edible Santa Fe Summer 2011 by edible New Mexico

edible The Story of Local Food, from

member of edible communities

Summer 2011

Santa fe

Albuquerque

Taos

edible communities 2011 James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year

morningstar farm

picnic recipes • heirloom revolution Señorita Trujillo on hard times & generosity edible’s James Beard Award squash blossoms

contents departments 2

Letter from the Editor

What’s Fresh

Cooking Fresh Moveable Feast, by Amy White

DIY Mozzarella, by Lorelei Kellogg

Native edibles Squash Blossom Sister by Lois Ellen Frank

Farmers Diary My Secret Waltz with Weeds by Kristen Davenport

Food Craft Chillin’ at the Taos Cow, by Sharon Leach

Permaculture 101 Relationship Skills and Beneficial Guilds, by Nate Downey

Brewhaus Summer Blondes, by Brad Kraus

Liquid Assets Sangria, by Kate Gerwin

Eat Local Guide

Calendar

Edible Ed Sow What! Youth in Action in our Food Community by Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

features 14

Know Your Farmer Rose Trujillo on Hard Times and Generosity, by Deborah Madison

A Northern Star Morningstar Farms by Lisa Waterman Gray

Heirloom Revolution Delicious Diversity by Bill Thorness

special online features SW Gardens Seton Castle Gardens Look to the Future, by Christie Green Recipes: Flor de Calabasas Tacos by Lois Ellen Frank; Amy White’s What’s Fresh What’s Local Recipe every Friday Seed Saving Basics Local Food and garden events calendar updated weekly New Mexico Farmers Markets Anya Fernald’s Good Food and Social Change, By Marita Prandoni New Mexico’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail Redux

p. 22 www.ediblesantafe.com

Photos: Cover, this page, by Sergio Salvador

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letter from the editor Publisher / Editor in Chief: Kate Manchester

Associate Publisher: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Managing Editor: Sharon Leach

Contributors

Edible publishers gathering, Santa Barbara 2011

Edible Communities Recognized by James Beard Foundation It all began humbly in 2002, when co-founders Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian began Edible Ojai with a vision of promoting local foods in their California community. Edible Communities is now a network of 70 magazines in the United States and Canada, each locally owned, each publisher a passionate advocate for the food grown and produced in their region. Edible magazines are prized for their uniqueness and reflect the community they serve, with a shared belief in the importance of knowing where our food comes from. Our shared mission is to change the way we all eat and think about food, by celebrating the lives and livelihoods of those that grow and work in food and food systems. Recognizing Edible Communities commitment to these ideas, the James Beard Foundation awarded its 2011 Publication of the Year Award to the 70 publications that make up the Edible collective. The presentation was made at the James Beard Foundations’ awards dinner on May 6 in New York City. The Journalism Awards Committee recognized our publications for demonstrating “fresh directions, worthy ambitions, and a forward thinking approach to food journalism. At a time when journalists are reinventing traditional publications and embracing digital formats, the Journalism Committee of the James Beard Foundation is proud to recognize Edible Communities for this first-ever award. Edible Communities’ body of work reflects excellence in the ever-changing world of food journalism. Its publications inform and connect today’s food-savvy readers with local communities that stand for a healthful, flavorful, and sustainable food supply.” We are proud to be a member of Edible Communities and honored to be recognized alongside our sister publications with this prestigious award. Our heartfelt thanks to our writers and photographers and our little staff who bring their best to these pages – and to our advertisers for their financial support! Our summer issue pays homage to warm weather pleasures and the joys of summer. In these challenging times we live in, it’s nice to be reminded of how simple it can be to enjoy what’s here, at home in New Mexico. In Albuquerque a youth farming course is sowing young minds with ideas for change and is blogging its way to young foodies. Nearer to Santa Fe, Deborah Madison spends time with Rose Trujillo of Nambe Pueblo, a veteran farmer whose entire family cooperates to make the farm enterprise work. Rose herself well, Rose is a rose. Traveling up the Rio Grande into Taos and points north, the village of Arroyo Seco appears twice in our summer issue. Not only is it home to the restaurant and ice cream shop, the Taos Cow, but it is home to Morning Star Farm, where two inspired young farmers take on the full season of CSA farming and business management from their mentor. In this issue, we look more closely at underlying connections—the relationships that surround us. Nate Downey opens a view into fruit tree guilds. Permaculture guilds are groups of organisms—plants in this case—that work particularly well together. In addition to fruit trees, Dr. Lois Ellen Frank shines the light on a familiar guild, the Three Sisters, corn, beans and squash. By sharing their assets, guilds build capacity for all, including our pantries!

