Late Winter 2018: Do It Yourself

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MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

SANTA FE ®· ALBUQUERQUE · TAOS THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON IN NEW MEXICO

do it yourself ISSUE 54 · LATE WINTER · FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018

photo: doug merriam

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505.93 0.532 5

FARM IN SPIRED C UI SI NE

Opening this February 6910 Montgomery B oulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87 109 ï‚« Southabq.com

DO IT YOURSELF: FEBRUARY / MARCH DEPARTMENTS 2

GRIST FOR THE MILL

By Willy Carleton and Candolin Cook

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CONTRIBUTORS

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LOCAL HEROES 2018 Winners, Rio Grande Community Farm, Barrio Brinery, and Kitchen Angels

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NOTABLES

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FACES OF FOOD

New Mexico Restaurant Week, Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest Resourcefulness Provides Purpose by Michael J. Dax

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BEHIND THE BOTTLE Winter Pairings by Michele Padberg

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URBAN FORAGING A Glass of Spring by Ellen Zachos

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FARMER'S JOURNAL The Muscles of a Mindful Kill by Marjory Sweet

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BACK OF THE HOUSE In Good Taste by Candolin Cook

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CHEF'S TABLE

40 DIY G.O.A.T. Cheese by Marjory Sweet

42 #EDIBLENM 43 EDIBLE CRAFT COCKTAIL

ON THE COVER

edible

MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES

SANTA FE ®· ALBUQUERQUE · TAOS THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD, SEASON BY SEASON IN NEW MEXICO

Caballero by Quinn Stephenson

74 SOURCE GUIDE / EAT LOCAL GUIDE 80 LAST BITE

Cacio e Pepe con Pasta Fatta in Casa

by Enrique Guerrero

FEATURES 44 CREATING A SOURDOUGH STARTER Three Basic Ingredients by Maurizio Leo

do it yourself ISSUE 54 · LATE WINTER · FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018

Sweet Potatoes. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

52 RELAX—HAVE A HOMEBREW Learning from the Keg to the Grain by Briana Olson

58 MARBLE BREWERY'S PRICKLY PEAR GOSE From Homebrew Recipe to Large-Scale Success by Joshua Johnson

64 FROM SLIPS TO FRIES A Guide to Sweet Potatoes in the High-Desert Garden and Kitchen by Willy Carleton

Veggie Food for the Soul by Sophie Putka WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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GRIST FOR THE MILL PUBLISHERS

In our busy lives, when we contemplate our next meal, convenience often beckons through the warm glow of drive-thru signs or the ease of opening a box or bag. Time is a luxury, and the thought of baking bread or growing vegetables can feel daunting, if not impossible, for those of us unfamiliar with the processes. But making food from scratch doesn’t require magic—just a little effort, instruction, and inspiration.

New Mexicans are hardworking, resourceful, and creative. This issue is for those willing to get their hands dirty and do it themselves. We meet Adam Danforth, a nationally renowned butcher with a mission to introduce chefs and home cooks to a more thoughtful and sustainable approach to butchery. We also pay a visit to Chris Altenbach in Albuquerque’s South Valley, where he shows us how he has repurposed and reengineered everyday items and machinery to create unique farm tools at Ironwood Farm. We explore the processes of starting a sourdough, growing sweet potatoes, and making your own goat cheese, all in the hope that demystifying these techniques will provide inspiration in the kitchen and garden.

And, finally, we turn to New Mexico’s rapidly growing beer scene to examine how experimentation in brewing can lead to delicious, wholly unique results both at home and at our favorite watering holes.

In each of these pages you will find an affirmation that the process of making something yourself can offer its own rewards of knowledge, enjoyment, and satisfaction. The extra time and energy, the love and sweat, can transform an otherwise ordinary product into a meaningful expression of ourselves. We celebrate those expressions here and encourage you to go and make something that money can’t buy.

Bite Size Media, LLC Stephanie and Walt Cameron

EDITORS Willy Carleton and Candolin Cook

COPY EDITORS Margaret Marti and Briana Olson

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Stephanie Cameron

PHOTO EDITOR Stephanie Cameron

EVENT COORDINATORS Natalie Donnelly and Gina Riccobono

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Joshua Hinte

VIDEO PRODUCER Walt Cameron

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

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

Willy Carleton and Candolin Cook, Editors

www.ediblesantafe.com Phone: 505-375-1329

SUBSCRIBE ∙ BUY AN AD ∙ LETTERS 505-375-1329

Stephanie and Walt Cameron, Publishers

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM We welcome your letters. Write to us at the address above, or email us at INFO@EDIBLESANTAFE.COM Bite Size Media, LLC publishes edible Santa Fe six times a year.

We distribute throughout central and northern New Mexico and nationally by subscription. Subscriptions are $32 annually.

Printed at Courier Graphics Corporation Phoenix, Arizona No part of this publication may be used withThe perfect loaf. Photo by Maurizio Leo.

Winner of James Beard Foundation Award 2011 Publication of the Year

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edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

out the written permission of the publisher. © 2017 All rights reserved.

CONTRIBUTORS

STEPHANIE CAMERON Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. After photographing, testing, and designing a cookbook in 2011, she and her husband Walt began pursuing Edible Communities and they found edible Santa Fe in their backyard. Today, Cameron is the art director, head photographer, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible Santa Fe. WILLY CARLETON Willy Carleton lives in Albuquerque and is an avid vegetable grower, forager, and editor of edible Santa Fe. He recently completed a dissertation on the agricultural history of twentieth-century New Mexico in the history department at the University of New Mexico.

CANDOLIN COOK Candolin Cook is a history doctoral candidate at the University of New Mexico, an associate editor for the New Mexico Historical Review, and editor of edible Santa Fe. On Saturdays, you can find her selling Vida Verde Farm produce at Albuquerque's Downtown Growers' Market. Follow her farm life on Instagram @vidaverdefarmabq and @candolin.

MICHAEL J. DAX Michael J. Dax lives in Santa Fe and writes about environment and culture in the American West. He is the author of Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West (2015).

JOSHUA JOHNSON Joshua Johnson practices landscape design and installation, specializing in environmental specificity and appropriateness. His love for gardens has inspired four years as a nurseryman at Albuquerque’s Plants of the Southwest, a lot of landscape maintenance, and various design-build projects in environments as different as New Mexico and the Netherlands.

MAURIZIO LEO Maurizio Leo is an engineer-turned-baker who bakes from his home kitchen in Albuquerque. He bakes, writes, and photographs for his blog, The Perfect Loaf, which focuses on naturally leavened sourdough bread. Leo’s passion for baking ensures his hands are in dough just about every day.

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BRIANA OLSON Briana Olson teaches English at CNM, copyedits for edible Santa Fe, and is lead editor for The New Farmer’s Almanac, a miscellany of writings and art by farmers, ecologists, and other land-loving types. Her writing has appeared in Salt Hill and Pindeldyboz, among other places, and she enjoys long mountain walks, taking risks in the kitchen, and seeking out new and interesting things to eat, from Bangkok to Albuquerque.

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

SOPHIE PUTKA Sophie is a Massachusetts transplant in love with New Mexico. She writes, makes lattes, and haunts Albuquerque eateries in search of a good bagel.

She can usually be found in the kitchen, trying to use up as many leftovers as possible and plotting her next adventure.

MARJORY SWEET Marjory Sweet is native to coastal Maine and was drawn to the Southwest by its ancient history, desert wilderness, and the opportunity to work outside. She owns and operates Otter Farm in the South Valley, and co-owns and operates Rosebar, a farm-to-table caterer. Her favorite vegetables are beets, cabbage, celery, and fennel.

ELLEN ZACHOS Ellen Zachos is the author of seven books, including The Wildcrafted Cocktail and Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat. She also works with RemyUSA, teaching foraged mixology workshops across the US for The Botanist Gin. Zachos shares recipes and tips about foraging at www.backyardforager.com.

f e br ua ry 1 0 t h t hr o u g h j u ly 2 9 t h 2 0 1 8

An extraordinary experience from Grande Exhibitions

Congratulations John Vazquez, recognizedby Barron’s

l e a r n to c r e at e John Vazquez has been named by Barron’s as one of the nation’s top financial advisors for the sixth consecutive year.

Leonardo da Vinci is universally hailed as one of the world’s geniuses.

What makes this gifted individual so unique? What can we learn from his multi-disciplinary approach and analytical observations that can inform us today?

Join us as we explore lessons from the master artist, innovator, architect, anatomist, and scientist.

Tickets available at www.nmnaturalhistory.org/da-vinci Vazquez Wealth Management Group

John J. Vazquez Senior Vice President–Wealth Management Senior Portfolio Manager 141 East Palace Avenue Coronado Building Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-989-5112 800-450-2843 john.vazquez@ubs.com

n e w m e x i c o mu se um of n at ur a l h i s tory a n d s c i en c e 1801 Mountain Road NW • Albuquerque, NM • (505) 841-2800 • nmnaturalhistory.org

ubs.com/team/vazquez Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors lists are based on assets under management, revenue and quality of practices. As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, we offer both investment advisory and brokerage services. These services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways an d are governed by different laws and separate contracts. For more information on the distinctions between our brokerage and investment advisory services, please speak with y our Financial Advisor or visit our website at ubs.com/workingwithus . ©UBS 2015. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. 1.32_Ad_8.5x11_KK0313_VazJ 0414077 Exp. 4/30/16

Photo by Artem Shadrin.

LOCAL HEROES

2018 local heroes Restaurant, Santa Fe

Paper Dosa

Restaurant, Albuquerque

Farina Pizzeria

Restaurant, Greater New Mexico Gastropub Café, Santa Fe

Rowley Farmhouse Ales Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen

Café, Albuquerque Chef, Santa Fe

Tia B's La Waffleria Edgar Beas, Anasazi Restaurant

Chef, Albuquerque

Marie Yniguez, Bocadillos

Food Artisan

Barrio Brinery

Food Shop

M'Tucci's Italian Market & Deli

Food Truck

El Chile Toreado

Beverage Artisan, Non-Alcoholic

La Cumbre

Beverage Artisan, Wine

Gruet Winery

Cocktail Program Farm, Santa Fe Farm, Albuquerque Farm, Greater New Mexico Organization Best Food Event Olla Award Best edible Article

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

Iconik Coffee Roasters

Beverage Artisan, Beer

Beverage Artisan, Spirits

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The Love Apple

Little Toad Creek Radish & Rye Green Tractor Farm Rio Grande Community Farm Schwebach Farm Kitchen Angels Santa Fe Wine and Chile Jane Stacey, Cooking with Kids Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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LOCAL HEROES An edible Local Hero is an exceptional individual or organization working to create innovative, vibrant, and resilient local food systems in New Mexico. Last fall, edible readers nominated and voted for their favorite food artisans, growers, and advocates in nearly two dozen categories—including six new awards. Each issue of edible will contain interviews with several of the winners, spotlighting the important and exciting work they do. It is imperative to the local food movement that we come together as a community to support each other, our local economy, and our environment. Please join us in thanking these local heroes for being at the forefront of that effort.

Rio Grande Community Farm AN INTERVIEW WITH SEAN LUDDEN, FARM MANAGER BEST FARM, ALBUQUERQUE

Sean Ludden at Rio Grande Community Farm on a winter's day. Photo by Stacey M. Adams.

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edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

As Las Huertas Farmer Training Program Director and Farm Manager at Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF), Sean Ludden oversees seed-saving and habitat restoration projects, and advocacy of organic and regenerative farming practices. With seven years of experience managing certified organic farms, Ludden provides holistic management to fulfill the mission of RGCF with creative and innovative techniques.

Ludden also cultivates the biodiverse Nepantla Farms, where regionally adapted edible and medicinal crops are cultivated for wholesale markets. He has experimented with techniques, cultivars, and timing in the pursuit of a climate-resilient, arid-lands adapted production system.

What’s RGCF’s backstory, how did it get to where it is today?

Rio Grande Community Farm, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has been operating on leased City of Albuquerque Open Space for twenty years and is New Mexico’s oldest and largest community garden. The farm makes use of land saved from speculative development to provide education, community garden access, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty for the Middle Rio Grande Valley. In 2016, to expand the farm’s educational offerings, we developed the Las Huertas Farmer Training Program, which provides technical training in organic and regenerative agriculture for the next generation of aspiring farmers in the Albuquerque area.

What food issues are most important to RGCF? How is the farm making a difference?

With the majority of farmers in the US reaching retirement age, and land valuation exceeding the ability of most younger farmers to take on, it became increasingly obvious to the board and staff at RGCF that some method of farm training and increasing access to land were fulcrum points which RGCF could use to provide a better future and to secure access to food on into the future.

During 2017, through creative use of extra community garden land and with excellent assistance from our community garden coordinator, Ian Colburn, we have made space for Lutheran Family Services, Tres Hermanas refugee farm, and the woman-run Firewheel Collective on the site.

Who are your farmers? Who are your customers?

RGCF is an organization created through diverse levels of engagement. From community garden members and aspiring farmers-intraining to visitors who appreciate wildlife in the middle of the city and students interested in service projects, many benefit from RGCF in Albuquerque’s urban corridor. Working to provide the best urban farming experience possible, we are especially excited to partner and collaborate with other organizations and groups looking for access to land to fulfill their missions and growth and to increase social and ecological capital in the local region.

What are your students and visitors usually most excited to experience at the farm?

They are most excited to see the fields and experience the different methods used on the farm—most importantly, how agriculture

can integrate with the ecology and natural environment of the Rio Grande Valley. Many wish to take these methods back home, to see how their farms can become highly biodiverse and productive.

What is most rewarding about working for RGCF? My reward is experimenting with cutting-edge techniques and sharing this information with others to provide resilient and adaptable options for the new generation of aspiring farmers in our area. I believe that sharing our collective experiences with farming in the Southwest will ultimately provide a robust and durable food system.

RGCF helps in this mission and gives me joy in my work.

What are RGCF’s goals for the future?

RGCF will continue to provide services in the community garden, workshops, and tours. We welcome input from the community at large about what opportunities we can pursue and what programs can be impactful in the Albuquerque area and on Los Poblanos fields.

There is enormous potential for future production on Los Poblanos Open Space fields and at RGCF’s adjacent fields and community garden. We encourage groups and individuals to contribute their talent and ideas to make this one-hundred-acre area more productive and biologically rich. No other area in the country has this type of resource within city limits. Let’s make it a future hub of activity for our foodshed!

Fill in the Blank: My favorite events at RGCF are the tours we hold for different interest groups, children, and students, because it is through these interactions that we can really interpret the work we do, the connections between techniques and health of the land, and the overall joy people experience when meeting up with people “in the field,” so to speak.

Volunteers at RGCF always tell me how peaceful the area is and how rejuvenated they feel after a visit to the community garden or into the fields to enjoy wildlife and untrammeled views of the Sandia Mountains throughout the seasons.

My favorite thing about farming in Albuquerque is the diversity of products that can be grown here. From salad greens in the winter to root crops in the spring, and summer peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes, this is a wonderful climate for growing vegetables, fruits, and other savory delights.

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

While RGCF is in many ways a solid and long-term participant of local farming culture in the valley, it always benefits from your help.

