Late Winter 2021: Growing Justice by edible New Mexico

edible NEW MEXICO THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

Growing Justice ISSUE 71 · LATE WINTER · JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

photo: doug merriam

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AT L A MO N TAÑ ITA C O - O P,

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It’s the Local Multiplier Effect, and it’s why more than 3 times the money stays in New Mexico when spent locally. STOP IN FOR LOCAL & ORGANIC FOOD THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE S A N T A F E • ABQ • G A L L U P • W W W . L A M O N T A N I T A . C O O P

LATE WINTER: JANUARY / FEBRUARY DEPARTMENTS 2

GRIST FOR THE MILL By Willy Carleton and Briana Olson

CONTRIBUTORS

LOCAL HEROES

ON THE COVER

edible

Three Sisters Kitchen, Steel Bender Brewyard, Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

NEW MEXICO

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

AT THE CHEF’S TABLE Ceci’s African Kitchen by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers

FACES OF FOOD

TOUCH AND GROW

The Rural View by Nora Hickey Busy Winter Waiting by Marisa Thompson

EIGHT AROUND THE STATE Special Delivery

COOKING FRESH A Guide to Winter Squash by Stephanie Cameron

LOCAL PROVISIONS GUIDE

LAST BITE Cocktails with a Cause

FEATURES

Growing Justice ISSUE 71 · LATE WINTER · JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021

44 PLANTING SEEDS FOR COMMUNITY NEEDS Two Chicanas’ Story about Project Feed the Hood by Divana Olivas and Stefany Olivas

Winter squash from Vida Verde Farm in Albuquerque. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

48 WHY SOURCING LOCAL FOOD MATTERS New Mexico Programs Making a Difference for Future Generations by Lois Ellen Frank WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

GRIST FOR THE MILL

PUBLISHERS Bite Size Media, LLC

Growing Justice Winter can be a time of rest, reflection, and hibernation—a season, in “normal” circumstances, to consider the successes (and failures) of the year’s literal and figurative harvests, to refine our visions, sketch new blueprints, revise our menus, and order seeds for the coming spring. In this period without precedent, more than a few of us may recoil at the prospect of yet more time tucked away in the relative comfort of our homes. But as we learn from the stories in this issue, there is important work to be done in the winter—in the garden, in the kitchen, in our food systems—and this year, the occasion to nourish the roots of a healthier, more just and equitable local food system has taken on renewed urgency. Throughout 2020, when the vulnerability of long supply chains became evident to almost everyone, New Mexican growers and organizers responded to the needs of our neighbors and communities, finding ways to distribute local produce and feed the roots of our communities through food. These grassroots acts of generosity have built on—are rooted in—long-standing efforts to empower local communities through increased access to healthy, locally grown food. As we see with Project Feed the Hood in Albuquerque, young people are addressing systemic racism by growing their own vegetables and taking their health, and that of their community and open space, into their own hands. Lois Ellen Frank reports on the way increased food sovereignty is taking root on an institutional level throughout the state, as local farmers serve tribal elder centers and public schools with healthy produce and cooks learn to work with fresh and indigenous ingredients. Collectively, such work is nourishing the roots of a more resilient, just, and healthy state. This winter may not be easy. For many, it will be a time of sorrow, grief, anxiety. We have lost friends and family and, with them, an incalculable amount of wisdom. We have lost jobs, and we have lost treasured community businesses and the connections through and into which they are woven. Maybe it is because of so many hardships and losses that we take even more comfort than usual in the strength expressed in these stories. In sharing the work of socially engaged chefs and farmers, we also share the SouthWest Organizing Project’s open invitation to engage directly in changing our food systems. Together, tapping into the strength and vitality of our collective roots, we can look forward to an abundant—and resilient—season ahead.

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

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Cyndi Wood

VIDEO PRODUCER Walt Cameron

SALES AND MARKETING Kate Collins, Melinda Esquibel, and Gina Riccobono

SUBSCRIBE ∙ LETTERS WWW.EDIBLENM.COM We welcome your letters. Write to us at the address above, or email us at INFO@EDIBLENM.COM Bite Size Media, LLC publishes edible New Mexico six times a year. We distribute throughout New Mexico and nationally by subscription. Subscriptions are $32 annually. Printed at Courier Graphics Corporation in

Willy Carleton and Briana Olson, Editors

Stephanie and Walt Cameron, Publishers

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

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CONTRIBUTORS NATALIE BOVIS Natalie Bovis is founder of The Liquid Muse; cofounder of OM Liqueurs; and creator of Taco Wars and the New Mexico Cocktails & Culinary Festival, both of which donate a portion of proceeds to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society and Youth Shelters & Family Services of Santa Fe. Bovis was voted edible New Mexico’s Local Hero in mixology in 2017. Register for her online cocktail classes at TheLiquidMuse.com. STEPHANIE CAMERON Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. After photographing, testing, and designing a cookbook in 2011, she and her husband Walt began pursuing Edible Communities and they found edible in their backyard. Today Cameron is the art director, head photographer, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico. WILLY CARLETON Willy Carleton is co-editor of edible New Mexico. He recently completed his PhD in history at the University of New Mexico, with a dissertation examining the cultural history of twentieth-century agriculture in the Southwest. UNGELBAH DÁVILA-SHIVERS Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers is a Diné writer and photographer, and the owner of Silver Moon Studio in Bosque Farms. LOIS ELLEN FRANK Lois Ellen Frank, PhD (Kiowa/Sephardic), is a Santa Fe–based Native American chef, Native foods historian, culinary anthropologist, food educator, cooking class instructor, photographer, organic gardener, and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author for her book Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations. She is the chef/ owner of Red Mesa Cuisine, LLC, a Native American catering company specializing in delicious, locally sourced foods and cooking education (virtual and in-person) focusing on the revitalization of ancestral Native American cuisine with a modern twist.

NORA HICKEY After ten years in Albuquerque, Nora Hickey now lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she teaches at Aims Community College. She researches and discusses the weird, wild, and wonderful Albuquerque on the podcast City on the Edge. DIVANA OLIVAS Divana Olivas is an alumna of the University of New Mexico and now attends the University of Southern California as a PhD candidate in American Studies and Ethnicity. She is curious about the relationship between food history and contemporary food activism in New Mexico, and currently serves as a program coordinator with Three Sisters Kitchen. STEFANY OLIVAS Stefany Olivas is a mother and a senior at UNM, double-majoring in biology and Chicana/o studies. She serves on the newly formed diversity, equity, and inclusion committee for the biology department. Her future research will look at the agroecological practices of New Mexico farmers as regenerative food systems and vehicles to achieve food sovereignty. BRIANA OLSON Briana Olson is a writer, co-editor of edible New Mexico, and lead editor for the New Farmer's Almanac. MARISA THOMPSON Marisa Thompson is New Mexico State University's Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist, responsible for active extension and research programs supporting sustainable horticulture in New Mexico. In addition to studying 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 and on her blog. Readers can access the column archives and other hort-related resources at desertblooms.nmsu.edu. Find her on social media @NMdesertblooms.

We encourage interested writers to apply through our online writer submission form at ediblenm.com/opportunities.

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

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LOCAL HEROES

Three Sisters Kitchen AN INTERVIEW WITH ANZIA BENNETT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INNOVATOR

Anzia Bennett, executive director, in the Three Sisters Kitchen cookbook library. Photo courtesy of Extended Play Photography.

Three Sisters Kitchen (TSK) is a nonprofit community food space that uses the power and love of local food to create economic opportunity, improve health, and bring diverse communities together around the table. They operate a commercial test kitchen for food business development; a community classroom for health, cooking, and nutrition workshops; and a local foods shop and café that celebrates the bounty of New Mexico. 6

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Three Sisters is a community food space founded on a vision of bringing people together around the table. Why is that important? Have you found ways to sustain that vision during the pandemic? Food brings us together in powerful ways—it connects us to place and to our histories and communities . . . and brings us joy. It also serves as a great way to explore how power works, and to imagine what healthy communities look and feel like. When we explore what

StAy At ThE InN With luxurious organic bedding, signature lavender spa amenities, room service from the award-winning Campo kitchen, generous hospitality and plenty of fresh air, you’re bound to feel relaxed and refreshed as this little farm offers a true escape.

DiNe WiTh Us

A ReLaXiNg EsCaPe. A CuLiNaRy DeLiGhT. A StOnE’S ThRoW AwAy. In 1999, Los Poblanos began its small lavender farm on the former private property of Ruth and Albert Simms. It naturally grew into a bed and breakfast shortly thereafter, and has continued to blossom into what is now a breath-taking, serene getaway that includes 50 tranquil hotel rooms. Add to this the award-winning, ﬁeld-to-fork restaurant, Campo, a retail space full of artisanal products, an expansive organic lavender farm with a signature lavender apothecary line, and 25 acres of lush formal gardens and stunning historic architecture. With a New Mexico Safe Certiﬁcation and a well-being hospitality model that focuses on safety, health and comfort, Los Poblanos is the perfect local destination to take a break from a stressful year.

Located on an organic farm in the Rio Grande River Valley, Campo is a casual ﬁne-dining experience featuring the most purely crafted ﬁeld-to-fork menu in the Southwest. Experience the artistry of the talented kitchen with dining hours and locations that accommodate current health restrictions, and relax knowing all the details have been taken care of, including outdoor heaters and socially distanced tables set with our signature Lavender Hand Sanitizer Spray.

ShOp ThE FaRm A beautiful retail space inside the renovated, historic dairy barns, the Farm Shop offers an array of artisan products ranging from the lavender apothecary line and signature Farm Foods line to Native American jewelry, local ceramics, books and housewares. Peruse the reimagined Los Poblanos gift collections that are beautifully packaged and ready to gift, right off the shelf. lospoblanos.com

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Left: TSK green chile, apple, date granola. Right: TSK gift pack with granola varieties and spice shaker. Photo courtesy of Extended Play Photography.

a healthy food system means, we have to think about water, land, labor, health, equity, and justice. Our team has actually had a lot of fun finding ways to bring people together while staying home. In-person training programs and cooking classes moved online. People are excited to learn together and share space—even virtually. Thanks to generous donors, our ReFresh food access program pivoted from an in-person fruit and vegetable voucher program to delivering local food bags to one hundred fifty-plus households biweekly. While we wish we could do more, connecting people to free, fresh food and using our resources to purchase from local producers has felt really good. Tell us about your Food Business Training Program. What challenges do entrepreneurs face in getting a new business off the ground? Have any program graduates launched a business or built on their success in 2020? Food entrepreneurs face so many challenges: access to capital, finding affordable commercial kitchen space, navigating regulations. . . . Our program provides hands-on training and technical assistance for people wanting to start manufactured food businesses. We’re so excited about our graduates’ products: Polk’s Folly Farm’s sausages; Fiesta on Wheels’s salsas and vegan snacks; the Ferm Brinery and Bakehouse’s fresh-milled flour, coffees, and breads; the Blast’s hot tomato seasoning; Tempeh Underground’s local pinto tempeh; Coyotzin Mindfully Made Mexican Foods’s moles and salsas; Soma Ayurvedika’s chai tea mix and blue corn cookies; the Afghan Café’s frozen sambosas; Bar Hoppers’s grasshopper snacks; Ancestral Pathways Chocolates—and many more! Relationships are central to your work at Three Sisters. Who are your strongest community partners? Everything we do—from our name to our programs to our kitchen design—resulted from a two-year community-engaged planning process involving over two thousand people, and from continuing partnerships and collaboration. We wouldn’t exist without the hard work of local farmers, ranchers, and food producers. Street Food 8