Kristen Davenport, Nate Downey Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, Lois Ellen Frank, Kate Gerwin, Lisa Waterman Gray, Christie Green, Lorelei Kellogg, Brad Kraus, Sharon Leach, Deborah Madison, Bill Thorness, Amy White

Contributing Editors Deborah Madison, Lorelei Kellogg, Amy White, Christie Green Lois Ellen Frank

Design and Layout Sergio Salvador

Web Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

PHOTOGRAPHY Jennifer Esperanza, Lois Ellen Frank, Lurdes G. Ortiz, Sergio Salvador, Carole Topalian, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

ADVERTISING Jill Carmichael Kate Manchester, 505-212-0791

CONTACT US: 551 W. Cordova Road #511 Santa Fe, NM 87505 info@ediblesantafe.com www.ediblesantafe.com Subscribe • Give a Gift Buy an Ad • LETTERS 505-212-0791 or WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM We welcome your letters. Write to us at the address above, or e-mail us at info@ediblesantafe.com edible Santa Fe takes pride in providing its subscribers with fast, friendly, small town service. edible Santa Fe is published quarterly, spring, summer, fall and winter, by edible Santa Fe, Inc.

Lastly—I would like to introduce you to a new member of the Edible team, Sharon Leach. Sharon has taken over as editor, which will allow me to focus more directly on upcoming events and programs Edible will be offering in the coming year. You may know Sharon from her work in the Taos community or from her work on the Taos Green Guide; we know we are thrilled to have her on our team!

Distribution is throughout Central and Northern New Mexico and nationally by subscription. Subscriptions are $22 annually. No part of this publication may be used without the written permission of the publisher. © 2011 All rights reserved. ®

Kate Manchester, Editor edible Santa fe

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Summer 2011

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“Where Artisan Cocktails Meet Creative Cuisine.” Seasonal, Sustainable, Organic featuring Niman Ranch Meats Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 505/243-0200 • www.ArtichokeCafe.com

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For copies of back issues, please contact info@ediblesantafe.com or call (505) 212-0791

TALUS WIND RANCH fr G ali om st Ne eo, Mex w ico

Embracing the rich tradition of New Mexico ranching, Talus Wind Ranch raises lambs on a free-range grazing environment ensuring that the animals are well-cared-for and resulting in meat that is tender and flavorful. To experience this local product and many others, please visit one of our Albuquerque or Santa Fe locations. ALBUQUERQUE:

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Academy, 5815 Wyoming Blvd. NE Indian School Plaza, 2103 Carlisle Blvd. NE

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What’s Fresh? Photo: Sergio Salvador

The peach is a classic sign of summer, a member of the rose family, it has its origins in China. Unfortunately for us, this year’s hard freeze in February destroyed nearly 99% of the peach crop in north and north central NM according to the Sustainable Agriculture Center in Alcalde. If you find local peaches this year—celebrate!

