Late Winter 2022: Fiber by edible New Mexico

edible NEW MEXICO

THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

Fiber

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

ISSUE 77 · LATE WINTER JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022

photos: doug merriam

FARM INSPIRED CUISINE

505 CERRILLOS, SANTA FE AT THE LUNA CENTER

radishandrye.com 505 .930.5325

Late Winter

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022 Photo by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers. Story on page 50.

ON THE COVER

DEPARTMENTS 2

GRIST FOR THE MILL By Willy Carleton and Briana Olson

5 6

CONTRIBUTORS LOCAL HEROES

72 LAST BITE

BACK OF THE HOUSE AT THE MARKET FACES OF FOOD Churro by Susan DeFreitas

edible NEW MEXICO

THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON

Valentine’s Day

FORAGING

The Folly of Grocery by Cassidy Tawse-Garcia

66 EDIBLE PROVISIONS 68 EAT & DRINK LOCAL AND SOURCE GUIDE

Good Vibes by Candolin Cook

Broths, Stocks, and Winter Comfort in a Bowl

Rude Boy Cookies, Ex Novo Brewery, Allison Jenkins, Cutbow Coffee, Roadrunner Food Bank Juniper Appreciation by Ellen Zachos

60 COOKING FRESH

Fiber

The Grove Cafe & Market

FEATURES 50 SACRED SHEEP by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers

54 THE GIVING SHEEP by leticia gonzales

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

ISSUE 77 · LATE WINTER JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022

Navajo saddle blanket (c. 1930) courtesy of Cathy and Jennifer Jesse Smith at the Nambe Trading Post. Ancestral Galisteo Basin micaceous bowl by Denise Lynch of Quartermill Gallery. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

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GRIST FOR THE MILL

Fiber In these winter months, we’re drawn to the comfort of stews and broths, evenings inside while something aromatic simmers or braises. We curl up in fuzzy blankets; outside, we slip on warm jackets and gloves. Often, we forget the connection between what we eat and what we wear. In an era of mass-produced textiles, not only because of the rise of synthetics but also because many in the United States are even more disconnected from clothing production than from the growing of food, it’s easy to forget that fiber has a life source too. In New Mexico, the connection between food and fiber is embodied in sheep, who arrived more than four hundred years ago and have shaped the land and cultures of this place ever since. In this issue of edible, they are in the spotlight, offering a source of reflection on ways our local food culture can be materially more than food—tactile and textile— and immaterially more than business. Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers writes on the deep-rooted Diné stewardship of the Navajo-Churro sheep, an animal central to Diné weaving traditions and food sovereignty. leticia gonzales visits with Tierra Wools and Shepherd’s Lamb in Chama to learn about the wool that provides the backbone of their business, and Susan DeFreitas reflects on how the Churro weaved an intangible legacy of perseverance and resistance into a recent meal at the Los Luceros Historic Site. Such intangibles, in fact, intertwine all the stories in this issue. We find a fabric to our

PUBLISHERS

Bite Size Media, LLC Stephanie and Walt Cameron

EDITORS

Willy Carleton and Briana Olson

COPY EDITORS

Marie Landau and Margaret Marti

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Stephanie Cameron

PHOTO EDITOR Stephanie Cameron

EVENT COORDINATOR Natalie Donnelly

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Cyndi Wood

VIDEO PRODUCER Walt Cameron

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

PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Cristina Grumblatt

food—connections threaded between local producers and pig farmers turned shopkeepers, between a coffee shop and watershed health, between a local food bank and local farms— that provide warmth not only in the form of durable wool and savory broths but also through the centuries-old traditions and carefully wrought relationships with which our communities weave resilience.

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

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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. Subscribe online at ediblenm.com/subscribe

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

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CONTRIBUTORS STEPHANIE CAMERON Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. Cameron is the art director, head photographer, recipe tester, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico and The Bite. WILLY CARLETON Willy Carleton is the co-editor of edible New Mexico and The Bite. He is the author of Fruit, Fiber, and Fire: A History of Modern Agriculture in New Mexico, which explores the cultural and environmental history of apples, cotton, and chiles in our region. CANDOLIN COOK Candolin Cook is a PhD candidate in history at the University of New Mexico, freelance writer, editor, and former co-editor of edible New Mexico. She lives in Albuquerque, where her husband owns Vida Verde Farm, and believes in supporting local agriculture and food businesses whenever possible. UNGELBAH DÁVILA-SHIVERS Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers lives in Valencia County with her husband, Larry, and daughter, Tachi’Bah. She owns Silver Moon Studio in Bosque Farms. CASSIDY TAWSE-GARCIA Cassidy Tawse-Garcia is a storyteller, cook, and food justice advocate living in Albuquerque. Hailing from Colorado, she grew up on a small family farm, growing vegetables and flowers for market and community supported agriculture. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, she started Masa Madrina (an ode to her great-aunt, a native of Arroyo Hondo), a prepared-food business focusing on sourdough and farmsourced seasonal offerings, as a means to survive. Today, her work has evolved to focus on mutual aid and elevating marginalized voices in food justice and farming. She is currently pursuing her PhD in human geography at the University of New Mexico, where she studies community reciprocity and care movements.

SUSAN DEFREITAS Susan DeFreitas is the author of the novel Hot Season, which won a Gold IPPY Award for Best Fiction of the West-Mountain Region, as well as a book coach and freelance editor. Before going back to school for her MFA, she was a green-tech blogger and journalist covering topics related to sustainable living. In recent years, inspired by the potentials of regenerative agriculture, she’s returned to journalism to cover sustainable agriculture. She makes her home in Santa Fe. LETICIA GONZALES leticia gonzales lives and works in Santa Fe.

KOA KALISH Koa Kalish is a photographer, writer, weaver, craniosacral practitioner, and teacher. She is inspired by the beauty and resilience of the human spirit and natural world. BRIANA OLSON Briana Olson is a writer and the co-editor of edible New Mexico and The Bite. She was the lead editor for the 2019 and 2021 editions of The New Farmer’s Almanac, and also works with Agrarian Trust, a nonprofit supporting land access for next generation farmers. ELLEN ZACHOS Ellen Zachos lives in Santa Fe and is the author of eight books, including the recently released The Forager's Pantry. She is the co-host of the Plantrama podcast (plantrama.com), and writes about wild foods at backyardforager.com. Zachos offers several online foraging courses at backyard-forager.thinkific.com.

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

LOCAL HEROES

RUDE BOY COOKIES FOOD ARTISAN

AN INTERVIEW WITH MIKE SILVA, CO-OWNER Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left: Co-owners Kristin Dowling and Mike Silva of Rude Boy Cookies. Right: Cookie display cases.

We are New Mexico’s premier specialty cookie shop, enhanced with a touch of ska flavor (ska and reggae music playing daily, and mod fifties/sixties ska decor). Along with fresh-baked, all-original-recipe cookies, Rude Boy Cookies features ice cream and New Mexico’s only milk bar. Why cookies? I have always loved chocolate chip cookies. A delicious chocolate chip cookie is my go-to favorite dessert. I set out to open a business that combined my loves: music and chocolate chip cookies. 6

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Can you share a few words on your love of ska and how this music has shaped you and your business? Also, any songs that are mustadds for a ska-driven playlist? Music was life changing for me. It changed me from an angry kid to a person with a focus. Music gave me something to believe in and allowed me to be a part of something bigger than myself. As a high school kid, I became interested in reggae and ska music. I’m a saxophoneGabe player and ska bands always had big horn sections, Romero at Campo. Photo by Stephanie Cameron. so that spoke to me. Fans of ska music are called Rude Boys. It’s a

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Southern fried chicken and waffles at Nexus Brewery.

Left: Holiday cookies. Right: Kristin Dowling decorating cookies.

lifestyle, a culture, a vibe. I live my life in real time as a Rude Boy. Creating a business that combined my love of music and my love of cookies was the dream. A few must-haves for any ska playlist? I’ll give you seven, one for each year that Rude Boy Cookies has been open:

• • • • • • •

The Specials, “Ghost Town” The English Beat, “Mirror in the Bathroom” Fishbone, “Party at Ground Zero” The Toasters, “Dub 56” The Skatalites, “Freedom Sound” Madness, “One Step Beyond” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, “The Impression That I Get”

Lately, you’ve been offering classes. How are those going? Any tips for those of us who might be interested but perceive ourselves as artistically challenged? The cookie-decorating classes are led by my business partner and 2017 Food Network Christmas Cookie Challenge winner, Kristin Dowling. Kristin and her team do an amazing job with the classes. We offer classes for beginners to advanced cookie artists. We also offered cookie-decorating summer camps this past summer. The sessions were a week long and were a blast! The classes thus far have been well received and we are planning more. You started with a shop in University Heights. Now you have two more locations in the works. What can we expect from Rude Boy at Revel and Avanyu Plaza? 8

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Yes, we started the business with our location on Harvard. We have closed that location and replaced it with our location at 1916 Central Avenue SE. This location, RUDE 66, is our headquarter location. From this location, we distribute to our three “satellite” locations: El Vado (open since 2019), Revel (open now!), and Avanyu Plaza (Indian Pueblo Cultural Center), which is scheduled to open in January 2022. All the satellite locations feature the same menu as the HQ location. Tell us about your commitment to community. When I had the idea for this business, I called my friend Kristin Dowling and asked her to have coffee with me. In January 2014, we met and I pitched her the idea of Rude Boy Cookies. I shared with Kristin that if we pulled this off, I wanted us to be a community-minded business. I wanted us to be a business that gives back to those in need. We made a commitment then to community investment, and we have stuck to it. It’s a foundational element of our business. We are proud to be in a place to make a difference in the city we live in, for the people who are our friends and neighbors. Cookies and community is what we are. It’s what we do. Anything else you want to share with edible readers? At Rude Boy Cookies, we bake fresh, chewy, delicious cookies from scratch every day—all day long! We are proud to be New Mexico’s cookie shop. 1916 Central SE, Albuquerque, 505-200-2235, rudeboycookies.square.site

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LOCAL HEROES

EX NOVO BREWERY BEVERAGE ARTISAN, BEER

AN INTERVIEW WITH JOEL GREGORY, OWNER

Ex Novo flight with Stay Goalden, Sons of Scotland, Marryin Berries, and Missed Connections. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

Before going to college in San Luis Obispo, California, where he got his degree in electrical engineering, Joel Gregory was raised in Corrales. Later, he and his wife moved to Portland, Oregon, and then in 2014, as he puts it, “in a bizarre career change, started a philanthropic brewery called Ex Novo [with locations in Portland and Beaverton].” In an effort to both expand his business to an exciting new market, and return home to be close to his family (all of whom now live in Corrales), Gregory started the third location of Ex Novo in Corrales in 2019, situated on more than three acres right on Corrales Road. Tell us about the move from Portland to Corrales. How did your New Mexico brewery and taproom come together? In early 2017, my wife and I decided to try to find a way to move home to New Mexico (she’s from Albuquerque), but this obviously was in conflict with the three-year-old brewery we started in Portland, which we love so very much. After a whole lot of thinking and talking, we 10

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

decided we could trust our great staff to run the day-to-day operations in Oregon and make the move to start another Ex Novo in our home state. The beer market here in New Mexico has really taken off over the last seven years, and we thought the timing was right for our kind of brewery. We started looking exclusively for property with enough space for a production facility, a pub, and abundant outdoor space to enjoy the pristine weather of New Mexico. We ended up finding this property in Corrales, where I grew up, which has a storied past, ending with a restaurant and event space that burned down in 2012. I was admittedly skeptical that we would become a destination for folks living outside of the village, but I was proven wrong. After we opened, people came from all around for the laid-back and beautiful environment, and, of course, delicious beers. Your menu features almost as many lagers and sours as ales. What are your favorite beers this season? Anything coming soon that we should be excited about? Ahmed Obo, founder and chef-owner of Jambo Cafe.