Join RGCF to volunteer in the office, field, or by serving on our board. Donate to keep our mission strong and help us serve the community in a positive way. Grow with us in the community garden and through creative and informational workshops. Celebrate with us through fundraising events and seasonal tours as we continue to offer opportunities for Burqueños to experience the fields in the city. We can’t exist without your support! www.riograndefarm.org WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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LOCAL HEROES

barrio brinery AN INTERVIEW WITH PAT BLOCK, OWNER BEST FOOD ARTISAN

Top left: Owners Patrick Block, Yvette De La O, and their son Desmond. Right: Prepping cucumbers.

Bottom left: Escabeche, pickled jalapeños, and fermented pickles. Photos by Stacey M. Adams.

Pat Block started Barrio Brinery in 2014 to bring fine fermented foods to New Mexico. Block was born in Louisiana and raised in New Mexico, where his family has roots stretching back to the Spanish Colonial period. When he’s not making fermented foods, he enjoys cooking, bartending, travel, fishing, and bicycling. He is married to his partner in business and life, Yvette De La O, and they have a son, Desmond, who is also involved in Barrio Brinery.

ness of my own. I saw fermented foods taking off in a bunch of places similar to Santa Fe. I did some market analysis, looked at local demographics, estimated the costs of starting and sustaining the business, and it seemed like a viable venture. When I first started telling people about the dream of a pickle shop, they fell into two groups: those who thought it was a great idea, and those who were totally confused.

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

What is a local food issue that is important to you? Why?

For twenty-five years, I worked in state government with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, as well as bartending at Santa Fe Opera for most of that time. When I retired from state government, I wanted to do something that could join my love of cooking and my food and beverage experience in a creative busi10

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

We have had great luck working with local farmers to source produce, especially pickling cucumbers when they are in season, but we have not found a consistent source for locally-grown cucumbers outside of the usual growing season. Going forward, we would like to work with local growers year-round, making our product even more local and sustainable, and shrinking our carbon footprint.

What makes Barrio Brinery products special?

The health benefits of fermentation are one big draw. We make our products right in the shop, by hand, and in small batches. We source ingredients locally whenever possible. This includes using New Mexico red chile pods in our pickles-a traditional pickle, but with a local twist. Customers also like the fact that we do our production work out in the open, so they can see how the whole process works.

Describe your perfect day in Santa Fe. A perfect day in Santa Fe would be spent with Yvette, and would include a long bike ride, cooling off from the ride with a local beer, and dining with friends at one of our fine restaurants, topped off by some live music.

Come find out why we keep winning awards...

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence DiRoNA Distinguised Restaurants of North America

What is the best meal you have ever had? Who made it?

This has been one of the toughest questions to answer. I guess I’ve been lucky in experiencing many memorable meals. One of the main reasons we travel is to experience great food. We’ve had amazing culinary experiences in New Orleans, San Francisco, the Yucatán, and elsewhere. We have also enjoyed amazing meals at home.

We had a friend who loved traveling in Mexico, and unfortunately ended up dying from a brain tumor. Before he passed away, I spent a day preparing an authentic Yucatecan meal, including cochinita pibil. Both the cooking and the company made for a special meal.

LUNCH • DINNER • BAR Reservations: 505.982.4353 653 Canyon Road compoundrestaurant.com photo: Kitty Leaken

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever pickled? How was it?

Raw green chile. While the goal was to pickle strips of green chile into a crunchy, tasty, edible swizzle stick, it did not work out. The salt brine could not pickle the toughness out of the thick skin and it wasn’t the consistency I’d envisioned.

What are you most proud of in regard to your business?

That we started from scratch (and on a shoestring budget) as one of the first local businesses producing fermented food products commercially. I take pride in knowing that by working through the educational process with the state regulators, we have made a smoother path for other fermented food producers.

Fill in the Blank: When I make pickles I always add New Mexico red chile to make it extra delicious.

I love our customers the most when it comes to my work and my passion because they allow me to see firsthand that handcrafted food has the power to make people happy.

If I weren't doing what I’m doing now, I'd be fishing.

I hope customers of Barrio Brinery continue to tell their friends about us. Word of mouth has been our best form of promotion.

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

I would encourage edible readers to shop local, shop small, learn more about the health benefits of fermented foods, and buy more pickles! www.barriobrinery.com

Open for Lunch Tuesday-Sunday. Open for Dinner Everyday.

Happy Hour Tuesday-Sunday 2-5 PM. 30 craft beers on tap.

614 Trinity Drive, Los Alamos • 505-662-8877 pajaritobrewpubandgrill.com WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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LOCAL HEROES

Kitchen Angels AN INTERVIEW WITH TONY McCARTY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BEST ORGANIZATION

Kitchen Angels Executive Director Tony McCarty, photo by Stacey M. Adams.

Tony McCarty has been the executive director of Kitchen Angels for twenty-four years. Prior, McCarty honed his business expertise as the

agencies. He also helped spearhead the creation of the City & County of Santa Fe Advisory Council on Food Policy.

sole proprietor of a successful design company. Early in his tenure

Tell us a bit about what Kitchen Angels does.

with Kitchen Angels, he led a successful capital campaign to build the Coll Green Angel Depot, a facility devoted exclusively to ending hunger in New Mexico. McCarty has guided Kitchen Angels to become one of Santa Fe's best known and loved nonprofit social service 12

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

We believe no one in our community who is homebound because of a chronic, surgery-related, or terminal medical condition should ever go without appropriate nutrition. Making sure they have enough to eat is simply the right thing to do.

That's why, since 1992, Kitchen Angels has been delivering free, freshly prepared meals five days a week to homebound, chronically ill individuals. Meals are formulated to meet individual dietary needs and follow one of six dietary tracks. In our twenty-five years, we have prepared and delivered more than 1.2 million meals to more than 5,500 people, ninety-eight percent of whom live below federal poverty guidelines. With only four full-time employees, Kitchen Angels relies on 345 weekly volunteers. This keeps our costs low so that eighty-one cents of every dollar we receive goes directly to clients.

Food is life. And yet, for chronically ill people, nearly one in three don't know where their next meal is coming from. In Santa Fe County, close to 21,000 people don't know whether they will be able to eat or whether they will go to bed hungry. They have neither predictable access to food nor the physical ability to cook.

Feeding homebound individuals helps keep them out of nursing homes. This is important for several reasons. First, from a quality of life perspective, most people prefer to remain in the comfort and safety of their homes for as long as possible. Home-delivered meals help achieve this. Second, from a cost perspective, comparing the $1,700 it costs each year to feed a Kitchen Angels client to the more than $75,000 it costs each year to house a person in a nursing home, the savings to publicly funded healthcare programs is roughly $44 for each dollar spent. Third, [studies have shown] the cost and frequency of hospital admissions and lengths of stay decreased for clients receiving home-nutrition services.

Our vision is simple: no one who is homebound because of illness should ever go without appropriate nutrition, regardless of their ability to pay for services.

What is some of the best feedback you receive from clients?

Of the many notes we receive each year, two stand out: “I am so grateful for your wonderful service. There are so many times over the past months that I would have gone without had it not been for Kitchen Angels.”

“I am so very thankful for your service, and for all of you who participate, which allows me to manage the very difficult (and if the truth be known, humiliating) situation I find myself in. Your volunteers are so warm and gracious and add a spirit which means so much for one feeling poorly and receiving help. It's a quality hard to measure—apart from the excellent food itself which shows so much care. I cannot conceive of how I'd cope without your help.”

Why is sourcing local food, when possible, important to Kitchen Angels’ mission?

We strive to keep our clients in the best possible health and there is absolutely nothing better than locally sourced, fresh produce to promote well-being. We cook from scratch every day, so when farmers,

or home growers, bring in their freshly picked produce, it is usually incorporated into our meals within a day—when the nutrients are at their peak.

What does Kitchen Angels provide its clients beyond a good meal?

Companionship and an opportunity to connect with community are major benefits of our program. It’s not just nutritional needs that Kitchen Angels addresses. Our volunteers create meaningful and often powerful and long-lasting relationships with our clients. Frequently, our delivery volunteers are the only social interaction clients experience in a day. Research points out that isolation and the accompanying loneliness can send an individual down a path toward worsening health and even more intense loneliness.

What are some of your proudest achievements or milestones as an organization?

Delivering our one millionth meal was a huge milestone for our volunteer-driven agency. And now we’re over 1.2 million meals and going strong! Kitchen Angels has also been voted one of Santa Fe’s favorite charities in our local “Best of ” contest each year. It’s gratifying to enjoy the support of our community. But, I think we’re most proud of the fact that even with our steady growth, year after year, we’ve never had a waiting list for services, nor have we turned down a qualified individual.

What’s ahead?

We will complete renovations to our facility in February and be equipped to spread our wings to even more of the homebound population in Santa Fe. Over the past year, we’ve laid the groundwork to respond to huge changes in healthcare and social services, including cutbacks to services and higher out-of-pocket costs for those who are least able to afford it. We’ve built a home for our resale store, Kitchenality, and look forward to strong sales that directly support our meal program. Kitchenality sells gently used kitchen and entertaining goods at affordable prices and provides an outlet for some great donated items to be repurposed, recycled, and reused. We will expand our volunteer programs and look forward to providing expertise to other caring angels who can duplicate our program in their own communities.

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

With all that is happening in the world, many people feel frustrated and at a loss for what they can do to make things better. Volunteering is an excellent way to turn that frustration into action and reap its many rewards. Individually, we may not be able to fix everyone’s world, but each of us can help fix the world of someone else. Use your talents, your time, and your treasure to create a meaningful impact on the life of another person and, collectively, we have a measurable effect on the lives of many. That’s how the world becomes a better place. www.kitchenangels.org

Edible Santa Fe’s annual Local Hero Awards are “people’s choice” awards, nominated and voted on by you, our readers, which makes this award all the more meaningful to the recipients.

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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EDIBLE NOTABLES

Restaurant Week 2018 The New Year in New Mexico has brought plenty of resolutions but little snow.

Though the East started the year with a blizzardy “bomb cyclone,” most of the West has faced drought conditions for much of the winter. Unfortunately for local businesses depending on ski tourism, this has meant a steep decrease in revenue at resorts, retail shops, and restaurants.

Locals, it’s up to us to ensure our restaurants stay healthy and vibrant during this slow season. And there is no better time to get out and support our local food community than during New Mexico Restaurant Week (NMRW). With nearly sixty local restaurants in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos offering special prix fixe menus and deals,

you can enjoy a great, affordable lunch or dinner. This will be the ninth year NMRW has showcased the region's remarkable cuisine and the people behind it. NMRW runs February 18 through February 25 in Santa Fe, February 25 through March 4 in Taos, and March 4 through 11 in Albuquerque.

To take advantage of Restaurant Week deals, diners can simply visit the NMRW website and peruse participating restaurants' fixedprice menus, which range from just $25 for two people to $15–$45 per person. There are restaurants for every budget and taste; in fact, some diners go out every night of Restaurant Week. No tickets are required; however, reservations are highly recommended as restaurants fill up quickly.

Also during Restaurant Week, local chefs and mixologists offer a variety of culinary classes that give diners a personal, interactive experience within New Mexico’s authentic and diverse food and drink scene.

These events have grown in scope and popularity each year and include Tequila Experience, Culinary Cocktails, Pie Making, and Georgia's Signature Cocktails plus Appetizers, among others.

This is a delicious opportunity for all of you to try something new and support your food community by putting your money where your mouth is.

www.nmrestaurantweek.com

These photographs were taken during the 2017 Restaurant Week social media crawl. @ediblesantafe

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Celebrating 35 years!

Northern Coastal Italian menu influenced by local cuisine and flavors that change with the seasons.

434 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe • vanessiesantafe.com • Reservations:WWW.EDIBLENM.COM 505-982-9966

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EDIBLE NOTABLES

The Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest AN INTERVIEW WITH DEAN STROBER, FOUNDER

The Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest (SWCC) started in 2010 as a way to support local businesses. It began in a twelvethousand-square-foot ballroom with thirtyeight vendors and attracted six thousand attendees. Today the event occupies ninety thousand square feet at EXPO New Mexico, and showcases over one hundred craft chocolatiers, coffee roasters, tea houses, wineries, breweries, and purveyors of gourmet foods who travel from all over the country to take part. During the two-day event, more than eighteen thousand people come through the doors to discover new delicacies, support culinary artisans, learn tips and techniques from professionals at our kitchen stage— and to enjoy the nonstop live music.

When we first started the event, we traveled throughout neighboring states to solicit vendors, but in time, the event has grown, thanks to national publications, Food Network, and word of mouth. Every year we host more and more local companies. At the 2018 festival, attendees will discover at least three new coffee roasters from Albuquerque as well as new bakers and candy makers. What is most important to us is that these businesses continue to thrive and grow after the festival, so we promote them throughout the year through social media and email marketing, at no cost. We are thrilled to have an opportunity to showcase New Mexico businesses.

There has been a lot of growth in both local coffee roasters and chocolatiers in New Mexico—how has SWCC impacted and celebrated this?

This is where the festival shines this year.

On the first day of the festival, we will have numerous demonstrations by the 2017 US Brewers Cup Champion, Dylan Siemens.

What are some of the educational highlights for this year’s SWCC?

Siemens took home top honors at the 2017 US Coffee Championship and is currently Head of Training at Onyx Coffee Lab in Arkansas, one of the country’s most awarded coffee companies. He will demonstrate numerous brewing methods for creating your perfect cup at home, the fine craft of latte art, and making and mixing the perfect espresso drink. In addition to demos by Siemens, we are thrilled to host kitchen stage seminars by local coffee greats Villa Myriam Coffee, Michael Thomas Coffee, and others.

On Sunday, attention will shift to the sweet side with demonstrations by award-winning pastry chef Darci Rochau, owner of Albuquerque's Simply Sweet by Darci. Rochau has been featured in multiple magazines and newspapers, competed on Food Network's Halloween Wars, and won national awards for her pastry creations, including a firstplace prize on the Food Network television show, Challenge: Wild West Chocolate. Prior

Left: 2017 US Brewers Cup Champion, Dylan Siemens. Right: Attendees enjoying coffee samples. Photos courtesy of SWCC.

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EDIBLE NOTABLES to the festival, Rochau will create one of her amazing sugar sculptures and, over the course of her festival demonstrations, will show attendees exactly how she makes such magical creations. Attendees are sure to leave inspired by her culinary magic.

What's new for SWCC this year?

In addition to elevating the educational components to appeal to professionals, home cooks, and coffee makers, we have hired a team to help create interactive, educational, and totally awesome exhibits and experiences all about chocolate and coffee.

These exhibits will explore how coffee and chocolate travel from farms to our homes, along with the environmental challenges that both are currently facing.

Tell us about the barista trainings and how this will be beneficial for the local coffee community.

For three days prior to the festival, in collaboration with Villa Myriam Coffee of Albuquerque, we will host professional development classes led by Dylan Siemens, one of the country's best baristas and barista trainers. With a combination of general seminars and intimate, handson classes, we hope local coffee shops and baristas will gain insights and information

to help them draw more attention to the small, local coffee shops that provide our communities with distinct personalities.

The classes will include: How to Train Baristas for Coffee Shop Managers, Brewing and Extraction Fundamentals, Espresso Theory and Dialing In, Brew Methods, Latte Art, and Espresso Drink Recipe Creation. Some classes will be seminar style and allow for numerous attendees, and other hands-on classes will be limited to six participants.

The full schedule and class registration will be available at the festival website, with discounts provided for festival vendors.

Anything else you want to share with edible readers?

The Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest was started to help support small businesses. While many attend the festival to enjoy the samples provided by the vendors, we would like to remind attendees that these small businesses rely heavily on your purchase of a bag of coffee, a box of truffles, or a case of cupcakes. We invite the world to indulge at the festival, but we ask that everyone find those special treats to take home and share—and to support these businesses throughout the year. chocolateandcoffeefest.com

Chocolate and Coffee Fest. Photos courtesy of SWCC.

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FACES OF FOOD

Resourcefulness Provides Purpose FOR IRONWOOD FARM

By Michael J. Dax · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Top left, clockwise: Michael Dax tastes Chris Altenbach's hydroponically grown celery; the well-curated scrapyard waiting to be reimagined as farm tools; a steam-powered corn sheller (circa 1890s); and a compost sifter, constructed by Altenbach along with his father and son.

With Canada geese flying overhead, casting shadows across the brown fields of Albuquerque’s South Valley, Chris Altenbach, farmer and “farmacist” of Ironwood Farm, explains the philosophy that brought him back to his family’s ten-acre property after a twenty-year career as an aquaculturist and endangered fish biologist. “It’s almost an ethics question,” he says. “We want to be good to the earth every way we can, and one of the ways to do that is to reuse and repurpose materials.”

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As a biologist, he worked to recover endangered species, but, as he describes it, conservation necessitates the herculean task of spending millions of dollars to fix problems that cost billions to create in the first place. While he still sees immense value in that work, he was ready for a change. With a desire to have an impact on a smaller scale and in a more controlled environment, he started practicing smallscale, regenerative agriculture in 2002.

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FACES OF FOOD

Top right: Erin Hendrick pulls chickens from the plucker. Bottom right: Altenbach shows off his portable chicken-processing station, replete with a scalder, high-powered faucet, and what he describes as the “whizbang chicken plucker” (pictured top left).

For Altenbach, this means paying close attention to the biodiversity on his land. “The focus is in the soil,” he notes, adding that since he’s returned to the farm, he’s seen an increase in lizards, snakes, spiders, and insects—all of which indicate the health of the land is improving.

Altenbach considers with precision how all the pieces of his farm fit together. In his greenhouse, the water used to fill a tank of catfish is recycled through a hydroponic garden featuring strawberries and celery. Similarly, he placed an outdoor fish tank beneath a tree where his 20

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chickens often roost so that the waste from the chickens can feed the fish without his interfering. In the same vein, he designed the barnyard, where he keeps three cows, up to twenty sheep, and the occasional few pigs, so that he can move it every few years and ensure that the soil is able to recharge. To further improve the health of the land, after his chickens are slaughtered and plucked, Altenbach spreads the feathers over the fields. “It increases biodiversity because you’ve just added a different source of something some critter is going to utilize,” he explains.

Everything must serve a purpose. Although he sells eggs at local co-ops and to some restaurants, there’s not much profit in raising chickens.Their role on the farm is eating grubs and other insects and fertilizing the soil. The same is true of pigs, who will often eat wasted fruits or vegetables that can’t be used otherwise. “There’s no hauling of waste, there’s no moving of waste,” Altenbach emphasizes. “There’s no energy transport, no transfer of waste.”

In keeping with his desire to maintain a closed system, Altenbach has developed a knack for tinkering and building his own tools and equipment. Partly out of necessity and partly out of passion, Ironwood Farm is littered with machines and tools that Altenbach and his family have either built or restored—from large steam-powered engines to moveable tool kiosks that allow on-site tool storage.

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Perhaps the best example of this resourcefulness is the compost sifter he designed and constructed along with his father and son.

Drawing from a well-curated scrapyard in the back of the property, Altenbach repurposed materials including metal, wooden wheels from a nineteenth-century wagon, and an old engine to create a piece of niche farm equipment that no contemporary manufacturer makes. “We need equipment we can do mid-scale work with,” he says. “This equipment is important, and it’s gone.”

While small family farms used to be the dominant agricultural unit, large corporate farms have come to dominate the industry, and it has become increasingly difficult for people like Altenbach to find the equipment they need. When looking for a machine to shell sunflowers, the only option he could find cost twenty thousand dollars. Similarly, he couldn’t find the right-sized piece of equipment to shell corn, but thanks to his father’s penchant for collecting old farm equipment, they were able to restore a steam-powered corn sheller from the 1890s.

Borrowing the design from another farmer, Altenbach has also built a portable chicken-processing station, replete with a scalder, high-powered faucet, and what he describes as the “whizbang chicken plucker”—a rotating plastic barrel with three-inch rubber dowels drilled through that remove the feathers.

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Both the chicken processing station and the compost sifter are mounted on wheels and can be hitched to a truck for easy transport, and he will loan both to other small farmers in the region. As a board member of the loosely organized Rio Grande Farmers Coalition, Altenbach helps facilitate the kind of information sharing that allows innovative ideas to spread. He hopes in the near future the group will be able to start a tool library that will allow small farmers to access more expensive equipment.

All of this, of course, ties back to Altenbach’s mantra of wanting to repurpose and reuse as much as possible. It’s an ethic that has largely faded from American culture, but with the rise of the local food movement and resurging interest in small-scale farming, there’s hope for a broader revival. www.ironwoodfarm.org

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BEHIND THE BOTTLE

Winter Pairings NEW MEXICO WINE Wine Notes and Pairings by Michele Padberg · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Some people freeze when it comes to food and wine pairings, but with just a few tricks of the trade, you will wow your guests in no time!

First, know your wine body: light-bodied is like non-fat milk, medium-bodied is like full-fat milk, and full-bodied is like heavy cream.

Think about how the different fat contents coat and linger on your palate. Now imagine that same thing happening with wines. You never want your wine to be heavier than the dish with which you are pairing it, and you never want the dish to outweigh the wine. Got a 22

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lighter dish? Go with a light wine, like a Pinot Noir. Got a big, bold dish? Go with a big, bold Syrah.

The second trick is also the easiest: Cook with the same wine you serve.

This is called a marriage and is an easy, instant win. The third and final tip (for today) is to pair only with the main dish or, if using a sauce, with the sauce for that main dish. Still feel uneasy? Don’t worry, wine is meant to be enjoyed. Try a pairing and see if you like it; if you don’t, try the dish with a different wine. Play, be adventurous! The world is filled with millions of wonderful wines that need to be drunk. Cheers!

Pair w i Noisy th Water Winer y’s or Gru Dirty et Bru t Rosé

BEET AND MARBLE RYE PANZANELLA Serves 4 This recipe brings together the earthy flavor of rye and beets.

Choose a wine that reflects earthy notes but can handle the sugars of the beets and the vinegar. I recommend Noisy Water Winery’s Dirty red wine blend. With its bold fruit, earthy, unfiltered style, and solid acidity, it can not only handle this dish, but shine. Another fun option is the Gruet Brut rosé.

This sparkling wine has high acidity and ripe red fruit on the palate, giving it the ability to handle this dish. Tip: Gruet’s rosé from the Santa Ana Pueblo vineyard is incredible, but sells out fast.

1 1/2 pounds small beets (about 10), any color, scrubbed 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, plus more for serving Kosher salt 1/2 loaf marble rye bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups) 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving Freshly ground black pepper 1 large blood orange 4 ounces feta 1 cup torn fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley, tarragon, and mint)

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place beets in a shallow 2-quart baking dish and add 1/2 inch of water. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake beets until a paring knife slides easily through flesh, 50–60 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toss onion, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl to combine; set aside.

Toss cut bread and 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with salt and pepper. Bake at 425ºF, tossing once, until bread is golden brown and crisp around edges, 8–10 minutes; set aside.

Rub beets with paper towels to remove skins, then halve (or quarter, if large) and place in a large bowl; add onion with liquid. Using a small, sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from orange. Working over bowl with beets, cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze membranes to release juices; discard. Add reserved toasted bread and 2 tablespoons oil and toss to combine. Let sit a few minutes for flavors to meld.

Just before serving, fold in feta and herbs, drizzle with more oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

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BEHIND THE BOTTLE

Pair w it Vivác S h y or Cas rah a Abri l Vineya rd Malbe c.

SYRAH-MARINATED LAMB CHOPS WITH FENNEL SALAD Serves 6 The function of wine in cooking is to intensify, enhance, and accent the flavor and aroma of food. Most importantly, cook only with wines that you would drink. Syrah is a classic pairing for lamb, and Vivác Winery is known for their Wine Enthusiast–touted Syrahs. The dense dark fruit of this wine, with earthy notes and great acidity, tames the lamb and supports the flavors of the dish without masking any of the subtleties. For a different, but also wonderful option, try Casa Abril Vineyard’s customer favorite, Malbec. This big, bold wine has tons of dried fruit notes with bright acidity and firm tannins that, if you choose to go heavy with the red pepper, will be a hit.

2 large fennel bulbs, fronds and stalks reserved; bulbs quartered, cored, and thinly sliced on a mandoline One 750-milliliter bottle Syrah (or Malbec) 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced Zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon crushed red chile pepper 8 loin lamb chops 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream 24

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Chop the fennel stalks. Finely chop enough of the fronds to make 3 tablespoons. In a shallow dish, combine the stalks, wine, garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper. Add the lamb chops and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, turning the chops once halfway through.

Pat the lamb chops dry. Strain 3/4 cup of the marinade and reserve. In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Season the chops with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes. Turn the chops, reduce the heat to moderate and cook until medium-rare, 3 minutes; transfer to a plate and let rest.

Pour off the fat in the skillet. Add the reserved 3/4 cup of marinade and boil over high heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Watch this process as your liquid will quickly evaporate. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the crème fraîche. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped fennel fronds and season with salt.

In a bowl, toss the sliced fennel bulb with the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons each of the oil and fronds.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the chops. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.

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URBAN FORAGING

A Glass of Spring TURN PLUM BLOSSOMS INTO A DELICATE LIQUEUR

By Ellen Zachos

Plum Blossom Liqueur

strongly of plum blossoms. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, add 2 cups of water, and stir over low heat until the sugar has com-

4 cups plum blossoms, loosely packed 2 cups sugar 2 cups vodka 2 cups water

pletely dissolved. Don’t let the liquid boil.

When you’re infusing vodka with flavor, there’s no reason to pay for the smoothest, purest spirits. Nor do you want rotgut.

Strain the flowers from the simple syrup,

Divide the plum blossoms into 2 groups of 2 cups each. In a canning jar, combine 2 cups of flowers with 2 cups of vodka. Cover the jar and shake, then store it out of direct sun.

In a plastic container, combine 2 cups of flowers with 2 cups of sugar. Stir well to combine, then cover the container and let it sit for 2 days.

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After 48 hours, the sugar should smell

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Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let sit for 24 hours. thank them for their service, and add them to your compost pile. Measure the syrup and set it aside. Strain the flowers from the vodka (which may now be a lovely shade of pink, depending on the color of the flowers). Measure the vodka and set it aside.

Combine equal parts vodka and syrup, and voilà! You have captured the taste of plum blossoms in a glass. Pour yourself a glass, and enjoy the flavor of spring.

I first drank plum blossoms in Denver. It was a rainy afternoon and I was hunting for morels when the scent of something floral and intoxicating distracted me. (It takes a lot to distract me from morels.) Looking up, I found myself in a grove of wild plums in full bloom. Their perfume was so intense that I knew it had to be captured in a cocktail.

Since this was a spontaneous decision, I was less than perfectly prepared. I picked up some vodka and a canning jar at the nearest shopping center, stuffed the jar full of flowers, covered them with vodka, and hoped for the best. Two days later, I strained off the plum blossoms, and the flavor of the liqueur was strong and seductive, just as the living flowers had been.

Since then, I’ve refined the recipe, using a double infusion method that works well for all strongly scented, edible flowers. Try it with pineapple weed, milkweed flowers, lilacs, violets, rose petals—any flower that’s safe to eat and has a strong and pleasant perfume.

In northern New Mexico, the cherry plum (aka Prunus cerasifera) is a common landscape tree. It’s drought tolerant once established, making it a low maintenance plant, and it’s tough as nails. Purple-leaved varieties are especially popular; you’ll find them at gas stations, in office building landscapes, and in parking lots. Because this is a smallish tree, topping off at about 15–20 feet in our climate, it’s perfect for small gardens.

Cherry plums self-seed generously, and it’s not unusual to find feral trees lining bike paths and arroyos. Each tree produces copious blooms, so you can harvest enough for a batch of liqueur and still leave plenty behind to make fruit in mid-summer. Birds (and humans) appreciate the fruit, which can be difficult to see on purple-leaved varieties, since it’s the same color as the foliage. Look carefully among the leaves the next time you spot a cherry plum in July; you may be rewarded with loads of small, tart fruit.

Plum blossom liqueur can be made with wild or cultivated flowers; what’s important is that they be strongly fragrant. And since northern New Mexico springs can be unpredictable, don’t postpone your harvest.

You may wake up to find your precious plum blossoms covered in snow, rendered useless to the foraging mixologist.

Harvest freshly opened, turgid, fragrant flowers early in the day, and get them back to the kitchen as soon as possible to begin infusing your liqueur. I suggest using vodka for your first experiment so that you can appreciate the flavor of the plum blossoms infused in the neutral spirit. Later, if you’re feeling adventurous, try a variation with gin, pisco, or cachaça.

Opposite page: Plum blossom liqueur.

Below: Plum blossoms infusing in vodka.

Photos by Ellen Zachos.

FARMER'S JOURNAL

The Muscles of a Mindful Kill ADAM DANFORTH TAKES A NEW APPROACH TO BUTCHERY

By Marjory Sweet · Photos by Stephanie Cameron “Usually edible birds don’t congregate around me,” says Adam Danforth as a trio of guinea fowl gather at our feet. We are attempting to sit down for breakfast outdoors, but the hens won’t leave us alone. Clearly, they don’t know who they are pestering. Forty-eight hours prior, Danforth led a group of fifteen farmers, chefs, and home producers through an entire slaughter process—twice—from pasture to freezer. Whole animal butchery workshops like these are the foundation of his practice. “Ever since I started doing on-farm slaughters, I’ve always turned them into educational opportunities,” he says. “I never wanted to do them alone. You always need help, and therefore I always invited people to come.”

Danforth received his initial training at SUNY’s meat-processing program, the only one of its kind in the country. He then worked at prestigious butcher shops and restaurants around New York, including Marlow & Daughters and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Danforth now describes himself as a “butcher and educator.” He is the author of the James Beard Award–winning Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, Pork: The Comprehensive Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering and a second book devoted to beef butchery, and he travels around the country hosting workshops and lecturing on these subjects. He vis-

Adam Danforth's process is brief, orderly, and thoughtful.

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ited Albuquerque in mid-November and wasted no time during his short stay. One evening, sharply dressed, he sat discussing regenerative grazing practices at a formal round table. The previous afternoon, he’d deftly denuded individual muscles from an aged mutton carcass. Earlier that same day, he’d taken a freshly extracted sheep’s esophagus in his own mouth to demonstrate how lungs inflate, then passed around the bright pink organ for us to touch; it felt like memory foam.

In preparation for the kill, the first thing Danforth tells us is that he does not expect to do all the work. “My main priority around on-farm slaughters,” he says, “is not only to think through an animal-centered process, but to also think about how we move through it so that people can feel vulnerable enough to have the experience that I think can be revelatory.” Participation is essential, as is the choice of animal.