VEGGIE

Mushrooms Chicken, Duck and FRUIT Turkey Eggs Mustard Greens Apples Jam Nopales Apricots Pecans, Pinon, Pistachios Peppers (a rainbow!) Blackberries Chicos, Dried Beans, Potatoes Chokecherries Cornmeal Pumpkins Elderberries Chile Powders, Dried Quelites Chiles, Ristras Grapes Radishes Teas Jujubes Red Chile Baked Goods Melons Salad Greens Honey and Jams Nectarines Shishito Peppers Chutneys, Mustards and Peaches Salsas Spinach Pears Houseplants Sprouts & Microgreens Plums Bedding Plants Sugar Snap Peas Prickly Pears Lavender Plants Summer Squash Raspberries Body Care Products Sweet Potatoes Rhubarb Herbal Medicinals Swiss Chard Watermelons Lavender Sachets Tomatoes OTHER Smudge Sticks Tomatillos Cheeses and Milk To find recipes using local ingredients, visitGoat us online at www.ediblesantafe.com Willow Baskets & Turnips Furniture Beef, Bison, Pork, Yak, Zucchini Chicken, Ducks

Arugula Asparagus Beans (purple, wax, green, string, snap, snow) Beets Bok Choy Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Corn Dandelion Eggplant Japanese Mustard Garlic Green Chile Greens Herbs Galore Kale Lettuces edible Santa fe • Summer 2011

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cooking fresh

a moveable feast picnic-ready BY AMy White • photography by Sergio Salvador

hether tailgating at the Santa Fe Opera, listening to music at the park, sitting by the Rio Grande or on a mountaintop, a picnic is the perfect way to enjoy New Mexico’s balmy summer evenings. Summer is all about enjoying the outdoors, and packing a picnic gives us an excuse to linger in an especially beautiful spot.

Agua Fresca No picnic is complete without a watermelon - although you could experiment with other fruits for this Agua Fresca: Pineapples, peaches—even cucumbers make tasty and refreshing substitutions. 1 mini-watermelon or half of a large watermelon, seeded and diced (about 3 cups) 1 ½ C. water ½ C. sugar, plus more to taste Juice of 2 or 3 limes Pinch of salt

Here are a few simple, fun and portable recipes centered around our fabulous local fruits and veggies that make a great outdoor meal. You can prepare everything ahead of time, bring all the components in separate containers and assemble each dish when you’re ready to eat. For a zero-waste picnic, bring your own reusable plates, cups, silverware and cloth napkins. Bamboo plates are reusable and biodegradable, a smart option, and you can also buy compostable cups and silverware made from corn or potato starch. A classic picnic basket is pretty, but a cooler is more practical. Lots of stylish insulated picnic totes and backpacks are available this season, and many come already packed with lightweight reusable accessories.

Purée chosen fruit in a food processor or blender. If you prefer to remove the pulp, pour through a strainer. Add water, sugar, lime juice and salt. Chill thoroughly and pack in a glass bottle on ice or fill your Thermos.

Packing the Essentials: camp blanket or tablecloth • napkins, cups and plates • silverware and serving utensils • corkscrew or bottle opener • knife •cutting board • condiments • damp wipes or cloths for washing up • Garbage bag • Sunscreen and a hat, always a hat! edible Santa fe

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Chicken, Zucchini and Red Onion Sandwiches w/ Harissa

Fresh Peaches, Basil, Honey Mascarpone on Sponge Cakes

This is one of my favorite ways to eat zucchini, and a tasty way to use leftover chicken. Without the chicken, this makes a wonderful vegetarian sandwich. Harissa is a delicious North African chile and spice paste that is traditionally used as a rub for lamb or goat.

Sweet, juicy peaches from New Mexico farmers’ markets are so much better than the often dry or under-ripe specimens from grocery stores. I like to make these little sponge cakes in a heart-shaped muffin tin or any jumbo muffin tin, which is also an easy way to transport them. Mascarpone is a mild, creamy cheese much like cream cheese but even softer. If you can’t find it, just use cream cheese mixed with a bit of sour cream. But don’t miss out on local peaches!