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Left: Joel Gregory, photo by Stephani Dingreville. Right: Ex Novo Brewery in Corrales, photos by Stephanie Cameron.

Yes, we adore lagers for their simplicity and approachability (in the industry, you have to drink a lot of beer, so choose wisely); they are the brewers’ beer, very hard to perfect. As the weather turns, I personally open up to some maltier options, and we have some great choices, like Ruminator, a German-style doppelbock, or Nevermore, a barrel-aged black barley wine with smoked figs and cocoa nibs. Right around the winter solstice, we release Kill the Sun, a bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout with four different variants (almond, chocolate and coconut, for example).

Naming beers has become a competitive art form of its own. Who’s your acting wordsmith? What makes for a good name?

You created Stay Goalden, an easy-to-drink, United-themed golden ale. Have you developed any other beers or cocktails influenced by the local landscape or using local ingredients?

You’ve been described as a nonprofit brewery—your mission is to donate all your profits to organizations making change. Why this mission, and how do you decide which organizations to support?

Collaborating with New Mexico United on a beer was a lot of fun. They are a huge part of what it means to be local in New Mexico, and they do a great job at raising up other businesses and artists around them as well. We’ll be continuing to raise meaningful funds for their Somos Unidos Foundation through this project. We have two barrel-aged sour beer projects going right now, one with peaches from Velarde and the other with raspberries from Heidi’s Raspberry Farm here in Corrales. 12

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

It really has, and it can be a great way to set yourself apart. We have fun with it, but try not to corner ourselves—we have some that are inspired by movies, songs, or pop culture, some that are goofy puns, and some that just sound like a great name. We have a Slack channel just for beer naming, and anyone in the company is invited to contribute; we wouldn’t want to place that much responsibility on one person :)

The mission has always been to give back as much as we are able to, after covering costs and making necessary expenditures for growth. We are no longer a nonprofit (since 2017), but businesses structured this way provide people a “why” to the “what” and can raise funds for other nonprofits without depleting the donor pool at all. We’re also supporting organizations that move us to action on a personal level, so I felt our business should act in the same way. 4895 Corrales Rd, Corrales, 505-508-0547, exnovobrew.com

Winter on the farm Whether you need a break from the busy holiday season or want to begin the new year with an emphasis on well-being, consider a staycation in the serenity of the Rio Grande valley. Our tranquil property takes on an especially austere and restorative quality during the quiet winter months. Experience the ultimate winter escape with our Wellness Room Package, which includes a luxurious one-night stay, daily classes in our Wellness Yurt, organic brunch for two at Campo and credit to the Hacienda Spa. When you relax and renew with a leisurely escape on the farm, you may never want to leave.

Visit our website for additional details and to reserve. lospoblanos.com

LOCAL HEROES

ALLISON JENKINS CHEF, SANTA FE

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE EXECUTIVE CHEF AT ARROYO VINO Photos by Douglas Merriam

After earning a BA in literature from Trinity University in San Antonio, Chef Allison Jenkins left her home state of Texas to attend the Culinary Institute of America. She worked across the country, from Massachusetts to the Southwest, primarily in farm-to-table restaurants and hotels. When asked to describe her typical style of cooking, she says, “It’s rooted in classical techniques with Mediterranean flavors, although I have an international palate and strive to use seasonal and local ingredients where available.” 14

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Your work as a chef began at Coyote Cafe in 2002 and then took you around the country to places like The Little Nell hotel in Aspen and Hotel Saint George in Marfa, before you landed back in New Mexico. How have these varied experiences shaped your culinary approach? I’m fortunate to have worked at and opened some high-end properties that have culminated in the style of food and service we have at Arroyo Vino. My first interests are reflected on the menu—seafood,

INTRODUCING THE NEW BOTANICAL CANDLE COLLECTION We are delighted to present our all-new, reimagined Botanical Candle Collection, inspired by aromatic botanicals from our farm and scents reminiscent of New Mexico. Each profile was thoughtfully refined in partnership with our talented, longtime fragrance consultant to capture a nuanced and balanced essence. Hand-poured locally, each candle blends pure essential oils and natural soy wax for a clean burn. As we welcome a new year, it’s the perfect time to relax and renew. Light a candle, sit back for a few quiet moments and allow the aromatherapeutic benefits to gently move through your home. And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, these candles make a lovely gift of well-being to show how much you care.

Visit the Farm Shop and explore the beautiful retail space inside the renovated, historic dairy barns at Los Poblanos. The Farm Shop offers an array of artisan products ranging from our lavender apothecary collection and our Farm Foods line to Native American jewelry, local ceramics, books and housewares. The Farm Shop is open daily 9-6, or visit us online.

lospoblanos.com

Left: Pecorino, candied pecans, and grilled octopus. Right: Farro and kale salad with harissa, preserved lemon, olives, and cider vinaigrette.

fresh pasta, and Italian regional cooking. Working at the five-star Little Nell [helped me develop] a high level of hospitality and guest recognition. And since my first job on Martha’s Vineyard, I’ve been lucky to know and work with many local farmers, fishermen, cheesemakers, and other artisans to represent regional bounty at each place. Is there a menu item or special that you’ve created recently at Arroyo Vino that you’ve been particularly excited about?

dishes at the drop of a hat. Seasons here are fleeting for some of the best ingredients, so I try to highlight them in every way possible and preserve what I can for later in the year. Most of the farmers I met this year were so excited to be featured at Arroyo Vino, and I look forward to deepening those relationships next season. There’s an incredible bounty at the market, lots of pristine, fun ingredients to include. I especially enjoy the many stone-fruit varieties. Describe a perfect day off.

Currently, my favorite dish is the Ligurian-style braised rabbit with buckwheat polenta, roasted carrots, and olives. It’s really rustic and comforting.

Sleep in, cook something new, spend time outside in my garden. Bake some bread. And in the winter, build a fire and catch up on reading.

What is the current status of the garden at Arroyo Vino?

Sustainability of the supply chain. As chefs, we’ve got to do a better job using products from close by if we want to remain viable in restaurants.

The garden is fallow this year due to the drought. Hopefully, we will be up and running next season. I miss having ultra-fresh salad greens just out the back door. You work extensively with local farmers to shape the menu at Arroyo Vino. What have you learned about the local farm scene through this experience? Last year’s experience running mostly takeout food has taught me to be extremely flexible with the menu. And so now I can change 16

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Is there a local food issue that is particularly important to you?

Is there anything else you’d like to share with edible readers? Thanks for recognizing what we do! 218 Camino La Tierra, Santa Fe, 505-983-2100, arroyovino.com

VEGETARIAN KITCHEN Fine International Vegetarian and Vegan grab and go including ready to serve complete meals.

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LOCAL HEROES

CUTBOW COFFEE BEVERAGE ARTISAN, NON-ALCOHOLIC AN INTERVIEW WITH PAUL GALLEGOS, OWNER Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Coffee beans roasting at Cutbow Coffee.

New Mexico native Paul Gallegos learned the art of coffee roasting during a twenty-seven-year tenure at California-based Peet’s Coffee, the provenance for modern American coffee culture. In 2018, Gallegos and his family founded Cutbow Coffee Roastology, bringing his knowledge and passion for great coffee home to Albuquerque. What was the most valuable lesson you learned from working at Peet’s? It’s impossible for me to give a singular answer. I am extremely fortunate to have begun my coffee journey in the shadows of three great men who I like to call the Royal Triumvirate: Alfred Peet, Jerry Baldwin, and Jim Reynolds. Mr. Peet is widely regarded as the grandfather of specialty coffee. I was scared shitless, as a skinny young Chicano from the South Valley in Albuquerque, to roast coffee for him. He appeared a curmudgeon, but was actually quite sweet and nurturing. He taught me that coffee speaks, and that it is the roaster’s obligation to listen to it. He also taught 18

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

me to not take the task too seriously—it’s only coffee. Jerry Baldwin, who founded Starbucks and later owned Peet’s, insisted that quality remain a priority. This is why everything at Cutbow, from drink preparation, to customer service, to our fresh flowers, must absolutely be top notch. Evaluating every detail of his business, Jerry would ask: Is it as good as the coffee? I ask myself the same. The most lasting, valuable lessons come from Jim Reynolds, roastmaster emeritus at Peet’s. Jim is the most pleasant, yet demanding, person I’ve ever known: Respect the bean, revere the cup, and trust the tasting spoon. When speaking, be concise but eloquent. Always, be a gentleman. Listen to jazz. Smile often. Tell us about the process. What makes roasting an art form? I perceive coffee roasting as a dark art, illuminated by science. The science part is easy to understand: specifics like time and temperature can be monitored and measured very simply. The art is much more mysterious and romantic. I’m inspired after all these years by taking a

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Paul Gallegos at Cutbow Coffee.

decidedly sensory approach. I love the fluidity of the roast, the poetic nature of it, its rhythm, the symbiosis between bean and machine. A batch of coffee lives and breathes in the roaster. Like any art—dance, painting, cooking, glassblowing, metalwork, ceramics, music—the dedicated practice of motion is essential. I place great importance on my responsibility to this process, because no one wants bad art. Your name implies a love of local wildlife and landscapes, and we noticed you donate a portion of every bag of coffee sold to the Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance. It’s nice to think that a nonlocal crop, such as coffee, can provide indirect impacts on watersheds far from its origin. Why did you choose that group in particular? Our motto is Agua es Vida, Café es Amor. Cutbow Coffee is a tribute to my dad, who passed away in 2008. He was the consummate norteño—fishing, hunting, providing, and living life to its fullest. We wanted to honor his legacy as profoundly as possible. The Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance makes great effort to preserve and protect the waters of northern New Mexico, where my dad loved to fish and where the inspiration for Cutbow flows. There was a bumper sticker I used to see, usually on old Volvos and VWs, that read “Think Globally, Act Locally.” Coffee is the world’s second-largest commodity. I know this industry well, and work only with reputable importers who pay farmers fair wages that reflect the quality of their crops. I can say with confidence that I am living up to that classic bumper sticker. 20

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Now I just need a Volvo! Since my dad was more of a truck guy, we have a classic 1970 Ford F-100 parked in front, always ready for a fishing trip up north. What’s your favorite part of running a coffee shop? Creating a welcoming space for friends to gather, and offering them the simple pleasure that cafecito provides. There’s been a definite connection with the community, a resonance that makes what we do very fulfilling. My dad wasn’t easy to please, but he’d definitely be proud of Cutbow. Hopefully, anyone who comes in feels like they are part of our family. How do you typically drink your coffee each morning? Black coffee, from my favorite mug, the one with a little chip in it. Is there anything else you’d like to share with edible readers? There are many great coffee shops in New Mexico, as well as great bakers, brewers, food trucks, and other culinary artisans. Especially during the pandemic, we are very grateful that locals support local. We are all extremely proud to be New Mexican, but we also welcome guests and visitors into our hearth and home con gusto! I believe that makes our community special. 1208 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-355-5563, cutbowcoffee.com

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LOCAL HEROES

ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK NONPROFIT

AN INTERVIEW WITH SONYA WARWICK, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS

Roadrunner Food Bank warehouse in Albuquerque. Photo courtesy of Roadrunner Food Bank.

