. At the valley’s eastern edge lies the Medano-Zapata Ranch, owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by Ranchlands in a partnership model that emphasizes environmental conservation practices. The ranch borders the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and is home to a conservation herd of bison, a herd of Angus cows, and sixty horses that all run on their own pastures. The bison roam the fifty-thousand-acre pasture of the ranch known as the Medano.

In April, Los Poblanos and Zapata Ranch teamed up to connect people through community-based dining and education. In an event called Wines of the Southwest, Dylan Storment, the director of wine and spirits at Los Poblanos, helped lead a series of educational opportunities during an immersive weekend-long dining program in collaboration with Zapata’s head chef, Ivan Guillen. From open-air dinners to picnicking next to Medano Creek, from campfires to wine workshops, a group of seventeen people from around the world gathered at the table to learn about the food shed of the Rio Grande and the ecologically diverse meadows, wetlands, sand dunes, and cottonwood groves of Zapata Ranch. The days on the ranch were spent exploring on

horseback and foot, and the evenings were filled with wine and food, followed by relaxing to live music by the bonfire with s’mores.

Chef Ivan crafted an unforgettable and uncommon take on traditional comfort foods, using local produce and meats, including bison from the ranch’s herd. The majority of the produce featured on the Zapata Ranch menu is supplied by Valley Roots Food Hub, a nonprofit, grassroots program headquartered in Mosca, Colorado. More than sixty-five independent, regenerative-soil farmers contribute their harvests, including microgreens, fruit, goat cheese, Amish-raised eggs, pork, beans, quinoa, corn, polenta, elk, yak, beef, and sunflower and safflower oils.

In August, you can also join a group of like-minded farmers, ranchers, and chefs from Los Poblanos and Zapata Ranch for a lively discussion around sustainability, land conservation, and the impacts of culinary choices. Zapata Ranch will collaborate with Los Poblanos for a series of events during the week of August 8, including a retail pop-up, a talk on August 10, and a guest chef dinner with Chef Ivan on August 12. To learn more about the events and get tickets, visit lospoblanos.com/events. And to learn more about future events at Ranchlands, visit ranchlands.com.

EDIBLENM.COM

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A Zapata Ranch Photo Essay

Top: Long table prepped for dinner on the deck at the Zapata Ranch lodge. Left: Pork schnitzel and mole blanco paired with Jaramillo Vineyards tempranillo. Middle: Ravioli al uovo with house ricotta and leek sauce, paired with Caduceus Dos Ladrones. Right: Beefmaster and barley soup with Frying Pan Ranch Beefmaster, paired with Jaramillo Vineyards tempranillo.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

A Zapata Ranch Photo Essay

Left: Entrance to the Medano pastures. Middle: Medano bison fennel sausage and potatoes, and Zapata Valley chips with Los Poblanos Oaxacan salt. Right: Dylan Storment making strawberry bay leaf and pear ginger shrub cocktails with Sheehan Ollpheist. Bottom: Guests returning from horseback riding to enjoy lunch in the field.

EDIBLENM.COM

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A Zapata Ranch Photo Essay

From top left, clockwise: Medano meatballs and fennel cream with ground bison, duck fat, chives, and oregano, smothered in fennel and garlic sauce, paired with Luna Rossa Nini; sunset at Zapata Ranch; fire-roasted triple-cream brie with caramelized New Mexico red apples and shallots, served with house-made crackers, paired with Sheehan Cielo Dulce; focaccia and porchetta sandwiches with Los Poblanos jam, served alongside tangerine, watercress, and arugula salad.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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Cooking Fresh

DIY BITTER LIQUEURS Crafting homemade tinctures and bitters is a process very similar to making infusions but on a more flavor-intensive scale. Whereas infusing typically takes a day or two, tinctures and bitters can take multiple weeks. During the culinary weekend at Zapata Ranch, Dylan Storment of Los Poblanos led a workshop on DIY bitter liqueurs, including bitters, vermouth, and amaro. Many of the ingredients in these recipes can be foraged or sourced anywhere you purchase bulk herbs. We recommend The Herb Store in Albuquerque and Milagro Herbs or Daisy’s Holistic Health in Santa Fe. You will find many similar ingredients in these bitter spirit recipes, so you can try them all at once if you like.

Decide what flavors and characteristics you want, and you can create your own unique bitter liqueur.

The alcohol infusions for these liqueurs contain bitter ingredients; mugwort or wormwood are often central, and different recipes can also have rhubarb, gentian, hyssop, calamus, angelica, aloe, cinchona, and quassia wood. Aromatic ingredients can consist of thyme, mint, rosemary, oregano, savory, sage, lemon balm, marjoram, fennel, anise, and saffron. Use citrus ingredients such as grapefruit, lemon, sweet orange, and bitter orange. Flowery ingredients can be chamomile, rose, iris, and elderberry. And lastly, the spices can be any combination of the following: coriander, juniper berries, nutmeg, mace, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, vanilla, coffee, and cacao.

​​Left: DIY bitters and amaro in the making. Right: Herbs and spices set for DIY workshop at Zapata Ranch.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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Amaro

Amaro Recipe

Amaro is a general name for a bitter herbal liqueur, traditionally served in Italy after a meal as a digestif. It is made by infusing base alcohol (grape brandy, neutral spirits, or wine) with a blend of herbs, roots, flowers, and spices. No two amari are alike because the combination of ingredients is endless.

Makes 2 pints

By Dylan Storment

If you can’t get a high-proof, neutral grain spirit like Everclear, use the highest-proof vodka you can find. There is no need to measure the ingredients below, just a generous pinch of the first two (bitter and dried) and a small pinch of the last (fresh). This list is for inspiration—use any combination you want. Starred ingredients are the ones we chose for the workshop.

Base ingredients 10 ounces 151-proof or the highest-proof vodka you can find 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup water Bitter ingredients Cherry tree bark* Cinchona bark* Wormwood* Licorice root Angelica root Gentian root Dried ingredients Cloves* Lemongrass Star anise* Cardamom* Dried hawthorn berries* Hyssops Lavender* Hops Vanilla beans* Fresh ingredients (use sparingly) Dried orange peels* Mint Sage Rosemary Combine ingredients of your liking in a 12-ounce jar. Add alcohol. Seal tightly and let steep in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.

Make a simple syrup by heating equal parts sugar and water until dissolved and let cool completely.

Strain the infused alcohol from the herbs/botanicals, add the cooled syrup to the infused alcohol, and seal. Leave in a cool, dark place for an additional 2 weeks or more—this helps the flavors really integrate. Serve chilled or over ice.

Glassware and props provided by Found on 4th in Albuquerque.

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Vermouth

Vermouth Recipe

Vermouth is made up of at least 75 percent wine and fortified and flavored with an alcoholic infusion of herbs and spices, which must include an artemisia such as mugwort or wormwood. Since this is a DIY recipe, some liberties are taken. Every vermouth is unique in its combination of ingredients.

Makes 1 quart

By Dylan Storment

There is no need to measure the dry ingredients; estimate and choose to your liking. At the workshop, we used foraged wormwood and hawthorn berries from Los Poblanos and juniper berries from Zapata Ranch.

1 teaspoon wormwood 1/2 teaspoon gentian root 1/2 teaspoon chamomile 1/2 teaspoon dried juniper berries 1 vanilla bean 1 star anise pod 1/4 teaspoon sage 2 teaspoons dried orange peel 4 cardamom pods 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon dried hawthorn berries 1 cup vodka 1 750-ml bottle of neutral (unoaked) white wine, such as pinot gris 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup (optional) Combine all dry ingredients to your liking in a 1/2-gallon jar. Fortify with 1 cup vodka and let sit and macerate for 24 hours.

Add white wine and seal tightly. Store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, checking frequently to see if vermouth is to your taste preference.

Once it's reached its desired extraction, strain mixture through cheesecloth. If you prefer sweet vermouth, add 1–2 tablespoons of simple syrup. Refrigerate and store for up to 3 months.

Enjoy in a manhattan (sweet) or martini (dry) or over ice.

The color of vermouth is dependent on the botanicals used in your infusion. Glassware provided by Found on 4th in Albuquerque.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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Bitters

Orange Bitters Recipe

A drop or two of orange bitters can add depth to your cocktail, or a splash with soda water and ice can stimulate your appetite.