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Institute helped create our Food Business Training Program. The ReFresh program is possible because of the creativity and commitment of MoGro Mobile Grocery. We learn so much from cohosting family cooking nights with Kids Cook!; exploring decolonizing our diets with Together For Brothers; thinking about mindfulness in the kitchen with Centro Sávila; learning about the powerful concept of food access as violence prevention with the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women; co-leading our food and nutrition training program for home health aides with Encuentro NM, Meals on Wheels of Albuquerque, and Presbyterian Healthcare Services; and so many other partnerships! In 2018, edible New Mexico readers voted you Best Nonprofit. In 2019, readers voted you Innovator. What are some of your favorite stories about exploration and innovation at Three Sisters Kitchen? For the last few years we’ve sponsored youth filmmaking workshops and produced videos celebrating New Mexico food stories in our Cooking for Generations project. This year we shifted to audio production, so young artists could explore new media and work safely from home. We are so excited to share the TSK Cooking for Generations podcast soon. What are your plans and dreams for 2021? How can readers support your efforts? We can’t wait to bring people together in our space again. We are also really excited to launch our new product line of granolas and spice shakes, TSK: Food Group. Is there anything else you’d like to share with edible readers? Our commitment to community-engaged planning never ends. If you have ideas for TSK, we hope to hear from you! To stay connected with Three Sisters Kitchen, visit threesisterskitchen.org, follow them @ThreeSistersKitchenNM, or email hello@threesisterskitchen.org.

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LOCAL HEROES

Steel Bender Brewyard

AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON BACZKIEWICZ AND THE STEEL BENDER BREWYARD TEAM BEST GASTROPUB

Left: Jason Baczkiewicz manning the grill, photo by Shelby Chant. Right: Fried green chile strips, photo by Melissa Olivas.

Steel Bender Brewyard is a family-owned brewery and gastropub in the Village of Los Ranchos, serving craft beer and cider alongside scratch comfort fare (made daily by award-winning chef Jason Baczkiewicz and his remarkable crew). A warm and welcoming public house, Steel Bender Brewyard also distributes beer and cider to restaurants and retail locations throughout New Mexico.

dairy producers in the world. In the early 2000s, I moved to Albu-

How did you get to where you are now? What’s the backstory, and what was the moment that brought you to your current work?

fork cooking, animal butchery, and local, seasonal ingredients. I then

Jason Baczkiewicz: My culinary road map started in Roswell, where I spent six years making mozzarella at Leprino Foods, one of the largest

about the kitchen and have enjoyed using my passion and experience

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

querque, flipping burgers at 66 Diner before heading to Flying Star for several years. After attending CNM’s culinary program, I cooked at Fat Squirrel and Turtle Mountain Brewing until I got a call from executive chef Jonathan Perno to do a one-day stage at Los Poblanos. For the next five years, I worked under Perno, learning about field-tobecame sous chef, and then chef, at Steel Bender. I love everything to shape Steel Bender’s menu and culture.

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Left: Jason Baczkiewicz. Top right: Winner of the People's Choice award in the 2019 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown—the Los Ranchos Four-Chile Burger. Photos by Stephanie Cameron. Bottom right: Packaged beer, photo courtesy of Steel Bender Brewyard.

You won the People’s Choice award in the 2019 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown, which now seems like a lifetime ago. How did you develop that delicious recipe, and is it still on the menu? Jason Baczkiewicz: In creating the Los Ranchos Four-Chile Burger, my goal was to showcase as many local ingredients as possible. I wanted to intensify the flavors while respecting the simplicity of the classic green chile cheeseburger. The burger is 100 percent brisket, sourced from Navajo tribal lands. We made a chile mustard aioli using paprika, Padrón, and bird peppers from Thunderhead Farms. We sourced seasonal tomatoes and onions from Loose Leaf Farm and arugula from Vida Verde Farm, plus Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory cheddar, and chopped Bueno green chile. A balsamic truffle-onion vinaigrette brought it together, and then we stacked it all on a Pastian’s Bakery bun. We’ve been selling a lot of Los Ranchos Four-Chile Burgers since last September, and it’s a great addition to our menu. (All limbs 12

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crossed that by the time you’re reading this, we will be offering it on our full menu once again!) Irresistible appetizers are elemental to any gastropub menu. What are your most popular starters? Your most unusual? Our fried green chile strips quickly became a customer favorite. They’re beer-battered and fried and served with a side of red chile ranch. For something different, try our vegetarian seitan wings, which won an Albuquerque The Magazine Hot Plate Award. What’s a menu item (or beer) you wish people ordered more often? Jason Baczkiewicz: Definitely the Village Turkey! It’s a play on the classic Albuquerque turkey sandwich, but we pickle the green chiles to give it a new twist. Robert Haggerty, head brewer: A pet project of mine and a personal favorite, the Village Wit, a Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with coriander and orange peel. It’s offered can-conditioned, enhancing the complexity and producing a prickly carbonation.

Tell us about your single-hop hazy DIPA series. Robert Haggerty: Our single-hop hazy double IPA series showcases some of the more characterful hop varieties out there. With this series of four brews, we wanted to have some fun and bring some smiles to some hoppy faces. Three more will be released. How have your team and business fared during the pandemic? Have you had to adapt your menu or your distribution model? Shelby Chant, co-owner: This industry is made up of some of the most resilient people you’ll ever meet. Since March, we’ve been using the tagline (more like a mantra): “Stronger. Because we’re bending steel together.” Early on in the pandemic, we joined Other Half Brewing’s (New York) initiative to brew and can All Together IPA, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting restaurant and hospitality workers. (We donated to the New Mexico Restaurant Association’s Serving New Mexico Fund, which awards small grants to hospitality workers facing hardships during the pandemic.) We had just lost about 95 percent of our taproom staff due to the shutdown. The support was unreal. Guests who had their own challenges ordered takeout, leaving big tips (even a hundred-dollar tip for a six-pack!). They told us they missed us and thanked us for providing some normalcy by staying open. Our skeleton crew wore more hats than usual to keep things running. And our fellow breweries—well, New Mexico has the best brewers guild around. Everyone has been “bending steel” in some fashion since March. Our taproom, kitchen, and brewing staff have become masters of agility. But strength in numbers, strength in positivity, strength in kindness, that’s how we’ve been able to adapt, sometimes daily, to battle the challenges. I’m in awe of our staff and the creative problem-solving that’s happening in small businesses, and I’m humbled by the community’s support. Adam Auden, sales and distribution manager: As for distribution, obviously with the restrictions around on-premise dining and drinking, we have had to pivot to packaging much of our beer that would have previously been draught-only in our taproom. Another change was forgoing festival season. Normally, we’d be all over the state at festivals, meeting New Mexico’s craft beer fans—something we look forward to being able to do again.

Any bartender worth his or her salt knows that the ingredients make the cocktail. And that’s where Mixed-Up Mule® cocktails start—with fresh, all-natural ﬂavors

like grapefruit, watermelon, mint and even jalapeños. Then we add our quality spirits to craft a unique twist on classic cocktails you can take wherver you go!

What is a local food issue that’s important to you? Jason Baczkiewicz: I strongly encourage people to support local restaurants during this time. Too many small businesses have closed due to the pandemic. By buying local, you’re supporting farmers and independent businesses to help them survive during these uncertain times. Is there anything else you’d like to share with edible readers? That’s easy: our heartfelt thanks for supporting New Mexico's small restaurants and businesses. 8305 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, 505-433-3537, steelbenderbrewyard.com All Together alltogether.beer

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LOCAL HEROES

Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm AN INTERVIEW WITH DYLAN STORMENT, DIRECTOR OF WINE & SPIRITS, AND WINE & SPIRITS STAFF BEST COCKTAIL PROGRAM Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Campo cocktails from left to right: Lavender, The Three Guineas, and Flight of the Peacock.

Landing his first restaurant job at fourteen, Dylan Storment immediately felt at home within the industry. In 2008, Storment, who grew up in Santa Fe, heard about an opening for an event server at Los Poblanos. “As I headed up the tree-lined drive, I knew I had found something special,” he recalls. Los Poblanos is always evolving, which makes every day an opportunity and a learning experience—“part of what makes Los Poblanos so remarkable,” he says. How did you get to where you are now, and what was the moment that brought you to your current work? Dylan Storment: I started as a server and bartender, quickly moving into management of events, and later took on management of our first restaurant. In 2014, I was awarded the opportunity to head the wine program for the property, which has always been a major passion 14

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of mine. With the addition of our spirits license in 2018, my and our incredible bar team’s collective goal has been to create the most exciting cocktail and spirits program we possibly could. Our bar has been built upon collaboration, which wouldn’t be possible without the amazing team of beverage professionals I get to work with. Your menu is a preeminent example of Rio Grande Valley cuisine, with ingredients sourced from your own farm and from farms and ranches throughout the Rio Grande watershed. How has the availability of local ingredients changed since you first started? What sort of agricultural growth would you like to see in New Mexico? Zack Ninneman, bartender: Since I’m still fairly new to Campo and Los Poblanos, the scale of change that I’ve seen is limited. Mainly, it is the changing of the seasons and utilization of different seasonal

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Campo spirits staff from left to right: Joseph Simonson, Graham Unverzagt, and Zachary Ninneman.

ingredients, which for me is a fascinating aspect of our program. . . . I don’t think many places utilize infusions as much as we do, and as effectively as we do. Agriculturally speaking, I think more places need to be taking advantage of and supporting the use of local farms in order to a) help these farms and agricultural businesses thrive, and b) present more of a regional cuisine that’s exclusive to New Mexico. What is your favorite local ingredient to work with these days? Joseph Simonson, bartender: Maybe it’s a recent bias, but I think Steve and Jane Darland’s pomegranate juice is my favorite New Mexico ingredient: rich, vibrant, delicious, and very healthful. To me, it’s important to “know your grower.” People should understand there’s more to food production and consumption than a label, and expand their awareness beyond simply organic, or even simply local. Sustainability is an especially important issue that too often goes untold. And the better we know our growers, the better we can facilitate our community loop with guests. How has the pandemic affected the daily routine at the restaurant? What lessons have you drawn from this difficult year? Dylan Storment: One of the most difficult things has been not being able to have guests in the bar. The team thrives on the interaction. One of our favorite parts of the job is storytelling—talking to our guests about the process of our cocktails and the stories of our spirit program. Do you have a favorite cookbook? Matt Dickinson, lead bartender: Some that have truly inspired our program are The Bar Book by Jeffery Morgenthaler, an indispensable book when it comes to technique. Also, Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold is one of the most complete compendiums ever written, and definitely a place we turn to whenever we have a question. The Savoy 16

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Cocktail Book [by Harry Craddock] is important for learning the history of the classics; it’s especially interesting to compare to our practices today. What is the most inspiring thing you’ve eaten this year? Dylan Storment: So many meals, but mostly things my partner and I have cooked at home. Simple meals are sometimes the best—Rosales Produce green chile on Los Poblanos sourdough toast with garlic and butter. Amazing local beef from friends, cooked mid-rare with a killer sear, served with the perfect glass of red or a bourbon old fashioned. What is a local food issue that’s important to you? Dylan Storment: One of the most important local food issues for our team is consistent support of our local community. Definitely in our food, but also our New Mexico distillers and brewers using local botanicals in their spirits and beer, as well as our local vignerons making fantastic New Mexico wine. . . . Particularly in this time of hardship, we need to be the backbone supporting our local community to power through this. Is there anything else you'd like to share with edible readers? Dylan Storment: Let’s all continue to support our local beverage programs. We have so many amazing and super knowledgeable beverage professionals in our community—we all need to support each other now more than ever. Also, I just want to shout out to our amazing Los Poblanos bar team: You all are the greatest, and I’m so excited to keep working together to make New Mexico a premier wine, spirits, and cocktail destination! 4803 Rio Grande NW, 505-344-9297, lospoblanos.com

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AT THE CHEF’S TABLE

Ceci’s African Kitchen CECI TADFOR’S CAMEROONIAN MENU CELEBRATES CUISINE FROM AFRICA’S BEST-KEPT SECRET Words and Photos by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers

Left: Ceci Tadfor. Right: Poisson braisé, a grilled red snapper served whole and garnished with fried plantains and tomatoes.