Roadrunner Food Bank, a Feeding America member, is the largest nonprofit in the state dedicated to solving hunger. It serves as a distribution hub and provides food to hundreds of affiliated partners around New Mexico, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and regional food banks. Last year, the food bank distributed nearly sixty million pounds of food, significantly impacting people experiencing hunger. One in four children and one in six people overall in New Mexico are at risk of hunger. How has the pandemic impacted these numbers? In general, we are continuing to see a larger number of people seeking food assistance this year, and based on economic studies, we don’t expect it to return to pre-pandemic levels for several years. Prepandemic 2019 historical hunger figures and 2021 hunger estimates based on the pandemic’s impact show that this trend is continuing. 22

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

2019 historical figures:

• 1 in 7 overall (298,030, or 14.2 percent) • 1 in 5 children (104,080, or 22 percent) 2021 Project Pandemic figures:

• 1 in 6 overall (322,120, or 15.4 percent) • 1 in 4 children (112,490, or 23.7 percent) Your Food Rescue Program is the largest of its kind in New Mexico, providing millions of pounds of food each year that might otherwise go to landfills. Where does most of this rescued food come from? Our Food Rescue Program brings in food from a variety of sources: grocery stores, food manufacturers, food distributors, wholesale

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Volunteers assisting with distribution in Albuquerque. Photos courtesy of Roadrunner Food Bank.

clubs, growers, gardeners, farmers, and people hosting food drives. In addition, the food bank is part of a food cooperative network, where food banks across the country collaborate to source food, including fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, canned goods, and more. Working through this cooperative helps us scale up the number of semi-truck loads we can bring in based on the food items’ longevity. What might surprise readers about some of the food you rescue? How do you handle food that reaches you too late to be distributed for people to cook and eat? All food received by the food bank is sorted through for quality, inventoried, and then prepped prior to distribution. Volunteers are key in helping prep food for distribution and are trained in foodsafety practices from our warehouse team. Our warehouse team is trained in food safety and our quality assurance team works closely with our warehouse to handle food in the safest way possible. Food that is no longer fit to consume is set aside for local farmers to pick up and use for their farms’ needs. You work extensively to not only feed people experiencing hunger, but also to end hunger through initiatives such as job training and advocacy work. What are some top priorities for your advocacy work in 2022? Our Second Chances Job Training Program provides internships and skill building for people who wish to retrain or expand their knowledge. Often, people in our Second Chances Program come to us when they have experienced difficulty securing employment. They may include nonviolent ex-offenders, those who have been on longterm unemployment, and veterans. Paid internships have allowed many people to obtain gainful, long-term employment. We also have an initiative called SeedCorps, an AmeriCorps program that provides a yearlong service opportunity for community members seeking to make a difference. The SeedCorps members focus on nutrition education to address the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, provide information and services to people struggling with poverty 24

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and hunger (including how to access services), increase and expand existing local resources beyond food assistance, and assist with community food distributions—especially during the pandemic, when so many communities continue to need additional food-distribution locations. Our advocacy work focuses on obtaining additional food items in largescale volumes. We also focus on programs that help people access food or combat poverty. For example, we operate a public benefits program to help people apply for SNAP (food stamps), LIHEAP (home-energy assistance), and other programs that can assist people in poverty. In addition, we are experiencing escalating food and transportation costs as the supply chain continues to impact food availability with longer lead times, significantly higher food costs for items we purchase, and higher freight costs to bring food to our distribution center. We continue to advocate for funding that will help us secure the additional food we need to provide through this ongoing health crisis. How can concerned edible readers take part in alleviating hunger in New Mexico? There are three ways we encourage the community to get involved: Giving Time, Giving Food, and Giving Funds. All three are crucial to our ability to continue to provide food to communities across the state. And if you are outside the Albuquerque community, reach out to us and we can connect you to a food partner in your area who needs much of the same—time, food, and funds. Anything else you want to share with readers? We are tremendously grateful for the investment in our mission by community members like you. In New Mexico, hunger impacts rural, tribal, and urban communities in different ways. Come learn more about how we work by taking a tour or meeting with a staff member (virtually or in person). Another excellent way to stay connected to us is through social media. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. rrfb.org

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FORAGING

Juniper Appreciation Words and Photos by Ellen Zachos

Many New Mexicans dread the onset of juniper season, when massive clouds of pollen keep people with allergies indoors for weeks at a time. But I’m here to praise our native junipers, which are tough, attractive, drought-tolerant plants that provide significant shelter and food for birds, insects, and mammals, including human foragers.

Depending on the species, juniper fruit may take one to two years to ripen, so it’s not unusual to find both green (unripe) and blue-red (ripe) fruit on the tree at the same time. And while ripe fruit makes an excellent trail nibble, unripe fruit is intensely bitter. Unless you’re harvesting to make bitters, stick to the ripe fruit.

We have lots of junipers to choose from in New Mexico; some are shrubs (multi-stemmed) and some are trees (single trunks). All of them produce edible fruit. One-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) is our most common species. It grows in dry habitats between 3,000 and 7,000 feet. Rocky Mountain juniper (J. scopulorum) grows at higher elevations, alongside ponderosas and Douglas firs. Common juniper (J. communis) is usually found from 8,000 to 11,500 feet in New Mexico, while alligator juniper (J. deppeana) grows from 4,500 to 8,000 feet. Additionally, small pockets of Utah juniper (J. osteosperma) are found in northwestern New Mexico, and both redberry juniper (J. coahuilensis) and Pinchot’s juniper (J. pinchotii ) are found in small numbers in the southern part of the state.

I’m often asked if juniper berries are safe to eat, and there’s some controversy about this. The berries from our native varieties are safe; however, the bark of J. sabina, savin juniper, can be toxic to cattle when eaten in large quantities, and there’s no consensus on the toxicity of this variety’s berries. Additionally, J. sabina isn’t native to this country, so you’re unlikely to come across it while foraging in the wild—but you might want to avoid picking berries off ornamental junipers or trees in gardens and parks unless you can confidently distinguish one species from another.

Junipers are scale evergreens. Their leaves look like tightly overlapping scales rather than needles or large, flat leaves. And junipers are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Male plants are responsible for the clouds of allergenic pollen in late winter. The tasty fruit is a joint effort of both male and female plants. 28

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Sure, you can find dried juniper berries in good spice stores, but with so much juniper all around us, why not forage for your own? The fruit of J. communis is generally considered to be the tastiest (it’s the species most often used to flavor gin), but it’s worth sampling the fruit of all our native species. Juniper fruit has both bitter and sweet elements. It’s a complex flavor, sometimes described as citrusy and evergreen, reminiscent of rosemary. And in addition to being the most familiar flavor in gin, juniper fruit is also a traditional sauerkraut

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spice. It makes a delicious ingredient in dry rubs and is the base for a naturally fermented Balkan beverage known as smreka, sometimes called Balkan lemonade. The key to making smreka is the white bloom on juniper berries, which is a waxy covering secreted by the juniper fruit’s skin that indicates the presence of yeast. That yeast is what makes naturally fermented smreka possible. While you may find recipes online that call for adding lemon to the brew, I think it’s plenty sour without it. Try making your first batch with just juniper fruit and water; you can always add lemon later. Combine 1/2 cup juniper fruit with 2 cups non-chlorinated water in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the jar, shake it, and put it somewhere out of direct sunlight, where you can keep an eye on it. Shake it once a day. As the smreka ferments, the water turns yellow and most of the fruit sinks to the bottom of the jar. After 30 days, strain off the fruit and pour the liquid through a coffee filter to remove any small particles. Because there is very little sugar in juniper fruit, and because yeast feeds on sugar, this will be a lightly fermented beverage. And while technically speaking there must be some alcohol in there (because . . . fermentation), it is pretty much indiscernible. Refrigerate your smreka and taste it cold. You’ll probably want to add a little honey, but that’s up to you. Enjoy it plain, over ice, or substitute it for lime juice in a margarita! Above: Juniper with white bloom on the berries. Below: Fermenting smreka.

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

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BACK OF HOUSE

COME FOR THE FOOD AND STAY FOR THE BAR AT PALACE PRIME By Candolin Cook · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left: Bluenose bass with roasted carrots and potatoes and a cauliflower puree. Right: The Mayan Monk with mezcal and Green Chartreuse.

The first time I stepped foot in Palace Prime, located on Santa Fe Plaza, I felt woefully underdressed. I had been invited to a friend’s birthday party in the bar/lounge area and, picturing the restaurant’s previous incarnation as the Palace Restaurant & Saloon, I wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a cowboy hat (it wasn’t even my good cowboy hat). As I walked through the entrance’s heavy brocade curtains, though, I was not transported to the Old West as expected, but to a time and place 32

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decidedly more chic. Thankfully, I soon discovered that despite its elegance, the new space fosters a fun and congenial atmosphere, which helped assuage my insecurities about being dressed for the county fair. Since opening in late 2020, Palace Prime, and especially its lounge, has become a go-to spot for locals looking for upscale food and drink in an atmosphere that feels hipper and less stuffy than many of its fine-dining contemporaries. “We want to be the spot where people

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Left: Palace Prime dining room. Right: Butcher’s Martini, and West Knoll Negroni with Ilegal Mezcal.

celebrate special occasions, but also just come get a drink after work,” executive chef Rocky Durham tells me during a subsequent visit. “Locals have really responded to the bar and we want them to be our bread and butter. People come in with friends or make some new ones. It’s open and welcoming . . . with a youthful energy.” Palace Prime’s general manager, Julian Martinez, agrees, adding, “I like to think of [the bar] as an industry space or where people can come [late night] after a show and get a high-quality cocktail at an approachable price point.” The restaurant’s aesthetic is an eclectic, yet cohesive, blend of upscale midcentury design (velvet booths, drum-shade light fixtures, bold colors), contemporary Southwestern art, and nods to the legacy property’s 170-year history (antique gold-framed mirrors and a wall preserving the former saloon’s signature flocked red wallpaper). The restaurant has three main sections, allowing patrons to “choose their own adventure,” if you will. The white-tableclothed formal dining room is perfect for intimate date nights, anniversary dinners, or, in my imagination, meetings between Madison Avenue ad men and their clients. Meanwhile, the dimly lit lounge is more casual. Diners often abandon their tables to go mingle at the long, backlit bar or, on 34

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Vinyl Sundays, put on a record of their choice. (Available LPs range from The Clash to Prince to Lana Del Rey, and guests are also encouraged to bring in their own.) Finally, a large outdoor patio makes for charming al fresco dining or can become a private party space—and a rowdy one, too, as I witnessed a few months back during a Wine and Chile Fiesta event. “[As a new restaurant,] we’re still figuring out our identity and evolving all the time,” says Martinez. Uniting the sections is the thoughtfully prepared food of Chef Durham. A veteran of the local fine-dining scene, Durham explains that after decades of training in the French technique, working in restaurants all over the world, and helming some of Santa Fe’s finest kitchens, he ended up working on the very street where he was born— Palace Avenue. (“Like a salmon coming back to spawn,” he quips.) His ever-changing menu encourages frequent visits to try seasonal dishes or the catch of the day. Seafood dishes have recently included a delectable crispy-skin bluenose bass with roasted carrots and potatoes and a cauliflower puree, and the meatiest mussels I have ever seen,

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Executive chef Rocky Durham and general manager Julian Martinez at Palace Prime.