The recipe below is for classic orange bitters. Still, the possibilities are endless with the botanicals you can choose, such as cacao nibs, dried chiles, cardamom pods, dried cherries, vanilla beans, ginger—the list goes on and on.

Makes 2 pints

By Dylan Storment

1/2 cup (estimate) dried orange peels 1 cup 151-proof spirit or the highest-proof vodka you can find 1 teaspoon gentian root 1 teaspoon quassia chips 1 cup bourbon 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 star anise pod 1/2 teaspoon anise Add orange peels and 1/2 cup 151-proof spirit to a quart-size jar. Seal and shake—this is your orange component.

Put the cloves, caraway seeds, star anise, and anise seeds in a pint-size jar with 1/2 cup 151-proof spirit and shake—this is your spice component.

Put the gentian root and quassia chips in another pint-size jar with bourbon and shake—this is your bittering mix.

Store all 3 jars in a cool, dark place. After 10 days, strain the spiced spirits and bittering mix through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the solids. Then strain the spirits again through cheesecloth into the orange-flavoring jar—do not remove the orange zest. Seal and shake vigorously. Let this mixture steep for an additional 11 days. Strain out the orange zest through a fine-mesh sieve, then strain again through cheesecloth or a coffee filter into your desired final container. Enjoy a few drops in your favorite cocktail or mocktail.

Glassware and props provided by Found on 4th in Albuquerque.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

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REMEMBERING THE

CHICHARRONES

By Denise Chávez · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

“Inspired by El Chuco culture, la agricultura along the Río Grande, y maíz that is cultivated from within the navel of the moon.” —Elemi website

I

remember the chicharrones.

El Paso. Childhood memories of spending the weekend downtown in the Big City with my mother, Delfina, and her sister, Lucia, from El Polvo / The Dust, Texas, a town of fifty people. We had adjoining rooms with a shared bathroom at the McCoy Hotel next to the Plaza Theatre.

The Plaza Theatre was at the northern end of El Paso Street, near the Plaza de Lagartos, where live alligators lounged in a fountain until one day the moat was breached by a rowdy Fort Bliss soldier.

The Plaza Theatre with its luxurious and ornate decor was the height of opulence to us. Only several blocks away toward the Santa Fe bridge leading into Juárez was El Teatro Colón, the venerated movie theater where Mexican movie stars like Pedro Infante and Tin Tan inscribed their names on a wall in the basement dressing room.

El Paso was life. Excitement. Potential. It carried the history of our people as they traveled back and forth between the two worlds of La Frontera—the United States and México.

El Paso is a place of beautiful contrast. Color. Constant surprise.

You can buy vials of ginseng and twisted bamboo plants in the shops, Our Lady of Guadalupe throws, or Emiliano Zapata T-shirts. You can eat Chinese or Korean food with a Mexican twist or Mexican food with a Lebanese flavor. Languages move fluidly and once I overheard a woman say in French, “Are we still in the US?” Immigrants were and still are part and parcel of these neighborhoods. The area has always been a food haven, a rich multicultural blending.

Recently I ordered chicharrones at Elemi in downtown El Paso on Kansas Street. Not quite El Paso Street, but close enough to hold the memory of walking and shopping on these inner-city streets of the El Paso I know so well.

The chicharrones arrived, still crackling. The sound of the freshly fried pork skins reminded me of the chicharrón place I once loved so much. A few blocks south of the Plaza Theatre, just before El Colón, the restaurant had a large picture window where you could see giant sides of pork skins hanging on hooks, rows of chickens roasting in the background.

Looking at the generous, still-sizzling chicharrones at Elemi, I held the memory of those halcyon days with my mother and her sister sitting together at a humble table sharing plates of chicharrones. I have forgotten or never knew the name of the place, but when we were together, we were familia. Our histories were forged on La Frontera of El Paso del Norte, our break between the Worlds, on the streets of memory and love.

I am a vegetarian except for chicharrones. The flavor of the tasty pork is in my blood. From early days of roasting pigs at family feasts, weddings, anniversaries, the taste of chicharrones, las de deveras, the real ones with just enough fat to make it all worthwhile, will always be a part of me. It’s hard for me to pass by a supermarket aisle with endless bags of pork skins. My spiritual bent tells me to eschew pork, but I can’t seem to stay away too long from this food of memory and home.

Elemi, owned and run by Chef Emiliano Marentes and his wife, Kristal, is all things El Paso to me. It is all things Frontera. It is all things sacred and Mexicano and meaningful to me, a child of the Border. In this rich background of culture and music and art, food reigns. The name is an abbreviation of El Emiliano—El Emi—and not the elemi tree from the Philippines that is known for its amber resin used in lacquer work.

Both Chef Emiliano and his wife grew up nearby, in the area called El Segundo Barrio, a historic and rich area next to Ciudad Juárez, our sister city, our other homeplace.

El Segundo Barrio has a rich history. Home to many immigrants, it has always been a haven of culture and art, as well as a place of continuing struggle and domination by those who legislate borders. It was the site of battles in the Mexican Revolution with spectators peering down from rooftops to view street skirmishes below. It is famous for Teresa, La Santa de Cabora, who was, for a brief time, a resident of El Paso. She was the Mexican American mystic whose followers sought healing in these streets.

El Paso is also the birthplace of many seminal Chicano and Chicana authors and artists, including Ricardo Sánchez, Abelardo Delgado, Óscar Zeta Acosta, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, and Estela Portillo Trambley, the first Chicana playwright, and many others who found their voice and spirit in these often-segregated streets that were the birthplace of our empowerment and hope.

I once asked our then Las Cruces bishop, Ricardo Ramírez, what I should be writing about. He told me to write about the farmworkers from Juárez and the surrounding areas who left their homes at two in the morning to be driven in cattle cars to the New Mexico chile fields, their day ending in the late afternoon. They often arrived home at dark, repeating the same thing the next day. To work “los files” (the fields) is very hard work.

Downtown El Paso is where Chef Emiliano’s father, Carlos Marentes, continues to organize farmworkers. Señor Marentes is the director of The Centro de Trabajadores Agrícolas Fronterizos (Border Farmworkers Center). Since 1994, the center has served farmworkers that come from Juárez and the surrounding area seeking work in southern New EDIBLENM.COM

63

From top left, clockwise: Huarache with green chorizo, nopales, black bean puree, seasonal radish, pea tendrils, arugula, red onion, and queso fresco; Aguachile de Callo de Hacha with scallops, aguachile verde, avocado, radish, and cucumber; Taco Suadero with confit Angus beef skirt, salsa de aguacate, and onion-cilantro; Campesino Vegetarian with cremini mushrooms, grilled eggplant, Oaxacan black beans, grilled avocado, and caramelized quesillo.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

Mexico fields, offering them a place to eat, rest, shower, stay overnight, and get medical help.

Mexican food, from the wealth and richness of La Tierra Natal / the Mother Country.

When I spoke to Chef Emiliano at the restaurant during my second visit, we realized that his father had met farmworker leader César Chávez a few weeks before his death in April 1993. This was when I also visited with Chávez in Las Cruces. Chávez had been invited by Bishop Ramírez to speak at the Diocesan Center. Few people were present, as it was an off day at an off time. Two weeks later, Chávez died in his sleep after years of fasting, struggle, and commitment to La Causa, working for his people and for the improvement of their working conditions.

Chef grew up navigating the streets of El Paso as a child and then as a young man delivering tortillas from local tortillerías. A graduate of Bowie High, he became fascinated with tortillas and wondered why everyone always preferred the corn tortillas from Juárez or from home and yet bought the flour tortillas from the store. What was it about the corn tortillas that was so special? And why were some more special than others? Chef remembers visiting many kitchens in la vecindad / the neighborhood, to see exactly what constituted the art that is a tortilla. Later this sense of inquiry would serve him well as he searched out the roots of food culture in many Mexican villages and kitchens, looking for answers to that essential question.

Chef Emiliano grew up with this consciencia, an understanding of what it was to be a Mexicano / Mexican American on the US-Mexico border. Ours has been a life of struggle and intention. Ours has been a life of constant imagination and originality. This early training of Chef ’s is important in grasping the great creativity of his life force and his work.

El Chuco, El Paso’s nickname, is connected to the word pachuco. It comes from the expression ‘Me voy pa’l chueco.’ “That phrase became simplified into pachuco. There are other theories, but this one sounds like the most plausible to me,” states historian David Dorado Romo, author of Ringside Seat to a Revolution.