When Cameroonian chef, culinary instructor, and cookbook author Cecilia (Ceci) Tchakounte Tadfor stepped off the plane onto US soil in 1984, the first place she went was the grocery store. “Growing up in Cameroon, men were the only ones who ate gizzards,” says Tadfor, who created Ceci’s African Kitchen in 2009. “I came here and on my first day in the country, I walk into a grocery store and see packages of gizzards. It blew my mind!” One of her first orders of business was to break taboo and taste these forbidden innards, an experiment that proved disappointing. “They were so overrated!” she says. 18

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

This became the first of many new culinary experiences Tadfor would have living in the States, including in Santa Fe, where she has been sharing her knowledge and food since 1992. Today Ceci works out of her home kitchen, creating savory Cameroonian dishes and decadent desserts for catered events, as well as takeout and delivery. To write about Tadfor is to write about the history of Cameroon, a country nestled along the Gulf of Guinea in Central Africa. First colonized by the Portuguese in 1472, Cameroon has since felt the influences of German, French, and British culture and cuisine, melding it

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with the foods of 240 indigenous groups, including the Pygmies, as well as Bantu-, Semi-Bantu-, and Sudanic-speaking ethnic groups. With so many different cooks in the kitchen, it comes as no surprise that Cameroonian food is perhaps the best-kept secret in gastronomy. “I love to teach because Cameroon has one of the most spectacular cuisines in the world,” says Tadfor. This cuisine, she laments, is largely overlooked because of the country’s inability to promote itself, due in part to its political situation. Cameroon has been in a civil war since 2017 and currently faces serious food scarcity issues, which the United Nations reports result in 90 percent of the country’s people requiring some sort of humanitarian support. But, through the simple act of creating and sharing meals, Tadfor gifts us with the complexity of her country’s culture and history—beyond the one-dimensional lens through which Africa is so often presented. “I want to show Cameroonian food to the rest of the world,” says Tadfor, “so that maybe they can see what I see in this food,” which she describes as coming from a culture that celebrates life with good food, fine wine, and great music. Through cooking classes and traditional African dishes, Tadfor shares the story of her native Cameroon. For Tadfor, that narrative also includes her story of immigration, which comes through in the fusion of Western and, in particular, New Mexican ingredients. Tadfor’s menu, which she makes available for pickup, delivery, and event 20

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

catering, invites us not only into her story but into a culinary legacy that is passed from Cameroonian woman to Cameroonian girl. When she was a culinary instructor teaching African cuisine at the Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Indian School, and the Cooking with Kids Program, people would often ask Ceci how she was able to teach without any formal training. But in Cameroon, there is no better classroom than the family kitchen, and no degree more difficult to receive than a grandmother’s stamp of approval on a dish, which is exactly how Tadfor honed her skills. “[Mami Ncha] would taste something I made and say, ‘What’s this?’” Tadfor remembers, explaining that this was her grandmother’s way of telling her it did not meet her standards. “She would tell me, ‘You don’t serve food to other people without tasting it first. That’s like serving poison.’”—advice Tadfor adheres to and requires of her students to this day. Born with a disability that prevented her from walking to the family farm in Buea—a town nestled at the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon—Tadfor’s responsibility fell to working alongside her grandmother in their home kitchen. Together, they would prepare meals to have ready when her family returned from the farm, which produced a myriad of crops such as plantain, cocoyam, guava, papaya, avocado, and more. The seeds planted in those fields became the meals she learned to cook at an early age under her grandmother’s tutelage.

Last year, Tadfor published her first cookbook, Ceci’s African Kitchen: A Chronicle of Cameroonian Cuisine and Culture. This collection is full of traditional recipes found in the English-speaking part of Cameroon where Tadfor was raised. Many have been carried down from her grandmother, who learned them from elder women in her family, and they from their elders, as is the custom of many cultures around the world where women keep the home fires burning and take special pride in the food they serve family and friends. This year, Tadfor is due to release a second cookbook, a collection of recipes that will reflect her time spent in Santa Fe, bringing in our beloved chile and other Western ingredients she has learned to work into her cuisine out of both necessity and a love for the flavor. But some African flavors just can’t be duplicated, and Tadfor’s kitchen is stocked with the most important hard-to-find spices and ingredients, sourced from big cities around the United States or brought back from trips home to Cameroon. Spices like njangsang, jowe, bebeh, and country onion are staples in any Cameroon kitchen, and are all used in one of her most popular dishes, poisson braisé, a grilled red snapper served whole and garnished with fried plantains and tomatoes. Bitter leaf is another common ingredient, which Tadfor dries and freezes to have handy for a bowl of ndole, a stew that combines this bitter West African green with blanched peanuts, shrimp, beef, and smoked fish. Ndole is served with a side of fufu, a West African staple made from boiled and mashed cassava, rice, corn, or even plantains. Fufu is West Africa’s twist on mashed potatoes and gravy—with the fufu typically dipped by hand into the soup or sauce instead of being smothered with it. In addition to these hearty entrées, Ceci’s African Kitchen offers a few handheld options that can be ordered by the half or full dozen, such as koki corn and akara beans. Koki corn is a tamale-esque dish that blends fresh corn with palm oil, spinach, and smoked turkey in a roll that is then wrapped in a banana leaf, steamed, and served in its wrapper. Akara beans are a Cameroonian delicacy comprising black-eyed peas that have been soaked, skinned, blended, and fried into cakes that are served with hot sauce. Tadfor’s belief in feeding others from the heart extends beyond Ceci’s African Kitchen. She also serves as the chef trainer at Santa Fe Youth Works, an organization that provides education and job training services to help marginalized youths reconnect with their community. Here, she feeds the approximately twelve hundred youth a year who come to them seeking help, and is part of a team that makes and delivers nutritious meals to local shelters—three times a day, seven days a week. Orders can be placed on Mondays and Tuesdays, with pickup and delivery on Thursdays and Fridays. 505-3958931 or 505-577-0119, ceci@cecisafricankitchen.com Follow at: @ceciafricankitchen2018, cecisafricankitchen.com

FACES OF FOOD

The Rural View TAYLOR HOOD FARMS EMBRACES GROWING IN THE SOUTHWEST By Nora Hickey · Photos by Robert Yee

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Frank Holloway, co-owner of Hollow Spirits.

Opposite page: Shahid Mustafa of Taylor Hood Farms feeding goats treats. Above: First carrot harvest of the season at Taylor Hood Farms.

When I think of farming—the green bouquets of growth, fingers soiled with dark, damp earth—I don’t necessarily imagine the desert climate of the Paso del Norte region in southeast New Mexico and Far West Texas. But right here in the midst of endless days of sun and modest water is Shahid Mustafa of Taylor Hood Farms, an organic farm near El Paso/ Juárez. In November, as he took his goats for an early morning walk around the farm, Mustafa and I spoke about his vision for resilience and how he is busting the myth of American farming. Originally from Chicago, Mustafa’s journey took him from the city to the country. He first forayed into farming in his home state, where he began his nowthirty-year career in natural and organic food retail. This initial involvement deepened when he moved to Las Cruces and managed the Mountain View Market Co+op. After the co-op started their own farm in Mesilla in 2006, Mustafa became the de facto farm manager. The 2008 financial crisis reinforced the importance of local farms for him. “I realized how

insecure we were in terms of food—so dependent on California,” he explained. “We needed to have some local food source, to strengthen the local food system.” Mustafa also saw potential in the area for producing crops beyond the usual suspects. “There is so much opportunity down here for year-round farming,” he said, “but so much of it is commodity farming that gets shipped out—alfalfa, chile, cotton, onions.” From then on, Mustafa sought to grow for and in the community. He increased the produce at the co-op farm and oversaw a robust farmers market at the co-op to support local production. Then in 2015, he left to go into full-time farming. Because land was becoming more expensive in the Las Cruces area, he turned to the Paso del Norte region. “They have a very rich agricultural history and [many] opportunities,” he explained. From his farm, Mustafa works with producers and customers in both states. He sells individual farm shares year round, supplied with goods from Taylor Hood and other area farms. When the CSA content looks too familiar, Mustafa looks to WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Shahid Mustafa at Taylor Hood Farms.

non-regional producers. “I like to have some variety,” he said. At Taylor Hood, Mustafa uses regenerative farming, a practice that focuses on the soil—namely, coaxing it to be its healthiest. Topsoil, that workhorse of growing, is easily degraded over time by aggressive farming techniques. “We lose so much topsoil due to conventional methods, which is why I try to integrate animals into my system, using goats and chickens for weed suppression and fertilization,” he explained. Mustafa also employs crop and seasonal rotation to keep his soil, and produce, healthy. He avoids chemicals, noting that although “synthetics allow a yield without a time lapse, those synthetics stay in your cells.” The philosophy underpinning Mustafa’s techniques doesn’t just involve carefully planned procedures—he is also mindful of those who came before him as he shapes Taylor Hood Farms. He said, “I am from the legacy of the original American farmer. My great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather were both occupational farmers.” He noted that because his ancestors didn’t have access to chemicals, 24

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

“they must have been organic farmers,” too. Beyond his family legacy, Mustafa is also a successor of the rich history of Black farming in America. “There’s George Washington Carver, and [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]—many that were agriculture and farming schools,” Mustafa said. “We’ve really lost that connection to the science and practice of farming in two generations.” To bring back that relationship between many different communities and farming, Mustafa hopes to “educate more people about food security and production.” Mustafa is interested in building connections in myriad ways. He’s an explorer—I recently caught him on the phone while he was in Scandinavia, Wisconsin, a town of 355, learning and sharing about growing. He is a huge proponent of collaboration wherever he is and works with many New Mexico businesses, including Skarsgard Farms, for whom Taylor Hood provides produce. Partners who add to the Taylor Hood harvest shares include Aldana’s Farm Stand in Chaparral, Full Circle Mushrooms in La Mesa, Rockhouse Farm and Preferred

Produce in Deming, Kuhn Farms in Las Cruces, and OG Farms in Anthony. Mustafa is equally invested in making sure the healthful food he grows gets into the hands of community members. Among the many things he grows for his CSA boxes (which include carrots, lettuce, beets, and more), Mustafa’s favorite item is kale. He also has a formidable seed collection, which includes his heirloom chard. “I’ve only ever used my own [chard] seed for the last four years,” he said; “I developed a legacy crop.” Nestled in the midst of harsh geography, Taylor Hood Farms is an antidote to the desert, as Mustafa provides workshops and volunteer opportunities in addition to produce. His ideas for the future include expanding his nonprofit, Developing Youth from the Ground Up (DYGUP/Sustain), and maybe even a nationalized CSA program. Above all, Mustafa wants to share the power of food and growing practices. “Mostly,” he said, “what I’m trying to do is be in a better position to support the community.” taylorhoodfarms.com

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TOUCH AND GROW

Busy Winter Waiting By Marisa Thompson

Fog and ice created this wonderland effect and coated everything in Las Vegas in March 2018. Once it melted, it didn’t amount to enough to skip an irrigation event. Photo by Marisa Thompson.