paired with perfectly crisp french fries and Texas toast–like slices of buttered baguette. Turf is also well represented with items such as the herb-cured bison carpaccio, Prime steaks, and what Durham not-sohumbly refers to as “the best cheeseburger in town.” (As the saying goes, it ain’t bragging if it’s true.) Durham says that while Palace Prime has been labeled a “modern steakhouse,” he feels the categorization is a bit misleading—almost every fine-dining restaurant has steaks and seafood, he points out. “I feel like we transcend that. It’s a dynamic menu of composed, contemporary cuisine made from high-quality ingredients.” Currently, the same menu is available in the lounge, though Durham and Martinez are planning a separate bar menu with late-night offerings in the near future. Complementing the food is a stellar wine and cocktail menu, curated and concocted by Martinez and mixologist Todd Walker. Martinez raves about Walker’s “creative mind” for custom cocktails, cordials, garnishes, and infusions, whereas Martinez’s speciality is in the classics and revivals. As a devout mezcal drinker, I particularly enjoyed the sweet and smoky Mayan Monk: mezcal, Green Chartreuse, pink peppercorn-and-pineapple reduction, citrus, and frothy egg white. And I decided that the next time I get the burger, I’m pairing it with a Butcher’s Martini (with horseradish-infused vodka and house-made pickle and brine). 36

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For Durham and Martinez, the service at Palace Prime is just as important as the food, drink, and ambience. “We wanted fresh minds and energy, and there are diamonds here,” Durham says. “Our servers are not [simply] order takers. They have great product knowledge and are there to inform and navigate.” The same is true of the kitchen staff. “There’s great energy all around and they keep me young,” the chef says. “Deep down inside, I’m a line cook. I love working with my crew.” That work culture, with Durham’s and Martinez’s reputations, have made the restaurant a desirable place to work. In a time when the vast majority of establishments are struggling to fill positions, Palace Prime is fully staffed. On my most recent visit to Palace Prime, I once again sat in the bar (this time in a slightly nicer outfit). The lounge was leaning into its midcentury vibes that night with a playlist full of Mad Men-esque songs from Sam Cooke, Mel Tormé, and Ricky Nelson. At one point, I overheard a gentleman at the table next to me exclaim, “My God, the music is fantastic. It feels like Brooklyn, 1967.” As I sipped on my West Knoll Negroni (Ilegal Mezcal, Cappelletti, and house-blended vermouth), I realized the cocktail was analogous to Palace Prime—it’s a classic with an update. 142 W Palace, Santa Fe, 505-919-9935, palaceprimesf.com

The Folly of Grocery AT THE MARKET

By Cassidy Tawse-Garcia · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Polk’s Folly Butcher Shop and Farm Stand in Cedar Crest.

I pull into the parking lot just past Cedar Crest Tire on Highway 14 and head for the front door, passing a sign cheerfully announcing, “Pigs Sold Here.” Above the door hangs the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union emblem, declaring that farmers call this place theirs. As I tuck my head into the cozy farm store just twenty minutes east of Albuquerque, the first thing I see is a smile. The smile belongs to Ethan Withers, the younger of the two brothers who own Polk’s Folly Butcher Shop and Farm Stand in Cedar Crest. My mother had phoned in an order from Taos a few days earlier, and Ethan and a cheerful employee, Colby, had everything packed and ready for me. 38

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Despite having access to the natural foods store in Taos and a Whole Foods relatively close by in Santa Fe, my mom asked me to stop by the farm stand to pick up pork and beef cuts on my way up for a visit. I’m guessing this is because she has heard me singing the Withers brothers’ praises ever since they helped me source local flour for my baking business in the early throes of the pandemic. Also, I know she understands the value of buying food from those who know what it is to raise food. In the case of Polk’s Folly, no other operation in New Mexico quite compares with their intimacy. Polk’s Folly is a place where, out of necessity, farmers imagined a shopping hub for local food, and in doing so, became the knowledge keepers for many.

Ethan and Zach Withers breaking down a lamb in the butcher shop.

The farm stand features products from more than thirty farmers and ranchers and a dozen producers and artisans in a building that, until early 2020, served as a storage space for the neighboring mechanic shop. “The first question is always ‘Are we supporting good agriculture?’, because that is what we want to do,” Zach, the elder of the farming brothers turned shop owners, later tells me over the phone. What started as a vision to have a butcher shop to process their own pigs quickly evolved into an ecological display of what’s being grown and raised in New Mexico and southern Colorado this very minute. Unlike a display in a museum, the items at Polk’s Folly are begging to be consumed with abandon. Piles of winter squash from Vida Verde Farm fill the tables of their storefront. Varieties of local honey line the shelves. Tortillas from Tortilleria Cuauhtémoc in the South Valley and sourdough bread from Ihatov Bread and Coffee in Nob Hill are intermixed with jams and jerky. An abundant selection of fresh greens, celery, and herbs from East Mountain Organic Farms adorns the display cases. Local potatoes and onions are stacked next to apples from orchards near Velarde. Ethan and Colby dance around each other, serving the constant flow of customers and listing the fresh cuts of meat available to all who ask. 40

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Zach and Ethan Withers grew up in the East Mountains. Their mother and grandmother raised and bred Egyptian Arabian horses on the family property in San Antonito, just ten minutes away from the shop. Zach headed to Vermont for college, where he was exposed to thriving local farms and regional distribution pathways. After Zach returned to New Mexico, he and Ethan, both interested in butchery and the economic potential of local food systems, began to raise pigs on their family’s land. “Things that taste like home, where you can almost taste the earth,” Zach says, “those are the things I get the most excited about.” “We just wanted to make some good sausage,” Ethan tells me over a kombucha at one of the sunny picnic tables outside their shop. “It became clear rather quickly that to butcher our own meat, we needed a shop, and for a shop to work, we needed economy of scale.” This meant bringing in as many local products as possible. Zach recounts the shop’s beginning in April of 2020: “We sold through our entire month’s supply of pork in four hours on our second day open . . . so we got to work.” They called every farmer and rancher they knew, trying to stock more local products. At the height of the pandemic, the Withers brothers doubled down on their belief in regional food systems, and it is paying off.

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Left: Polk's Folly farm shop featuring an abundance of vegetables and pantry goods. Top right: Available meat listed daily on chalkboard with illustrations of the cuts. Bottom right: Cold case with vegetables, grab-and-go items, and more. Polk’s Folly accepts EBT and offers Double Up Food Bucks on all New Mexico produce purchased with SNAP.

Today, in addition to stocking pork they raise themselves, including their famous green chile pork sausage, the butcher shop carries beef from Sol Ranch in northern New Mexico, run by a young female rancher, Emily Cornell. Also, you can find New Mexico–raised lamb, goat, and poultry products, and Colorado elk and yak sourced through a partnership with Valley Roots Food Hub in the San Luis Valley. In addition to meat, the shop carries grassfed milk and yogurt from De Smet Dairy and New Mexico–grown and –milled flour from one of few mills left in New Mexico, Valencia Flour Mill in Jarales. I’m here for a meat order, but I can’t help picking up some full and crisp-looking celery leaves and pomegranates to make a winter salad with barley, some organic tricolor quinoa from the San Luis Valley to stock my pantry, and the most vibrant yellow grassfed butter from Sawatch Artisan Foods to embellish my sourdough toast. As I’m paying, Ethan offers me a sample of the new sausage flavor he’s been working on—Cardamom Manifesto. I gleefully accept the hot morsel, thankful for the warm bite and tiny bit of sustenance. As we chat through the bright flavoring, discussing the potential of adding black pepper, Ethan looks up and smiles each time a customer passes through the door. He greets nearly every person by name. 42

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This is why I return to Polk’s Folly again and again. (And I do not mean the hot sausage sample, although that was grand!) The Withers brothers are committed to their place in this world. With that comes a sincere commitment to their community and customers—something sorely lacking in many consumer interactions. Confronted with the perils of the pandemic and growing social and environmental woes, the face of grocery shopping has changed. We can (and do) now buy all we need with a few thumb taps. There are more CSA choices than ever to support local farmers. But I find, more and more, folks are seeking relationships with those who make and sell their food, relationships where their needs are anticipated and their choice to spend money locally has a positive ripple effect within their community. As we move forward into the unknown expanse of future life-withCOVID, I find myself even more drawn to places like Polk’s Folly. What started as an endeavor to raise pigs in order to make the best sausage possible is now a local foods and product hub brimming with all the necessities for a weekly shop and then some. We cannot know what the future will bring, but I believe it is safe to say, a smile and a personal greeting will meet you if your future includes shopping at Polk’s Folly Butcher Shop and Farm Stand. 12128 NM 14, Cedar Crest, 505-503-0395, polksfolly.com

FACES OF FOOD

CHURRO

A TASTE OF WHAT WAS, AND WHAT COULD BE By Susan DeFreitas · Photos by Koa Kalish

Churro dinner hosted by the New Mexico Fiber Arts Center at the Los Luceros Historic Site.

On a crisp October night, I rolled up to the Los Luceros Historic Site. This Territorial-era hacienda, located on 148 acres north of Alcalde, has a rich history, dating back to the 1600s—a fitting place for the gourmet Churro dinner I was attending, offered by the New Mexico Fiber Arts Center. Because, as I would soon learn, the Churro has quite a rich history itself, and New Mexican roots that run just as deep. I made my way through the shifting shadows of a large cottonwood in the hacienda’s courtyard, past a seasonal display of corn husks and ristras, to a warm, well-lit room in the visitor’s center, where the dinner was being hosted. Here I found an amiable collection of weavers, fiber artists, and arts aficionados, many of them in garments of great beauty. When I inquired about them, I learned that a few had woven and sewn those garments themselves. 44

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The dinner was part of a weeklong series of events celebrating the Navajo Churro, the first sheep to come to North America by way of the Spanish conquistadors, all the way back in 1540. Nomadic Navajos acquired these sheep from Spanish colonists, and by the late sixteenth century, the Churro provided them with meat, milk, and the wool fiber used for their iconic blankets and rugs. Hispanic settlers also relied on the Churro for food and fiber, going on to develop the renowned Rio Grande weaving style—but it was the Navajos whose stocks were largely dominated by these hardy sheep. Despite its central role in Southwest agriculture and material culture, the Churro has nearly been driven extinct twice: first in 1863 by Colonel Kit Carson and seven hundred troops under the command of General James H. Carleton, in a systematic effort to destroy all means of Navajo subsistence, and later, in the 1930s, via government

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Lamb tagine, featuring Churro provided by Shepherd’s Lamb.

land-management policies on Dine’tah that were ostensibly aimed at preserving topsoil but, in fact, privileged large cattle ranchers over small sheep ranchers, whose stock consisted primarily of Churro.

wool, she noted, “has a luster, it felts well, and is really durable because of the long fibers. The wool is also very warm and dense, making for a warm and fairly waterproof fabric.”

Slowly but surely, however, the Churro is being rediscovered for its many virtues. According to the Navajo Sheep Project, a nonprofit dedicated to preservation and expansion of Churro stocks, these virtues include a strong maternal instinct, abundant milk production, hardiness, excellent lamb survival rates, parasite and contagious-foot-rot resistance, and the ability to survive on “marginal feed resources.”

She also noted that the Churro is particularly well adapted to the Southwest, “able to eat pretty much anything,” and requires less water than other breeds, both for upkeep and processing. “It’s almost more like a goat than a sheep.”