First created in Tunisia when the Spaniards brought chiles to the Old World from the New, harissa’s use spread to Algeria, Morocco and the Middle East, with many variations. It tastes great on just about anything, and it’s easy to make with New Mexico red chile, but you can also buy it at some grocery stores. Local churro lamb is a great place to start for any variation of this rub.

Sandwich 4 small zucchini 1 medium red onion 2 T. olive oil ½ t. salt 1 T. harissa (See recipe below.) 2 cooked chicken breasts or thighs, sliced 1 baguette Slice zucchini and onions into 1/2-inch strips or chunks, and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in a 400˚ oven for 25-30 minutes (or fry in a skillet on medium heat), until the onions are soft and sweet with nice brown spots. Very gently, mix in the chicken and harissa, then chill. At the picnic, cut the baguette into four evenly-sized chunks. Split and stuff each piece with the chicken and zucchini mixture to make four sandwiches. Serves 4.

Harissa ¼ C. New Mexico red chile powder ¼ C. boiling water 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ t. salt ½ t. ground cumin 1 t. ground coriander ¼ C. olive oil Pour hot water over chile and add remaining ingredients. Purée in a blender to make a smooth paste. Refrigerate unused portion in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks. Caraway is also a traditional ingredient, but it doesn’t usually come ground. If you want to try it, you can grind the seeds yourself and use about 1 teaspoon in this recipe.

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New Mexico Gazpacho This cold soup is incredibly refreshing on a blazing hot day, like a liquid salad, but the defining ingredient is bread, which makes it creamy and filling. The gazpacho we’re familiar with comes from the Andalusian region of Spain, where the inland cities of Seville and Cordoba have summers as scorching and dry as any in New Mexico. The tomatoes and peppers are a relatively recent addition, only becoming widely accepted a few centuries after Columbus introduced them. Gazpacho traces its roots even further back, to an ancient Arab soup brought to Spain by the Moors or perhaps the Romans, which contained just garlic, almonds, bread, olive oil and salt. This version uses local chile for a kick. Italian frying peppers, found later in the summer at many New Mexico farmers’ markets, add a sweeter, more concentrated flavor than bell peppers. Use the ripest, most intensely flavorful tomatoes, excellent olive oil and aged sherry vinegar to make it truly great. It’s nice to make the gazpacho the night before, allowing the flavors to mingle. 1 C. good white bread (ideally, a week old), torn into pieces ½ C. water 1 lb. 8 oz. ripe tomatoes 1 medium red bell pepper or 2 Italian frying peppers 1 cucumber, peeled 3 T. chopped red onion 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely minced ½ t. salt 2-3 T. chopped green chile ¼ C. fragrant extra virgin olive oil 2 T. aged sherry vinegar Parsley, cress, sliced basil or edible flowers for garnish. Toss the bread with the water and soak 10 minutes. Using your hands take the bread from the liquid and squeeze out excess water, discard the liquid and set bread aside. Seed and coarsely chop the tomatoes, peppers and cucumber. In a large bowl, mix the chopped vegetables thoroughly with the bread, onion, garlic, salt and chile. Puree all in a blender or food processor until very smooth, working in batches if necessary. Add the olive oil slowly while blending, then stir in the vinegar. Adjust the amount of salt and vinegar as desired. Chill thoroughly, about 2 hours or overnight and pack in a glass wide-mouthed juice or a wine bottle on ice. Serves 4 to 6. 9

4 large ripe peaches, sliced into wedges ¼ C. sugar ½ C. fresh basil, sliced into thin ribbons 8 oz. mascarpone 2 T. honey Pinch of salt Sponge cake (See recipe below.) Toss peaches with sugar and half of the basil. Stir the rest of the basil into the mascarpone, add honey and pinch of salt. At the picnic, serve mini sponge cakes with a few spoonfuls of each topping. Serves 6.