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Most of us don’t garden much in the winter months, but that’s not to say gardening in winter can’t be very productive. Cold frames, hoop houses, and frost cloth are excellent tools for extending the season—protecting veggies past the first frost in fall and before the last frost in spring. Depending on where in the state you’re situated, it might be warm enough to plant bok choy in January and make kimchi in March, even without season-extension contraptions (although a polar vortex might wipe out even the cold hardiest of plants). Some varieties of beets, carrots, lettuces, and brassicas (e.g., kale and brussels sprouts) can continue to thrive after exposure to temperatures down around 20°F, and parsley is famous for staying alive down to 10°F. Whether your winter veggies are keeping you busy or you’re twiddling your green thumbs in anticipation of spring planting, now is a great time to focus on the perennial plants in your yard. Annual plants are those that can complete their full life cycle in one growing season, from a germinating seed to a plant that flowers and produces its own seeds. Annuals, like tomatoes, corn, and squash, can’t survive New Mexico winters. Perennials, on the other hand, last through the cold months and continue to grow into future seasons— that is, as long as we pick species that are cold hardy, and as long as we take care of them. Most people’s tendency is to forget about perennial landscape plants in the winter and to assume that, because they’ve lost their leaves, they don’t need any care. The truth is, all perennials, from trees and shrubs

to vines and grasses, have active roots during the winter, even if they’re dormant and leafless above ground. I surveyed local experts on their biggest concerns regarding winter gardening, and the answers were unanimous: winter watering, mulching, and protecting young trees from a type of trunk splitting known as “southwest injury.”

WINTER IRRIGATION While severe water stress can kill plants in the summer, it can also hurt them in winter, just more slowly and less conspicuously. The telltale signs of winter desiccation, like branch dieback, may not show up until things green up in spring. To avoid winter desiccation, we need to water less frequently, but it’s important to always water to the same depth, no matter what time of year. Remember, when watering in winter, choose warm days, and be sure to disconnect and empty watering lines so they don’t freeze and burst in the night. Water slowly to limit runoff and hazardous ice patches. How often should we water? From December to March, water about once a month for trees, shrubs, flowering plants (like penstemons and catmint), groundcovers, and warm-season turfgrasses. Twice-monthly irrigations are suggested for cool-season turf (e.g., Kentucky bluegrass). And desert plants that are more drought tolerant can make it through the winter without supplemental irrigation. For detailed guidelines, see the infographic below, created by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority.

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Where should we water? When newly planted, it makes sense to water right at the base because we know that’s where the root ball is. But as plants become established, the majority of active plant roots grow outward laterally from the main stem. This means we want to apply irrigation water at the canopy drip line and beyond to encourage healthy, lateral root development, which can extend more than twice the plant’s height. How much should we water? There is no easy answer for this question because it depends on soil type and irrigation system, as well as plant type and weather. Regardless of your system’s setup, the goal is for the water to seep down slowly, and watering depths should be kept relatively constant throughout the year. An easy way to estimate how deeply you’ve watered is to push a long screwdriver down into the soil in a few spots. It will move easily in moist soil and become harder to push when it reaches dry soil. This technique sounds too simple to be true, but it’s recommended by all of the local gardening greats.

MULCH TO BE DESIRED Mulching is also important for gardening, including in winter. Make certain when you water that it is getting through the top mulch layer and soaking the ground underneath, getting deep enough to reach all the roots and at least a little beyond. Checking under the mulch to ensure the soil is dry before watering is a recommended practice, no matter what time of year. Whether you’re planting in the ground or in containers, mulching on top with any fibrous organic material (e.g., straw, leaves, woodchips, pine needles, pecan shells) will help in multiple ways. Four or more inches of mulching material helps suppress weed germination and growth, holds moisture in the soil, keeps the rooting area warmer in winter (and cooler in summer), prevents water and wind erosion, and prevents surface crusting (which inhibits water penetration). Over time, mulching also provides much-needed nutrients that feed beneficial soil organisms, increases organic matter, and improves soil texture, eventually enhancing the soil’s ability to store nutrients for plant root uptake. Of course, if you’re direct-seeding your garden beds or containers this spring, adding a thick layer of mulch too soon can inhibit seed sprouting. You can either transplant seedlings and add mulch around them or scoot the mulch away in the spots where you’re planting seeds.

TRUNKS IN TRAINING A final concern for the winter gardener is winter sunscald (aka “southwest injury”) on trees. Have you ever noticed bark buckling off the tree trunk? Or blisters on the southwest side of the trunk while the other side looks fine? Go outside and take a look for yourself. Sometimes the differences are shocking. What happens, in short, is that bark on the southwest side of the trunk is exposed to afternoon sun, and the sap gets warm enough that it starts moving in the tree. Normally this is fine, except that on especially cold nights following super sunny days, the cells carrying sap rupture, like soda cans in the freezer, causing irreparable damage. This is particularly a concern on trees with thin bark—often younger trees, or species like honey locust and apple. Winter sunscald is especially a problem in 30

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climates with intense sun exposure and extreme fluctuations between daytime and nighttime temperatures, like we have in New Mexico. Painting the trunks of trees with diluted white latex paint (do not use oil-based) is an easy way to protect the trees from winter sunscald because the white surface reflects more sunlight and the trunk stays noticeably cooler. Use water to dilute the white latex paint to half strength. It goes on easily, so go ahead and include lower branches— the blistering effects of southwest injury can be found on unprotected branches too. As the paint is exposed to the environment (and the tree grows), it will naturally fall away. Another option, if you do not want bright white tree trunks in your landscape, is a light-colored trunk wrap that is loose enough to allow airflow and does not dig into the bark (white paper or even newspaper will do). Please note: A clear or dark-colored wrap is not recommended. To be safe year after year, loosely wrap your trunks when the trees go dormant in December, but do not forget to remove the wraps each spring. In a state like ours, where we receive abundant winter sun and scant precipitation even in non-drought years, paying attention to winter sunscald, mulching, and irrigation in the off-season will pay dividends throughout the rest of the year. Keep these tips in mind and your perennials will be raring to grow come spring.

AN INEXHAUSTIVE SNAPSHOT OF REGIONAL SEED RESOURCES

Native Seeds/Search (Tucson, AZ) is a nonprofit seed conservation organization that preserves and sells many aridadapted vegetable, grain, and flower seeds, many of which originated in what is now New Mexico. nativeseeds.org High Desert Seed and Gardens (Montrose, CO) provides a nice selection of open-pollinated vegetable, flower, herb, and grain seeds adapted for high-altitude desert gardens. highdesertseed.com Painted Desert Seed Company (Sanders, AZ) provides open-pollinated seeds adapted to high-elevation desert gardens. painted-desert.com Epic Seeds (Albuquerque) offers a limited catalogue of heirloom vegetable seeds, especially from New Mexico and Guatemala. epicseeds.com J&L Gardens (Española) sells at local farmers markets and offers over 500 varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable seeds. jandlgardens.com Plants of the Southwest (Albuquerque and Santa Fe) is a great resource for native grass, wild flower, and open-pollinated vegetable seed. plantsofthesouthwest.com Seeds Trust (Littleton, CO) is a thirty-year-old seed company offering an extensive catalogue of open-pollinated, heirloom, and organic seeds grown in and adapted to the high-desert West. seedstrust.com Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance (Cornville, AZ) is a regional nonprofit supporting seed stewardship, education, and networking. rockymountainseeds.org

EIGHT AROUND THE STATE

Special Delivery Nearly 80 percent of Americans shopped for groceries online during the pandemic, and studies suggest this trend is here to stay. Whether out of necessity or convenience, local delivery services have also sprung up and grown more significant during the pandemic. This guide can help readers keep their dollars local and support small farmers, producers, and businesses in New Mexico. From vegetables to meat and from pantry staples to coffee and tea, all of these featured services have online ordering with delivery or shipping options around the state.

STOKLI Service: Online general store specializing in regionally produced dry goods and shipping statewide. Products: Beans, chicos, flour, chile, honey, tea, jam, and spirulina sprinkles. Worth noting: Stokli sources products within a fourhundred-mile radius of their home base in Santa Fe. They are a membership-based service that allows small producers to keep 100 percent of their retail price. For transparency, Stokli tracks its producers’ profits in real time on their website.

stokli.com

NEW MEXICO HARVEST Service: Local produce and products delivered in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Products: Produce, meat, dairy, eggs, grains, beans, coffee, pantry items, kombucha, and even fine chocolate and spices. Worth noting: New Mexico Harvest (formerly Beneficial Farms) is like a virtual farmers market. Their online marketplace introduces shoppers to the farm and production practice—and sometimes the history—behind every product. In their spin on a CSA model, members make upfront investments that guarantee support of participating farmers. Your active farm account is your ongoing pledge to support local producers. newmexicoharvest.com 32

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Susan’s Fine Wine and Spirits The Best selections of wine, craft beer, and spirits in town!