And, of course, its wool. Which is where the New Mexico Fiber Arts Center comes in. One of my tablemates that night was Leigh Alexander, New Mexico Fiber Arts Center’s board treasurer and the director of the center’s Churro Week. As we waited for the first course to be served, she explained a bit about the history of the Churro and its resurgence in the marketplace for textiles, which began in 2013, when the wholesale blanket-weaving-production outfit Chimayó Weavers started offering blankets made with Churro wool. The next year, in an effort to expand the general recognition, appreciation, and demand for all things Churro, Churro Week was born. Alexander was one of those whose clothing I had admired—she wore a spectacular jacket she herself had woven and sewn. Churro 46

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My work as a writer is centered around the environment, and so it was not lost on me what an animal that well adapted to the Southwest might mean for food resilience in a warming world, with drier, hotter, more marginal range conditions across the West. But the key to scaling up Churro production, and strengthening the breed’s genetic stock, is capitalizing on the high market value this heritage breed’s wool can command—and, as Alexander went on to explain, even as demand for Churro wool has increased, many barriers to production remain. There are a few sellers of Churro fleece and roving (a slightly twisted roll or strand of textile fiber) who trade in the retail and small wholesale market, but not enough for large wholesale production. Ranchers who do seek to scale up face the problem of processing: In order to keep Churro wool separate from that of other breeds, only small textile mills can be used to process it (the nonprofit Mora Valley Spinning Mill is

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Textile artist Mary Grow and Chef Jean-Marc Richel dishing up lamb tagine.

one example). One commercial yarn retailer in Kentucky, The Woolery, carries that mill’s 100 percent Churro yarn, and the newly formed Rainbow Fiber Co-op also sells yarn spun there, using wool raised by a small number of Diné shepherds. A few other buyers and processors have the wool spun at other places. But mostly, Churro is being used on the cottage level, hand spun and used for blankets. In the midst of all this talk about the Churro, our dinner began to arrive: a fresh tomato, cucumber, and chickpea salad; red lentils with spicy vegetables; Middle Eastern flatbread and olives; and a lamb tagine, featuring (of course!) Churro, provided by Shepherd’s Lamb. The chef that evening, Jean-Marc Richel, was born in France, and is clearly a lover of the cuisine of Morocco, another “marginal” agricultural region with a rich food history. The dessert, a cardamom saffron cake, was the showstopper that evening—but it was the main course that I found myself lingering over, now that I understood something about the special history of this landrace breed. The Churro may survive in tough climate conditions, but this lamb was tender, both rich and lean and deeply savory in a spicy stew studded with apricots. This, I understood, was more than the taste of a fine, hot stew on a crisp autumn night. This was the taste of this land and this water; the taste of small-scale ranches with deep roots in this land; a taste handed down by a people subject to the very worst abuses of colonizer 48

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culture, who not only lived to tell the tale, but to weave the tale of their own resistance into their blankets and rugs. Recently, I’d been reading Ursula K. Le Guin’s epic Always Coming Home, a novel set in a post-collapse version of California’s Napa Valley. In this novel, the people known as the Kesh combine the most beautiful and meaningful of traditional human lifeways with appropriate but limited technology. For weeks, I’d been under the spell of this book, transported by a vision of humanity’s future that retained the best of its past. Looking around the room that night, I was struck by the sense that such a world may be possible here in New Mexico, with its farmers and ranchers dedicated to preserving heritage breeds and seeds—with its artists and artisans who remember the essential human crafts, and the importance of beauty in our everyday lives. And that is the world I want to live in. A world where Diné people have been reunited with the Churro, and all that this entails. A world where the Churro is here to feed us, to keep us warm, and to show us what it means to adapt to the climate we live in, and the one we will soon inhabit. A world where skilled artisans—chefs, craftspeople, and artists— gather in their handmade finery on an autumn night to share in the bounty of the harvest. nmfiberartscenter.org, nmhistoricsites.org/los-luceros

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issue two · october 2021

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SACRED SHEEP By Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers

“T

Al Hoceima and her fellow ewes. Photo by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers.

"The United States government wanted to eradicate our food sovereignty, and one of the ways of doing so was burning our peach trees, our orchards, cornfields, and slaughtering the Churro,” says Roy Kady. 50

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he autumn sunlight filters through the yellow cottonwood leaves, illuminating the sheep corral and casting a halo around Al Hoceima, Dr. Teresa Smith de Cherif ’s Navajo-Churro ewe. Al Hoceima, the only pure Churro in the flock and named for a city in Morocco, stands guard in front of three fluffy, white Cotswold-Churro ewes and one disabled Merino. Al Hoceima does not look like she belongs next to Little Bo-Peep. Her eyes glow out of her dark face and her ombré wool transitions from black to grey in long, wavy tendrils. She looks fierce, wild even, carrying herself like a queen, like an animal that has been told she is sacred and feels that power in every part of her being. In 2010, Smith de Cherif, the vice chair of the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District Board and an infectious disease specialist, brought Al Hoceima from Mora to her farm in El Cerro. Prior to working as a doctor in Mora, Smith de Cherif served the community at the Pine Hill Health Center on the Ramah Navajo reservation. Prized for their hardiness and adaptability to the desert, their sturdy wool and flavorful meat, the Navajo-Churro sheep have a long history with both Hispano and Indigenous communities. The sheep’s ancestors were an old Iberian breed introduced to what is now the American Southwest by the Spanish in the sixteenth century and quickly acquired through trades and raids by Diné (Navajo). However, Diné elders and knowledge keepers will tell you that T’aa Dibei, the Navajo term for the Churro, have always been a part of their existence in some capacity.

The Diné Bahaneʼ (Navajo creation story) tells that in the underworld, when the animals were being created and placed by Talking God, T’aa Dibei was created as a domestic sheep and placed on the earth. Talking God also created the bighorn sheep, which he placed in this area, but it was not domestic and was considered the sheep of the deities. The story told, however, that Diné would receive T’aa Dibei as a gift when the time was right. So when the sheep appeared with the Spanish, it was a reunion written in prophecy. It was during her time among the stories, culture, and grandmothers of Ramah—who became the healers of the healer after the doctor suffered a serious automobile accident—that Smith de Cherif heard, witnessed, and gained reverence for this heritage sheep breed. As a second-generation Irish woman whose relatives maintain a family farm in Ireland, Smith de Cherif already had a kinship with sheep written into her DNA. She remembers fondly her time as a child chasing sheep along the countryside of County Galway. Today, stewarding Al Hoceima and her other ewes, whom she raises for wool, allows her to connect to her present home and give back to the elders who prayed over her and whom she cared for during her time at Pine Hill. “I got to know some of the weavers, and I saw the wool that they had processed. They were some of my patients, in their eighties, and I had such reverence for them,” Smith de Cherif tells me. “The lineage of these Churro sheep goes back at least four hundred years, and I feel like they are sacred animals because they’ve been so cared for and respected. I feel this debt and a bond, that my life was forever touched. So when I take care of a lame sheep that I have, or a sheep

that is heritage, I feel like I am in some small way honoring the wonderful women that I loved and respected.” I understand that feeling of admiration. My grandmother was a traditional Navajo weaver who worked with the Two Grey Hills designs, and my memory of her will forever be encased in the soft, nurturing sounds of her weaving. It was a certain music she made at night, a rhythm of carding and spinning wool, of tapping her loom with smooth cedar tools and counting under her breath in two languages, Diné and English. At eight years old, she was Iłnazbah Denetclaw (‘Áshįįhi clan, born for Tł’ááshchí’í). Then she traveled far away from her parents, family, and home in Sheep Springs to begin a new life at a Christian boarding school for Native American children in Rehoboth. Here she remained for the next ten years. She became Gladys, a woman who spoke English, cut women’s hair for a living, had eight half-Irish children and, eventually, relearned her Navajo language and, from childhood memories, taught herself to weave. Roy Kady (Tł’ízílání clan, born for ‘Áshįįhi), whose life has sounded with the barcarole of bleating Churro lambs since his birth, isn’t surprised by my grandmother’s story. He tells me that both the language and weaving is in our DNA and my grandmother simply called upon it. Kady’s umbilical cord is buried in the sheep corral in Tł’izí Da’adlaní (Goat Springs), the community on the Navajo Nation where he has spent his life. In 2006, Kady, along with Jay Begay Jr. and Colleen Biakeddy, founded the Navajo-Churro Sheep Presidium to help support shepherds, both on and off the Navajo Nation, who wish to market their lambs and Churro products, including pelts, wool, and meat. “It’s considered a small, scruffy animal,” says Kady of the Dibé dits’ozí, as the Navajo-Churro are also known. “It doesn’t have a lot of meat, per se, so it doesn’t compete on the larger scale of a meat market. But to us, that doesn’t matter. To us, it’s very flavorful, and it’s leaner than other sheep breeds.” He says that because the sheep forage the land, the variety of plants they consume flavor the meat, and some chefs consider it the best breed for lamb or mutton. The low lanolin levels that make it ideal for weaving also give it a sweeter flavor than commercial breeds. The presidium works in partnership with the Hispanic Churro producers of northern New Mexico, whom Kady refers to as longtime shepherd friends. According to Kim Kerley, the registrar for the Navajo-Churro Sheep Association, there are 379 registered sheep in New Mexico—but this represents only sheep eighteen months and older, and sheep kept for the Navajo Sheep Project are not registered. Nikyle Begay, an inspector for the association and director of the Rainbow Fiber Co-op, estimates that about 1,500 Churro sheep reside on the Navajo Nation. Organizations across New Mexico, such as Rio Milagro Farm in Silver City, the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center, and Tierra Wools in Chama, are working hard to preserve the Hispano traditions of weaving and Churro stewardship. But Kady and other Diné knowledge keepers will tell you that it was not always this way. There was a time, not so long ago, when the Churro was nearly lost and forgotten. EDIBLENM.COM

Weavings by Gladys Daniel, the author's grandmother. Photos by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers.

Many of the Dibé dits’ozí being raised on the Navajo Nation today, including those in Kady’s flock, are the descendants of Navajo-Churro sheep that were taken and hidden in places like Canyon de Chelly, Bears Ears, and Navajo Mountain during Hwéeldi, the Navajo Long Walk. Not everyone, he says, went on the Long Walk. Some stayed behind, in hiding, to ensure that the sheep, and the Diné way of life, would also survive.

to the Dust Bowl. The Soil Conservation Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs made an executive decision to slaughter approximately 250,000 sheep and goats and 10,000 horses belonging to the Diné—a decision that was carried out without the people’s consent. My great-grandfather told stories of this time, calling it the second Hwéeldi, remembering that the agents left the animals where they were shot, to rot in the sun.

“The United States government wanted to eradicate our food sovereignty, and one of the ways of doing so was burning our peach trees, our orchards, cornfields, and slaughtering the Churro,” says Kady. “Anything that was a food source was also our culture, because sheep are tied into everything. They teach us life skills, and survival skills. They provided us with clothing, they maintained the land, and there are ceremonies that are structured around the sheep. That is part of the sacredness of the sheep.”

Diné were told to replace their flocks with breeds like the Rambouillet, which produces more meat but is not as hardy as the Churro, which Kady says is able, in large part, to self-medicate against illness and parasites by foraging medicinal plants. These new sheep also had greasy wool that was more difficult to spin into yarn and required more water to clean. Water is a rationed commodity on the Navajo Nation, even today, where many communities have no running water and have to haul it in and store it. To mimic Churro wool, which is a dual fiber with long guard hair and a softer inner down wool, weavers would mix the Rambouillet wool with angora mohair. But, in the end, the Churro was all but forgotten for the next fifty years, except in homes like Kady’s.