Danforth ultimately settled on sheep and goats. “They are the best for handling during a slaughter workshop,” he says, because “they are the cleanest kill that can introduce people to the process and get them to participate. And it also can be fast-ish. From a slaughter perspective—there’s little vocalization, there’s not a lot of drama. Those are all things to consider around, again, how do we keep people feeling vulnerable.” What Danforth means is that if we are vulnerable, we are

open and engaged. Certainly, it is not pleasant or easy to take the life of a living being. The instinct, based on fear or disgust, is often to turn away. Instead, Danforth encourages us to acknowledge what a rare privilege it is to witness a transition from life to death. Furthermore, when you can make that transition happen in a way that feels peaceful and respectful, the moment of inspiration swells. This is true whether you are taking part in a kill for the first time, or for the hundreth.

Before we even approach the pasture, Danforth explains exactly what will happen, how it will happen, and who will do what. The entire process centers around reducing the stress of the animal. Not only does this help ensure a humane kill, it also promises higher quality meat.

Stress tightens muscles, clots blood, and leads to a degraded product.

If participants understand their role in advance, there is little chance of surprise. Less surprise, less stress. Two onsite farmers lead the animal out of the barn, Danforth operates the stun gun, and another participant (a chef, in our case) makes the cut. The rest of us stand out of view to avoid startling the animal. There is no talking during the process and almost no noise from either animal. The entire process is brief, orderly, and thoughtful. Danforth later asks the group how the kill experience compared to other slaughters any of us had been a part of. Everyone has the same response. Much calmer, much quieter, more methodical.

The kill bonds the group, it seems, and awakens the state of vulnerability Danforth considers essential. It’s nearly impossible to keep your guard up when you’re pushing your bare fists between an animal’s hide and still-warm muscle membrane. As the pelt falls away, a pattern of pale-colored strips of meat is revealed across the surface of the animal’s chest. “Finger meat,” Danforth says. It’s what lies between the ribs-often discarded after cutting the ribs away. It’s hard to believe such an attractive, delicate meat is usually trashed. Danforth values individual muscles over traditional cuts, an approach that celebrates these often overlooked parts.

It becomes clear that Danforth is as excited about cooking meat as he is about butchering it. He holds up a sheep’s spleen to show off its unique purplish color and describes cooking it quickly with lemon, lots of parsley, chile, and butter. Spread on thick toast, spleen for breakfast suddenly sounds irresistible. Rattling off recipes as he makes his way through the slaughter (crispy caul fat, soft eggs and brain, braised tongue, shank with capers and anchovy, cheeks) arouses our senses and reminds us that the reward of this work is not just more humane, but also more delicious. It’s an important message, especially for chefs, who make up the majority of our group and many of Danforth’s workshop crowds. “The challenge for chefs is they need to be able to adapt to cook whole animals, and that means not having formulaic approaches to meat. Understanding nuances, whether that’s seasonality or just the fact that you’re dealing with animals where each one is different. When you’re dealing with pasture-finished animals and smaller farms that don’t have programs that rely on the consistency of commercial operations, you learn to celebrate those differences. You develop an approach that recognizes individual muscles for their value, and butcher in a way that relies on sensory perception instead of just chops, stew, ground, roast.” When Danforth is breaking down an animal, he doesn’t start with a map of cuts, but with muscles (and their chemistry—“fat, fiber, and fascia, the three Fs”) and a taste of raw meat. Usually, this taste comes from the top round, which he says gives him a good sense of the condition and flavor of the whole animal.

Chefs influence the way we eat. The evidence is everywhere. You can find kale salad at McDonald’s because enough chefs served enough baby kale that it trickled into the mainstream. We can’t solely rely on chefs, though, to guide our food choices. “Consumers have a responsibility, too,” says Danforth. “They’re part of the system. They’re not just the benefactors of everything that led up to meat getting to their house. These days, I’m shifting my expectations of consumers.

Danforth values individual muscles over traditional cuts.

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FARMER'S JOURNAL

Left: Students look on as Danforth breaks down the aged mutton. Right: Blind tasting of sixteen different cuts from the butchered mutton.

They’re interested in making good decisions about meat and producers, or at least taking on a certain responsibility when an animal is killed.”

Many consumers have become increasingly aware of the damaging environmental impacts of industrial meat production and inhumane slaughter (air pollution, water pollution, misuse of land, carbon emissions). Danforth explains that butchers, chefs, and ranchers need to support consumers in making decisions that don’t just assuage their moral concerns about killing animals. “I think there’s a way for us to fit whole animal work into that. People do want high-quality meat and they want to support farmers. But it has to be at a price that works for them and in a format that works with the way they want to cook,” he says. This means not only introducing them to pork shank and goat shoulder, but providing high-quality breakfast sausage and cold cuts as well.

Danforth loves blind tastings. You get the sense he would enjoy that format for almost any food, but he believes it can be particularly revelatory with meat. “For a long time,” he explains, “the butchery workshops didn’t have a tasting component. . . . It’s been the most dramatic change to the format—figuring out a way to give people a sensory experience that reinforced the messaging I was trying to make.” As he breaks down aged mutton, he slices off small samples to be flash cooked in cast iron and passed around for tasting. He challenges the group: Does one taste sweeter, gamier, tougher, more 30

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

tender? The trick is that there is no right answer. Danforth believes in eating meat that is sweet, gamey, tough, or tender. On our third sampling, one taster remarks: “This is the first one that really tastes like lamb.” He is referring to the distinctive, mineral-rich flavor of the meat. “You’re not eating lamb, you’re eating mutton,” says Danforth, reminding us how we undervalue the meat of older animals.

When you begin to think of an animal in terms of individual muscles, the culinary possibilities expand. “I never buy T-bone, strip steak, or tenderloin,” says Danforth, who wants his students to stop thinking in terms of pre-defined cuts. Instead, he favors flat muscles, working muscles, shoulder muscles. “There’s so much value to so many of these muscles as long as you understand how to bring it out.

If you’re a chef with talent and creativity, there’s no better way to approach meat,” he says. “Figuring out how to deal with beef shanks in July, when most people think they are only for winter dishes, is part of that challenge. While you can always grind them into burgers, the reality is, maybe you’re able to create a beautiful pasta dish that utilizes and extends the shank meat.” He explains that, through necessity, butchers and chefs “are forced to expand our ability and reconsider the entire process. Everything is our responsibility: low waste, honor the ingredients, support the farmer.” www.adamdanforth.com

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BACK OF THE HOUSE

In Good Taste BODEGA PRIME STARTS FROM SCRATCH

By Candolin Cook · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left: Condiments from the grab-and-go case. Right: Noela Figueroa, chef and owner of Bodega Prime.

“Get the steak sandwich!” shouts Bodega Prime chef/owner Noela Figueroa to a patron seated at the lunch counter. The man looks up and gives a familiar smile and wave to Figueroa, who is holding up her own half-eaten Aleppo spice-rubbed steak sandwich for him to see.

The man hands his menu back to his server, reciting the classic film quote: “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Good choice. Layered between warm ciabatta rests local Aleppospiced steak, coffee-pickled beets, cilantro, and “smen” aioli (a spread 32

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

inspired by a fermented butter popular in the Middle East). The spicy, tangy, and smoky flavors meld together beautifully. But this chef ’s choice is hardly the only stellar option on a breakfast and lunch menu teeming with local produce, meats, breads, and cheeses as well as house-made chutneys, pickles, aiolis, relishes, and jams. My own selection this afternoon is the buttermilk brined fried chicken with bok choy slaw, sweet pickles, honey, and thinly sliced jalapeños on a house-made brioche bun. It’s the perfect choice to satisfy my sweet

and salty cravings. It’s also the worst choice for trying to conduct my interview with Figueroa—both because the warm honey is dripping all over my hands, making it difficult to take notes, and because it’s so delicious I don’t want to put it down.

Between mouthfuls of our sandwiches and sesame-seed french fries dipped in house-made plum ketchup, I manage to learn that Figueroa is a twenty-three year veteran of the food industry. In Seattle, she apprenticed under William Leaman, a World Cup winner at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris (basically the baking Olympics), followed by positions as pastry chef and chef de cuisine at celebrated restaurants and bakeries in Seattle; Portland, Oregon; and Santa Fe. At one point, Figueroa became disillusioned with the restaurant industry and debated quitting altogether. “When only fifteen percent of executive chef positions go to women, it’s hard not to get discouraged. I decided to attend college and studied art and cultural history,” she tells me. But she ultimately returned to cooking and, in 2012, bypassed the hiring process by starting her own restaurant, Fold Community Kitchen, in Colorado. The restaurant encompassed many of the elements she’d later incorporate into Bodega Prime: organic ingredients, local sourcing, seasonal menus, and scratch-made cooking.

After leaving Colorado, Figueroa saw a niche for a fast, casual concept restaurant in Santa Fe, with a few tables and a deli case chock-full of prepared and baked goods. Bodega Prime opened in the summer of 2016, and has been so popular they’ve recently knocked down a wall and expanded their dining room. “My original vision was to be more of a take-out deli,” Figueroa explains, “but this town likes restaurants. It’s not such a fast-paced lifestyle here, people want to take their time and enjoy their meal.” And the chef has certainly created a space that few diners are in a hurry to leave. From the stylish enamel cups and stoneware plates to the fastidiously clean, open kitchen and the well-curated retail section of home wares, Figueroa’s attention to detail, quality, and taste permeates every aspect of the restaurant.

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At Bodega Prime, customers reap the benefits of both convenience and quality. “With our open kitchen, people can see we don’t pull stuff out of boxes, and when you’re making food from scratch you want the best, freshest ingredients. That means buying organic, and local, as much as possible,” Figueroa says. “Yes, I care about sustainability and don’t want to support industrial monoculture, but buying from local farmers, to me, isn’t meant to be some political statement. I just want to make you some good food and I want to support the local economy.”

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For customers who do want to grab and go, counter service offers pre-made sandwiches sustainably wrapped in brown paper; fresh baked goods (try the gingerbread cake and lemon curd); and dozens of condiments, shrubs, and sides to make whatever you cook at home ten times better. Figueroa says her recipes for items like fennel relish, Bartlett pear chutney, and her best-selling garlic conserva are inspired by her travels, time in the Pacific Northwest, and the bold flavors of New Mexico. “I want to provide food that is surprising but accessible,” she says.

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BACK OF THE HOUSE

Top left, clockwise: Buttermilk-brined fried chicken with bok choy slaw, sweet pickles, and honey; spicy braised pork shoulder with queso fresco, savory peach chutney, and curtido; Aleppo spice-rubbed steak over coffee-pickled beets, cilantro, and smen aioli; grab-and-go case.

Most importantly for Figueroa, supporting the community means treating her staff with respect and paying them a fair wage. “I demand a lot from them. Working in a restaurant is about being a professional. We’re not rock star chefs, this isn’t the Food Network.

We’re down on our hands and knees scrubbing the floors, myself included,” she says. “I learn so much from my crew. The give and take of our personalities and our interactions with each other is reflected in the food. Not to sound Santa Fe ‘woo-woo,’ but that’s the reality of it.” And when, I ask, will she and her team start offering their highly anticipated dinner service? “Oh . . . when we’re ready,” Figueroa laughs.

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Though we are both full from our meal, Figueroa insists I try some dessert before I go. She brings over a gateau basque. The French cake has an almond crust and appears dense and crumbly on the outside, resembling a coffee cake. After digging my spoon into the crunchy exterior, I discover the center is filled with a semolina pastry cream, made with lemon, rum, vanilla, and fresh cranberries. With the first bite, my eyes open wide and I nod appreciatively at Figueroa. “Isn’t it good? It’s my favorite dessert in the world,” she declares. Yet another reason to always take the chef ’s recommendation.

1291 San Felipe Ave A, Santa Fe, 505-303-3535 www.bodegaprime.com

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CHEF'S TABLE

Veggie Food for the Soul JUST LIKE GRANDMA USED TO MAKE—MINUS THE MEAT

By Sophie Putka · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

Left: Shawn Weed. Top right: "Chicken" & Waffle with sage-thyme breaded cauliflower and bourbon maple syrup.

Bottom right: Wedge salad with grilled iceberg, smoked tomato, radish, hardboiled egg, and blue cheese buttermilk dressing.

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edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

Give Shawn Weed fifteen hundred square feet and he’ll take, well, an acre. At his new comfort-food first, vegetarian-food second restaurant, Chef Weed has transformed a fifty-seat space and a close network of connections into a restaurant that buzzes with warmth and activity. At The Acre, the philosophy behind the scenes is equally focused on community; Weed makes it a point to nurture the people who feed his farm-to-fork Northeast Heights operation.

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Sitting across the table from me, Weed’s excitement for The Acre is palpable. It’s not just that after long years of working in New York fine dining he finally got to open his own restaurant.

It’s not even the fact that he’s back in Albuquerque, where he went to high school, or that he’s reinventing the farm-style spreads he used to eat at his grandmother’s Midwestern farm in Indiana. No, what The Acre is about at its core is making farm-to-table accessible to everyone and staying true to simple values along the way.

“I want to provide really comfort-forward, good food that’s not intimidating, that’s accessible to people, and that also happens to be seasonal,” says Weed. “And let’s cut meat out of the equation.”

And true to his word, Weed has delivered. The menu is unfussy, carefully designed to tempt even the most vegetable-averse. On first glance, one might not even notice the lack of meat. There are stand-ins aplenty, like the popular Buffalo Cauliflower, prepared to resemble classic wings, complete with blue cheese sauce and celery sticks. There’s the Cheeseburger, a hearty beet and black bean patty served with cheddar and avocado, and a Meat(less) Loaf, made with portabella and chickpeas, with rich mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable on the side.

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Veggies in disguise aren’t the only options, though. A pasta with butternut squash, piñon nuts, and a decadent gorgonzola cream sauce steals the show the night I eat at The Acre, and Weed says the wedge salad, starring farm-fresh produce in a take on a fifties classic, has been a breakout hit. He urges me to indulge in a cupful of The Acre’s delicate vanilla-lavender ice cream. It exemplifies his “one-in-three” rule: out of every three ingredients in a dish, only one can be unfamiliar to guests. “Nobody’s worried about ice cream. And nobody is worried about vanilla,” Weed explains. “But lavender? What do you think of right away? Your grandmother?

Or perfume?” He made sure the menu headings were totally recognizable—like Pasta or Enchilada—with more detailed descriptions of individual dishes underneath. With plant-based food, striking the balance between challenging guests and putting them at ease has been tricky, but not impossible. The most important thing about local, healthy eating, in Weed’s philosophy, is to make it approachable for everyone. He says, “I don’t want just vegetarians.

I want all people to come, bring their kids, and say, ‘It’s not all this BS—it’s real food. And if we get to skip meat for a day, we’re okay with that.’”

Weed isn’t actually vegetarian himself (“That’s the purple elephant in the room.”) and when he decided to open a restaurant, he said he just wanted to make a space where he’d want to take his family. “It just has to feel authentic,” he says. “When I’m thinking of good, farm-to-table food, I’m not thinking about the cows. I’m WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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Left: Ice cream of the day. Top right: Buffalo Cauliflower with red hot sauce and blue cheese.

Bottom right: Meat(less) Loaf & Mash with portabella, chickpeas, and BBQ sauce.

thinking about the vegetables. I’m thinking about the wheat fields and the corn, I’m thinking about all of those things and how better to showcase them.”

says. “It’s a double-edged sword. You’re only going to be busy when the price point is approachable for everyday people. But when I put it at that price point, I can’t have stuff go bad. I can’t afford to.”