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Fresh and sweet organic pecans, from our southern new mexico orchards to your kitchen Order online at delvallepecans.com 575.524.1867

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OHORI’S COFFEE ROASTERS Service: Monthly or bimonthly coffee bean subscription service shipping statewide; curbside pickup and in-house delivery in Santa Fe. Product: Ethically sourced Arabica coffee beans from around the world. Worth noting: Ohori’s has been roasting coffee in small batches for thirty-five years. For each thirty-pound batch, their roasters track aroma, color, and temperature. Their coffee is roasted by hand, eye, and ear, not computer. For a limited time, receive 15% off the coffees of your choice when you join the subscription service for one year.

ohoriscoffee.com/Coffee_Subscription

ARTFULTEA Service: Monthly tea subscription shipping statewide. Products: Loose leaf teas from around the world, many of which are blended by hand in their store. Worth noting: ArtfulTea offers nearly one hundred different kinds of loose leaf tea, as well as a range of fine teaware and accessories to help you prepare the perfect cup. Beginning as an online business, ArtfulTea grew into a retail shop in Santa Fe. They carefully package every tea by hand to ensure that their luxury loose leaf tea is as beautifully presented as it is tasty. Their blog features lots of tea history, education, and recipes.

artfultea.com

SKARSGARD FARMS Service: One-stop grocery delivery in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces areas. Product: In addition to over one hundred grocery items, Skarsgard’s chef Julian Griego creates value-added items like sauces and dressings, meal kits, and prepared meals. Worth noting: Skarsgard Farms works with a regional community, inclusive of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Mexico, so that their members can receive certified organic produce all year long. All orders are fully customizable, and offerings include bakery items, beverages, meat, dairy, eggs, pantry items, fruits, and vegetables.

skarsgardfarms.com

SQUASH BLOSSOM Service: Local produce and products delivered in Santa Fe. Product: Seasonal produce, eggs, coffee, bread, and other local products. Worth noting: Squash Blossom works with over twenty small-scale family farms across New Mexico who use traditional, low-impact farming practices. All their food is harvested per order, every week of the year. The selection in their Blossom Bags changes weekly based on seasonal availability, and you can customize with additional products. Weekly, bimonthly, and monthly subscriptions are available.

squashblossomlocalfood.com

DESERT SPOON FOOD HUB Service: Local produce and products delivered in Las Cruces and El Paso. Product: Produce, nuts, grains, quail eggs, mushrooms, and local food artisan products. Worth noting: Desert Spoon is a nonprofit food hub serving the Paso del Norte region, where the decline in small farms has resulted in a lack of access to healthy food. Their model supports small-scale farmers as well as the health of the community; the donations-supported Food Project currently provides 168 families in need with access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Subscriptions start with a weekly farm box, and items can be added. Their website is also an excellent resource for recipes and inspiration for all your veggies. desertspoonfoodhub.org

BECK & BULOW Service: All kinds of meat straight to your door with statewide delivery. Product: New Mexico–raised bison and beef, along with high-quality elk, lamb, wild boar, chicken, duck, and salmon. Worth noting: Beck & Bulow applies strict criteria when sourcing meat. In addition to being of premium quality, all the meat that they source and sell is raised humanely, with no antibiotics or hormones. They also have hundreds of recipes on their website to help you get creative.

beckandbulow.com

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

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COOKING FRESH

A Guide to Winter Squash Recipes and photos by Stephanie Cameron

Hardy winter squash, harvested in the fall, will keep well through the cold winter months. Sugar pumpkins and acorn, spaghetti, and butternut squash are probably the most common types found at your local supermarket. Less common varieties, such as kabocha, delicata, and Hubbard, are worth seeking out at farmers markets and specialty markets.

without a lid and without touching other squash. Turn and

Although most squash can be roasted with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and stand on its own, it can also be the base of flavorful soups, salads, pasta, baked goods, and more. Most of the squash recipes in this edition of Cooking Fresh are easy to modify with whatever squash is on hand. Naturally low in fat and calories and packed with vitamins and minerals, winter squash is a must-have kitchen staple for health-conscious home cooks.

general, delicata and acorn squash have the shortest stor-

Storing

check your squash about once a week while stored, keeping an eye out for any bad spots. Turning the squash also helps prevent bruising. Remove any damaged squash from storage, and use it as soon as possible. Storage life varies by squash type and conditions, but in age life—about 4 weeks. Spaghetti and sweet dumpling squash go a little longer—5 or 6 weeks—and butternut squash will last up to 6 months when properly stored. Preparing and Roasting Pro tip: Microwave squash for 2–4 minutes to make cutting easier. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds; no peeling required. The seeds from all winter

Winter squash will last 3–6 months stored at room temperature in a dry and cool (but not cold) location. Do not refrigerate squash, as this will rapidly shorten its life.

squash are edible, so you can save them to roast later.

For optimal storage, squash should be stored on a wire rack, or loosely wrapped in paper and nestled in a box

until the skin and flesh easily pierce with a fork. Remember

SPAGHETTI SQUASH STIR-FRY

For most squash, you’ll want your oven to be at 400°F, roasting it for 25–45 minutes (depending on the size of squash) to trim off the stem; it can catch on fire in the oven.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook/Total Time: 50 mins • Level: Medium 1 3-pound spaghetti squash 1 pound steak tenderloin, trimmed 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 5 scallions, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon Asian red chile sauce, such as Sriracha or other local Asian red chile sauce (we use Oni) Shichimi togarashi (seven spice) to taste Bean sprouts, microgreens, or radishes for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and then pierce inside of squash with fork and brush with oil. Place on baking sheet cut side up and cook for 35–40 minutes. Remove and cool, then dig out spaghetti squash with a fork, creating pasta-like strands. Slice steak into thin slices; cut each slice into matchsticks. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in oil, then add scallions, garlic, ginger, and salt; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add steak; cook for 1–2 minutes, continually stirring until just cooked through. Add squash strands and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, Hoisin, and chile sauce; cook, continually stirring, until aromatic, for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and season to taste with shichimi togarashi and hot sauce. Garnish with bean sprouts, microgreens, or radishes. WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Heirloo

edible New Mexico | LATE SUMMER 2020

Marina di Chio m Pum ggia pkin G nocchi

ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH SALAD WITH SHALLOT DRESSING

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes • Level: Easy 2 medium delicata squash 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons honey 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed 1/4 cup shallot, minced 2 cups red cabbage, shredded 2/3 cup pomegranate arils 1/2 cup celery hearts, chopped (preferably with leaves) 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped 1/2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut delicata in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds and pulp. Cut lengthwise again, and then slice into 1/4-inch quarter moons. In a medium bowl, toss delicata with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until coated. Spread out in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and darkened in spots, 16–20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, honey, caraway, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl. Microwave until boiling hot, 60–90 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir in shallots. Set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Toss cabbage, pomegranate, celery, hot roasted delicata squash, and warm shallot dressing in a large salad bowl. Divide among four plates and top with pecans and parsley.

MARINA DI CHIOGGIA HEIRLOOM PUMPKIN GNOCCHI

Serves 4 as a side

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes • Level: Difficult Gnocchi 1 medium-large russet baking potato 1 small Marina di Chioggia heirloom pumpkin or pie pumpkin (or 1 cup pumpkin, pureed) 1 egg 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (more as needed) 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons salted butter Sage Butter Sauce 2 tablespoons salted butter 6 sage leaves 1 clove of garlic, smashed 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon heavy cream 1/2 cup starchy water from boiling the gnocchi Parmesan for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce potato with a fork several times and wrap in foil. Slice pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Place the potato and pumpkin halves on the baking sheet, cut side down, and roast for 35–45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until handleable. Peel the potato and grate it into very fine shreds. Remove skin from the pumpkin and discard. Pureé the pumpkin in a blender or food processor. Mix potato with pumpkin pureé. Put the flour onto a clean surface and place the potato-pumpkin mixture in the center. Make a well in the center of the mixture and crack the egg into it. Sprinkle salt on top and whisk the egg. Use clean dry hands to mix all ingredients into a dough, being careful not to overmix. Form the dough into a mostly smooth, rounded loaf. Cut off slices of the loaf and roll each one into a long rope, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut the rope into bite-sized pieces (about 1 inch long). Sprinkle a plate with flour, and place the gnocchi onto the plate in a single layer. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the gnocchi one at a time to the water, working in batches. As the gnocchi rise to the top of the pot of boiling water, quickly remove them with a slotted spoon. Save 1/2 cup of water for Sage Butter Sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large, nonstick skillet and pan fry the gnocchi on one side until lightly crispy, leaving the the other side soft. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter, the sage leaves, and the smashed garlic clove. Let garlic and sage cook for a few minutes over low heat. When sage leaves start to crisp, remove from heat and set aside. Remove garlic as well. Add flour and whisk. Slowly add heavy cream and whisk in. Add 1/2 cup starchy water and whisk slowly until the sauce is the desired consistency. Toss the gnocchi with sauce and top with sage leaves and Parmesan. WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted Delicata Salad with Shallot Dressing

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Spicy Thai Winter Squash Squash Soup

SAUSAGE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes • Level: Medium 2 small acorn squash 3 tablespoons butter 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound ground pork sausage 1 apple, cored and diced 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 cup feta

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place squash halves cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes, or until the squash’s skin side feels tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and flip squash open side up to avoid over-steaming. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and the onion; cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add another tablespoon of butter and the apples and cook until onions are a deep golden brown and caramelized, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add a little bit of water when onions start sticking to the pan. Set aside. In the same skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 more tablespoon butter and the garlic; cook until just tender. Add sausage and increase heat to medium. Cook sausage and break up lumps, about 5–8 minutes, until browned. Add herbs and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes longer. Add spinach and cook, continuously stirring, until it wilts. Salt and pepper to taste. Add caramelized onions to sausage mixture. Preheat broiler and arrange squash on baking sheet. Fill the four squash halves with stuffing mixture and sprinkle with feta. Put under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the tops get brown and crispy. Serve each squash on a plate with any left over sausage mixture.

SPICY THAI WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Serves 8

Prep Time: 35 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 50 minutes • Level: Easy 2 medium winter squash (we use butternut and Long Island cheese pumpkin) 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegetable oil) 2 medium onions, chopped 8 garlic cloves, chopped 2–4 tablespoons chile paste (we use Kinna’s Laos Chile Paste) 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 6 cups vegetable broth 1/2 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey (can substitute maple syrup or agave) 2 teaspoons salt Coconut milk, cilantro, sesame seeds to garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Cut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and place cut side down on the baking pan. Bake for 25–35 minutes until the squash is tender. In a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil and onions; sauté 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Using a spoon, scoop out the squash into the pot. Discard squash shells. Mix everything well, then add chile paste, seasonings, and pepper, and stir. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender (or use an immersion blender) to pureé. Return to pot and stir in 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste). Serve in bowls and garnish with coconut milk, cilantro, and sesame seeds.