Mini Sponge Cake 2 eggs ½ C. granulated sugar 2 T. water ½ t. vanilla ½ C. all-purpose flour ½ t. baking powder 1/8 t. salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat eggs on high speed in a large bowl until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding sugar, then water and vanilla. Do not overbeat—you should still be able to pour it. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the dry ingredients over the batter and fold in, until just blended. Repeat until all ingredients are added. Technique is important here: use a rubber spatula to scrape down the middle of the bowl, then around the sides. Make sure you are scooping up the batter and folding it gently over onto the flour, rotating the bowl a quarter turn each time. Pour batter into pan, filling muffin cups halfway. If you have some left over, bake the remainder in another pan or do a second batch. Bake until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool in pan and loosen with a butter knife when ready to serve.

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edible DIY

Mozzarella

by Lorelei Kellogg • photography by Jennifer Esperanza

The key to successful mozzarella is acidity. Of course, you don’t have to go through this emotional roller coaster ride to benefit from the joys of cheese-making. One of the best introductions to the art of sepa rating curds from whey is mozzarella. It’s quick, incredibly fun and results in a delightful snack or a very impressive addition to a dinner party. Traditionally mozzarella is made with the milk of a water buffalo, but you can you can use cow, goat, or sheep’s milk. Raw milk can be used if fresh, or you can buy pasteurized milk from the store. Do not use UHT (ultra heat-treated) milk as it will not form a curd. You can use low-fat or non-fat milk, however the end product may not have the same consistency as store-bought fresh mozzarella. The key to successful mozzarella is acidity. In order to provide the stringy, stretchy texture we all know and love, mozzarella curds must be at a pH of about 5.2. Traditionally, the acidity was created by letting the curds ferment overnight or longer. However the proper pH can be achieved Edible DIY editor Lorelei Kellogg more quickly and reliably with the addition of f you own a dairy animal, you will eventually citric acid. be obligated to make cheese. There is noth- You will need the following things in order to make a ing quite like opening the refrigerator and be- batch of mozzarella: ing faced with over four gallons of milk and the knowledge that there will be more tomorrow, - 1 gallon non-UHT milk of your choice and the day after, and the day after that. This is - ¼ t. liquid rennet followed quickly by the realization that there is - 1 ½ t. citric acid no way you can possibly drink all this milk, as - Accurate milk thermometer evidenced by the four gallons currently in the - Cheesecloth and colander fridge. Then the panic sets in, combined with - A large pot a growing annoyance. You can’t just waste this - A clean sink milk! You worked for it! Yes, you could make yo- - Salt gurt. But really, who has four gallons of yogurt in - Boiling water their fridge? Then it dawns on you. You can make - 2 clean bowls cheese! (What would it be like to have 4 gal- - Ice for chilling lons—or would it be 4 cups—of cheese? Think of the cost of cheese these days, especially if it’s For mozzarella recipes please visit: organic.) www.ediblesantafe.com

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Like all cheese-making, mozzarella requires precision. As with baking, it’s hard to improvise until you really know what you are doing because it all depends on chemistry. The hardest part about cheese-making is bringing the milk to temperature very slowly. The easiest way to do this accurately is to place the milk in a pot and then place the pot in a water bath. Overheating the milk, scalding or heating it too quickly can cause problems, primarily that the curd will not form in the desired manner. To begin, mix ¼ teaspoon rennet with ¼ c cold water. Set this aside. In a separate measuring cup, combine and dissolve 1 ½ teaspoon citric acid in ¼ cup cold water. Combine the citric acid mixture and your milk in a large pot. Do not worry if the milk curdles a bit at this point. Stir once to combine then place the pot in your sink. Fill your sink with hot water, and place the milk thermometer in the pot. Stir the milk until it reaches 90 degrees. This can take several minutes and you may need to add more hot water to your water bath as you go. Once you have reached 90 degrees, the milk must be held at this temperature so adjust your water bath accordingly. You are now ready to add the rennet mixture. Pour it slowly into the milk, stirring from the bottom of the pot to the top in order to mix the rennet thoroughly. Let this sit for about three minutes. While you are waiting, place a pot of water on the stove over medium high heat and bring it to a simmer. I like to start out with about five cups. (This hot water will be used later in order to stretch the mozzarella.) Mozzarella curds are elastic but they have to be hot in order to be stretched without breaking. When the three minutes are up, check on your curd. You should have a relatively soft curd forming, but it should be firm enough so that if you slip your hand between the pot and the curd, it will pull away without breaking. If it does not do www.ediblesantafe.com