When Diné were allowed to return home to Diné Bikéyah, they were able to rebuild their flocks. However, during the Navajo livestock reduction of the 1930s, the United States government accused the Churro and Diné shepherds of overgrazing and contributing 52

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Left: Roy Kady with some of his weavings, photos courtesy of the artist. Right: Weaving by Gladys Daniel, photo by Ungelbah Dávila-Shivers.

“My grandfather acquired four ewes as a dowry from one of the families from Navajo Mountain that was raising the original sheep,” he tells me. “That’s how my grandmother was able to keep them. She never crossbred them. She kept them in a different pen during breeding time and then acquired a Churro ram from the same family. She didn’t breed them every year, but we had about ten ewes that she kept that were divided. And that’s how my mom got her two ewes.”

serving as president for eight years. In 1996, Diné Bé’Iiná began the Sheep Is Life Celebration, an annual event that celebrates traditional shepherding and fiber arts cultures from around the world. Diné Bé’Iiná describes theirs as a mission to “restore the balance between Navajo culture, life, and land.” While they serve all sheep producers and fiber artists, they are particularly dedicated to conserving the traditional Navajo-Churro.

Kady, who inherited his sheep and weaving tools from his mother, has been raising Churro for at least thirty years. He began learning to weave from his mother and grandmother at the age of nine and is today considered a master weaver. From teaching weaving to maintaining his flock to serving in organizations, he has dedicated his life to the care and preservation of these sacred beings.

All sheep are important to Diné life, but the Churro has special significance. When these sheep, which nearly vanished from Diné forever, returned home, it was like a reunion with lost relatives. The cultural impact they have on families includes food sovereignty and a sustainable livelihood.

In the late 1980s, the Navajo Sheep Project and Navajo-Churro Sheep Association facilitated a large disbursement in Chinle, giving families all over the reservation lambs to start their own Churro flocks. In 1991, Diné Bé’Iiná (Navajo Lifeway) was formed, which Kady has been involved with for more than thirty years, including

“Every day I wake up and I do my offerings at my sheep corral,” says Kady. “It is with them that I make my offerings for renewal, for strength, for the world and the whole universe to be in balance. They provide the outlook of a new day and we care for them in that respect. We don’t let them starve, we make sure they are happy, because that makes us happy.” EDIBLENM.COM

THE GIVING SHEEP words and photos by leticia gonzales

Toni Broaddus with the dye vats and skeins of freshly dyed wool at Tierra Wools.

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

t is running toward early afternoon in Chama, and I am sitting with Molly and Antonio Manzanares outside their store, Tierra Wools. Travelers of US 64 are beckoned by a vibrant wooden sign just off the highway, and a stand of trees, now bare. I was greeted, enthusiastically, by Molly’s dog, Roni, as I approached the front porch, a long, welcoming place hung with bright weavings. The sheep have come down off the mountain, and classes have concluded for the year, but work never stops around here. Molly and Antonio both work directly with the sheep and run Shepherd’s Lamb together. Molly manages both the brick-and-mortar store and online retail space, and Antonio sells meat every week at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market and coordinates all of the deliveries. Once the sheep are off the mountain, there are animals to harvest, meat to take to the processing plant in Durango, pelts to ship, wool to process—Molly and Antonio work with small mills throughout the United States to process their wool, but all of the dyeing is done at their place in Chama—and, of course, the sheep themselves to care for. All of this happens before the weavers can weave and the cooks can cook, a fact not lost on anyone here. Antonio spends precious minutes of his busy day explaining the concept of a primary economy to me while we sit and talk. Shepherd’s Lamb produces resources, something happening less and less in the United States: we have outsourced resource production and manufacturing for the last several decades, and businesses like the Manzanareses’ had started to see the consequences of that firsthand since long before the pandemic-related supply-chain problems we are seeing now. Molly has been thinking about resources since they first went into business, back in the early eighties. Both Tierra Wools and Shepherd’s Lamb grew out of a nonprofit, Ganados del Valle, which was started as a way to foster conversation about access to resources in the area. “We had formed different committees, and Tierra Wools came out of the wool committee,” she tells me, sitting with Antonio and their store manager, Nathaniel Chavez. “We sat and tried to identify . . . resources . . . what we had. Of course, the sheep were the main thing. Then we talked about problems, and one of the problems . . . was what to do with the wool. We didn’t actually talk about the meat right away.” Mistakenly, I had wondered whether meat was the primary resource driving the business. Molly and Antonio assure me that the wool has always come first.

“L

Nathaniel’s family has been there since the beginning. His grandfather Leandro Chavez was the first shepherd to show Antonio how to be on the range with the sheep during the summer months. His grandmother Francisquita “Kika” Chavez was a weaver who worked closely with Molly as she was learning the craft. Antonio remembers Leandro as a quiet man, a wonderful teacher even without many words. Nathaniel has been weaving since he was a child and has spent a great part of his life at Tierra Wools. His mother, Sophia, started coming to weaving classes in 1986 and remains an integral part of the place to this day. Along with his sister, Savannah, Nathaniel, Sophia, and Molly are the core weavers of Tierra Wools—the “house weavers,” I dub them, to general agreement. When I tell Nathaniel I’m excited to see one of his weavings, Antonio tells me they fly off the shelves. It’s rare that a Nathaniel Chavez weaving is around very long—they’re the first to sell. Both Nathaniel and Molly teach in addition to their weaving duties, and they split business tasks. When I ask Nathaniel what his favorite part of his job is, he is quick to answer. “Being creative, especially with the weaving. You get to make something, like, whatever you can come up with out of your head.” With all of the different things going on around this place— Nathaniel and Sophia also do all of the chemical dyeing for Tierra Wools, on its own a significant feat given the abundance of color diversity represented in their products—it can be difficult to find the time to weave. Nathaniel assures me that he makes it a point to get on a loom every day, “at least for half an hour.” It doesn’t surprise me that it takes two master weavers to keep a place like Tierra Wools operating smoothly. Weavers have long been extolled as complex and powerful thinkers precisely because of their craft. There is no end to what needs to be done around here on a daily basis, and Molly is frank and generous when she tells me she wonders (but only sometimes!) why she’s still doing it. “I have a pull to be outside.” I can’t help but be touched, deeply, by the look on Molly’s face as she tells me this, turned toward the sun, unburdened by her honesty. Doubly so when Antonio adds, “If the truth be known, Molly would rather be the sheep herder, and be out there all by herself with her dog and her horses.” It is a poignant moment for me, as I am navigating a similar frustration with finding my work indoors these days—I farmed, happily, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and would still be tending the late-fall crops were

“La borrega es muy agradecida; the sheep is a grateful animal,” Antonio Manzanares tells me. “She’ll give you her wool, she’ll give you her lamb for meat, and then when she’s old she’ll sacrifice herself too.”

EDIBLENM.COM

Tierra Wools off US 64 just south of Chama.

it not for persistent and mysterious nerve symptoms making physical labor inaccessible to me. My own pull to be outside is strong and unheeded these days, and I am resonant with the deep frustration of having to lay it down to tend to other things for a while. Molly’s work finds her inside because that is where she is needed. She is a significant part of the business mind that keeps Shepherd’s Lamb and Tierra Wools integrated and afloat. While Nathaniel was busy coordinating pulling things down, packing them up, and taking them to the new place during the move, Molly was busy with the work of setting them up in the new place. The old store in Los Ojos was often difficult for people to find, tucked down a small and winding road off the main highway; despite ample signage on the part of the store, many passersby never ventured the trek into the small town. Molly, Antonio, and Nathaniel all agree that the store in Chama—readily visible as it is from the highway—does a more robust business, and Antonio breaks down for me the changing demographics he notices in people driving US 64, a breakdown as nuanced as his observations of weather patterns. There was a significant downsizing when they moved to their new building, and Molly shows me where they’ve erected two storage lockers beside the dye shops. I can see that she’s thinking through problems and finding potential solutions even as she’s showing me around the dye vats and skeins of freshly dyed wool. 56

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Everyone is generous around here. Molly’s sister, Toni Broaddus, spends almost half an hour showing me—a really enthusiastic amateur dyer—around the workshop where she dyes for the store using flowers and herbs. She has long skeins of grey Churro wool she is dyeing using black walnut husks, which yield a rich and velvety brown in a stunning array of tones throughout the dye bath. Unlike chemical dyes, the pigments in natural dyes diminish with each new batch of wool that’s run through the bath. It takes a large yield of harvested plant matter to achieve the kinds of color Toni coaxes from the dye pots: salmons and corals and vermilions from madder root; red brown from dock root if the root is red, coffee brown from dock root if the root is not; chamisa and cota yielding soft yellows, goldenrods, tansies; indigo overdyes turning reds purple and yellows green. It is as stunning as seeing the first lettuce yield of the season being washed in hallucinatory flashes of chartreuse and ultraviolet in the summer’s sun, or reveling in the bright violet blooms of midafternoon borage. “La borrega es muy agradecida; the sheep is a grateful animal,” Antonio tells me. “She’ll give you her wool, she’ll give you her lamb for meat, and then when she’s old she’ll sacrifice herself too.” The move to Chama has been really significant for Tierra Wools, Molly tells me. “It’s made it all possible,” she says, in her measured and thoughtful way. She sees herself as a realist, someone who “sees that something is wrong and says, ‘Okay, what do we have to do to

Left to right, clockwise: Toni Broaddus tending dye vats. Loom at Tierra Wools. Weavings for sale at the storefront.

fix this?’” The story of finding herself running this business is a long one, something she might never have anticipated when the wool committee dreamed up the original idea, together, over thirty years ago. Molly and Antonio took over ownership of Tierra Wools in 2012. Before that, it was run as an employee-owned gallery and shop, governed collectively. The split from Ganados del Valle, the transition inside the business—each step has been difficult. All of the changes that have occurred in Tierra Wools in the last nine years have come directly out of Molly’s continued engagement with both the problems and the resources. She finds solutions. In the past, she has worked other jobs to supplement the income from both businesses; she has forfeited her deep desire to be working primarily with the animals because she is so good at what she does at Tierra Wools; she even sets aside the quietude and solace of weaving to teach, something difficult for both of the introverted weavers I am sitting with today, Molly and Nathaniel. Still, all three of the people in front of me are adamant that they enjoy and find value in what they do; their work ethic is inspiring. Our conversation has not shied from hard places today—the waning number of weavers; the dearth of youth interested in or able to learn these disappearing economies and trades; the condition of our health-care system; the economy; these places of deep transition we have all been moving to and through in the last few years. I am anchored and buoyed

by the feeling of solidarity in these last warm hours. Antonio assures me the beginning of the cold is near. “They knew things,” he tells me about the shepherds he came up learning with. All three of these people are poised at the confluence of multiple bodies of knowledge, and they know things, too—not what’s coming, but what has come to be and how. They are living vessels of information. They are wondering how their labor and knowledge will be compensated. Aren’t we all? EDIBLENM.COM

There is something really comforting about good work. Molly: “I felt a comfort in a way because . . . we know we’ll always have food, and we’ll always have a blanket, you know? We closed the store for a while [during the pandemic], but things just kept going. We have to use the computer, but we’re not dependent upon the computer to make a living.” Antonio: “We’ve really worked hard trying to use everything . . . you know, we sell sheep eyes, we sell yarn, we sell blankets, we sell whatever we can to try to use all of the resources we have. We try to use local resources like Nathaniel and Sophie—you know, those are resources for the whole community, and we’re resources for the whole community. It’s hard to be a profit in your own land.” The Manzanareses have been thinking about resources for a long time now. They have worked hard, used all that they could, trained and employed skilled craftspeople and

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

artisans, remained flexible, called out problems, and they are still churning out solutions. Their integrated businesses have been anchors and places of resource for their community as long as they’ve been in business. They continue to do hard work to remain profitable and in place. I’m struck by the metaphorical power of the two primary resources represented here: fiber and food. Both knit us together, in ourselves and to one another. Imagine a simple scene, set at any time at all: There is a cold wind outside, and the rain or the snow is coming. You are warm, and dry, and safe. You are wearing clothes prepared by someone who loves you, whose busy hands tended the loom all winter long; you are eating food prepared by someone who loves you, whose wise hands measured out spices and precious foodstuffs to feed you. The measure at the end of all work is to be fed, body and soul. Let us thank the people who feed us, body and soul.