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KABOCHA SQUASH BREAD

Makes 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hr 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hr 35 minutes • Level: Easy 1 red kabocha squash 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups sugar 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove skin from kabocha squash with a vegetable peeler and shred using a grater or food processor with grater attachment. Measure out out 3 cups. Save any leftover squash for a soup or other recipe. In a bowl, sift flour, seasonings, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in shredded squash and pecans. Once all ingredients are incorporated, pour into a nonstick 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not nonstick, coat with butter and flour. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. At this point, a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool for an additional hour before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

SQUASH VARIETIES AND NUTRITION Although winter squash are high in carbohydrates, they have a low glycemic index and do not cause our sugars to spike. They have a high concentration of carotenoids (beta carotene and alpha carotene) and other vitamins and minerals. Most of the winter squash varieties are also high in fiber, so they are the perfect addition to our seasonal diet.* DELICATA SQUASH This particular winter squash, with its pale yellow shading, most closely resembles its summer squash relatives. The thin skin is edible but also more susceptible to bruises and rot. When cooked, delicata has an earthy flavor and a consistency similar to that of sweet potato. Nutrition: vitamin A 90%, potassium 24%, vitamin C 20%, calcium 4%, iron 4%. KABOCHA SQUASH (AKA JAPANESE SQUASH) Red kabocha is squat, like its green counterpart, and has faint white stripes running from top to bottom. While green kabocha is savory, red kabocha is sweeter. Nutrition: vitamin A 93%, vitamin C 19%. ACORN SQUASH This squash is native to Central and North America and has been a staple of Native American cooking for generations. When cooked, it has a slightly nutty flavor and tender texture. Nutrition: vitamin C 37%, potassium 26%, magnesium 22%,

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vitamin A 18%, and a good source of iron, folate, manganese, and vitamins B1 and B6. PUMPKIN Pumpkin is a variety of squash that is native to North America. This versatile, bright orange vegetable isn’t limited to dessert; it can also make smoothies, baked goods, soups, salads, and more. Nutrition: vitamin A 245%; vitamin K 49%; vitamin C 19%; potassium 16%; copper, manganese, and riboflavin 11%; vitamin E 10%. BUTTERNUT SQUASH Butternut squash is a type of winter squash native to the Americas. It has long been utilized as a complete source of vegan protein by Native populations when paired with corn and beans—a trio referred to as the Three Sisters. Nutrition: vitamin A 457%; vitamin C 52%; manganese 18%; potassium 17%; magnesium, vitamin E, and vitamin B6 13%; thiamine, niacin, and folate 10%. SPAGHETTI SQUASH Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash often used as a substitute for pasta. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that’s perfect with olive oil and tomato-based sauces. Nutrition: vitamin C 9%, manganese 8%, vitamin B6 8%, niacin 6%, potassium 5%. *Nutrition information is drawn from the USDA and based on daily value for a 2,000-calorie diet and 1 cup of squash.

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Planting Seeds for Community Needs TWO CHICANAS’ STORY ABOUT PROJECT FEED THE HOOD By Divana Olivas and Stefany Olivas

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

Photo by Maggie Owen.

hen we first met each other, we joked how we might be related somehow. We each divulged what we knew about our lineages to see if it warranted further investigation, and while we discovered we are not related, we would learn over time that we most certainly had a lot in common. Divana was raised by Mexican-immigrant parents from Namiquipa, Chihuahua, in a small town called El Cerro Mission in the Tomé area. Stefany was raised in a small town thirty minutes north of Albuquerque, in a family with roots in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. We both had an urge to dig deeper into our identities, get involved, and build up our communities. Our paths converged in 2014 when Divana worked as a summer youth intern with Project Feed the Hood and Stefany was becoming a more prominent organizer with the program. This story is about Project Feed the Hood, an initiative of the SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP) and a beacon of food justice in New Mexico; however, it also represents the experience of many who are empowered to live their truths. Our journey is about how we have come to live our truths and step into our powers as two young Chicanas whose work with Feed the Hood has inspired our studies of food systems and activism. SWOP was founded in 1980 by young activists of color who came together to build an organization and community network that could advance environmental and economic justice across the Southwest. In the early 1990s, organizers at SWOP were integral to raising awareness about environmental racism in our state. In 2009, Rodrigo Rodriguez, Travis McKenzie, and Joaquín Luján launched Feed the Hood to expand on this work. McKenzie came up with a slogan that neatly described their vision: “Planting Seeds for Community Needs.” Luján has deep roots in New Mexico that led him to his interest in food justice. A longtime member and organizer with SWOP, Luján grew up in the Duranes neighborhood in Albuquerque and came of age during the 1960s and 1970s, at the height of the Chicana/o/x movement. He was a member of the Black Berets, a group of Chicana/o/x activists who organized for self-determination and community empowerment. From 1969 to 1971, Luján helped to organize the group’s Free Breakfast Program based at their center, El Mestizo, located in the historic Atrisco neighborhood in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Also a farmer, he has raised chile, melons, tomatoes, and other crops since

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2014 at Rancho Entre dos Acequias in Polvadera. Luján is an important elder and a mentor to many, and he remains an integral part of the food justice work today. With Feed the Hood, Luján planted the seed that food can be a tool for community organizing. He says, “You know, I use chile as an organizing tool. We start off talking about chile and end up talking about water rights. We can because that’s available to us from where we are.” In the cofounders’ vision, the project could reclaim unused city land to build a community garden, providing both produce and a place for resolana (a meeting place to converse where the sun shines). People could share memories, knowledge, and their dreams for the future while growing, cooking, and eating food. This vision became a reality with Feed the Hood’s agroecology community garden, a one-acre plot with a field of sunflowers, fresh corn, squash, greens, and other crops surrounded by empty, neglected lots just north of Kirtland Air Force Base in southeast Albuquerque. The garden is a vibrant space where young people of color come together to learn how to grow food and tap into elders’ agrarian wisdom. Every summer, paid internships bring together passionate, curious staff and interns, just as the 2014 summer internship brought us together. At the time, we were in our early twenties, older than most of the high school interns, but still young and impressionable. Like other young participants, we not only put farm training into practice, but engaged in critical discussions of food justice. Instead of using the mainstream term “food desert” to describe neighborhoods with limited access to healthy foods, interns learn to use the term “food apartheid,” coined by Black Urban Growers cofounder Karen Washington. One of the lessons shared is how the dearth of fresh fruits and vegetables in certain neighborhoods is not a natural part of the landscape, like a desert, but a result of systemic racism, land displacement, and intentional disinvestment from urban communities and communities of color. In this way, food justice becomes about more than reforming our current system; it is about inspiring young people to imagine an entirely new one. So many incredible young men and women have participated in the internship program—hardworking and passionate leaders who, through planting seeds, step into their power and find an opportunity to create real change. The summer we met, Donaldo Yañez-Reyes, one of the program’s very first interns, participated in the same Youth Empowerment Summer Institute cohort Divana did. He had started volunteering in Feed the Hood's community garden when he was

Building a restorative relationship with the land is essential to a sustainable and equitable future. Project Feed the Hood’s community garden serves as a hub for programs from cookouts and gardening workshops to school visits from nearby elementary and middle schools. WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Top left, clockwise: Donaldo Yañez-Reyes mural at Park and 10th Street in Albuquerque; Hector Ledesma harvesting radishes; Joaquin Lujan, now and then in 2018 and 1971; Anton Becker-Stumpf adding soil amendments to one of plots at Cornelio Candelaria Organics. Photos courtesy of Project Feed the Hood.

just eleven. Three years ago, Yañez-Reyes was tragically shot and killed at the young age of seventeen. To honor his memory, Feed the Hood created the Donaldo Yañez-Reyes Youth Internship, a paid summer farmer-training program for middle- and high-school youth. Feed the Hood plants seeds literally, in the earth, bringing joy and dignity to young men like Yañez-Reyes, and also symbolically, planting seeds for a movement for food justice. As interns learn through hands-on experience, land access is central to food justice. New Mexico is a land-rich state, but it also has one of the poorest economies. Roughly twenty-five thousand New Mexican farms sell nearly 46

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$3 billion of food products per year, yet one-quarter of the children in the state are hungry. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, white-only producers own twelve thousand more farms, and roughly fifteen million more acres of land, than American Indian producers in the state. Moreover, the census documents just forty-four Blackowned farms. Disparities in land ownership are just one part of the racialized food system we have inherited from the complex legacies of colonialism in New Mexico. Building a restorative relationship with the land is essential to a sustainable and equitable future. Feed the Hood’s community garden

serves as a hub for programs from cookouts and gardening workshops to school visits from nearby elementary and middle schools. Ordinarily, interns spend hundreds of hours connecting with one another and the outdoors, planting and watering and weeding in their school gardens as well as the community garden and local family farms. They visit with youth involved with other mission-driven organizations, immerse themselves in workshops and local politics, and gather at the 230,000-acre Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge—a thriving desert ecosystem that, once inhabited by the Piro Indians and used as rangelands until the 1960s, is itself an emblem of New Mexico’s wealth in land and colonial legacies in landownership. In 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic and without the community workshops and cookouts at the garden, Feed the Hood’s work has taken shape in new and creative ways. Led by Javier Mateo Carrasco and Anton Becker-Stumpf, interns were able to continue growing food at schools, farms, and Feed the Hood’s community garden, even though they couldn’t come together for intensive workshops and retreats. They were also able to contribute to amazing projects like a COVID-safety garden video, produced by Together For Brothers, an Albuquerque-based organization uplifting young men of color. For Becker-Stumpf, 2020 was his first year rising into a formal leadership position as a FoodCorps service member and food justice organizer. As a new leader, Becker-Stumpf felt the pressures of decision making and the stress of wanting to best support already-struggling communities in a year when some seventy thousand New Mexicans lost their jobs. Becker-Stumpf said, “These struggles have also been some of the most important catalysts for me to grow and improve my work ethic and knowledge base around stewarding the land. . . . Every day that I go to the garden, there is a renewed sense of inspiration for me.” He says that growing food and having opportunities to connect with the garden’s neighbors have impacted him greatly, and for many, including him, “the garden is a place of healing and a place for recuperation.” With the guidance of others at SWOP, Becker-Stumpf feels that he has the platform to realize his own potential to create change and to challenge the inequities he sees in his community. In addition to pivoting programming to meet interns’ needs during the pandemic, Becker-Stumpf has worked with other youth to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need as part of the many mutual aid efforts across the state. To help feed the thousands of families across our state facing unemployment and hunger, Feed the Hood partnered with Cornelio Candelaria Organics (CCO) in the South Valley and a small group of farmers in Polvadera, including Luján at Rancho Entre dos Acequias. These farmers were able to increase their production acreage to grow and give away free produce to families in Albuquerque's Southeast Heights and communities throughout southwest New Mexico. In the first month of harvest from CCO, more than five hundred pounds of produce were donated. This took some strategic organizing effort: Luján worked with many others in southwest New Mexico to grow and distribute food to families in need. In the end, they bagged four thousand pounds of beans into twenty-pound bags. Farmers also roasted and distributed nearly

three thousand pounds of chile, packed in two hundred sacos (bushels of chile peppers). In total, fifteen thousand pounds of beans, chile, fruits, vegetables, and value-added foods, along with remedios (traditional remedies) prepared by local healers from Child of All Nations and Abuela’s Medicina, were delivered to two hundred families in need over the summer. They also provided masks prepared by SWOP’s masks-with-a-purpose initiative, which aimed to boost a feminist economy and included messages reminding families about the importance of completing their census and voting. Feed the Hood is also addressing the enormous impact of school closures. When schools were first shut down, the project supported a “bucket brigade”—a distribution of over seventy at-home growing kits for students who wouldn’t be able to spend time in their school gardens. Feed the Hood is also one of many urban agricultural sites around the Southeast Heights collaborating to build a green corridor for growing fresh food. With a pilot project grant from the New Mexico Healthy Soil Program, the garden team implemented soil-restoration practices, transforming the unplanted portion of the garden’s one-acre lot from compacted, barren urban dirt to a field of cover crops and mulched paths. Lastly, Feed the Hood adopted chickens, whose eggs are now being given away to families in the neighborhood. All of this will provide the foundation to transform the community garden into an urban food forest that staff and volunteers will begin to plant in spring 2021. Feed the Hood will also be working with nearby Kirtland Elementary School to establish a dynamic network of parents, staff, and students working together to provide families with access to fresh fruits and vegetables from the school and community gardens. The unprecedented social, economic, and political crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on the deep inequities faced by poor communities of color, conditions that have existed since Feed the Hood's inception and long before. In New Mexico and nationally, people of color have contracted and died from the virus at higher rates—a fact researchers at UNM have tied to socioeconomic inequalities that influence everything from access to paid sick leave to exposure to pollutants. In this time of shutdowns and social isolation, the health benefits of connecting with green space have become more evident than ever. Luján says that we should always be “identifying as part of something bigger, which is what we want because we are going to grow as a community [with] everybody that's involved.” In finding the synergy between people, ideas, and places, we and everyone working at Feed the Hood are attuned to the bigger picture and the longer historical view—namely, that the struggle for food justice in New Mexico goes back centuries. Another dicho passed on from our mentor Luján is “El que pone, saca”—we bear the fruits of what we put into our community. Our journey has been supported by many, and we realize the power and potential we have to transform the future for a better tomorrow. There is much to see in New Mexico’s local food movement, and 2020 has only revealed a glimpse of its true potential. swop.net/food-justice WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Why Sourcing Local Food Matters NEW MEXICO PROGRAMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS By Lois Ellen Frank

Bernalillo Public Schools cafeteria meal with pinto beans, apple, salsa, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and lettuce, all local. Photo courtesy of New Mexico Public Education Department.