If you look at a dictionary, it will use derogatory phrases for a pachuco and pachuquismo. Dissertations could be written on the concept of pachuquismo; I always turn to Romo’s book for an understanding of our borderland history.

Despite urban gentrification and the destruction of historical property, as well as a driving need by some to turn downtown into a sports arena, El Chuco is a place where people have not only survived but thrived. And yet the struggle continues to this day.

To those who would legislate and erect walls and borders, our tracks and paths are long here, and they will remain. Footsteps twenty-three thousand years old have been found and documented at nearby White Sands, New Mexico, and so the migratory travelers through El Paso del Norte will continue to seek their homeland.

Romo remembers when Carlos Marentes had a food dispenza / food pantry on Seventh Street in El Segundo Barrio. He remembers Emiliano as a baby, sitting in the middle of the action. One can say that Chef is still in the middle of the action, with an understanding of the pulse of his city.

Chef Emiliano remembers how he once asked his father for a Game Boy. He and his family lived in the projects and for them it was algo de lujo, a luxury. Chef decided to join the men for the pisca—the harvest of jalapeños. The work was grueling and hot and at the end of the fourteen-hour day he’d earned seven dollars. The fastest worker made thirty dollars that day. Chef remembers that many passed out from the heat. The lesson learned: reconsider the value of things.

Perusing Chef ’s bookshelf at the restaurant, I wonder if he’d like a cookbook on La Comida Nicargüense that we have at our bookstore.

He tells me that his centering has always been La Comida Mexicana.

What constitutes a great chef? Attention to Detail. Creativity.

Innovation. Invention. Call it a Revolutionary Spirit and Mindset.

Call it the Magical Surprise of a meal quite unlike any other. And this is what Chef Emiliano gifts to his beloved hometown: the depth of understanding of who he is, what his roots are, and how food is an integral part of our Frontera life. But—and this is what has elevated Chef ’s work to place him as a Semifinalist for the James Beard award for Outstanding Chef—he has El Toque. The Touch. That special essence of understanding that cannot be taught or learned unless the student is there to master the lesson.

Kristal Marentes, Chef’s wife, also grew up in El Segundo Barrio and understands well her husband’s mission, for that is what it is. A mission.

A first-generation Mexicano/Chicano with family from Chihuahua, Chef’s first language was Spanish. He understands that something so simple and so loved as a dish of chicharrones can reach a state of high art.

“Mexicanos’ connection to food is to our Indigenous and ancestral roots,” Chef states, remembering his father cooking barbacoa, posole, and tripitas for special occasions. Chef learned the proper way to clean tripitas / innards, the way to season barbecue, and to make red chile the traditional way. These lessons learned at his father’s side were, as Chef said so eloquently, “ceremonial.” A reverence for food, for Mother Earth, La Madre Tierra, is at the heart of Chef ’s being.

“El Chuco is familia and when we moved to San Anto—San Antonio, Texas—there was a longing to return home,” Kristal tells me. “There was a desire on Emiliano’s part to give back to community and family. There is no need for us to expand to a chain, and we have been asked. Elemi has everything we like to eat in a restaurant, and the number of tables and the size are chosen with intention.”

Elemi has become a vanguard restaurant not only in El Paso but the region. It is the kind of restaurant one might see in Mexico City or Oaxaca or New York City. Maybe. It began in 2019 and it was a wild first year, Kristal recounts, with lines going down the street.

“Reservations? Are you crazy? ‘You’re going to fail,’ people said to me, as I didn’t know what we could do,” Kristal emphatically states.

A team effort all the way, Kristal Marentes is a powerful partner in this highly successful venture. It has been important for the Marenteses to stick to what they wanted and to see it through. Y lo lograron. They succeeded and surpassed their dreams.

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Esquites with Mexican white corn, lime aioli, butter, queso cotija, and chile pequin.

From the very start, Chef Emiliano determined the restaurant would be small, eight tables. “Everything on the menu for Emiliano has a purpose,” Kristal emphasizes.

Elemi’s dessert, Arroz con Leche Mexica, is not your traditional tasty, but often oversweet, rice pudding. The dessert has chia seeds, a mainstay of the Mexica (Azteca) diet. The word chia means strength in the Mayan language, and the sacred seeds were known as runner’s fuel. I am a devotee of arroz con leche and can understand why this is the favored and sole dessert at Elemi.

One could consider the aguas frescas—the fruit drinks—jamaica con fresas (hibiscus with strawberries) or passion fruit and lemonade, among others, as dessert, they are so rich and satisfying. I have yet to try the Jamaica-Rita, the drink with hibiscus and either mezcal or tequila, freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juice, natural Mexican cane sugar, and soda water, as I have been the designated driver to El Paso. They also offer other specialty drinks from the rich tequila menu. The bar, centrally located in the center of the restaurant, is a popular meeting place for both locals and visitors.

Not surprisingly for a former political science student at University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Chef began his trajectory wanting to know more about tortillas and border food. Soon he realized that he was, indeed, destined to become a chef. Working at Tortilleria del Sol led to other work at other local tortillerías. Many cooks use Maseca, the commercial ground corn flour commonly used to make corn tor66

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tillas, but Chef ’s inquiry led to his observation of his mother’s and others’ tortillas de maíz. What constitutes a good tortilla?

An early dream was to open a tortillería. Later he worked at the Sunland Park Casino in New Mexico, where he began his training in food structure and foodways. What money he had, he invested in cookbooks. He committed to the work of making masa from nixtamal, cooked corn soaked in water with cal / lime. “It’s not easy to make masa—it takes discipline and commitment,” Chef says.

“Why rabbit?” I ask Chef. He is known for his rabbit and duck tacos: Tacos Conejito Pibil and Tacos Pato al Pastor. “Rabbit is popular in Chiapas. I wanted to offer a range of Mexican food and to elevate the food of various regions. Rabbit goes well with adobos and sauces. The tacos al pastor are cooked with mesquite wood, which adds a unique flavor. Many of us grew up with cabrito [goat] and barbacoa [barbecue]. I’ve added a fusion of flavors: the Huichol, the Spanish, the tastes from Zacatecas, Aguas Calientes.”

Who would think to have a Taco Colifor Almendrado with roasted cauliflower, almond mole, almond “cotija” cheese, cashew cream, and salsa macha included in the menu?

Why, Chef Emiliano, of course.

I would say that Chef Emiliano has a master’s in maíz and Kristal would say that he is El Maestro del Sazón, the Master of Seasoning.

“Yes,” Kristal says, “he has the gift of seasoning. And he loves to make food and cook for people.”

A Wonderful Mix of Friendship and Philanthropy

Become a Member of The Circles The Circles is the premier membership of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. Join us and enjoy an exclusive calendar of events that is especially designed to enhance your appreciation of the art, history and culture of New Mexico and folk art traditions worldwide. You’ll discover unparalleled camaraderie with an intimate group of fellow members.

For more information contact Cara O’Brien, Director of The Circles, at 505.982.6366, ext. 118 or email cara@museumfoundation.org or visit museumfoundation.org/the-circles.

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The subtlety of Chef ’s seasoning is something rare. My husband has been trying to master the taste of Chef ’s incredible appetizer, the Brusselas—fried brussels sprouts. He simply can’t. He wants to find those little red chile threads that enliven various meals, but where are they to be found?

“To have a goal that might seem impossible and to do it your way is very powerful, educational, and fulfilling,” Chef tells me.

“What would you say to Emiliano after this time of work?” I ask Kristal at the end of a wonderful and informative conversation.

“Thank you, Emiliano,” she says, “you are an amazing chef, father, partner. Thank you for bringing out something in me and showing me your work ethic, your life ethic. You have taught me to be a leader, as you are.”

Chef ’s first teachers were his parents, Carlos and Alicia, his colleagues in the tortillerías and restaurants he worked for, and his fellow students and teachers in a culinary program at UTEP, as well at the Sunland Park Casino kitchen where he worked on the line. He is a student of the school of hard knocks, he says.

One can see Chef ’s love for his work in the food he prepares. I would call him El Maestro del Ordinario Sublime / the Ordinary Sublime. No one has mastered the aguachiles (a scallop dish with aguachile verde, avocado, radish, cucumber, and red onion, served with Elemi tostadas) like he has, says Kristal.