To that end, Weed has focused on building relationships with a number of local farms, including Looseleaf and Sol Harvest, and small artisan food producers like Old Windmill Dairy. Beyond sourcing local, he views himself as a cheerleader, of sorts, for New Mexico–operated makers, featuring a “Daily Catch” every week, which highlights a unique ingredient from a new farm or producer on the specials board. He’s had to go out on a limb to pay for high-quality local produce, banking on the fact that almost nothing will go to waste, but it’s worth it to him to support local farms. “I have to be busy,” he

In a city with just a few vegetarian-only options, The Acre has been welcomed with open arms. At 3pm on a Sunday, the place is packed with everyone from bearded old men to squealing children.

And that’s the way Shawn Weed likes it. “I don’t want to be the king of vegetarian,” he says. “I want more places to open and I want us all to be successful.”

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edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

4410 Wyoming NE, Albuquerque, 505-299-6973 www.theacrerestaurant.com

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DIY

G.O.A.T. Cheese

By Marjory Sweet · Photos by Stephanie Cameron

In the United States, cow’s milk “does a body good,” while goat milk remains an exotic second choice. Worldwide, however, the opposite is often true. The benefits of goat milk are unique and numerous. Goat dairy can be digested more easily than cow’s. It takes about two hours to digest a glass of cow’s milk and only twenty minutes for goat’s. Goat milk contains less lactose molecules and less fat, so it is more accessible to lactose-intolerant and other sensitive systems.

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If you are curious about goat milk, but wary to start pouring it in your morning coffee, I suggest making cheese. The simple transformation from liquid dairy to soft solid cheese is quick and gratifying. In its final stages, the cheese is salted and can be flavored with herbs, spices, or chiles, which takes the barnyard edge off the milk. I prefer a fresh cheese like this served simply: sliced onto thick, toasted sourdough, with some salty butter and chile flakes. An egg on top is never a bad idea. Enough mornings like these and you might find yourself craving a raw goat milk espresso alongside.

FRESH GOAT CHEESE 1 gallon goat milk (raw preferred) 1/4 tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water Salt to taste Tools Large stainless steel pot Kitchen thermometer Sieve Cheese cloth Cheese mold In a large stainless steel pot, heat milk to 85–95°F. Stir in dissolved rennet. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 45 minutes. Line a sieve with 1 or 2 layers of cheesecloth and set over bowl. Using a long knife or spatula, make a series of cuts from top to bottom (both directions) in the curds. It will look like a checkerboard when you’re finished. This loosens the curds, making them easier to spoon out. Scoop cut curds into lined strainer, stirring gently to release excess liquid. When most of the liquid has drained, set it aside; you can use the whey for other projects. Salt curds to taste, and stir to distribute. Add any other herbs or spices at this point. Crushed local red chile is a nice option. Another favorite is fresh basil from your favorite farmer at the market (for summer cheese, of course). Pack into mold and set mold on a shallow plate to catch any residual draining. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cool and fully drained.

Pour off the excess liquid that has collected on the plate and unmold. Slice or crumble and eat.

Cheese will stay fresh for 4 days.

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ohholybasil Raised blue corn waffles with @taosfamilyfarms local blue corn, pear and cranberry maple compote. I just discovered yeasted waffles and I can’t believe it took me this long. Yeasted waffles are perfect waffles. #edibleNM

elflexitarianfoodie Turkey enchilada casserole for lunch today...Enchilada de pavo cazuela para el almuerzo hoy... @ediblesantafe #edibleNM

fumigrafico Apple galette by the walnut pâte brisée using leftover sourdough starter. #sourdoughcookbook #edibleNM

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edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

EDIBLE CRAFT COCKTAIL

CABALLERO

By Quinn Stephenson

A perfect cocktail to spice up your Valentine's Day, the Caballero combines some of Mexico’s most tantalizing ingredients.

2 ounces añejo tequila 1 ounce Carpano Antica sweet vermouth 1 heavy dash of Bitter Truth mole bitters 1/2 ounce dark crème de cacao 1 small dried chile pod, for garnish Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and finish with garnish.

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Creating a Sourdough Starter THREE BASIC INGREDIENTS Story and photos by Maurizio Leo

F

lour, water, salt. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. If you had told me several years ago that I could make enticingly crunchy, tender, healthy bread at home with only these elemental ingredients, I would not have believed you.

I would have claimed that baking bread requires a professional mixer, a big oven, and a list of ingredients so long your eyes start to glaze over. And yet, I’m performing this alchemy day after day in my home kitchen: transforming three basic ingredients into wholesome sourdough bread.

How does one begin the journey of making naturally leavened bread? It starts with, well, a sourdough starter.

Despite all the mysticism and lore about creating the concoction, when broken down, it’s simply a naturally fermenting mixture of flour and water. Add water to dry flour and let it sit on the counter for a few days, and you’ll see nature weave life into a once lifeless lump: bubbles will appear, and the mixture will rise. This natural fermentation can be harnessed, and, once stable, controlled to produce a bread so flavorful and healthy that it’s hard to go back to anything else.

I created my sourdough starter (aptly named Brutus after the trouble it gave me in the beginning) more than five years ago, and it’s the same one I use to this day. It’s a spoiled brat now, to be sure, but in exchange for my attention and fresh flour, it stays on schedule and, when baking, it does most of the heavy lifting (bread-nerd joke, sorry). Back in the early days, it was the quintessential rebellious child: sometimes it wouldn’t show any fermentation activity, and at other times it was utterly unruly. In the beginning, I didn’t realize what it needed to thrive; I didn’t see how important timely refreshments (mixing in fresh flour and water) were, or how much temperature impacts fermentation. The key to raising a well-adjusted starter is to

“T

be observant of its needs, give it space to grow, and adjust refreshments to encourage maximum fermentation activity. A healthy starter means great bread.

Creating a healthy starter can be done in as few as six to seven days, requiring only a small amount of attention each day. But first, we need to pick up a few key ingredients: • • • • •

a kitchen scale whole grain, dark rye flour (organic, if possible) unbleached all-purpose flour (organic, if possible) a small spatula two 1-liter glass, or plastic, jars with loose fitting lids

A kitchen scale guarantees accuracy when measuring the amount of flour needed for each starter refreshment. Measuring flour by volume is inherently imprecise as the amount of flour packed into a measuring cup can vary. Further, it’s a good idea to get used to using a scale for weighing ingredients as this will improve future baking consistency.

Why rye flour? Rye flour is teeming with extra nutrients and microorganisms that help kickstart the whole process. If you don’t have rye flour, a good quality whole wheat will also work well.

A FEW TIPS BEFORE BEGINNING • Water that’s high in chlorine can impede fermentation. Before starting this process, fill a large jug with tap water and let it sit out uncovered overnight to let any chlorine dissipate. Alternatively, distilled water could be used in lieu of tap water.

• After you put your starter mixture in the jar, you will keep it covered, but not sealed, during the rest of the process. Either a porous cloth or a lid resting on top of the jar will work well. Use containers with

These days, refreshing my sourdough starter has become a liturgical part of my day. It takes mere minutes to provide it with fresh flour and water, and in return it produces incredibly flavorful and healthy sourdough bread for my family.

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The Starter

thermometer glass or plastic jars

spatula

The Tools kitchen scale

rye flour and all-purpose flour

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enough headspace for the mixture to rise. Additionally, place your jar in a bowl while it’s resting in case the mixture spills over.

• There’s often a surge in fermentation activity during the first couple days of the process, probably caused by other yeast and bacteria that will eventually die off. When this happens, many attempting to create a sourdough starter think it has “died,” and they start over. Don’t be fooled by this lapse in activity; continue with the schedule and eventually the desired yeast and bacteria will move in and stabilize.

• The entire process is extremely temperature-dependent. By keeping the contents of the jar around 80ºF, you’ll ensure a favorable environment and speed things up dramatically. If you have a home proofer or yogurt maker, this would be the time to turn it on. If not, a home oven, turned off, with the light on inside (and a thermometer to monitor the temperature) will work well.

DAY ONE In the morning, measure 100 grams whole grain rye flour and 150 grams water, and mix together in one of the jars. Stir vigorously until all dry bits are incorporated. Keep this mixture somewhere warm in your kitchen—80–85ºF is ideal. If it’s cool in your kitchen, warm the water to 80ºF before mixing. Let the mixture rest out of direct sunlight for 24 hours.

DAY TWO You may or may not already be seeing some activity. As mentioned above, this potential surge of activity is normal and should subside around day three.

Place your second, empty jar on the scale and tare so that it reads 0 grams. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture that has been resting for 24

hours, discarding the rest. Next, add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams all-purpose white flour, and 125 grams water (again, if it’s cold, warm the water to 80°F). Mix well until all dry bits are incorporated, cover, and place in the same warm spot for 24 hours, until day three. Empty and clean the jar from day one.

DAY THREE In the morning, you may start to see more activity, or you may see none. Don’t fret; stick to the schedule, and activity will pick up soon enough.

Regardless of activity, place your clean jar on the scale and tare. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture that rested overnight and add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams white flour, and 125 grams warm water. Stir until well incorporated. Cover the jar and let rest 24 hours until day four. Discard the rest of the mixture in the first jar and clean it in preparation for the next day.

DAY FOUR This is the first day of the process with two refreshments in a single day: one in the morning, and one approximately 12 hours later.

In the morning, you should start to see signs of fermentation activity if you haven’t already. There will be bubbles scattered on the sides and top, and the level of the mixture might have risen and fallen a little (evidenced by streaks on the sides of the jar).

Refresh as on day three. Place a clean jar on the scale and tare. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture from the jar that fermented overnight; add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams white flour, and 125 grams warm water (80ºF). Mix thoroughly, cover, and let rest for 12 hours. After this 12-hour rest, refresh again with the same ratio of ingredients, and let rest overnight.

Day Two

Day One 46

edible Santa Fe | LATE WINTER 2018

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DAYS FIVE AND SIX For days five and six, continue refreshing with the same ratio of ingredients as day four, twice a day, as fermentation activity increases more and more.

DAYS SEVEN AND ONWARD In the morning on day seven, place a clean jar on the scale and tare.

Scoop in 50 grams of the mixture from the jar that fermented overnight. To this, add 100 grams all-purpose flour and 100 grams warm water (no rye flour is needed). Mix thoroughly, cover, and let rest for 12 hours. In the evening (after about 12 hours), refresh again with the same ratio of ingredients and let rest until the next day.

At this point you should start to see the height of your starter rise and fall in the jar predictably each day. This periodic behavior is a good indicator that it is strong enough to use for your first loaf of bread. If your starter is still struggling to show vigorous activity, keep refreshing with the same ratio of ingredients for another day, or several more, until things pick up. This process can sometimes take longer, depending on the flour used and the environment (especially if it’s cool in

your kitchen). Be patient and stick to the schedule, and eventually a stable starter will take hold.

The starter will continue to develop flavor and strength over the next week and into the future. With a strong starter, you can now use a portion of it when “mature” (when it’s risen to maximal height) to make a leaven (or levain) for the bread recipe to follow.

If you need a break from refreshing your starter each day, you can always stick it into the refrigerator for a week (or up to two in a pinch) right after a refreshment. When you want to bake again, take it out a few days before and give it 2–3 refreshments over the course of a day or two to get it back up to strength.

These days, refreshing my sourdough starter has become a liturgical part of my day. It takes mere minutes to provide it with fresh flour and water, and in return it produces incredibly flavorful and healthy sourdough bread for my family. I like to think it’s me making the bread—I’m controlling fermentation, my hands are mixing, and my hands shape the dough—but the reality is that I’m just a small cog in nature’s machinery. All I really need to do is lend a helping hand and stay out of the way.

Day Three

Day Four

Day Seven

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THE PERFECT LOAF: BEGINNER’S SOURDOUGH BREAD Your sourdough starter is the cornerstone of great bread.

When your starter is mature each day is the optimal time to make what’s called a leaven—an offshoot of your starter that’s used in a single bake.

Leaven Ingredients 40 grams mature liquid sourdough starter 40 grams whole wheat flour 40 grams unbleached all-purpose flour 80 grams water at room temperature Dough Ingredients 750 grams unbleached all-purpose flour 110 grams whole wheat flour 50 grams whole rye flour 690 grams water, warmed to 90°F 18 grams fine sea salt 185 grams mature leaven

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Method 8:00am: Mix together the leaven ingredients in a clean jar and store somewhere around 74–76ºF ambient temperature for 5–6 hours.

12:00pm: Mix by hand all flour for the dough and 640 grams water in a bowl until all dry bits are incorporated. Cover the bowl and store somewhere warm, around 75ºF, for 1 hour.

1:00pm: Add your mature leaven, the reserved water, and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until everything is incorporated and the dough comes together.

1:10pm to 5:00pm: Transfer the dough to a large container for the first rise (bulk fermentation). This step will take around 4 hours if the dough is kept between 75ºF and 80ºF. Starting at 1:40pm, perform 3 sets of stretch and folds, spaced out by 30 minutes. For each set: uncover your dough, grab the dough at one side, then stretch up and over to the other side. Do this stretch and fold at the north, south, east, and west sides. Cover the bowl and let

rest until the next set. When finished with the third set, let the dough rest until 5:00pm.

the way to the bottom of the remaining dough. Place the

5:00pm: Flour your work surface and dump the dough onto it. Use a bench knife to divide the dough into two halves. Using floured hands and the bench knife, turn each half on the counter while gently pulling the dough towards you. This turning and pulling motion will develop tension on the top of the dough, forming a round. Let rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

with a clean kitchen towel.

5:30pm: Flour the top of the dough and the work surface.

Working with one at a time, flip the round so the floured top is now down on the work surface. Using two floured hands, grab the bottom of the round and stretch it gently up and over, about 2/3 the way to the top. Then, grab the left and right sides of the dough and stretch them away from each other, then fold one side over toward the other and repeat with the other side. Then, grab the top of the package, stretch it away from your body, and fold down and over, all

the oven to 500ºF and heat with a dutch oven inside for 1

dough, seam-side up, in a bowl or proofing basket lined Overnight: Cover the baskets loosely with plastic to prevent the dough from drying out. Place the bowls in the refrigerator to rest overnight.

8:30am the next day: The easiest way to create the right, steamy environment for baking bread in a home oven is to use an oven-safe household dutch oven with lid. Preheat hour. At 9:30am, carefully take out the dutch oven and drop the proofed dough inside, seam-side down. Using a knife or scissors, cut the top of the dough slightly to allow it to expand when baking. Cover the dutch oven and place it back into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 475ºF. Then remove the lid and turn the oven down to 450ºF. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until the internal temperature of the loaf is above 208ºF. Let cool at least one hour on a wire rack.

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Relax—Have a Homebrew LEARNING FROM THE KEG TO THE GRAIN

By Briana Olson

“Would you like a taste?” asks homebrewer Shawn Crawford, holding out a plastic measuring cup filled with chocolate-colored liquid.

It's Learn to Homebrew Day (yes, that's official), and I'm at the Rio Bravo Brewery, where local homebrew clubs the Worthogs and the Dukes of Ale are hosting a demo to introduce craft-beer drinkers to the hobby of brewing beer. At 10am on an overcast Saturday, most of the tables are empty (the brewery is not yet serving), but none of that dampens the enthusiasm of the dozen homebrewers who've set up on Rio Bravo's patio. Awash in technical terms and pictures of chemical bonds and chains, I've jotted down things like “vorlauf,” “alphaamylase,” and “isoamyl acetate,” and I'm not sure if “whirlpooling” refers to a step in the brewing process or my current frame of mind.