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Think about it. New Mexico–grown food for schools. New Mexico–grown foods for senior centers. Local farms that provide these foods, all done with state money for these institutions to buy local, which then becomes policy for the future. The food systems change. Lives change. 48

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hen everyone has access to healthy fruits and vegetables, our culture and our communities are strengthened. When Native communities have more control over the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution, they can assert their right to healthy and culturally appropriate food and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. Increasing food sovereignty requires incorporating into our local food policy Traditional Ecological Knowledge, or wisdom of the ancestors that is handed down over generations through traditional songs, stories, and beliefs. Encouraging the continuation of this knowledge is an important element of health and wellness and a crucial step toward food justice, food security, and environmental justice. I am so happy to say that such a shift is well underway in New Mexico, for both Native and non-Native communities, and this is good news for everyone. Several initiatives across the state are laying important groundwork for increased local food sovereignty, including a food-service training program I am working on in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Health. The mission of the program is to bring more healthy, indigenous, culturally appropriate foods to seniors in tribal communities through professional development of food service staff. In 2019, my Santa Fe–based catering company, Red Mesa Cuisine, partnered with Siobhan Hancock from the Department of Health’s Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (ONAPA), along with the Office of Tribal Liaison, the Aging and Long-Term Services Department, and the Office of Indian Elder Affairs. We held two hands-on trainings in different regions of the state for nearby food service staff from elder centers in tribal communities. The trainings were an amazing experience. I ran my portion of the culinary trainings alongside Chef Walter Whitewater and Chef Aurora Fernandez, two chefs that work with me at Red Mesa Cuisine. The cooks that participated were divided into small groups at each culinary station, engaging in hands-on food preparation of multiple recipes, followed by a tasting of the foods each group had prepared. Things started off quietly, and then the cooks began to have fun as they worked together. We introduced new methods of preparation as well as new flavors. In some instances, we presented new ways to cook traditional Native American recipes. For example, when preparing Indian tacos, we used ground turkey and pinto beans and toppings including arugula, radishes, microgreens, and sprouts. The Hominy Harvest stew features locally grown hominy/posole in both blue and white, fresh zucchini and yellow squash, fresh tomatoes, fresh onion, fresh garlic, New Mexico red chile pods and powder, and azafran (Carthamus tinctorius), a native saffron substitute produced in New Mexico. Another delicious contemporary dish we made from ancestral ingredients is the Native American parfait: blue corn mush layered with a berry compote, fresh apples as a sweetener, and a topping of toasted and chopped New Mexico pecans. These recipes, along with the No Fry Frybread (fry bread dough that is grilled instead of fried), were some of the modern twists we introduced to old, familiar recipes.

During these intensive two-day, hands-on trainings, we also incorporated knowledge of the meaning of the foods we worked with. We talked about how foods like corn, beans, and squash—also known as the Three Sisters—play an important part in Native American cuisine and how best to integrate these foods into dishes that can be prepared for elder and senior centers. Not only was the food delicious, but seeing the creative inspiration ignited among the cooks was the highlight for us during the trainings. And when it came time to close the circle, we had created bonds and relationships through our shared history and love of cooking. We learned, we ate, and we shared our Indigenous knowledge with each other, and that was invaluable to all of us. In 2020, with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and social distancing guidelines in effect for the foreseeable future, we transitioned to the development of virtual sessions that will be available early in 2021 for cooks, kitchen managers, and other food service staff at tribal elder centers and senior centers throughout the state. We hope to return to in-person trainings as soon as health restrictions allow. In addition to the food service training project, ONAPA supports healthy eating and physical activity through the Healthy Kids Healthy Communities program in ten counties and three tribal communities. In tandem, ONAPA promotes farming and edible gardens in homes, schools, and communities, which not only improves access to healthy foods, but increases income for growers and revenue for local economies. This important work is an integral piece in the much larger puzzle that is our food system. For decades, the food service system has evolved to rely on corporations that benefit from scale and efficiency, trucking industrial produce and prepared and processed foods to institutions across the country. According to a food systems assessment produced by the Crossroads Resource Center, 90 percent of the food eaten in New Mexico is produced elsewhere, which means that New Mexicans spend about $6.5 billion each year on food produced outside the state. For several years, the New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy Council and other community-based advocates and partners have called for expanding local farming and getting locally grown foods into the kitchens of schools, Head Start programs, and elder centers. When institutions source food locally, farmers gain revenue and the community gains access to seasonal local foods with the best flavor and the most nutrients. This, in turn, changes the palates for kids, who learn to love fresh, flavorful fruits and vegetables because they are sourced at their peak. Staff at the New Mexico Public Education Department have been doing their part to bring greater resources to healthy and locally sourced food initiatives. Student Success and Wellness Bureau Director Michael Chavez has supported the growth of the agency’s New Mexico Grown Farm to School Program, creating the key position now held by Kendal Chavez. Hired as the new Farm to School Specialist in 2018, Chavez has helped to build out the program, which serves K–12 students through incentivizing the purchase of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables for meal and snack programs. Funds are allocated through an application process to schools and school WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

Left: Hominy Harvest stew, photo by Siobhan Hancock. Right: Native American parfait, photo by Lois Ellen Frank.

districts that operate the National School Lunch Program. Currently, 504 schools within fifty-eight districts, from Albuquerque to Zuni to Truth or Consequences, are purchasing local food through the Farm to School program. This is only 25 percent of schools in New Mexico, but it represents more than 50 percent of kids in the state. Together with cross-sector partners throughout the state, the Farm to School program’s goal is to improve communities’ access to nutritious, affordable, locally grown, and culturally significant foods by linking local food production to local needs. In collaboration with the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, La Montañita Co-op Distribution Center, and farmers across the state, Kendal Chavez helped create a free-to-low-cost, state-vetted certification process for smallscale farmers to sell their produce. She built a collaborative system that is, as she put it, “bottom up as well as top down,” working from “both a bureaucratic and community-based perspective. All initiatives leverage the power of government to deepen the impact of community vision around school food and farm-to-school.” When initiatives like ONAPA’s Healthy Kids Healthy Community and the Farm to School Program work concurrently to create systems and environmental changes, healthy eating becomes an easy choice. Zuni Pueblo is an ONAPA Healthy Kids Healthy Community and an especially good example of a success story in a pueblo community. The Pueblo is currently purchasing food from a school-district-run greenhouse and transitioning to buying directly from Zuni growers. The food service professionals at Zuni Public School District want to buy from their local farmers, and with the Farm to School program in place, they have a clear pathway to do so. Once a local farm is certified, they will be able to provide fresh produce to food service 50

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staff at Zuni Public Schools as well as the senior center and Zuni Head Start. The farm-to-school certification process also opens up a Zuni garden-to-cafeteria option. Students study and grow local healthy ancestral foods at the garden; using these foods in schools can advance food sovereignty as well as food security and food justice in the Zuni community. This matters—participating students have the opportunity not only to reconnect to tradition, but to take control of where their food comes from. Shiprock is another community that has successfully implemented this program. The Shiprock Traditional Farms Cooperative is already approved through the Farm to School program and is working toward providing locally grown food for the Central Consolidated School District, which serves the northern part of the Navajo Nation—a region where many residents have to drive an hour or more to reach the nearest supermarket. It’s also a region where much of the arable land lies fallow; the Shiprock Chapter area has 5,800 acres of developed farmland, but fewer than 1,000 of those acres are farmed annually. To help revitalize idle farms, the cooperative recruits and supports participant farmers in all phases of the farming process, from soil preparation to planting to market, with the intent to achieve largescale production of fresh produce. With support from the Farm to School program, food-safety trainings that are currently only offered in English and Spanish are being translated to Navajo by Shiprock Chapter leadership. “Our hope is to empower Indigenous leaders interested in food safety and food systems work to take the state curriculum and lead trainings in their own communities,” Kendal Chavez explained. “Both are long-term strategies, and may not happen overnight, but are essential to food justice, food sovereignty, and broader food systems work.” Thanks to the appropriation of

School-district-run raised beds and greenhouses at Zuni Pueblo. Photos by Joy Bobelu, Food Service Manager at Zuni Public School District.

state funds, her program is helping to build a self-sustaining food system within this community. Beans, sumac, chicos, atole corn, hominy, fruits and vegetables— the foods grown with love and care in these local farms and gardens also revitalize the connection to tradition in Native communities. This builds the future. It addresses trauma from the past and unifies different tribes and nations in the state. By using state funds to support community growers, the program gives tribal communities an opportunity to hold on to their cultural traditions in a way that is economically as well as environmentally sustainable. These initiatives—and the broader aim of supporting sustainability through localized food systems—are vital for our future. Communities all across the state can participate in changing the infrastructure of our institutional food systems, thus ultimately changing policy. This aligns with everything that matters to me as a Native American chef serving locally sourced foods. When these same foods can be purchased and prepared in the kitchens of our schools, senior and elder centers, and Head Start programs, it creates a system that supports equitable access to fresh, locally grown food and supports small local farms and farmers who can now be a part of a new system as suppliers. Think about it. New Mexico–grown food for schools. New Mexico– grown foods for senior centers. Local farms that provide these foods, all done with state money for these institutions to buy local, which then becomes policy for the future. The food systems change. Lives change. And change is happening. In the 2019–2020 school year, the New Mexico Public Education Department reports that over $1 million dollars was spent by schools who invested in New Mexico–grown fruits and vegetables, and the average school district spent 15 percent of its produce budget on local products. An estimated 171,000

students across the state were served school meals featuring local produce, from tomatoes to green chiles to fresh salad greens. School garden programs are operating in eighteen schools and school districts to complement serving local food in their school cafeterias. Student-grown produce is served in seven school cafeteria settings. And sixty-four vendors sold to schools through the program, including distributors, grower cooperatives, and individual farming operations. These collaborations increase marketing opportunities for farmers, strengthen farmers markets, and preserve agricultural traditions in Native and non-Native communities alike. They will also inform public policy and further New Mexicans’ understanding of the interplay between farming, food, health, and wellness while having positive impacts in our local economies. Increasing local procurement can have a multiplying effect: It helps small family farms keep cultural traditions alive; it provides children and seniors more access to fresh, local, flavorful food that is integral to health and wellness; and it helps make New Mexico a model for broader change as other states work to increase the health and wellness of their populations with locally sourced fruits and vegetables for generations to come.