Art, Culture, History and Beyond

Become a Circles Explorer! Join The Circles Explorers, the Museum of New Mexico Foundation’s newest membership level for those with an adventurous spirit. We’re pioneering a new way to engage in the art, culture and history beyond the walls of our four state museums in Santa Fe and eight historic sites statewide. For more information call Cara O’Brien, Director of The Circles, at 505.982.6366, ext. 118 or email cara@museumfoundation.org or visit museumfoundation.org/explorers.

COOKING FRESH

Broths, Stocks,

and Winter Comfort in a Bowl Photos by Stephanie Cameron

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

As the adage goes, all bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. The same goes for broth and stock: all broths are stocks, but not all stocks are broths. While there is no consensus on definitions, one way to consider the traditional difference between the two is to think of a stock as a building block and broth as a composite liquid served at the table. Generally speaking, stock is more viscous, due to the collagen that seeps out of joints and bones during long-term cooking, and a broth is thinner, due to using actual meat versus the meat-stripped bones used for stock. The confusion comes from current trends using “bone broth” as a term to describe what is essentially stock. Regardless of which you are making, homemade broths and stocks always taste better than store-bought versions. The two are often used interchangeably in food preparation; it is

acceptable to substitute broth for stock in most recipes and vice versa. Yet, if you have a choice between the two, use broth when a dish is primarily based on the flavor of the liquid, such as in a broth-based soup. Use stock when the dish will get plenty of flavor from other ingredients, such as in a stew already using flavors from the drippings of a roast. Marco Canora notes in his cookbook Brodo: A Bone Broth Cookbook that beef or lamb bone broth should take anywhere between sixteen and eighteen hours. For this reason, most would opt for a store-bought broth, but in this edition of Cooking Fresh, we are giving you a shortcut—enter the Instant Pot. With the recipes below, we include a much quicker way to get from point A to point B, but we also give you the longer, more traditional method. Try them both, have a taste test, and let us know if you prefer one over the other.

Meat Broth LAMB BONE BROTH Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes; Total time: 2 hours, 35 minutes (Instant Pot method) • Makes 2 quarts Lamb bones (about 1 pound) Lamb meat scraps (about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 spring onions, roughly chopped (or 1 large onion, quartered) 6 large carrots, whole 6 1/2 cups water 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped 4 sprigs rosemary 5 sprigs thyme Salt and pepper, to taste Note on sourcing: The ingredients don’t have to be the same every time. Making lamb bone broth is all about using leftovers, and the golden rule is balance a mix of root vegetables and onion with lamb bones. Tip on seasoning: Don’t salt and pepper the liquid until you are ready to consume or use in a recipe. The amount of salt depends on whether you will be consuming the broth on its own or adding it to a recipe.

This lamb-and-herb bone broth can replace chicken, vegetable, or beef stock in your favorite recipes. Request lamb bones from your butcher, or buy a quarter lamb. You are sure to end up with enough extra lamb bones to make this recipe. A crucial step when making broth is to roast the bones first; this adds an immense depth of flavor. INSTANT POT METHOD Preheat oven to 450°F. Place bones and carrots on a baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes, until browned. Meanwhile, set Instant Pot on sauté and add oil and lamb meat scraps. Cook for 2–3 minutes and turn off the sauté function. Place roasted bones and carrots in the Instant Pot with the meat scraps. Cover with 4 1/4 cups of water. Add celery, onion, and herbs; stir. Ensure liquid doesn’t go above the maximum fill line on your Instant Pot. Place lid on Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing; cook for 2 hours on high pressure. Manually release pressure when it beeps and allow it to cool for a few minutes so that it’s not too hot to handle. Strain broth into a wide, shallow container (see safety note). Place into a large jar, cover, and keep in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, skim the fat from the top of the broth and pour broth into containers for storing (see storage note). STOVETOP METHOD Preheat oven to 450°F. Place bones and carrots on a baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes, until browned. Place roasted bones and all the solid ingredients into a large stockpot. Submerge in water so 2–4 inches of liquid is above ingredients, and ensure that there are a few inches between the top of the liquid and the top of the pot. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, and remove the fat pooling at the top every 20 minutes until it boils. Once it does, lower the heat. Simmer, covered, for at least 12 hours and up to 24. Check periodically and continue to add water to ensure the level does not drop below the top of the bones. Strain liquid and follow instructions above for storing. EDIBLENM.COM

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

IRISH STEW WITH LAMB BONE BROTH

Food loses flavor when it’s pressure-cooked, but by using a rich bone broth like the Lamb Bone Broth, you can make this stew as delicious as one that’s been slow-cooked.

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 45 minutes; Total time: 50 minutes (Instant Pot method) • Serves 8

Pat dry the cubed lamb meat and place in a large bowl with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour. Toss until evenly coated.

2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes (shoulder or leg meat are good options) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour, divided 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large carrots, sliced diagonally, about 1/2-inch thick 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces 1 medium yellow onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 12-ounce bottle of Guinness beer (or a local stout) 4 cups russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 2 1/2 cups + 1/4 cup lamb broth (see recipe on page 61)

INSTANT POT METHOD

Set Instant Pot on sauté and add olive oil. When hot, sear the lamb meat in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Set browned meat aside. Leaving the sauté function on, add garlic, celery, carrot, onion, and chile flakes to the Instant Pot. Sauté veggies until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping brown edges from the bottom and sides of the pot. Add tomato paste and stir until veggies are coated. Add red wine and stir, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add beer and continue scraping bits. Add potatoes, lamb (plus any of its juices), bay leaf, parsley, and 2 1/2 cups of lamb bone broth to the pot. Cancel the sauté function. Securely fasten the lid on top of the Instant Pot. Use the meat/stew function and set the time to 35 minutes. When cooking time has completed, release the pressure for 5 minutes naturally. Then cover the top of the pot with a towel and manually release any remaining pressure in the Instant Pot by carefully turning the valve to vent. Leave vent open until all the steam has released, and carefully remove the lid. Set Instant Pot to sauté. In a small bowl, combine remaining tablespoon of the arrowroot with 1/4 cup of lamb broth. Whisk until the arrowroot has dissolved in the liquid, making a slurry. While stirring, slowly pour the slurry into the soup, stirring, until the soup has thickened, about 2 minutes. SLOW-COOKER METHOD Sauté meat and veggies in a stockpot, following the instructions above. Deglaze the pot with wine and beer. Place in a crockpot or slow cooker with remaining ingredients; cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours. Make the slurry and stir into the cooked stew and cook for another 10–15 minutes. LEFTOVERS

NATURAL RELEASE VS. MANUAL/QUICK RELEASE

Storing: Once the lamb stew has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

After the Instant Pot has finished its cycle, a beep will sound, letting you know it is time to release the pressure. If you push the knob to release the pressure right away (this can take up to 2 minutes), this is known as manual or quick release. If you let the Instant Pot sit for a while until the pressure naturally releases and goes back to normal, this is known as natural release (and can take up to 30 minutes).

Freezing: Allow the stew to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for 2–3 months.

SAFETY Hot broth can be a breeding ground for bacteria—not the good kind. You want to cool your broth as quickly as possible, but hot broth should not go directly into the refrigerator, as this invites bacterial growth. The following method will also keep the broth fresher: After straining your broth, transfer to a wide, shallow container, where it will lose heat more rapidly, and add a scoop of ice to the broth. Don’t worry about the ice diluting the broth; it is loaded with flavor.

EDIBLENM.COM

Vegetable Broth Although making broth is a great way to use any vegetables, the broth benefits from fresh produce as well as frozen and wilted produce. If you know that veggies in your refrigerator might not get used before spoiling, give them a quick chop, throw them in a freezer bag, and save along with whatever vegetable odds and ends you produce every day. In a few weeks, you’ll have more than enough stuff to make a fair amount of stock, and it will keep for up to 6 months. Roughly 4 cups of vegetables and scraps will produce about 8 cups of broth. The combination of onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in a typical commercial vegetable stock or broth is rather one-note—with homemade broth, there is no reason to limit yourself. Packing a variety of vegetables into a pot, whether an Instant Pot or traditional pot, and adding only enough water to cover the vegetables will result in a full-flavored broth. 64

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Good vegetables for broth include carrots, celery, onions (any type), shallots, leeks, mushrooms (including stems), garlic, tomatoes, zucchini and other summer squash, asparagus, greens (spinach, chard, carrot tops), winter squash (in small amounts), and sweet potatoes. Vegetables to avoid in broth are any in the brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnips, rutabagas), and other strong-flavored vegetables. Additional ingredients that will amp the flavor are fresh herbs such as parsley and bay leaves, kombu, dulse, nori, dried mushrooms, and canned tomatoes. Roasting your ingredients for any broth creates a caramelization that adds adds umami to the flavor profile. Yes, it adds to the cooking time, but it is so worth it, and the Instant Pot makes up for the extra time spent.

UMAMI VEGETABLE BROTH Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes; Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (Instant Pot method) • Makes 8 cups 4–5 carrots; cut large ones into pieces 2–3 stalks celery, cut into pieces 1 onion, cut into chunks (skin and ends are fine) 1 bulb garlic, cut in half crosswise 4 cups additional vegetables 8 cups water, approximately 1/4-inch square kombu Handful mushroom bits Handful dried shiitake mushrooms

LENTIL AND PARSNIP SOUP WITH UMAMI VEGETABLE BROTH Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 25 minutes; Total time: 30 minutes (Instant Pot method) • Serves 8–10 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (and some extra to garnish) 1 large onion, roughly diced 1 celeriac root, peeled and diced (substitute 3 celery stalks, if needed) 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 2 cups red lentils, rinsed 1 quart umami vegetable broth (see recipe above) 5 cups water 1/2 tablespoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon granulated onion 1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic Nutmeg, to garnish Chopped parsley, to garnish

INSTANT POT METHOD Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange vegetables (except greens, kombu, and dried mushrooms) on a large baking sheet. Roast them until many of their edges brown, about 30 minutes. If using frozen and partially thawed vegetables, this will take additional time. Add roasted vegetables, kombu, dried mushrooms, and greens (if using) to the Instant Pot, pressing them down to keep them below the fill line. Fill the pot with water until level is even with the top of the vegetables (approximately 8 cups). Too much water means weak broth (and don’t salt the broth until you are ready to use it). Lock lid, and set for 30 minutes on high pressure. When cooking time has completed, turn off cook setting and allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes so that it’s not too hot to handle. Strain the broth from the pot into a wide, shallow container (see safety note). STOVETOP METHOD Follow the instructions above, adding vegetables and water to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil on high heat and then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour.