A taste? That I can do.

What I taste is earthy and slightly sweet, almost closer in profile to a condensed vegetable broth than to the amber ale the Crawfords will be enjoying over the holidays. They're currently preparing to rinse the mash to extract all the sugars from the grains—a process known as sparging that follows the mash and results in wort, or unfermented beer, which I've just sampled. Like most of the brewers here today, they're using the all-grain method, in which malted barley grains are soaked in hot water so that their starches will (with the help of enzymes like alpha- and beta-amylase) break down into fermentable sugars. Beginning brewers usually skip this step—some homebrewers are content to use the simpler, cleaner extract method for years—but most will eventually decide that they want to start their beer from scratch.

“Anyone can do this,” insists brewer Troy Satterthwait. “All you really need is a pot and a bucket.” Satterthwait likes to build, and the system he's using is a touch more elaborate. He's soaking malts in a cooler fitted with a strainer and a spigot and perched on the broad shelf he built into a short ladder. In a few minutes, he'll use gravity to strain the sugary wort into a steel pot below. He's rigged the burner from a turkey roasting kit to use for the boil—the next step of brewing, where the wort is boiled and hops added—and his ingenuity reinforces his point. Anyone can do this.

A few days later, when I stop by local homebrew supply shop Southwest Grape & Grain, owner Donovan Lane echoes this refrain as he cracks open one of the recipe kits he recommends to first-time brewers. Lane explains how much these kits have improved over the years, telling me how his first homebrewing experience was so boring 52

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that he switched to the all-grain method on his second try. (He ended up with a decent beer, as well as a tremendous mess—he recommends that beginners stick with extract for at least a few batches.) Now, the typical kit contains a recipe and ingredients for brewing a particular style—having somehow pegged my preferences, Lane is showing me the kit for a Belgian IPA—using the extract method. Most kits include a mesh bag of specialty malts to steep in the wort, adding more art to the process, as well as yeast, seasonings like citrus peels and coriander, and, of course, hops.

Hops tend to garner more attention than malts when it comes to marketing craft beer, but malts turn out to be the more essential of the two. In fact, before the advent of the German Purity Law some five hundred years ago, most brewers used a blend of botanicals known as gruit to impart character to their ales. The original law, enacted as much out of market concerns as out of the desire to regulate production of safer, high-quality beer, stipulated that only three ingredients could be used in making beer: water, barley, and hops. (Yeast, according to several brewers I've spoken with, was inadvertently carried into the wort on wooden spoons until its official discovery in the nineteenth century.) Knowing the importance of malts abstractly— understanding that, as one homebrewer put it, yeast has to eat sugar before it can poop out alcohol and CO2—is different from standing in the grain room at Lane's shop after a crash course in the role enzymes play in producing that sugar.

The room smells faintly grassy, warm and dry, and there's something about the familiar, elemental quality of grain that appeals to me.

Lane points out the bins of base malts—those whose sugar-producing role will influence a beer's body, taste, and alcohol content—and invites me to sample some of the specialty grains that brewers rely on to refine color and flavor. Raising malting barley is not easy, and the business of converting that barley into malt is still dominated by a handful of global companies, but there's a movement afoot to localize both growing and malting (with Alamosa's Colorado Malting Company and Taos Mesa Brewing being the two nearest examples). And experiencing the textures, flavors, and scents of these grains brings me a satisfying step closer to grasping what goes into the making of local pilsners and IPAs. This might be why I'm not surprised when Lane tells me some customers brew because they want to know what's in their beer. We're

Make Your Own Beer at Home, Advertisement for malt extract, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Warshaw Collection of Business, National Museum of American History Archives Center.

“A

“Anyone can do this,” insists brewer Troy Satterthwait. “All you really need is a pot and a bucket.”

“It's as simple as cooking,” states Laurie Goodale-Slusher.

Photo by Stephanie Cameron.

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Left: Donovan Lane at his Albuquerque homebrew shop, Southwest Grape & Grain. Right: Homebrewer Laurie Goodale-Slusher with her all-in-one, all-grain electric brewing system. Photos by Briana Olson.

standing behind plastic buckets and carboys and gleaming steel fermenters, a row of coolers filled with yeast and packets of hop pellets off to our right, and I've asked him, given the plethora of craft beers now available, why learn to homebrew? He explains how the demographics of homebrewers have changed over the years. It used to be people who wanted to save money, or who wanted to try hard-to-find craft styles. Now, he says, it's more about the hobby. For some, it's knowing the ingredients—whether that means knowing their beer wasn't brewed with the rice flakes used in cheap commercial lagers, being able to brew gluten-free, or understanding that an acidulated malt will lend sour notes to a farmhouse ale. For others, Lane says, it's about experimentation. And for all homebrewers, it's about participating in the process and having the pleasure of filling a glass and saying, “I made that.”

Back at the demo, Worthogs vice president Chris Teller, who started brewing with a turkey pot while he was in college, has a straightforward explanation for getting into the hobby. “I just wanted to drink beer,” he laughs, adding, “it probably wasn't very good.” He's since graduated to a single-tier steel system with enough hoses and pumps to intimidate anyone new to the process, and today at Rio Bravo he's teamed with Ben Cryder, who revels in the chemistry of brewing. “It's fun to geek out,” Cryder says after rattling off a minilecture about the role chemical compounds like esters play in creating (or ruining) the characteristic “funk” of saison. On the other side of the patio, Dukes of Ale member Laurie Goodale-Slusher says with a name like Goodale, she was destined to brew her own beer. But unlike many homebrewers, she did not follow her love of beer to the hobby.

As a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, she started off brewing mead, then figured shifting to beer was a natural transition.

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“What I love,” Goodale-Slusher says about being part of a homebrew club and participating in events like this one, “is that you'll see a million systems—and a lot of times you'll taste a million great beers.” I think about this while I wander the patio, as impressed with the creativity behind each system as with the variety in styles and recipes. Some things all the brewers I talk with seem to agree on.

Foremost, sanitize everything. Use purified or distilled water. Regulate temperatures every step of the way. Add bittering hops early in the boil. Cool wort quickly before pitching the yeast. But whether to build a triple-tier system or brew in a bag or buy an all-in-one electric system; whether to use a smack pack or heat liquid yeast in a flask; whether to add fruits and spices before or after fermentation—these are questions everyone has a different answer for. Brewing, notes Jens Deichmann of Victor's Home Brew in Albuquerque, can be as simple or complicated as you make it.

Worthogs member Shawn Wright tells me his Balloon Glow Lager was such a hit with out-of-town guests that he now rebrews it annually.

Others say they vary recipes and styles almost constantly. Some experiments (like Teller and Cryder's plans to add prickly pear and green chile to their Belgian saison) involve playing with variables in a classic recipe, while others fall more squarely in the science experiment category. Kirk Bigger, a Dukes of Ale member who admits that he switched to allgrain brewing only after being shamed (and then mentored) by a professional brewer, describes his adventure with brewing a sour during a retreat at the Christ in the Desert monastery. Bigger says he let his sour wort ferment for four weeks—twice the ten- to fourteen-days needed to ferment classic ales like the Belgian tripel he's brewing today.

“Patience is key,” says Goodale-Slusher, working nearby. Sometimes new brewers, she adds, don't want to wait. We've been talking about

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Left: Chris Teller and Ben Cryder brew a Belgian saison with Teller's single-tier system. Right: Troy Satterthwait begins the sparging process with his home-built, triple-tier system. Photos by Briana Olson.

how she'll minimize exposure to light and oxygen during the secondary fermentation of the pilsner she's making, and she's referring to the importance of letting a beer ferment completely, but it occurs to me that experiencing the slow time of the brewing process might be equally crucial. In a culture of hurry, slowness can allow for creating deeper connections to the world around us. For Goodale-Slusher, that means connecting not just to the ingredients, but to the history of the process. She explains how pilsners, like all lagers, ferment at cooler temperatures than ales, and how their second round of fermentation, known as lagering, originated in German caves, where beers would rest at forty degrees, in low light, for several months, leading to a crisp, clear, malty profile.

with local breweries. Waiting, I realize, also creates opportunities to cultivate community.

Eventually, today's IPA and pilsner and saison brewers begin to tear down their systems, and observers gather at Tad Ashlock's table, where he's starting the much quicker process of brewing mead.

Dukes of Ale vice president Scott Carpenter is excitedly telling me that come December, his club will be meeting at Broken Trail Spirits + Brew, where members can pick up bottles of the Irish whiskey the brewery/distillery made using the club's Irish Stout recipe. This is just one of many stories I've heard about the two clubs collaborating

Like Shawn and Maureen Crawford, who have no plans to quit their day jobs in the healing professions, most brewers I've met today have no desire to turn brewing into a job. In Goodale-Slusher's words, “This is my love; this is my zen time.”

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This morning, I pulled into Rio Bravo's parking lot wondering if I'd find homebrewers with aspirations to brew professionally. At least a handful of New Mexico's master brewers got their start in garages or porches, and in today's gig economy, isn't everyone scrambling to turn their hobbies into cash? But only one brewer, down from Farmington, shared his hope to open a brewery. What I've found instead is how willing pro brewers are to mentor, how much homebrewers love to teach, and how Albuquerque's two homebrew shops—through monthly classes, annual Big Brew Days, and old-fashioned customer service—build community.

Worthogs Homebrew Club www.worthogshc.com Dukes of Ale www.dukesofale.com Victor's Home Brew www.victorshomebrew.com Southwest Grape and Grain www.swgrapeandgrain.com

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Marble Brewery's Prickly Pear Gose FROM HOMEBREW RECIPE TO LARGE-SCALE SUCCESS

By Joshua Johnson

It started with a conversation in late September 2017. I sat at the bar in Marble Brewery’s recently constructed Northeast Heights taproom/brewery, “the Mavlab” among Marble in-the-knows, talking with brewer Josh Trujillo. Outside, a smattering of prickly pear cactus fruits, or tunas, stained the sidewalks with fuchsia polka dots. We saw an opportunity. We agreed to a little homework—we’d each put pins in our Albuquerque maps where the best stands of prickly pear cacti bore juicy ripe tunas and, once we’d discovered enough fruit, we’d harvest them and make something delicious. We wouldn’t let our plan go flat in the annals of bar talk; dissolve it did not.

As it turned out, Trujillo’s assistant brewer, Greg Dupy, had a couple homebrew recipes up his sleeve from some prickly pear meads and a gose he had brewed years ago. This year, however, the two brewers dreamed big, aiming to produce enough for public quaffing. They settled on a recipe for a gose—a lightly Lactobacillus delbrueckii soured, slightly salted, and coriander-seasoned brew with an alcohol percentage between four and five.

During the next couple weeks, I pedaled my bike around Albuquerque in search of the choicest prickly pear stands. I noticed that while the cactus patches on the fringe of town had been all but denuded by coyotes, the urban plants bore pads crowded with ripe fruits. When Dupy and I compared notes, it became clear that the overwhelming bounty of fruit was on a specific type of prickly pear—a thornless variety that I could best identify as Opuntia cacanapa “Ellisiana,” a strikingly beautiful hybrid well adapted to the New Mexico high desert.

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This urban, thornless cactus reflects grand, though all-but-forgotten, agricultural visions. In the late nineteenth century, plant hybridizers turned their attention to cacti as a potential livestock forage in the desert southwest, where native grasses were neither abundant nor

sufficient to sustain dense populations of cattle. In times of drought, ranchers occasionally fed animals with native thorny species— accounts of bovine mouths crimson with blood were not uncommon.

Plant breeders like Luther Burbank, who inscribed his named indelibly in seed catalogs and on grocery shelves worldwide, saw in this predicament an opportunity. If he could hybridize a prickly pear cactus devoid of large spines, he would be able to transform and populate an entire landscape. Although, for many reasons, the slow-growing, spineless varieties of prickly pear did not take hold as a rancher’s cornucopia, they have filled a niche as a useful urban landscape ornament. Burbank’s labor and vision for a fruitful desert landscape, in a small and circuitous way, produced this beer.

So, on a nippy, mid-October Saturday morning, we donned our best approximations of thorn-resistant foraging gear, dug the lap belts from underneath the bench seat of Trujillo’s 1972 GMC pickup (adorned with rooster talons dangling like stuffed dice from the rearview mirror), and headed out to harvest a truly low-hanging fruit.

We checked the boxes on our lists: gloves, protective eyewear, and barbecue tongs. I was also thankful I’d found a thirty-six-inch “grabbing stick” that belonged to my grandfather, and some canvas oversleeves that my grandmother used as armor against rose thorns. We all contributed buckets and tubs, and Trujillo lined a fifty-gallon drum with plastic, into which all the fruits would be transferred. With the steel drum tightly strapped in the pickup bed, and permission from the landowners, we were ready to harvest.

After we slowly combed North Valley neighborhoods, we were astounded by the haul we’d made. Within approximately four hours we’d managed to fill every vessel in the truck with fuchsia fruits. On the scale at the Mavlab, digital ciphers exceeded the four hundred pound mark.

So, on a nippy, mid-October Saturday morning, we donned our best approximations of thorn-resistant foraging gear, dug the lap belts from underneath the bench seat of Trujillo’s 1972 GMC pickup (adorned with rooster talons dangling like stuffed dice from the rear-view mirror), and headed out to harvest a truly low-hanging fruit.

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Prickly Pear Gose, photo by Stephanie Cameron.

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Left: Greg Dupy and Josh Trujillo on the hunt for prickly pears, photo by Joshua Johnson.

Right top: Pressing prickly pear tunas, photo by Josh Trujillo. Right bottom: Carefully removing tunas, photo by Joshua Johnson.

As for processing the fruit, Trujillo and Dupy brainstormed extensively. The biggest question was how to remove the pesky glochids most effectively (though lacking the large thorns of wild prickly pear, the tunas and pads of these varieties still contain short, hair-like thorns called glochids). Would a large chile roaster burn them off? Would the brewers need to abrade the fruit skins? Eventually, they discovered the thorns could be removed from the juice by using a large paint strainer. For juicing, a grape press was rented from Southwest Grape & Grain. Initial pressing yielded some liquid, but there was much more to be tapped. Then, friend of the brewery Zach Withers loaned a fruit grinder to pulverize the fruit, and the juice yield tripled. The brewers pasteurized the juice by heating it at 185 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty-five minutes; cooled it through a heat exchanger; and then kegged it into two fifteen-gallon stainless containers for storage. One of those kegs was injected into the side of the fermenter tank at the end of the gose’s fermentation. (Normally an aseptic fruit purée, not pure juice, is poured into the top of the fermentation tank.) All remaining pulp was fed to the Withers family’s hogs.