this, wait another minute or two. If the curd has pulled away on its own, this is also okay. When a curd has formed youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to go to the next step. If the curd has not formed, check your temperature. Sometimes raising the milk temperature up to as high as one hundred degrees helps set the curd. Now, it is time to cut the curds. This requires a fairly long knife and you must cut the curd three ways. Imagine the cheese pot is a compass. Cut the curd into one inch strips from north to south. Then cut one inch strips crosswise, from west to east. For the third cut, you will want to take your knife and cut across each square you just made at a thirty-degree angle. This should result in one-inch cubes all through the pot. Using a ladle, or a very clean hand, transfer your curd into a prepared colander lined with cheesecloth (be sure to retain all the wheyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;later, you can use it to make ricotta). If you can, set the colander back into the pot in the sink with the remaining whey in order to keep your cheese warm. I also like to add salt to the mixture at this point. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll work the salt, into the cheese when you stretch it, adding more flavor to the finished product. How much salt you use is up to you, but generally cheese takes more than you think. Now, you will use the hot water you set aside. Get a clean bowl and a second bowl filled with ice water. Break off a small section of the curd and place it in the clean bowl. Being very careful not to burn yourself, pour a portion of the simmering water over the curd. Using two wooden spoons, begin pulling the curds, transferring them from one spoon to the other. When the curds are cool enough to touch, you can stretch the curds with your hands. Basically, you want to pull and fold the curds until they get too cool to do so without breaking. Dip the curd in the hot water again if necessary, being careful not to burn yourself. Continue the hot water process until the curds look glossy. To keep the curds pliable, you may have to continue to add hot water to the bowl. When the desired gloss is achieved, mold the cheese into balls and quickly place them in the ice water. The chilly temperature will firm your mozzarella balls and keep them from losing shape. Continue until you have worked all the curd. Mozzarella is best eaten fresh, however if you want to store your cheese, place it in a container and cover with cold water. Add a teaspoon of the whey and some salt to the water. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days. To make ricotta from the remaining whey, you will need fine cheesecloth and a clean colander. Heat the remaining whey on the stove to o190 degrees. The whey will start to foam and if there is room in the pot, it may actually double in volume at this temperature. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes, then strain slowly through the fine cheesecloth. You must use fine cheesecloth or you will not be able to catch the ricotta. The remaining protein molecules are simply too small for standard cheese cloth and they will drain right through. Store the ricotta in the refrigerator for up to five days. A note on resources: Citric acid can be found in the supplement aisle at most natural food stores. Rennet can be purchased at La Montanita Co-op locations as well as the Santa Fe Homebrew Supply, or it can be ordered online.

Mozzarella 101: 1) Keep an eye on the temperature 2) Cutting the curds. 3) Stretching 4) Fresh mozzarella ready for cool bath.