For me, Chef ’s Taco Chicharrón de Pescado, the wild-caught cod with savory slaw, grapefruit, lime aioli, and salsa roja or salsa fresca (green), is the best I have ever tasted.

To eat the esquites, the tender white kernels cooked with herbs and chiles and topped with sweet cream butter, reminds one of the beloved street corn in México, held high on that familiar little palito and savored as a particular grace no matter the time of day or night.

The last time I ate lunch at Elemi, my husband commented in the car driving home that he had never seen me eat so much. Frankly, I didn’t know if I could make it home, I was so full. Satiated. Blessed.

Leftover chicharrones in a nearby box for dinner.

Celebration. Ceremony. Communion. La Comida de La Gente.

The Food of the People. Pero con algo más. ¿Y por qué? Why? Así es.

That’s the way it is and has to be.

Chef Emiliano Marente has El Toque. The Touch.

At Elemi you will find food that empowers, enlightens, gives strength and understanding to a people, a culture, a neighborhood, and a way of life that is unique, special, loved. Nothing taken for granted. And yes, I will always remember the chicharrones.

Thank you to Chef and Kristal’s parents: Carlos and Alicia Marentes, and Roberto Sr. and Juanita “Jenny” Rivera. Your generational wisdom, your legacy, lives on.

313 N Kansas St, El Paso, TX, 915-532-2090, elemirestaurant.com Opposite page: Chef Emiliano Marentes with portrait of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata painted by Enrique Ramirez.

TIPS, BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED THEM Elemi, open 3 pm to 9 pm, is located in the heart of downtown El Paso and daytime parking can be difficult.

Reservations are needed in the evenings, and you must arrive on time, or you will not be seated. If you are driving from out of town, go early to avoid traffic. There is metered parking and parking available in a nearby public lot after 6 pm. Total que—as we say in Spanish—a summation: be prepared to look (and pay) for parking, arrive early, and expect adventure.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS NONFICTION Desert Immigrants: The Mexicans of El Paso 1880–1920

by Mario T. García Pancho Villa: Intimate Recollections by People Who Knew Him edited by Jessie Peterson and Thelma Cox Knoles Border Boom Town: Ciudad Juárez Since 1848 by Óscar J. Martínez Smeltertown: Making and Remembering a Southwest Border Community by Mónica Perales Ringside Seat to a Revolution: An Underground Cultural History of El Paso and Juárez, 1893–1923 by David Dorado Romo FICTION AND MEMOIR Memorias de mi viaje / Recollections of My Trip

by Olga Beatríz Torres City of Night by John Rechy Our House on Hueco by Carlos Nicólas Flores The Rain God by Arturo Islas Drink Cultura: Chicanismo by José Antonio Burciaga FOOD From My Heart: Cuisines of México Remembered and Reimagined by Zarela Martínez Recipes of Memory: Five Generations of Mexican Cuisine by Victor M. Valle and Mary Lau Valle Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman Mexico from the Inside Out by Enrique Olvera Eat Mexico, Recipes from Mexico City’s Streets, Markets and Fondas by Lesley Téllez Tacopedia: The Taco Encyclopedia by Deborah Holtz and Juan Carlos Mena Mulli: El Libro de Los Moles / The Book of Moles (Artes Visuales / Visual Arts) by Patricia Quintana Oaxaca al Gusto: an Infinite Gastronomy by Diana Kennedy Uno: Diez Años de Pujol by Enrique Olvera This is just a small list of books about El Paso and La Frontera. The scope of writing and art is prodigious.

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BUILDING A BETTER REMOTE FOOD SYSTEM

FRONTIER FOOD HUB OFFERS SOLUTIONS FOR RURAL FARMERS, SCHOOL KITCHENS, FOOD PANTRY MANAGERS, AND HOME CHEFS ACROSS SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO

By Jennifer C. Olson · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

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De Colores Farms napa cabbage at the Frontier Food Hub.

L

et’s say you farm. After a few years of experience as a farmworker and after starting a family, you decide to start your own operation. You buy a plot of land and move to a new place, a rural village that’s nearly forty miles from a population hub serving the roughly thirty thousand residents of a tri-county area. You plant what intrigues you, what you expect will grow and, ultimately, sell. It’s just you, your partner, and your tenyear-old working the land, harvesting and packing the crops, and selling the food. The local farmers market is held twice a week, and before each market day, your three pairs of hands feverishly pick, wash, and load every ripened vegetable into your truck. When the bell signals the market’s opening, you pray for customers. The last thing you want is to haul these vegetables home, and there’s no other outlet for a small-scale farmer like yourself. If only there were a way to guarantee sales, feed thankful mouths, waste nothing, and earn a living growing food.

Let’s say you cook in a school. The kitchen budget is tight—only a couple dollars to feed each hungry head. The community demands fresh and healthy meals for its children. The list of ingredients fitting both bills is short. If only you could score some squash from so-andso’s parents, a big bunch of herbs from the garden down the road, and a slab of locally raised meat.

Let’s say you manage a food pantry. You know how many people would go hungry without the services you provide. You feel indebted to the Roadrunner Food Bank for its constancy and reliability. You strive to supply your clients with the healthiest food possible and yet, economically, cannot quite get everyone what you want for them.

Let’s say you like to eat. You value food, like exploring new flavors, and appreciate a beautiful slicing tomato, ripened on the vine instead of in a truck.

as its manager, Ben Rasmussen, would say, “Our organizational focus is identifying the challenges and issues of frontier communities and developing solutions.”

In 2018, Frontier Food Hub launched under the National Center for Frontier Communities, a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Silver City. Along with Rasmussen, Frontier Food Hub goes round thanks to the work of driver Gay Hedges, online sales guru Johannes Lenser, and sales and logistics chief John Song. “We work with dozens of growers around the region and state and provide a lot of different services. Our main service is that we aggregate, market, and distribute locally grown food,” explained Rasmussen. The impetus was to provide growers in remote areas access to larger markets around the state, in part by running a community supported agriculture subscription box. “We’re able to track market data, and provide crop planning and consultations with growers on how to grow or expand their business to meet market demands. We’re able to consolidate data and offer them planting schedules and advice on which varieties are most in demand and how to price,” Rasmussen said.

FOR THE GROWERS Garcia-Franzoni owns Datura Farms in Buckhorn, growing tomatoes, chiles, squashes, and cucumbers. With nine years’ experience, she is in her second season running her own farm. Coming from a larger, more connected market, she reached out to Rasmussen last year upon discovering the lack of places to sell her produce. “He looked at the land and agreed to buy what we had to offer. I cut my farmers market days to one and everything else goes to the food hub,” she said.

Priscilla Garcia-Franzoni is that farmer. Hannah Dumas is that school chef. Jennifer Metzler is that food pantry manager. People like you and me are the eaters who dream of perfectly ripe, unbruised fruit and locally grown vegetables. And Frontier Food Hub was specifically born to turn each of these wishes into reality.

The coordination between growers and Frontier Food Hub happens on a predictable schedule, but there’s flexibility when farmers ask for it. “A week before, one of the coordinators will ask what we have available. Once we get that email, we gauge to see if we can offer fourteen pints of chiles or twenty pounds of beefsteak tomatoes,” GarciaFranzoni said. “Every Tuesday, we harvest early in the morning, package and label everything. Then I meet them at The Commons [Center for Food Security and Sustainability] for delivery.”

With a mission to grow the local food economy, improve food access, and reduce food insecurity, Frontier Food Hub is expanding according to the needs of southwest New Mexico’s community. Or,

Of the two thousand pounds of food Datura Farms grew last year, Frontier Food Hub bought six hundred. This year, Garcia-Franzoni is doubling production. “Knowing what the food hub will buy gives

“I

In the past, when a grower like Priscilla Garcia-Franzoni didn't sell out at a farmers market, the alternative was either donating or composting the rest of that week’s harvest. Now, on certain market dates, Frontier Food Hub will purchase all participating farmers’ leftover produce at regular market prices for distribution for free at local food pantries. “It’s key that we’re nimble and responsive,” Ben Rasmussen said.

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Ben Rasmussen and his son Dominic at the Frontier Food Hub.

me an idea of what seeds to invest in and how many beds to prepare.

Last year, I was guessing and buying seed,” she said.