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After three weeks of brewing, a tap opened up at the Mavlab taproom, and the ten-barrel batch of prickly pear gose was available for public consumption. The prickly pear fruit proved to be a near perfect match for the gose style, contributing notes of watermelon rind and a defining acidity while the residual sugar rounded out the mouth feel. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the beer was the vivid color imparted by the fruit. When I held up my glass, the electric hot pink liquid seemed to luminesce on its own. And then, within less than a week, and much to the chagrin of Marble’s clientele, the long-awaited gose abruptly became a mere memory. But somewhere, tucked deep within a walk-in refrigerator in Marble’s Mavlab, another fifteen gallons of prickly pear nectar sits waiting. What will be the next iteration? I’ve heard talk of a mead, and I’ve heard threats of a pale ale with Brettanomyces funk, but never fear, prickly pear beer is sure to be back on Marble’s taps again. www.marblebrewery.com

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Ever wondered how to make your own version of a gose beer? The sky’s the limit when it comes to fruit flavors. In these adventurous recipes, Marble brewer Greg Dupy details how to create a vividly rose-colored, lightly salted, lacto-soured gose utilizing prickly pear fruits from our New Mexican landscape. If you’re just beginning to experiment with homebrews, try the second recipe; the use of extracts makes it more approachable. Looking for a challenge? Maybe the all-grain recipe is the one you’re looking for. If you’re patient enough to wait until October, you can harvest the fruits yourself. If you just can’t stand the excitement, you will find several available purees for purchase online. Cheers!

PRICKLY PEAR GOSE, ALL-GRAIN RECIPE

by Greg Dupy

Makes 5 gallons 9 pounds Rahr 2 Row 1 pound Rahr red wheat 1 pound flaked oats 1/2 pound Weyermann acidulated malt 3 grams Whirlfloc tablets 1/2 ounce Crystal hops 3 grams coriander powder 15 grams sea salt 100 grams lactic acid 15 pounds ripe prickly pear tunas American ale yeast 1 1/4 cup corn sugar (if bottling) O.G.: 1.048 – 1.052 SG (12-13°P) F.G.: 1.004 – 1.008 SG (1-2°P) Bitterness: 10 IBU; Color 4 SRM (8 EBC) Gather 15 pounds prickly pear tunas and rinse thoroughly.

Place into large pot and cover with water. Boil for 3 hours.

Strain about 2 1/2 gallons of liquid from boiled tunas, using cheesecloth or a mesh paint strainer; set aside. Mash grist at 145ºF for 1 hour. Collect 4 1/2 gallons of wort and mix with prickly pear juice. Bring to a boil and add hops. Boil for 1 hour, adding Whirlfloc after 10 minutes. Add coriander powder and sea salt at flameout (the moment you turn the

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heat off the wort). Cool to 65ºF as rapidly as possible and add yeast. Ferment at room temperature for 4–6 days or until fermentation is complete. Rack to another vessel for 7 days of secondary fermentation. Add lactic acid to desired tartness. It is ready to bottle or keg. If bottling, add 1 1/4 cups corn sugar for carbonation.

PRICKLY PEAR GOSE, EXTRACT RECIPE

by Greg Dupy

Makes 5 gallons 4 pounds light malt extract 2 pounds wheat malt extract 1 pound flaked oats 3 grams Whirlfloc tablets 1/2 ounce Crystal hops 3 grams coriander powder 15 grams sea salt 100 grams lactic acid 15 pounds ripe prickly pear tunas American ale yeast 1 1/4 cups corn sugar (if bottling) O.G.: 1.048 – 1.052 SG (12-13°P) F.G.: 1.004 – 1.008 SG (1-2°P) Bitterness: 10 IBU; Color 4 SRM (8 EBC) Gather 15 pounds of prickly pear tunas and rinse thoroughly.

Place into large pot and cover with water. Boil for 3 hours.

Strain about 2 1/2 gallons of liquid from boiled tunas, using cheesecloth or a mesh paint strainer; set aside. Return liquid to clean pot and top up with water to 7 gallons. Steep oats in a mesh bag while heating liquid. Remove oats near 170ºF. Add malt extract, and stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil and add hops. Boil for 1 hour. Add Whirlfloc at 10 minutes. Add coriander powder and sea salt at flameout (the moment you turn the heat off the wort). Cool to 65ºF as rapidly as possible and add yeast. Ferment at room temperature for 4–6 days or until fermentation is complete. Rack to another vessel for 7 days of secondary fermentation. Add lactic acid to desired tartness. It is ready to bottle or keg. If bottling, add 1 1/4 cup corn sugar for carbonation.

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From Slips to Fries A GUIDE TO SWEET POTATOES IN THE HIGH-DESERT GARDEN AND KITCHEN

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By Willy Carleton

everal years ago, when I told a few neighbors that I planned to grow sweet potatoes on a low-lying acre along the Rio Chama, I received friendly warnings that my efforts would likely yield only small, scraggly roots in the northern, highaltitude climate. I had already purchased the seed stock, however, and stubbornly pushed forward with the plan. Besides, I loved experimenting with new crops, so I grasped at the old truism, “There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”

Sweet potatoes, I learned, have long been grown in the southern part of the state. In 1896, ranchwoman Edith Nicholl declared sweet potatoes to be a “champion vegetable crop” for southern New Mexico, and, nearly fifteen years later, state horticulturalist Dr. Fabián García wrote extensively on its production in the state’s lower valleys. From the Mesilla Valley to Portales, farms throughout the past century have produced large numbers of the root vegetable. Though the iconic chile pepper often basks in the culinary spotlight in New Mexico, many lesser known crops like the humble sweet potato thrive here.

Still, northern New Mexico’s short growing season seemed problematic and threatened to justify my neighbors’ skepticism. Throughout a long hot summer, which included an August visit from a swarm of grasshoppers that ate the plants to the ground, I weeded diligently while wondering if it was all just a fool’s errand. When I dug the first sweet potato sometime in late September, however, a healthy, two-pound cluster of plump, orange roots hung from the base of the plant. Every year since, though all the other crops I have grown seem to come and go, sweet potatoes remain a staple in my field. Sweet potatoes, I determined, can reclaim their status as champions of the garden even in the state’s northern stretches.

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Sweet potatoes make good sense in many garden schemes for a variety of reasons. They do not require extremely fertile soil and actually thrive in sandier soils, where other crops might suffer; they can provide a useful ground cover in a polyculture design; and, when cooked, sweet potato greens are a tasty addition to summer sauces and stirfries. High in fiber, beta carotene, vitamins and minerals, and (in the peel) antioxidants, sweet potatoes provide an array of potential health benefits. And, of course, there’s the opportunity to grow tasty varieties absent from most local supermarkets or farmers markets.

Sweet potatoes do not require a particularly green thumb. To plant a sweet potato, do not plant the actual root, or pieces of the root, as you would a regular potato. Instead, sprout the sweet potato and plant the sprouts, which are called “slips,” once they are about five to eight inches long. Although there are many mail-order options for purchasing slips, the single best tip I can offer is to grow your own slips. While at first this added step might seem intimidating, it is in fact very easy and provides a host of benefits. Homegrown slips will have a survival rate approaching one hundred percent once planted, whereas mail-order slips, in my experience, survive, at best, at a rate around eighty percent. Second, starting your own slips allows you to plant exactly when is best for you and the slips, like when the nighttime temperatures for the week ahead look warm. Third, starting your own slips lets you know for sure that your seed stock is free of a menacing, and common, soil-borne fungal disease called scurf (this cosmetic disease makes sweet potatoes take on dark splotches and is easy to detect, and therefore avoid, when choosing seed). Fourth, you will be able to choose more interesting varieties to grow. The most common varieties of slips available in many seed catalogs, such as Beauregard, Covington, or Jewel, typically produce high yields and

Sweet potatoes make good sense in many garden schemes for a variety of reasons. They do not require extremely fertile soil and actually thrive in sandier soils, where other crops might suffer; they can provide a useful ground cover in a polyculture design; and, when cooked, sweet potato greens are a tasty addition to summer sauces and stir-fries.

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Photo by Carole Topalian.

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Photo by Carole Topalian.

have growth habits that allow for easy harvesting with a tractor. In the home garden, however, rarer varieties, such as purple-fleshed sweet potatoes or heirlooms like the “Ginseng” variety, might take a little more time to dig but will reward your efforts with tastier meals. Finally, you will save money; just a few sprouted sweet potatoes will provide enough slips for an entire garden.

One of the easiest ways to start your slips is by placing a sweet potato in a one-quart canning jar, half-filled with water. In Albuquerque and farther north, the best time to start slips is in late March or early April. After about six weeks, the top half of the sweet potato will have sprouted green vines. Once these vines are four inches or longer, you can break them off at the stem and plant them. There is little advantage in planting sweet potatoes too early (their growth will only stunt), so plan on putting them in the ground around the first of June, or whenever chances of nighttime temperatures in the thirties has passed. Once you pick your first round of slips, wait another week or two and pick the second “crop” of slips from the same sweet potato.

Although sweet potatoes will continue to produce slips all year, plant sweet potatoes you plan to harvest for their roots by the third week in June; anything planted later will probably not have enough time to mature.

Plant your slips about a half inch deep in soil and about a foot and a half apart. If part of your garden is especially sandy, this would be a good place for your sweet potatoes. Make sure the soil around the plants stays consistently moist for the first week or two; once established, sweet potatoes withstand drought relatively well. Keep them 66

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weeded through July; by August, they should start to vine out and provide some of their own weed protection with their heavy foliage.

A sweet potato, unlike a potato, is not a tuber; it is the actual enlarged lateral root of the plant. As such, the sweet potatoes will only get larger the longer they grow. Once the nights start getting cold, usually in early October (but these days, who knows—Thanksgiving?), consider harvesting your roots. If you get a light freeze and the greens turn black, do not worry. Simply mow off the tops at the base of the plant. Although they will last undamaged in the ground as long as the soil temperature remains above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, I try to dig my sweet potatoes within a week after the first freeze. Dig with a shovel or a digging fork, and be sure to be gentle with the roots, which bruise easily during and immediately after the harvest.

The final step to ensure a good outcome is to cure your sweet potatoes. This process will help scarify any cuts to the skin, will increase the storability of your crop, and will greatly improve their taste. One easy method to cure a small amount of sweet potatoes from the garden is to simply put them, unwashed, into a box with ventilation (a used five-gallon plastic flower pot, an old waxed produce box, or a cardboard box punched with small holes would all work), and cover the box with a moist towel. The moisture in the remnant soil on the roots, along with the wet towel, should increase humidity in the box and help the roots cure. Check the moisture of the towel every day or two and re-moisten, if necessary. Place the box in a warm, dark place, such as atop a refrigerator or near a heating vent, and let them sit for about a week. After that, you just have to decide how to eat them.

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SWEET POTATO FRIES First things first: Not much beats a good sweet potato fry. They are not only exceptionally tasty, but also require little effort to prepare. In this variation, I add balsamic in the last five minutes to give the fries some tang and depth of flavor, but by no means do sweet potato fries need anything, except for perhaps a little salt, to be delicious straight out of the oven. The final broiling stage gives the fries an extra crispy skin. Be sure to watch them carefully as they broil; it’s a thin line between a perfectly crisped skin and a burnt root.

One large sweet potato 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Cut sweet potato into 3 to 4-inch strips. Toss in oil and place on large baking sheet.

Place in oven for 25 minutes. Take sweet potatoes out of the oven, add balsamic vinegar and salt, and stir. Turn oven to broil, and broil for 5 minutes.

SWEET POTATO RED CHILE SAUCE Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you. This thick, mole-type chile sauce is an easy and delicious way to spice up many dishes. I love it with roasted chicken, or simply on top of a bed of rice and black beans. The sweet potato serves to both thicken and sweeten the sauce, creating a heartier chile than the more traditional red chile sauces often found in New Mexico. Top with feta or cotija cheese.

I large sweet potato, peeled I medium onion, chopped 3 1/2 cups bone broth or vegetable broth 6 ancho chiles 6 native New Mexico red chiles 1/2 cup pecans 2 cloves 1 inch of a cinnamon stick, loosely broken by hand 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon turmeric, fresh and diced; or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 tablespoon oregano (fresh) 1 tablespoon thyme (fresh) 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon anise 1 teaspoon cumin Salt and pepper 1/4 cup feta or cotija cheese

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Cut the sweet potato into 2-inch chunks and place in a pot with onions and bone broth. Place on high heat. Once it boils, simmer for 45 minutes.

As the sweet potatoes and broth cook, remove stems and seeds from chile pods. Soak chiles in warm water. Set aside.

Place a non-oiled, cast-iron skillet over high heat. Turn on stove vent. Toast pecans in the skillet, turning periodically, until they start to blacken, about 2 minutes. Add cloves, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and fresh turmeric (wait, if using dried turmeric) and continue toasting until pumpkin seeds begin to darken, about 30 seconds. Add the fresh thyme, oregano, and dried turmeric, and continue toasting for about 15 seconds. Remove from heat. Place toasted ingredients in a food processor.

Return skillet to high heat. Toss in soaked chiles, toasting each side for about 30 seconds. Add the chiles, along with garlic, to the food processor. Chop all remaining spices in the food processor until they form a paste. Add sweet potato and onion mixture to the paste in the food processor when sweet potatoes are soft to the touch of a fork and blend. Salt and pepper to taste.

SWEET POTATO COOKIES These not-too-sweet cookies resemble a soft scone, and work equally well as a dessert or for breakfast.

1 large sweet potato 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cardamom powder 1 teaspoon ginger powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1/2 cup turbinado sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Roast sweet potato in oven at 400ยบF. Bake for 50 minutes, or until soft to touch of a fork.

Remove, and set oven temperature to 375ยบF. Once cool enough to handle, remove skin from sweet potato and mash with a fork in a bowl with dry ingredients. Combine beaten egg, warmed butter, molasses, and vanilla in separate bowl.

Then combine all ingredients in a food-grade plastic bag, using your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients with a gentle kneading motion, and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Dough will be gooey in consistency. Flour hands and form the dough into 3-inch cookies. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tops are browned.

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GROW Y’OWN

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Tree Installation Tree Transplanting During Appropriate Season

Licensed, Bonded and Insured License nos. 0140 and 0027681

Root Control

Marriott Pyramid Hotel

Registration $45 Register online at facebook.com/SWGLA

DOUBLE-DECKER SWEET POTATO LATKES Serves 4 This recipe is the brainchild of Joshua Johnson, alongside whom I’ve spent many days working in the farm fields and nearly as many nights cooking up the fruits of our labor in the farm kitchen. We recently made these latkes, in which sweet potatoes and potatoes commingle to offer a decadent, fully satisfying entree. We used mushrooms and white truffle oil, which added a richness to the dish, but are by no means essential. Top off the latkes with Sweet Potato Red Chile Sauce, and you’re good to go.

1 orange flesh sweet potato, peeled 1 purple flesh sweet potato, peeled 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled 1 medium yellow onion, diced 4 tablespoons salted butter 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons all-purpose white flour Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 4 ounces cotija cheese (alternatively, 4 ounces manchego cheese) 1/2 ounce fresh sage 1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional) Sweet Potato Red Chile Sauce (see recipe on page 68) 2 ounces shiitake mushrooms (optional) 2 ounces nebrodini mushrooms (optional)

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Using a cheese grater or food processor, coarsely grate sweet potatoes and potatoes, and set aside.

Combine olive oil and butter in a small saucepan and stir slowly over low heat until butter is melted. Dice 1 yellow onion; sauté in 2 tablespoons of the butter and oil mixture over medium heat until translucent. Combine sweet potatoes, potatoes, sautéed onion, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Form latke patties to approximately 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick, and sauté in remaining butter and olive oil mixture over medium heat until latkes are crispy. Slice thin strips of cotija or manchego cheese and place atop latke. Place another latke atop the first cheese-covered latke and continue to sauté, flipping regularly until cheese begins to melt. Continue with remaining latkes.