For more information on any of these projects or work, contact the author at Red Mesa Cuisine (redmesacuisine.com), HKHC at nmhealth.org, Rita Condon at 505-476-7616, Siobhan Hancock at Siobhan.Hancock@state.nm.us, or Kendal Chavez at Kendal.chavez@state.nm.us or at 505-819-1984. Any smallscale farmer can contact Chavez to learn about trainings and the steps to certification for supplying locally grown foods to schools, senior centers, and other institutional buyers. WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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Food & Drink in New Mexico

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MARKET PLACE • LOCAL FINDS Your support for our advertisers allows us to offer this magazine free of charge to readers.

Barrio Brinery i TA ex FE z New M

FINE FERMENTED FOODS Probiotic Pickles, Sauerkraut, Escabeche, and More Handcrafted in Small Batches 1413-B West Alameda, Santa Fe www.barriobrinery.com ∙ 505-699-9812

907 W Alameda · 505-303-3139 · honeymoonbrewery.com

Est. 1984

Elevated Rooibos. Elevating Health. Celebrating Café. Celebrating Community. Espresso ground Rooibos. Antioxidant rich. Coffee alternative. Caffeine-free or caffeinated. Pure • Chai • Blossom • Earl ﬁnchescafe.com

Wholesale Specialty Cheese/Meats/Provisions 300+ Cheeses from around the World www.b-cow.com · 505-473-7911

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

Loyal locals love us. come see why!

Repairs/Installations Landscape Remodeling Fruit Tree Pruning and Removal

SANTA FE Linking the pleasure of good food with local community. SLOWFOODSANTAFE.ORG

LAWN SPRINKLER EXPERTS

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

505-319-5730

nmlawnsprinklerexperts.com WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

LOCAL PROVISIONS G UIDE ALBUQUERQUE RESTAURANTS Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

Rio Grande Valley cuisine rooted in seasonal organic ingredients from our own farm. 4803 Rio Grande NW, 505-344-9297, lospoblanos.com

Cutbow Coffee

One of the nation's most accomplished artisan coffee roasters, Paul Gallegos. 1208 Rio Grande NW, 505-355-5563, cutbowcoffee.com

Debajo Tapas y Vino

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS Arable

Inspired by the bounty of New Mexico, and the small community of Eldorado, Arable was born. 7 Avenida Vista Grande, 505-303-3816, arablesantafe.com

Anasazi Restaurant & Bar

Contemporary American cuisine inspired by locally sourced seasonal ingredients. 113 Washington, 505-988-3030, innoftheanasazi.com

Arroyo Vino

Spanish tapas, beer, and wine with local flavor. 1025 Lomas Boulevard NW, 505-243-6050, debajoabq.com

We serve progressive American fare inspired by our on-premise garden and local purveyors. 218 Camino La Tierra, 505-983-2100, arroyovino.com

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

We serve modern American brunch with Eastern European influences. Open 7 days a week. 402 N Guadalupe, 505-982-9394, dolinasantafe.com

Farm & Table

Dolina

Mata G

Honeymoon Brewery

Savoy Bar & Grill

Iconik Coffee Roasters

Unmistakably comforting, uncompromisingly fresh, and undeniably delicious. 116 Amherst SE, 505-266-6374, mata-g.com California wine country in the Northeast Heights. Farm-to-table dining and a casual patio. 10601 Montgomery NE, 505-294-9463, savoyabq.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 Tuesday through Sunday. 2933 Monte Vista NE, 505-433-2795, theshopabq.com

Trifecta Coffee Company

We roast coffee and brew it in unique ways utilizing some of the best methods available. 413 Montano NE, 505-803-7579, trifectacoffeeco.com

Urban Cocina

Urban Cocina offers exceptional cuisine scratch-made with locally sourced ingredients. 1 Central NW, 505-508-0348, urbancocina.com

Vara Winery & Distillery

Spanish and American wines celebrating the origins of the American wine experience. 315 Alameda NE, Albuquerque, 505-898-6280, varawines.com

Zinc Restaurant & Wine Bar

A three-level bistro featuring contemporary cuisine and late night bar bites. 3009 Central NE, 505-254-9462, zincabq.com

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

High desert hard kombucha handcrafted in Santa Fe. 907 W Alameda, 505-303-3139 honeymoonbrewery.com Amazing food, unique coffees roasted onsite, and super fast high-speed internet. 314 S Guadalupe and 1600 Lena, 505-428-0996, iconikcoffee.com

Blades' Bistro

Chef and owner Kevin Bladergroen brings together fine and fresh ingredients, artistic vision, and European flair in every dish. 221 Highway 165, Placitas, 505-771-0695, bladesbistro.com

Black Mesa Winery

Black Mesa Winery is an award-winning winery using only New Mexican grapes. 1502 Highway 68, Velarde, 505-852-2820, blackmesawinery.com

Charlie’s Bakery & Café

Homemade Mexican & American meals along with all-day breakfast and desserts. 715 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, 505-426-1921

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, 575-5569934, littletoadcreek.com

Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery

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

Pajarito Brewpub & Grill

serving unique twists on all your favorite dishes. 614 Trinity, Los Alamos, 505-662-8877, pajaritobrewpubandgrill.com

Loyal Hound

Revel

Ohori’s Coffee Roasters

The Skillet

Locally sourced modern comfort food paired with craft beer, cider, and wine. 730 St. Michaels, 505-471-0440, loyalhoundpub.com The original source for locally roasted coffee beans, gifts, and gathering. 505 Cerrillos and 1098 St. Francis, 505-982-9692, 507 Old Santa Fe Trail, ohoriscoffee.com

Paper Dosa

Bringing fresh, authentic homestyle South Indian dishes to your table. These bright and exciting flavors will leave you wanting more. 551 W Cordova, 505-930-5521, paper-dosa.com

Radish & Rye

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

GREATER NEW MEXICO RESTAURANTS Black Bird Saloon

Genuine food and drink, Wild West style. 28 Main Street, Los Cerrillos, 505-438-1821, blackbirdsaloon.com

Farm to table, elevated comfort food, in a fast-casual environment. 304 N Bullard, Silver City, 575-388-4920, eatdrinkrevel.com American, Southwest, vegetarian friendly. 619 12th Street, Las Vegas, 505-563-0477, giant-skillet.com

FOOD ARTISANS / RETAILER Barrio Brinery

Bringing fine fermented foods to Santa Fe. We make our products by handcrafting small batches of flavorful goodness using only the finest ingredients.1413-B W Alameda, Santa Fe, 505-699-9812, barriobrinery.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

Fresh and sweet organic 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. 1909 Bellamah NW and 8114 Edith NE, Albuquerque, 505-433-4076, eldorachocolate.com

South Indian cuisine

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

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

Finches

NURSERIES & SERVICES

Heidi's Raspberry Farm

Irrigation and backflow prevention specialists. Repairs, installations, and consulting. 505-319-5730, NMLawnsprinklerexperts.com

La Montañita Co-op

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

Espresso ground rooibos. Antioxidant-rich. Coffee alternative. Caffeine-free or caffeinated. finchescafe.com Sumptuous, organic raspberry jams available throughout New Mexico and online! 600 Andrews, Corrales, 505-898-1784, heidisraspberryfarm.com La Montañita Co-op is New Mexico's largest community-owned natural and organic food market. Locations in Albuquerque, Gallup, and Santa Fe, lamontanita.coop

Skarsgard Farms

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

Talin Market

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

LODGING

Bishop's Lodge

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

Heritage Hotels and Resorts

Hotels in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces. HHandR.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 West Manhattan, Santa Fe, 505-988-1177, elparadero.com

deerBrooke

Osuna Nursery

ORGANIZATIONS & EDUCATION Slow Food Santa Fe

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

RETAILERS

Gallery Ethnica

Live globally! 1301 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-557-6654, galleryethnica.com

Hacer Santa Fe

Thoughtfully sourced, carefully curated, natural fabric and fibers. 311 Montezuma, Santa Fe, hacersantafe.com

Kitchenality

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

Next Best Thing to Being There

An eclectic shop for handmade products. 1315 Mountain NW, Albuquerque, 505-433-3204, beingthereabq.com

Sarabande Home

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

Genuine Food & Drink Enchanting, Dusty... Wild West Style 28 MAIN STREET LOS CERRILLOS 505.438.1821 Thursday - Sunday blackbirdsaloon.com TRIFECTA COFFEE COMPANY

Tin-Nee-Ann Trading Co.

Family operated and family friendly since 1973. 923 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-988-1630 facebook.com/TinNeeAnn

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.

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

LAST BITE

Cocktails with a Cause Inspired by the nonprofit Bartenders Against Racism (B.A.R.), based in Washington, DC, edible New Mexico reached out to Natalie Bovis of The Liquid Muse in Santa Fe to create a cocktail that would engage our readers to take action. In conjunction with a craft distillery, B.A.R. created a purple cocktail to create awareness about their program on social media. In the same spirit, we invite you to make the cocktail below, post it to Instagram, and tag @ediblenewmexico. For every cocktail made by the first one hundred readers, we will donate $5 to Project Feed the Hood or ABQ Mutual Aid, splitting proceeds between these two New Mexico organizations. Let’s see our feed fill up with #ediblecocktailswithacause.

LOVE & ROSES by Natalie Bovis Makes 1 cocktail 1 ounce vodka (we use Stills Spirits Vodka) 3/4 ounce dry vermouth (we use Vara Vermut) 1/2 ounce OM Vanilla & Rose Liqueur 1/2 ounce violet liqueur Lemon peel or rose petal for garnish Stir all liquid ingredients with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or a pink rose petal. Cofounded by Natalie Bovis, OM liqueurs can be sourced at Susan’s Fine Wine and Spirits in Santa Fe and at Jubilation Wine & Spirits in Albuquerque. Thanks to OM’s partnership with Trees for the Future, for every bottle sold, a tree is planted. In 2020, they donated one dollar per bottle sold to the USBG National Charity Foundation. Check out these organizations and learn more about the work they are doing: Project Feed the Hood: Read the story on page 44 in this issue. swop.net/food-justice ABQ Mutual Aid: A coalition of local organizations and individuals working to protect at-risk community members during the COVID19 emergency in New Mexico. Donations support the distribution of care packages in the Albuquerque area. ffol.org/mutualaid Bartenders Against Racism: Through solutions-oriented awareness and other educational and leadership development initiatives, B.A.R. develops programming that combats racism, including discrimination based on immigration status, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, in the hospitality industry. Their mission is to build a sustainable, equitable, healthy, and thriving community for industry professionals and patrons. bartendersagainstracism.com United States Bartenders Guild National Charity Foundation: The USBG Charity Foundation develops and implements educational and charitable programs, materials, and other resources for service industry professionals that increase awareness of and advance solutions for these industry-specific challenges. usbgfoundation.org 56

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2021

ADD SOME

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Switzerland. Naturally.

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