Frontier Food Hub’s community supported agriculture (CSA) subscription box program is exciting for farmers, not only because of the stable check but because it links them to the local food community. “At the Wednesday market, I didn’t know if I’d make $60 or $200. Now, when I have this amount of produce, I know I will make this amount. The food hub pays fair prices,” said GarciaFranzoni, who likes knowing that what she grows still goes to local households.

She said Frontier Food Hub is an important help to farmers. “Ben takes time to talk to me about the projects, the successes, and the areas of improvement. He gives me the heads-up about grant opportunities, even offering help with specific grants. I’m going into this new business and don’t know what to expect, so the food hub gives me that security and sense of community.”

Frontier Food Hub also accepts liability of all the products it sells, educates growers on best practices, and facilitates the processes and certifications growers must adopt to enter new markets. For example, two on-staff certified food safety trainers train school growers in food safety considerations both before and after harvest—from composting and water sources to hygiene, sanitation, and food storage.

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FOR THE SCHOOLS Schools are markets that individual growers have had trouble breaking into because of insurance and liability barriers. Frontier Food Hub funnels local foods to about half a dozen school kitchens regularly. “The food hub inspects farms and then assumes liability. They fall under our umbrella,” Rasmussen said. While the USDA Farm to School grant enabled Frontier Food Hub to kick off many of the school market relationships and bring more awareness of food production to youngsters, most of the business today is conducted through the New Mexico Grown Farm to School Program, which allocates funds for schools to purchase locally grown food. Rasmussen said both programs sustain growers economically while introducing students to farm-fresh foods.

Hannah Dumas is the kitchen manager at the Guadalupe Montessori School in Silver City, and her kitchen also serves Aldo Leopold Charter School each fall through spring. During the school year, they plate an average of 175 lunches per day and provide snacks to the Montessori children, who most enjoy biting into locally grown fruit and vegetables from the shade of their school garden.

“Whenever I’m going to be featuring an item that's going to be served in the raw, like tomatoes,” Dumas said, “what I know the hub will provide is flavor. Plus, the nutrients are higher and we’re also getting a good price.” She also sources local pinto beans and

The Commons in Silver City.

cornmeal through Frontier Food Hub. The cornmeal, made from both blue and yellow corn, is grown outside Tamaya, so “the kids are getting exposed to this cornbread that’s this beautiful lilac color.”

In Dumas’s view, having delicious and beautiful meals makes the students’ eating experience feel special, more gourmet. “They’re getting cilantro and chopped chives—things you wouldn’t expect to see on a school lunch plate. The younger ones are forming their palates.

We hope that they continue to expect beautiful produce as part of each meal they eat.”

Logistically, sourcing through the food hub is a piece of cake, Dumas said. “They’re accommodating. They’re great communicators. They deliver straight to the school. They’re not only connecting schools with farms but helping farmers jump through the hoops to be on the New Mexico Grown Grants approved supplier list, which allows me to then purchase from these farms.”

FOR OUR TABLES Through food pantries, Frontier Food Hub distributes thousands of pounds of locally grown produce and contributes healthy bulkfood items, also supporting fundraising initiatives to improve the quality and quantity of foods that get distributed. “Folks that utilize food pantries should get high-quality, healthy staple foods every time they visit. It shouldn’t be a luxury,” Rasmussen said.

In the past, when a grower like Garcia-Franzoni didn’t sell out at a farmers market, the alternative was either donating or composting the rest of that week’s harvest. Now, on certain market dates, Frontier Food Hub will purchase all participating farmers’ leftover produce at regular market prices for distribution for free at local food pantries. “It’s key that we’re nimble and responsive,” Rasmussen said.

Operating out of rented space at The Commons, Frontier Food Hub has a convenient line to the food pantry. “They have a real understanding of what’s fresh and wholesome and actually provides a good basis for a meal versus a bunch of random ingredients tossed in a box that people may not be able to use,” said Jennifer Metzler, program manager for the food pantry at The Commons.

To be less reliant on food banks that are hours away, the two organizations are assembling a new cold-food storage facility at The Commons this summer while working toward creating a local warehouse. “It would give us more control over our inventory of healthy food, not just for the CSA program but for our client neighbors,” Metzler said.

Along the same lines of bringing farm-fresh produce within everyone’s reach, the Frontier Food Hub CSA program accepts SNAP EBT cards from subscribers. “Accessibility is important, because EDIBLENM.COM

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Left: Priscilla Garcia-Franzoni at Datura Farms. Top Right: Grounds at The Commons in Silver City. Bottom right: Entrance to Datura Farms in Buckhorn.

local food can be seen as more expensive and elitist or only available to people who have extra money to spend,” Rasmussen said.

policy advocacy alongside the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy Council.

A win-win arrangement, CSA subscribers might even be receiving food grown by their friends and neighbors, overzealous gardeners or beginning farmers who aren’t ready to wholesale their goods. While the USDA defines a very small farm as one doing under $250,000 in sales, Frontier Food Hub works with people farming on even a microscale. “We mean all the way to backyard growers,” Rasmussen said. “As long as we’re able to trace their products and ensure food safety, we can incorporate their food into our subscription boxes at very low prices.”

FOR COMMUNITY

In addition to ensuring that sixty CSA customers can have confidence in the mushrooms and lettuce that they find in their weekly boxes, Frontier Food Hub aims to reduce the burden of access for farmers—and even those who would be farmers if they had the right support. Assuming some of the risk for farmers by providing insurance and quality control, Frontier Food Hub allows CSA subscribers to enjoy the benefits of local food production.

On top of all that, Frontier Food Hub staff and volunteers manage the Southwest New Mexico Seed Library and engage in food 74

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While working to improve the Southwest’s remote food system, Frontier Food Hub invites others to follow. “We’re demonstrating that there’s huge benefit, both social and economic, to operating a food hub and working to further connect the remote food system,” Rasmussen said. “We created a Frontier Food Hub Tool Kit designed to help other remote communities.”

And while they may be a model program, Frontier Food Hub also learns from, shares resources between, and partners with the several other food hubs across New Mexico. Another key partner is the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, which has opened school markets, works with the approved supplier list, runs the state Double Up Food Bucks program, and administers the USDA Regional Food System Partnership to strengthen the viability and resilience of regional food economies through collaboration and coordination.

“We don’t exist in a vacuum,” Rasmussen acknowledged. “The more connected we can be, the better it works out for individual food hubs, growers, and buyers.”

.

Thank you to ALL of our sponsors.

Thank you to this incredible city.

Thank you to the arts, that keep us inspired and help us create even brighter tomorrows.

2022 Sponsors

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LOCAL SOURCE GUIDE

S

AN

FOOD ARTISANS / RETAILERS Barrio Brinery

Bringing fine fermented foods to Santa Fe. 1413-B W Alameda, Santa Fe, 505-699-9812, barriobrinery.com

Bluefly Farms

2506 Washington NE, Albuquerque, 505-510-1837, blueflyfarms.com

Bountiful Cow Cheese Company Purveyors of fine cheese, meats, and provisions from around the world.

505-473-7911, B-cow.com

Del Valle Pecans

From our southern New Mexico orchards to your kitchen. Order online. 575-524-1867, delvallepecans.com

Eldora Chocolate

Eldora crafts chocolate using natural, organic, and fair-trade ingredients.

8114 Edith NE, Albuquerque, 505-433-4076, eldorachocolate.com

Andaluz evokes the passion and pride of the region of Spain that has inspired the hotel’s decor and architectural style.

125 Second Street NW, Albuquerque, 505-388-0088, hotelandaluz.com

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

4803 Rio Grande NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, 505-344-9297, lospoblanos.com

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi

Sophisticated modern aesthetic celebrating the southwestern spirit. 113 Washington, Santa Fe, 505-988-3030

Sarabande B & B

Comfort, elegance, and simplicity.

5637 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-348-5593, sarabandebnb.com

The Parador

Our 200-year-old farmhouse, Santa Fe's oldest inn, is located in historic downtown Santa Fe. 220 W Manhattan, Santa Fe, 505988-1177, elparadero.com

High Grade Organic CBD

NURSERIES & SERVICES

Our hemp is grown from seed under the sun on our USDA Certified Organic farm in the Rio Grande River Valley of northern New Mexico. highgradeorganiccbd.com

KURE

We pride ourselves on providing a unique, friendly, and welcoming environment.

220 North Guadalupe, Santa Fe, 505-930-5339, kureforlife.com

New Mexico Harvest

A community of people that actively invests in our food system. Eat local. Eat seasonal.