In a small sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoons of butter; add coarsely diced sage and sauté over medium heat for no more than 1 minute. Once removed from heat, sage should still be green in color, yet crispy. Mix 1 tablespoon white truffle oil with sage (optional).

For a recommended addition, chop mushrooms and sauté over medium to high heat with salt to taste. Garnish latkes with sage and mushrooms. For an extra kick, combine with Sweet Potato Red Chile Sauce and serve.

Goods For Good Living Surprise your parent, partner, or pal with our locally sourced gifts.

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317 Kit Carson Rd., Taos | 575-758-3502 | ElMonteSagrado.com

edible Marketplace

LOCAL FINDS

Santa Fe Olive Oil & Balsamic Co. www.santafeoliveoil.com

SMALL BATCHED

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LOCALLY SOURCED

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KINDLY CRAFTED 15 Calle Alfredo, Algodones 505.301.9992 algodonesdistillery.com

TRIFECTA

Barrio Brinery S

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130 E Marcy St, Santa Fe, 505-795-7878 cheesmongersofsantafe.com

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

Source Guide

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CATERERS

Nath’s Inspired Khmer Cuisine

Personal chef service for inspired hosts!

Southeast Asian fusion by award-winning Chef Nath. Organic and health-conscious.

Can accommodate dietary preferences. hellochefnathsf@gmail.com, chefnath.com

FOOD ARTISANS / RETAILERS Barrio Brinery

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

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Cheesemongers of Santa Fe

130 E Marcy, Santa Fe, 505-798-7878, cheesemongersofsantafe.com

co

COFFEE COMPANY

i TA ex FE z New M

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

Santa Fe Olive Oil & Balsamic Company

116 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, 505-992-1601; 109 Carlisle SE Albuquerque, 505-266-6043; 103 East Plaza Taos, 575-758-4136; santafeoliveoil.com

Savory Spice Shop

225 Galisteo, Santa Fe, 505-819-5659, savoryspiceshop.com/santafe

Skarsgard Farms

Heidi's Raspberry Farm

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

La Montañita Coop

Talin Market

600 Andrews, Corrales, 505-898-1784, heidisraspberryfarm.com 3500 Central SE, Albuquerque, 505-2654631; 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, 505-9842852; 2400 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-242-8800; 3601 Old Airport NW, Albuquerque, 505-503-2550, lamontanita.coop

88 Louisiana SE, Albuquerque, 505-2680206; 505 Cerrillos, Santa Fe, 505-780-5073; talinmarket.com

LODGING Buffalo Thunder, Hilton Santa Fe

The Historic Taos Inn

125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, 575-758-2233, taosinn.com

20 Buffalo Thunder Trail, Santa Fe, 505-455-5555, buffalothunderresort.com

NURSERIES & SERVICES

Casa Gallina

Baca Trees

613 Callejon, Taos, 575-758-2306, casagallina.net

El Monte Sagrado

317 Kit Carson Rd, Taos, 575-758-3502, elmontesagrado.com

El Morro RV Park and Cabin Rental

1 mile east of El Morro National Monument in Ramah, 505-783-4612, elmorro-nm.com

Inn on the Alameda

303 E Alameda, Santa Fe, 888-984-2121, innonthealameda.com

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

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

Sarabande B & B

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

Sunrise Springs

If you are looking to simply refresh and recharge or immerse in a transformative experience, we invite you to come rest, relax, and rejuvenate at our tranquil oasis in Santa Fe. 242 Los Pinos, Santa Fe, 877-977-8212, sunrisesprings.com

7933 Edith NW, Albuquerque, 505-899-6666, bacastrees.com

Grow Y'Own

505-466-0393, raisedbed.biz

Osuna Nursery

A family-owned and operated nursery, gardening center, and landscaping company. 501 Osuna NE, Albuquerque, 505345-6644, osunanursery.com

ORGANIZATIONS, EVENTS, & EDUCATION New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

505-827-6364, newmexicoculture.org

New Mexico Museum Foundation

116 Lincoln, Santa Fe, 505-982-6366 ext.100, museumfoundation.org

New Mexico Restaurant Week February and March 2018, newmexicorestaurantweek.com

New Mexico Wine winecountrynm.com

Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest March 17–18 at Expo New Mexico chocolateandcoffeefest.com

OTHER SERVICES Center for Ageless Living

3216 NM-47, Los Lunas, 505-865-8813, www.nmagelessliving.com

Garcia Auto Group

8449 Lomas NE, Albuquerque, Garciacars.com

Los Alamos National Bank

1200 Trinity, Los Alamos; 77 Rover, White Rock; 301 Griffin, Santa Fe; 2009 Galisteo, Santa Fe; 3674 Cerrillos, Santa Fe; 6700 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, 505-662-5171, lanb.com

Solarius Spa

12500 Montgomery NE, Suite 107, Albuquerque, 505-299-3116, solariusspa.com

Wave Riders of the Ancient Way Wellness Center

Offering ancient and modern healing techniques and visionary tools for holistic balancing. Reiki attunements and multi-day retreats also offered. 1 mile east of El Morro National Monument in Ramah, 505-7177841, waveridersoftheancientway.com

RETAILERS Next Best Thing to Being There 1315 Mountain NW, Albuquerque, beingthereabq.com

Sarabande Home

4022 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque, 505-344-1253, sarabandehome.com

Spur Line Supply Co.

800 20th NW, Albuquerque, 505-242-6858, spurlinesupplyco.com

Eat & Drink Local Guide ALBUQUERQUE Ajiaco Colombian Bistro

Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

Ajiaco’s varied Colombian cuisine is influenced by the diverse flora and fauna found around Colombia. Cultural traditions of different Colombian ethnic groups play a role in our choice of ingredients. 3216 Silver SE, 505-266-2305, ajiacobistro.com

Rooted in organic ingredients from our own farm and the Rio Grande Valley. Join us for breakfast daily 7:30–11:30am and dinner Wed–Sun 5–9pm. Reservations requested.

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

Artichoke Café

Farina

Fresh, local, seasonal ingredients, classic French techniques, extensive wine list, private dining, catering, and great atmosphere. 424 Central SE, 505-243-0200, artichokecafe.com

Starting with the finest organic flour, our pizza crusts are made by hand and topped with the freshest ingredients, including artisan cured meats. 510 Central SE, 505243-0130, farinapizzeria.com

WINE STORES Arroyo Vino

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

Parcht

103 East Plaza, Taos, 575-758-1994, Parcht.com

Susan's Fine Wine and Spirits

1005 S St. Francis, Santa Fe, 505-984-1582, sfwineandspirits.com

Farina Alto

Farina Alto offers fresh, creative fare. Gather over a glass of wine, a good story, and a phenomenal plate of food.

10721 Montgomery NE, 505-298-0035, farinaalto.com

Farm & Table

A wonderful dining experience! 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

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Flying Star

Fine cuisine in a coffee shop scene. Our talented cooks, passionate bakers, dedicated counter servers and service attendants share a love of delicious foods and desserts, freshly roasted coffee, and creating connections through our friendly service. Six locations in Albuquerque, flyingstarcafe.com

Level 5 - Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

Located on the top floor of Hotel Chaco— experience a refined, chic, and contemporary atmosphere. 2000 Bellamah NW, 505-246-9989, hotelchaco.com

Savoy Bar & Grill

California wine country in the Northeast Heights. Farm-to-table dining from the area's best farms. Wine tastings and happy hour. 10601 Montgomery NE, 505-294-9463, savoyabq.com

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill

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

TFK Smokehouse

TFK Smokehouse 400 Washington St SE, Albuquerque 505-639-5669 | tfksmokehouse.com

Now open in our new location! We serve BBQ and other specialty smoked meats as well as salads, sandwiches, and a variety of great appetizers. 400 Washington SE, Albuquerque, 505-369-8668, tfksmokehouse505.com

The Acre

colombian bistro

now open

tuesday-saturday 11am-8pm

3216 Silver SE, Albuquerque 505-266-2305, www.ajiacobistro.com Ajiaco’s varied Colombian cuisine is influenced by a diverse flora and fauna found around Colombia. Cultural traditions of different Colombian ethnic groups play a role in our choice of ingredients.

The Acre is a farm to table restaurant offering fresh, local, seasonal, organic vegetarian food that will delight even the most devoted carnivores. 4410 Wyoming NE, Albuquerque, 505-366-3878, theacrerestaurant.com

The Cellar

Featuring a large variety of Spanish style authentic tapas and a large selection of local beers, wines, and sangria. Come enjoy fantastic food in a rustic industrial atmosphere.

1025 Lomas NW, Albuquerque, 505-242-3117, thecellartapas.com

The Shop Breakfast & Lunch

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

Trifecta Coffee Company

2933 Monte Vista NE, Albuquerque 505-433-2795 The Shop is now serving dinner as the nightshift on Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 10pm. Still serving local, organic, and seasonal dishes; and rotating weekly menus to bring you something creative and fresh!

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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.

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

Zacatecas

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

Zinc Restaurant & Wine Bar

A three-level bistro featuring contemporary cuisine with a French flair. Dinner daily, weekend brunch, fabulous cocktails, and tasty bar bites! 3009 Central NE, 505-254-9462, zincabq.com

SANTA FE 35˚ North Coffee

Roasting java in house, plus espresso, baked goods, and creative sandwiches.

60 E San Francisco, 505-983-6138, 35northcoffee.com

AGAVE Lounge

Sleek, softly lit venue at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa offering craft cocktails, wine, and small plates. 309 W San Francisco, 505-995-4530

Arable

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

Arroyo Vino

Arroyo Vino, voted a top 100 restaurant in America by OpenTable reviewers, serves progressive American fare inspired by our on-premise garden and local purveyors.

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

Bang Bite Filling Station

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

492 W Water, 505-469-2345, facebook.com/Bang-Bite-Filling-Station

Blue Heron Restaurant

Dining at Sunrise Springs is a unique experience that may change the way you think and feel about food. Lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch are now open to the public in the newly-restored, historic Blue Heron Restaurant overlooking the spring-fed pond.

242 Los Pinos, 877-977-8212, sunrisesprings.com

Bodega Prime

As a restaurant, caterer, and retail store, Bodega Prime seeks to provide a memorable food experience in Santa Fe for locals and visitors alike. 1291 San Felipe, 505-303-3535, bodegaprime.com

Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina

Elegant eatery featuring local cuisine with Southwestern flair, cocktails, and a rooftop bar. 132 W Water, 505-983-1615, coyotecafe.com

Fenix at Vanessie

Northern Coastal Italian menu influenced by local cuisine and flavors that change with the seasons. 434 W San Francisco, 505-982-9966, vanessiesantafe.com

Loyal Hound

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

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

Come Travel in Our Circles!

Join The Circles at the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and gain access to our exclusive Circles Travel Program. You’ll journey with us across the globe and share incredible experiences with your fellow members.

Next Stop: Prague, Vienna and Budapest

The Arts, Culture and Architecture on the Danube River June 6 – 16, 2018 For more information contact Cara O’Brien at 505.982.6366, ext. 118 or email cara@museumfoundation.org or visit museumfoundation.org/circles-travel

WWW.EDIBLENM.COM

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

Opuntia Tea, food, and botanical curiosities in Santa Fe's Baca Railyard. 922 Shoofly, opuntia.cafe

Paper Dosa Paper Dosa brings fresh, authentic homestyle south Indian dishes to your table.

These bright and exciting flavors will leave you wanting more. 551 W Cordova, 505-930-5521, paper-dosa.com

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

Red Sage

South Indian cuisine

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

20 Buffalo Thunder Trail, 505-819-2056, buffalothunderresort.com

TerraCotta A smart, casual restaurant located in a charming one-hundred-year-old adobe.

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

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

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

Sunday brunch, fabulous cocktails, and an award-winning wine list.

Chef Mark Kiffin preserves a landmark tradition of elegant food and service at his Canyon Road institution. 653 Canyon, 505982-4353, compoundrestaurant.com

The Palace Restaurant

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

The Gorge: Bar and Grill

Our menu is straightforward, yet eclectic, and chock-full of favorites made from scratch using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible. 103 E Plaza, 575-7588866, thegorgebarandgrill.com

GREATER NEW MEXICO Algodones Distillery

Algodones products are available at our Tasting Room and in many fine retailers, bars, and restaurants. 15 Cll Alfredo, Algodones, 505-301-9992, algodonesdistillery.com

Ancient Way Cafe

A unique outpost offering great meals from scratch and fresh baked goods. Located 1 mile east of El Morro National Monument in Ramah, 505-783-4612, elmorro-nm.com

Blades’ Bistro

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

Sunday brunch, fabulous cocktails, and an award-winning wine list. 221 Highway 165, Placitas, 505-771-0695, bladesbistro.com

Greenhouse Bistro

Good food always puts you in a good mood! Fresh, seasonal ingredients provide the basis for a meal that promotes healthy living. 5 Thomas, Los Lunas, 505-866-1936, greenhousebistro.com

Pajarito Brewpub & Grill

Open for unch Tuesday–Sunday. Open for dinner every day. Happy hour Tuesday– Sunday 2–5pm. 30 craft beers on tap.

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

Find more guides at ediblenm.com.

Santa Fe's premier dining club.

142 W Palace, 505-428-0690, palacesantafe.com

TAOS

Doc Martin’s

TAOS DINER I & II

Serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Patio dining, fresh local foods, award-winning wines, and margaritas. Try our signature chile rellenos. 125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, 575-758-1977, taosinn.com

Parcht 908 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, 575-758-2374 216 B Paseo del Pueblo Sur, 575-751-1989 www.taosdinner.com Home to New Mexican and American homemade, homegrown, and organic breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Gluten-free choices. Beer and wine.

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/pärCHt/= the physical condition resulting from the need to drink wine, eat good food, and shop…in Taos. 103 E Plaza, 575-758-1994, parcht.com

Taos Diner I & II Home to New Mexican and American homemade, homegrown, and organic breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Gluten-free choices.

Beer and wine. 908 Paseo del Pueblo Norte,

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

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LAST BITE CACIO E PEPE CON PASTA FATTA IN CASA

By Enrique Guerrero, Bang Bite Filling Station and Fenix at Vanessie Serves 4–5 Pasta 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached) 5 large eggs Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, and add the eggs. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you mix in the eggs, keep pushing flour up to retain the well shape. The dough will come together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in 1/4-cup increments. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any leftover dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, dusting your board with flour as needed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired. Fettuccine and tagliatelle are good options for the sauce recipe below.

Sauce 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 cup grated Cacio di Roma or Pecorino-Romano cheese 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 2 teaspoons toasted, coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving Put the pasta, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 1/2 cups of water together in a high-sided medium skillet. Bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Continue to cook, stirring the pasta frequently to keep it from clumping, until it is al dente, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain off any remaining water. Stir in the lemon juice.

Gradually sprinkle in the cheese mix until completely melted, then add the butter. Sprinkle in more cheese, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir until melted and smooth—the cheese will clump at first then melt into the sauce and thicken it up after about 4 minutes.

Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and garnish with additional cheese and pepper.

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PHOTO BY STEPHANIE CAMERON

XOCHITL

Nixtamal Kitchen

492 W. WATER STREET IN SANTA FE

F O R E V E R Y D AY O C C A S I O N S

505.983.2100 ∙ ARROYOVINO.COM 6 Y E A R S I N S A N TA F E