INSTANT POT METHOD Set Instant Pot on sauté. Add oil and warm for a minute. Add onions and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the celeriac root, parsnips, and sweet potato. Cook until lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes. Add the lentils and broth, and pour in an additional 5 cups of water. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and granulated onion and garlic. Press cancel on sauté function, seal lid, and cook on high pressure or soup setting for 20 minutes. Turn off setting and allow pressure to release naturally. Once slightly cooled, blend with an immersion blender or regular blender. Adjust water based on the consistency desired, adding more water for a looser texture. Water can be evaporated by turning on the sauté function and mixing often. Garnish with a sprinkling of nutmeg, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. STOVETOP METHOD Preheat a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and sauté onions for 1–2 minutes. Add celery root, parsnips, and sweet potato. Cook until lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes. Add lentils and broth, and pour enough water to cover mixture by 1–2 inches. Add salt, pepper, cumin, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil and cook 3–4 minutes before reducing to a simmer. Cook, covered, until vegetables are easily pricked with a fork. Remove from the heat and blend.

STORAGE Store your cooled broth in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 6 months. For easy use, freeze the stock in 1-cup containers to use as needed. EDIBLENM.COM

WE’VE THOUGHTFULLY GATHERED A COLLECTION OF THE FINEST QUALITY GIFTS AND GOODIES FROM OUR FAVORITE LOCAL MAKERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP YOU CRAFT THE PERFECT GIFTS AND GIFT BOXES FOR EVERYONE YOU LOVE! CUSTOM GIFT BOXES Crafted and Shipped with Love from New Mexico.

FlybyProvisions.com

EDIBLE PROVISIONS

LOCAL GIFTS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: Bluefly Farms lavender hydrosol, satchel, and salve; Dryland Wilds lip balm, beard oil, and beauty oil; Bison Star Naturals lotion (sage pine and cedar); Los Poblanos candle and handmade soap; Kei & Molly Textiles reusable bags; Foxly tea towel and pouch; Taos Bakes bar (piñon coffee and dark chocolate); Three Sisters Kitchen granola (honey, almond, goji berry); Finches (red rooibos tea); tea.o.graphy (Sandia Rose tea); Cocopotamus chocolates (eggnog and spicy cinnamon truffles); Moses honey (red chile). Edible Provisions is sponsored by Flyby Provisions. EDIBLENM.COM

LOCAL SOURCE GUIDE FOOD ARTISANS / RETAILERS 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

Heidi's Raspberry Farm

Sumptuous, organic raspberry jams available throughout New Mexico and online! 600 Andrews Ln, Corrales, 505-898-1784, heidisraspberryfarm.com

High Grade Organic CBD

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

La Montañita Co-op

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

Mesa Meats

Bringing ranchers and consumers together with local quality beef, pork, and lamb. 6368 South Hwy 55, Mountainair, 575-799-0770, mesameat.com

New Mexico Harvest

A community of people that actively invests in our food system. Eat Local. Eat Seasonal. Eat Outside the Box Stores. Delivering across New Mexico. newmexicoharvest.com

Skarsgard Farms

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

Susan's Fine Wine & Spirits

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

Sweet Grass Co-op

Sweet Grass Cooperative is a collaborative of family-owned ranches located in Colorado and New Mexico. sweetgrasscoop.com

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Talin Market

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

LODGING

ORGANIZATIONS & EDUCATION Museum of New Mexico Foundation

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

Bishop's Lodge

Slow Food Santa Fe

Heritage Hotels and Resorts

RETAILERS

La Fonda on the Plaza

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

Bishop's Lodge is a soulful retreat steeped in heritage. 1297 Bishops Lodge, Santa Fe, aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge Hotels in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces. hhandr.com Celebrating 100 years. The spirit of hospitality since 1922. 100 E San Francisco, 505-995-2334, lafondasantafe.com

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

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

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

Flyby Provisions

Found on 4th

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

Gallery Ethnica

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi

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

Sarabande B & B

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

Sophisticated modern aesthetic celebrating the southwestern spirit. 113 Washington, Santa Fe, 505-988-3030 Comfort, elegance, and simplicity. 5637 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-348-5593, sarabandebnb.com

The Parador

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

NURSERIES & SERVICES deerBrooke

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

Osuna Nursery

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

Kitchenality

Hacer Santa Fe

Thoughtfully sourced, carefully curated natural fabric and fibers. 311 Montezuma, Santa Fe, 505-467-8174 hacersantafe.com

Living Threads

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

Next Best Thing to Being There

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

Sarabande Home

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

The Perfect Gift Shoppe

AtHomeBeFIT

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

Aquarian Web Studio

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

OTHER SERVICES Transformative fitness programs for women in the Albuquerque / Santa Fe area and livestreaming nationwide. athomebefit.com Secure, stable, scalable websites. aquarianwebdesign.com

Rio Grande Credit Union

Multiple locations in Albuquerque. riograndecu.org

Tin-Nee-Ann Trading Co.

LAWN SPRINKLER EXPERTS Repairs/Installations Landscape Remodeling Fruit Tree Pruning and Removal

505-319-5730

MARKET PLACE LOCAL FINDS Your support for the advertisers listed here allows us to offer this magazine free of charge to readers.

nmlawnsprinklerexperts.com

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

Welcome to Santa Fe

HighGradeOrganicCBD.com

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

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

Secure, Stable, Scalable Websites. WOMAN-OWNED | WOMEN-LED

www.b-cow.com · 505-473-7911

aquarianwebdesign.com

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

EAT & DRINK LOCAL GUID E

CHARCUTERIE AND SALADS at Salt & Board in Albuquerque.

ALBUQUERQUE RESTAURANTS

The Shop Breakfast & Lunch

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

Trifecta Coffee Company

Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

Cutbow Coffee

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

Debajo

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

Farm & Table

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

Mata G Vegetarian Kitchen

Unmistakably comforting, uncompromisingly fresh, and undeniably delicious. 116 Amherst SE, 505-266-6374, mata-g.com

Salt and Board

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

Paper Dosa

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

Pranzo Italian Grill

SANTA FE RESTAURANTS

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

Vara Winery & Distillery

Anasazi Restaurant & Bar

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

Arroyo Vino

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

Cafecito

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

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

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

Oak-fired grill, local and seasonal ingredients, and the best patio dining in Old Town. 2031 Mountain NW, 505-766-5100, seasonsabq.com

Amazing food, unique coffees roasted on-site, and superfast high-speed internet. 314 S Guadalupe and 1600 Lena, 505-428-0996, iconikcoffee.com

Savoy Bar & Grill

Dolina

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill

Iconik Coffee Roasters

The Grove Cafe & Market

Loyal Hound

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

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

We roast coffee and brew in unique ways. 413 Montaño NE, 505-803-7579, trifectacoffeeco.com

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

The Grove features a bustling café experience serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch. 600 Central SE, 505-248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com

Ohori’s Coffee Roasters

Locally sourced modern comfort food paired with craft beer, cider, and wine. 730 St Michaels, 505-471-0440, loyalhoundpub.com

Bringing fresh, authentic homestyle South Indian dishes to your table. 551 W Cordova, 505-930-5521, paper-dosa.com Upscale Italian cuisine. 321 Johnson, 505-984-2645, pranzoitaliangrill.com

Radish & Rye

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

Wild Leaven Bakery

Specializing in long-fermentation artisan sourdough bread and baked goods using organic, local grains and ingredients. 130 N Guadalupe, wildleavenbakery.com

GREATER NEW MEXICO RESTAURANTS Black Bird Saloon

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

Black Mesa Winery

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

Blades' Bistro

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

South Indian cuisine

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

Creative Casual Cuisine

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

TRIFECTA

Me Mesa ats

COFFEE COMPANY

Barrio Brinery AN

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

i TA ex FE z New M

“From our Table Top to Yours.”

Santa Fe's source for ﬁne fermented foods. Our lacto-fermented pickles, sauerkraut, and escabeche are hand-crafted in small batches. 1413-B West Alameda, Santa Fe www.barriobrinery.com ∙ 505-699-9812

Your local wholesale or retail supplier for meat! Grass-fed or grain-fed beef, Wagyu beef, lamb, goat, and pork. All locally-raised, fed, and USDA processed. 6368 South HWY 55, Mountainair 575-799-0770

Charlie's Bakery and Cafe

Pajarito Brewpub & Grill

Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery

Pig + Fig

Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery

Revel

Charlie’s offers New Mexican cuisine, breakfast, and classic pastries. 715 Douglas Ave, Las Vegas, 505-426-1921, charliesbakeryandcafe.com Taste Southwest New Mexico. 200 N Bullard St, Silver City, 575-956-6144, and 119 N Main St, Las Cruces, 575-556-9934, littletoadcreek.com

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

Open for lunch Tuesday–Sunday. Open for dinner every day. 30 craft beers on tap. 614 Trinity Dr, Los Alamos, 505-662-8877, pajaritobrewpubandgrill.com Whether you're strictly vegan or strictly meat and potatoes, our goal is to create comfort food for everyone using high-quality, ethically sourced, seasonal ingredients. 11 Sherwood Blvd, White Rock, 505-672-2742, pigandfigcafe.com

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

The Skillet

American, Southwest, vegetarian friendly. 619 Twelfth Street, Las Vegas, 505-563-0477, giant-skillet.com

Wild Leaven Bakery

Specializing in long-fermentation artisan sourdough bread and baked goods using organic, local grains and ingredients. 216 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, wildleavenbakery.com

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

EDIBLENM.COM

LAST BITE

THE GROVE CAFE & MARKET The Grove Cafe & Market, one of the city’s favorite restaurants for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, opened its doors in June 2006 in Albuquerque’s EDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by Jason and Lauren Greene, The Grove features local food served in a fun, casual atmosphere.

Photo by Toviah HJ Carter.

With a team of more than thirty culinary-minded individuals, the Greenes continue to add to their culinary and management team, including a new chef de cuisine, Yolanda Torres. She was raised in New Mexico and got her first culinary degree at Central New Mexico Community College before working at both Cochon Butcher and Willa Jean in New Orleans. With this exciting addition to the team, The Grove’s eaters will find new menu items and chef specials to savor. 600 Central, Albuquerque, 505-248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com

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

Front row, left to right: Jason Greene, co-owner and executive chef; Lauren Greene, co-owner; Andrew LoBue, director of operations and partner. Back row, left to right: Louisa Chavez, operations manager; Austin Anderson, kitchen supervisor; Yolanda Torres, chef de cuisine; Ivan Hernandez, head pastry chef; Mariah Martinez, restaurant and catering manager. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2022

Local Eats Pair Well with Local Treats.

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DEB

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too. You’ll also enjoy Cell Phone Protection, Price Protection, Extended Warranty and shopping and travel benefits.1

5008 9900 0080 0134 0000 GOOD THRU

10/25 10/16

REWARDS DEBIT

LYNETTE LABURQUEÑA

We Understand. RioGrandeCU.org/Rewards

1. For complete details please see the Guide to Benefits by visiting www.RioGrandeCU.org.

10 Years! Serving Santa Fe Help us celebrate. Visit our website for details.

ARROYOVINO Restaurant and Wine Shop 218 5 0 5 .9 8 3 . 2 1 0 0

@ A R R OYOV I N O

A R R OYOV I N O.C O M