Eat outside the box stores. Delivering across New Mexico. newmexicoharvest.com

Skarsgard Farms

Delivering fresh, local, and organically grown produce and natural groceries to doorsteps across New Mexico. 505-681-4060, skarsgardfarms.com

Susan's Fine Wine & Spirits

Your local liquor store in Santa Fe. 632 Auga Fria, sfwineandspirits.com

Talin Market

88 Louisiana SE, Albuquerque, 505-268-0206, talinmarket.com

deerBrooke

Irrigation and backflow prevention specialists. Repairs, installations, and consulting.

505-319-5730, nmlawnsprinklerexperts.com

Osuna Nursery

A family-owned and -operated nursery, gardening center, and landscaping company. 501 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, 505-345-6644, osunanursery.com

Payne’s Nursery

Santa Fe locations: Payne's North, 304 Camino Alire, 505-988-8011; Payne's South, 715 St Michael's, 505-988-9626; PAYNE'S ORGANIC Soil Yard, 6037 Agua Fria, 505-424-0336; paynes.com

ORGANIZATIONS & EDUCATION Museum of New Mexico Foundation

Philanthropic support for our state's cultural heritage. museumfoundation.org

Slow Food Santa Fe

Slow Food is about enjoying food and the community it creates. Intrigued? Learn more at slowfoodsantafe.org.

The Fruit Basket

OTHER SERVICES

LODGING

Secure, stable, scalable websites. aquarianwebdesign.com

Bishop's Lodge is a soulful retreat steeped in heritage. 1297 Bishops Lodge, Santa Fe, aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge

Transformative fitness programs for women in the Albuquerque / Santa Fe area and livestreaming nationwide. athomebefit.com

Celebrating 424 years! 1472 Highway 68, Velarde, 505-852-2310

Aquarian Web Studio

Bishop's Lodge

AtHomeBeFIT

Heritage Hotels and Resorts

Rio Grande Credit Union

Hotels in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces. hhandr.com

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i TA ex FE z New M

Hotel Andaluz

Heidi's Raspberry Farm

Sumptuous, organic raspberry jams available throughout New Mexico and online!

505-898-1784, heidisraspberryfarm.com

co

Barrio Brinery

Multiple locations in Albuquerque. riograndecu.org

Santa Fe's source for fine fermented foods. Our lacto-fermented pickles, sauerkraut, and escabeche are hand-crafted in small batches.

1413-B West Alameda, Santa Fe www.barriobrinery.com ∙ 505-699-9812

RETAILERS

Black Diamond Curio

Modern mercantile in downtown Santa Fe. 219 W San Francisco, Santa Fe, 505-390-2025, blackdiamondcurio.com

Daisy's Holistic Health

We offer a wide range of herbs, vitamins, supplements, and high pH H2O. 4056 Cerrillos, Unit D-1, Santa Fe, 505-780-8687, daisysholistichealth.com

Flyby Provisions

Enjoy shopping for boutique local New Mexico gifts—thoughtfully selected and packaged with care. flybyprovisions.com

Found on 4th

The eclectic lifestyle store. Vintage home decor and unique gifts. 8909 Fourth Street NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, 505-508-2207, foundon4th.com

Heritage by Hand

Made in the global South and inspired by nature. 125 E Palace Ave, #33 Sena Plaza, Santa Fe, 505-795-1337, heritagebyhand.com

Kitchenality

Irresistible and gently used gourmet cooking and entertaining ware. 1222 Siler, Santa Fe, 505-471-7780, kitchenangels.org

Living Threads

100% natural ingredients from around the world. 1610 Lena, Ste D, Santa Fe, 505-6637784, livingthreads.org

Next Best Thing to Being There

An eclectic shop for handmade products.

1315 Mountain NW, Albuquerque, 505-433-3204, beingthereabq.com

Sage Work Organics

Topical magnesium, herbal remedies, and more. 5401 Lomas NE, Ste D, Albuquerque, sageworkorganics.com

Sarabande Home

We have a passion for finding the perfect gift. 4022 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-344-1253, sarabandehome.com

The Perfect Gift Shoppe

The perfect place to find something for everyone. 901 Rio Grande NW, Ste D-126, Albuquerque, theperfectgiftshoppe.com

Tin-Nee-Ann Trading Co.

Family operated and family friendly since 1973. 923 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-988-1630, tin-nee-ann-trading-co.myshopify.com

Daisy’s takes a unique approach to Holistic Health.

LAWN SPRINKLER EXPERTS

We offer a wide range of Bulk Herbs, Vitamins, Supplements, and High pH H2O.

N.M. License #93034

IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR Repair / Install / Consult

Daisy’s Holistic Health is locally owned and dedicated to great customer service.

serving New Mexico since 1992

505-319-5730

4056 Cerrillos Road, Unit D-1, Santa Fe daisysholistichealth.com ∙ 505-780-8687

Secure, Stable, Scalable Websites.

WOMAN-OWNED | WOMEN-LED

aquarianwebdesign.com

topical magnesium herbal remedies candles & soaps

sageworkorganics.com SANTA FE Linking the pleasure of good food with local community.

5401 lomas blvd ne ste.d

SLOWFOODSANTAFE.ORG

TIN-NEE-ANN Trading Co. Family Operated - Family Friendly Since 1973

Welcome to Santa Fe

923 Cerrillos Road at St. Francis Drive 505-988-1630 ∙ tinneeann2@gmail.com

EAT & DRINK LOCAL GUID E ALBUQUERQUE RESTAURANTS

Trifecta Coffee Company

Rio Grande Valley cuisine rooted in seasonal organic ingredients from our own farm.

4803 Rio Grande NW, 505-344-9297, lospoblanos.com

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS

Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

Cutbow Coffee

One of the nation's most accomplished artisan coffee roasters, Paul Gallegos.

1208 Rio Grande NW, 505-355-5563, cutbowcoffee.com

Debajo

Local Spanish-style tapas restaurant with fine wine and beer. 1025 Lomas NW, 505-503-8645

Farm & Table

Enjoy delectable seasonal dishes created from scratch, sourced from local farmers and our beautiful on-site farm. 8917 Fourth Street NW, 505-503-7124, farmandtablenm.com

MÁS Tapas y Vino

Inspired by the bold flavors, rich history, and the exuberance of Spanish cooking.

125 Second Street NW, 505-388-0088, hotelandaluz.com/mas-tapas-y-vino

Mata G Vegetarian Kitchen

Unmistakably comforting, uncompromisingly fresh, and undeniably delicious.

116 Amherst SE, 505-266-6374, mata-g.com

Mesa Provisions

A playful, Southwest-inspired menu.

3120 Central SE, Albuquerque, 505-494-5264, mesaprovisions.com

Salt and Board

Salt and Board, a charcuterie-based cork and taproom in the heart of the Brick Light District. 115 Harvard SE, 505-219-2001, saltandboard.com

Savoy Bar & Grill

California wine country in the Northeast Heights. Farm-to-table dining and a casual patio. 10601 Montgomery NE, 505-294-9463, savoyabq.com

Sawmill Market

Eclectic collection of bars and eateries, plus an expansive courtyard. 1909 Bellamah NW, sawmillmarket.com

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill

Oak-fired grill, local and seasonal ingredients, and the best patio dining in Old Town.

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

The Grove Cafe & Market

The Grove features a bustling café experience serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch.

600 Central SE, 505-248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com

The Shop Breakfast & Lunch

Serving breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday. 2933 Monte Vista NE, 505-433-2795, theshopabq.com

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We roast coffee and brew in unique ways.

413 Montaño NE, 505-803-7579, trifectacoffeeco.com

Anasazi Restaurant & Bar

Contemporary American cuisine inspired by locally sourced seasonal ingredients.

113 Washington, 505-988-3030, innoftheanasazi.com

TerraCotta

Seasonally changing, globally inspired cuisine and an extensive, value-priced wine list.

304 Johnson, 505-989-1166, terracottawinebistro.com

The Compound Restaurant

Chef Mark Kiffin preserves a landmark tradition of elegant food and service at his Canyon Road institution. 653 Canyon Road, 505-982-4353, compoundrestaurant.com

Arroyo Vino

Wild Leaven Bakery

Cafecito

GREATER NEW MEXICO RESTAURANTS

We serve progressive American fare inspired by our on-premise garden and local purveyors.

218 Camino La Tierra, 505-983-2100, arroyovino.com

Artisan sourdough bread and baked goods using organic, local grains and ingredients.

130 N Guadalupe, wildleavenbakery.com

Cafecito is a family-owned business blending cultures to bring you a delicious menu in a beautiful gathering space. 922 Shoofly, 505-310-0089, cafecitosantafe.com

Black Bird Saloon

Dolina

We serve modern American brunch with Eastern European influences. Closed on Tuesdays. 402 N Guadalupe, 505-982-9394, dolinasantafe.com

Genuine food and drink, Wild West style.

28 Main St, Los Cerrillos, 505-438-1821, blackbirdsaloon.com

Blades' Bistro

Iconik Coffee Roasters

Chef and owner Kevin Bladergroen brings together fine and fresh ingredients, artistic vision, and European flair in every dish.

221 Hwy 165, Placitas, 505-771-0695, bladesbistro.com

Le Pommier Bistro

Charlie’s offers New Mexican cuisine, breakfast, and classic pastries. 715 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, 505-426-1921, charliesbakeryandcafe.com

Amazing food, unique coffees roasted on-site, and superfast high-speed internet.

314 S Guadalupe and 1600 Lena, 505-428-0996, iconikcoffee.com The French bistro experience located in Eldorado. 7 Caliente, Santa Fe, 505-466-3235, lepommierbistro.com

Loyal Hound

Locally sourced modern comfort food paired with craft beer, cider, and wine.

730 St Michaels, 505-471-0440, loyalhoundpub.com

Ohori’s Coffee Roasters

The original source for locally roasted coffee beans, gifts, and gathering. 505 Cerrillos and 1098 St Francis, 505-982-9692, ohoriscoffee.com

Palace Prime

Steaks, seafood, and pasta. 142 W Palace, Santa Fe, 505-919-9935, palaceprimesf.com

Paper Dosa

Bringing fresh, authentic homestyle South Indian dishes to your table. 551 W Cordova, 505-930-5521, paper-dosa.com

Pranzo Italian Grill

Upscale Italian cuisine. 321 Johnson, 505-984-2645, pranzoitaliangrill.com

Radish & Rye

Farm-inspired cuisine: simple yet innovative food and drinks sourced locally whenever possible. 505 Cerrillos, 505-930-5325, radishandrye.com

Rustica

Sophisticated yet casual—Rustica serves fresh, homemade Italian food. 2547 Camino Entrada, 505-780-5279, rusticasantafe.com

Charlie's Bakery and Cafe

Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery Taste Southwest New Mexico.

200 N Bullard St, Silver City, 575-956-6144, and 119 N Main St, Las Cruces, 575-556-9934, littletoadcreek.com

Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery

Regionally inspired eats with a tongue-incheek menu in a casual space 304-C N Pueblo, Taos, 575-758-4178, michaelskitchen.com

Pajarito Brewpub & Grill

Open for lunch Tuesday–Sunday. Open for dinner every day. 30 craft beers on tap.

614 Trinity Dr, Los Alamos, 505-662-8877, pajaritobrewpubandgrill.com

Pig + Fig

Comfort food for everyone using highquality, ethically sourced, seasonal ingredients. 11 Sherwood Blvd, White Rock, 505-672-2742, pigandfigcafe.com

Revel

Farm-to-table, elevated comfort food, in a fast-casual environment. 304 N Bullard St, Silver City, 575-388-4920, eatdrinkrevel.com

The Skillet

American, Southwest, vegetarian friendly.

619 Twelfth Street, Las Vegas, 505-563-0477, giant-skillet.com

Wild Leaven Bakery

216 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, wildleavenbakery.com

Le Pommier THE FRENCH BISTRO EXPERIENCE

cafecito

Lunch: Tuesday–Saturday 11:30-2:30 Dinner: Thursday–Saturday 5:30-8:30 7 Caliente Rd, El Dorado at Santa Fe Reservations OpenTable.com lepommierbistro.com Weddings, Special Events, Catering

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER & BRUNCH (505) 310-0089 | 922 Shoofly St. SF, NM cafecitosantafe.com | @cafecito.santafe

Wholesale Specialty Cheese/Meats/Provisions 300+ Cheeses from around the World Est. 1984

BURGERS D FRIES GRASS-FED & DARN HEALTHY www.b-cow.com · 505-473-7911

Award winner since 2017 Creative Casual Cuisine

Chef and owner Kevin Bladergroen brings together fresh ingredients, artistic vision, and European flair in every dish. Award-winning wine list.

221 Highway 165, Placitas 505-771-0695, www.bladesbistro.com

South Indian cuisine

Genuine Food & Drink Enchanting, Dusty...

Wild West Style

www.grassburger.com

TRIFECTA COFFEE COMPANY

Celebrating 5 Years!

28 MAIN STREET LOS CERRILLOS 505.438.1821 Thursday - Sunday blackbirdsaloon.com

413 Montano NE, Albuquerque 505-803-7579, trifectacoffeeco.com We roast coffee, and brew it in unique ways utilizing some of the best methods available. All of our baked goods, sweet, and savory are made in house.

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IS PLASTIC WASTE THE COST OF EATING? STO RY

BY

E M I LY

PAY N E

A N D

DA N I E LLE

N I E R E N B E R G

About a year ago, a comedian—not a scientist or environmentalist—enlightened consumers about a product they use every day that is harmful to the planet.

“A lot less plastic winds up getting recycled than you might think,” John Oliver said on that particular episode of Last Week

recycling bins or items that are not clean—the most common culprit is food residue.

Tonight, which has now been viewed more than 4 million times.

Further, recycling facilities are often underfunded and over-

In the United States and Canada, less than 9 percent of plastics

whelmed. In 2018, China stopped importing most plastic waste

is recycled. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection

from both the U.S. and Canada. That ban upended recycling

Agency (EPA), packaging comprises the largest percent of U.S.

systems that relied on exports, and neither country has been

plastic waste. Since the pandemic disrupted curbside pickup

successful in building a domestic recycling market.

and put more emphasis on single-use products, especially in food service, these numbers have only worsened.

Consumers often see plastic food packaging as the cost of eating: tubs of salad greens; clear clamshells for berries; and even, pre-wrapped cucumbers and other produce.

And while many plastics are recyclable, they still end up in landfills, oceans and, ultimately, in our bodies.

Now, however, in an exciting wave of innovation, businesses and entrepreneurs are rethinking how to package food.

For example, Stamford, Connecticut made $95,000 selling recyclables in 2017; after 2018, it paid $700,000 for removal.

And Bakersfield, California, earned $65 per ton from recyclables; it now pays $25 a ton to get rid of them.

The recycling system is also wrought with environmental injustice. “Recycling facilities are predominantly built in marginalized communities, in part due to the traditional invisibility of and bias against low-income communities of color and Indigenous peoples,” says Nilda Mesa, director of urban sustainability and equity planning at Columbia University’s Center for

RE A L LY RE CYC L E D? “Much food packaging is made from plastic, and most plastics

Sustainable Urban Development.

Amid pressure to transform the recycling system, experts are

are never recycled—though the plastics industry has long worked

advocating for circularity in food packaging. Circular systems pre-

to convince us otherwise,” says Dianna Cohen, co-founder and

vent waste from reaching recycling facilities by implementing strat-

CEO of the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

egies to reuse and repurpose plastics already created. A shift in this

One-quarter of packaging reaching recycling facilities is

direction requires the food industry to rethink packaging materials

contaminated and, thus, sent to landfills, the EPA estimates.

and to consider what the reuse and disposal of plastics (eventually)

Contamination can occur from contact with non-recyclables in

would look like, especially for packaging that is compostable.

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“The real game changer will be when people buy less plastic, reuse what they have and minimize what goes in the trash and into recycling,”

CO M P OSTA BL E I S CO MP L I C AT E D Unilever and PepsiCo include compostable packaging as part of their strategies to reduce waste. Chipotle and Sweetgreen use

“Along with the innovation in more sustainable packaging, pricing has come down dramatically, and it’s only a small premium to conventional or fossil fuel-based packaging now,” Gailmor says.

Ecovative’s technology upcycles farming and forestry byproducts

compostable material for take-out meals.

Compostables are made of plant-based materials—corn, starch or sugarcane—unlike plastics derived from petroleum.

Compostable packaging isn’t always sustainable, though. Without the right infrastructure, pricing and awareness, compostables can contribute to the food packaging waste problem.

through mycelium to create plastic-free and home-compostable products for the food, leather, beauty, foam and packaging industries.

Gailmor is hopeful that more options can be available at large scale as consumer demand rises.

“If you’d asked me two years ago, I wouldn’t have been as enthu-

“Compostable is often referring to packaging that must be

siastic,” says Gailmor, “but I am very confident now.” Consumer

transported to an industrial composting facility—which it often

demand drives innovation, lower prices and more sustainable op-

isn’t, and just ends up in a landfill versus recycled,” says Emily

tions for small businesses like Brass Roots, but the onus can’t be only

Stucker, vice president of menu innovation and product integrity

on eaters.

at Farmer’s Fridge.

This is, in part, because composting facilities are not available nationally. Mixing compostables into curbside bins can contaminate recycling streams. Throwing compostables in the trash gets them sent to landfills, where they emit methane.

When proper infrastructure and education are in place, processing compost can be sustainable, especially given that munici-

T H E POWE R O F PRO CU RE ME NT One powerful solution is for government and institutional procurement practices to help reduce or eliminate plastic packaging.

“We can do this on an individual level and also need to support systems shifts, from our schools to our workplaces to policy and legislation,” says Cohen.

San Francisco, California, was one of the first cities to make a

palities pay for waste processing by weight.

“A municipality that can figure out how to minimize its organic

zero-waste commitment in 2003—it diverts 80 percent of its waste

waste stream will be saving funds over the long run, as well as cutting

from landfills. Vendors use either compostable or recyclable contain-

greenhouse gas emissions and producing material that will enrich

ers, and every event must offer recycling and composting. The city

soils… It’s a win all over,” says Mesa. But only if they can afford it.

also requires individuals and businesses to separate waste into recy-

“We would have loved to be in all compostable packaging from

clable, compostable and trash bins.

the beginning, but for a small company starting out, pricing for

“Moving away from single-serve meals and snacks is probably the

small runs and guaranteed shelf life for new products with un-

most impactful way to reduce packaging waste in an institutional

known velocity can be prohibitive,” says Logan Farley, chief operat-

setting,” says the Center for Good Food Purchasing, a nonprofit that

ing officer at Brass Roots, a plant-based snack company based in

aims to use procurement to build a more equitable food system.

According to the Center, buying bulk items can help institu-

New Orleans, Louisiana.

tions reduce both packaging waste and food waste—a win for tight IF T HE P RI C E I S R I GH T

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budgets, too.

Food businesses consider pricing, shelf life and quality of pre-

For example, many elementary school districts are required to

sentation for packaging, and it’s been cheaper to choose plastic

serve milk which is distributed in single-serve cartons. Students take

packaging. Brass Roots Founder Aaron Gailmor believes the tide

a carton, drink some or none of it and throw it in the trash. But

is turning, however.

when the Austin Independent School District in Texas transitioned

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to bulk milk, they reduced so much waste that it was able to transi-

NatureSeal coating combines vitamins, salts and minerals to extend

tion to all organic milk for the same cost of single-serve cartons.

the shelf life of sliced fruits for up to 28 days.

Other institutions are increasing demand for sustainable food

Meanwhile, Notpla aims to eliminate the need for single-use

services—within the Center’s partner institutions, there has been a

plastic bottles. Its condiments and water sachets are made from

more than 30 percent increase in environmentally sustainable pur-

seaweed, which can be composted or actually eaten. And Sway’s

chasing over the last few years.

seaweed packaging integrates seamlessly with existing machinery, eliminating the costs for manufacturers.

LEA D I N G T H E WAY

Gupta-Fonner’s waste-free delivery service aims to do the fun-

Meanwhile, some of the largest industry players are tackling packaging and plastic waste internally.

damental work of building a circular supply chain from the ground up. For her, waste is an issue of design. “Linear supply chains are not

In 2021, Driscoll’s diverted more than 10 million pounds of

designed for this,” says Gupta-Fonner.

packaging from landfills. The company’s circular clamshell initiative

Designing the infrastructure for circularity—a system that in-

requires packaging suppliers to incorporate recycled clamshells back

herently limits waste—can create an easy and affordable choice for

into new clamshells.

all eaters.

Clover Sonoma released the first fully plant-based milk carton in 2022. Meanwhile, Danone aims to make every piece of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

PACKAG E LE SS E AT ING There’s no silver bullet to solving the food packaging crisis. It’s

This focus on waste reduction can drive investment in better sorting infrastructure, reducing widespread contamination and making recycling easier for all.

complex and requires both top-down solutions and bottom-up changes by consumers and businesses.

“The real game changer will be when people buy less plastic, reuse

“Private industry has the opportunity to create the demand to kickstart or revive strong and stable recycling end markets for the

what they have and minimize what goes in the trash and into recycling,” says Mesa.

circular economy, and we hope more brands and manufacturers will

Cohen recommends prioritizing unpackaged food. Whole

step up to the design and sourcing challenge,” says Camille Herrera,

Foods, Sprouts and co-ops allow customers to purchase bulk food

packaging development and sustainability manager at Driscoll’s.

in reusable containers, while zero-waste shops are becoming more

More than 70 brands have committed to the One Step Closer to Zero Waste Packaging campaign, which launched in January 2022. It aims to improve infrastructure, labeling and the responsibility of producers.

common across the country. And farmers’ markets offer a way to avoid plastics in grocery.

Kroger partnered with TerraCycle to test a reusable packaging program in 25 Fred Meyer stores. Customers will be able to pur-

The campaign also supports the Break Free from Plastic Pollu-

chase products from brands like Arbor Teas, Nature’s Heart and Na-

tion Act. It mandates reduced production of a variety of materials,

ture’s Path in reusable containers that they can return to be cleaned

including plastic, and requires producers of packaging, containers

and reused.

and food service products to boost recycling and composting efforts.

If unpackaged foods or reusable containers aren’t available, Co-

Companies that fundamentally change the way they think about

hen says to choose easily recyclable materials like paper, glass and

packaging, rather than simply swapping plastics for another single-

metal. Consumers can also look for products with instructions on

use material, can build true circularity.

how to dispose of their packaging.

“To make any kind of single-use packaging including composta-

“If you want true systemic change, it means taking a stand against

bles, you’re using precise raw materials, energy and water,” says

things that derail the broader conversation, just like you take a stand

Anukampa Freedom Gupta-Fonner, co-founder and CEO of Spr-

for the organizations that are actually solving the problem,” says Gup-

ingEats.com, an online grocery store achieving zero-waste delivery

ta-Fonner.

from farm to table.

There also is the need for a cultural shift. “When you acknowledge that there are resources, natural elements and actually pieces

Z ERO PAC KAGI N G

of real life and habitats that went into making this packaging,” says

The best way to reduce packaging waste, though, is by using no

Gupta-Fonner, “then reuse is compassion.”

packaging at all.

Apeel makes plant-derived coatings that growers, suppliers and retailers use to keep produce fresh two to three times longer. And

edible Communities |

Emily Payne is Food Tank’s copy editor, and Danielle Nierenberg is the president and co-founder of Food Tank.

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LAST BITE

Mariachis and tacos al pastor at the Rio Grande Credit Union branch opening.

BARRIGAS MEXICAN FOOD Barrigas Mexican Food is a family-operated food truck serving tacos, tortas, and hamburgers. They can be found on 94th and Central in Albuquerque on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays when they aren’t busy catering special events like this Rio Grande Credit Union branch opening.

Photos by Stephanie Cameron Eduardo Salazar catering the Rio Grande Credit Union branch opening.

Eduardo Salazar has been operating the food truck for four years with his wife, Miriam; daughter Briana; and mother-in-law, Luz. Birria tacos are their specialty.

505-322-3098 The Last Bite is brought to you by Rio Grande Credit Union and highlights New Mexico’s food entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Tacos al pastor plate.

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edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2022

Birria tacos.

“Check Please.”

Savor the Taste of Rio Grande Rewards.

WE UNDERSTAND. 505.262.1401 | RIOGRANDECU.ORG/REWARDS

ARROYO VINO Restaurant and Wine Shop

10 Years Serving Santa Fe! 5 : 0 0P M WINE SHOP: TUESDAY–SATURDAY 11AM-–7PM

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