native edibles

squash blossom sister Story, recipe and photography by Lois ellen frank

any traditional Native Americans hold that people, plants and animals are all interconnected in an unbroken circle of being. Both domesticated and wild plants are revered. Corn, beans and squash have long been grown together as they provide an important lesson in environmental cooperation. Corn draws nitrogen from the soil, while beans replenish it. The tall corn stalks provide climbing poles for the bean tendrils. And the broad leaves of squash grow low to the ground, shading the soil, keeping it moist and deterring weeds. Called the Three Sisters originally by the Iroquois, these three plants grow together perfectly in mounds, where water is abundant. Here in the Southwest, we can use waffle-style gardens to collect and distribute summer’s rains that will nourish the crops. In Iroquois creation stories, these mutually-beneficial plants are described as Sisters emerging from the first garden to help and support each other. Squash (Cucurbita spp.), though considered a vegetable in cooking, is a fruit, botanically-speaking. Squash is often grouped into summer and winter squash depending on whether you harvest the immature fruit (summer) or mature fruit (winter). Species include Cucurbita maxima (hubbard squash, buttercup squash and some varieties of large pumpkins), Cucurbita Mixta (Cushaw squash), Cucurbita moschata (butternut squash), and Cucurbita pepo (most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, and zucchini). Squash blossoms are eaten in many of the Pueblos along the Rio Grande and to some, they are considered a delicacy. Each blossoming squash plant has

both male and female edible flowers; both are present on a single plant. The male flowers come in the pollen-bearing form and the females come in the ovary-bearing form, however the male are the blossoms that are harvested to eat in most traditions. The sole purpose of the male is to pollinate the females, so leave several male blossoms in your squash patch. The female blossoms can be pollinated by the bees and will produce fruit come harvest time. The male blossoms are also larger than the females and better able to hold their form when used in cooking, they are perfect for stuffing. The female blossoms are not traditionally harvested, thus allowing the fruit - the squash - to mature. Male squash blossoms can be used in a multitude of ways and are a delicious seasonal specialty available only during the summer months. In New Mexico, we can find squash blossoms beginning as early as July, throughout August and part of September at local farmers’ markets. I harvest what I can from my own garden, but I also buy them by the dozen at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market when they are in season. Squash blossoms are my favorite seasonal food. I try to savor and enjoy them during their short summer visit and have prepared them for family, friends and many of my cooking classes. If picked early in the morning before the flowers open up to the sun, squash blossoms can be fried, blanched or stuffed adding a special dimension to your meals. In Spanish, squash blossoms are called flor de calabasas meaning “flower of the squash” and they are widely used throughout Mexico.

Corn, beans and squash have long been grown together as they provide an important lesson in environmental cooperation. edible Santa fe

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Fried Squash Blossoms 1 green New Mexican chile ½ C. water 1 egg, beaten 1 C. all-purpose flour ½ C heavy cream 1 T. unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ t. salt ¼ t. white pepper 4 ounces soft local farmers’ market goat cheese 30 squash blossoms, preferably male 2 cups vegetable oil for frying To make the batter, mix together in a bowl the water, egg, flour and cream. Set aside and let stand for 1 hour. The blossoms will fry better if the batter has time to set. Using an open-flame method, roast the green chile, then peel, seed and dice it. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and sauté the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add the tomatoes, chile, salt and pepper. Stir and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the goat cheese and the sautéed vegetables. The vegetables will still be warm and this will help soften the goat cheese. Place the mixture in a pastry bag with a large round tip (you want a tip big enough that won’t get clogged with the filling) for insertion into the squash blossoms. Remove the stamens from the center of the male squash blossoms, the stamens are edible but bitter. Fill each blossom with about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cheese and vegetable mixture, then pull together the tip of the blossom and twist it to seal in the filling. Hold the blossom by the twisted tip and gently dip it into the batter, covering the entire blossom with batter. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or fryer until it is very hot but not smoking. If the oil is not hot enough, the blossoms will not cook properly and will be very oily by the time they are finished cooking. Gently drop each blossom into the oil. Fry approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side, turning them once until the blossoms are golden brown. Remove the blossoms with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with your favorite sauce or salsa.

Lois Ellen Frank is a Santa Fe, New Mexico based Native American Chef, Native American foods historian, culinary anthropologist, author and photographer. She is a featured instructor focusing on Native American Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and is chef/owner, along with Native Chef Walter Whitewater of the Diné Nation, of Red Mesa Cuisine.

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know your farmer

Rose Trujillo, Hard Times and Generosity by Deborah Madison • photography by sergio salvador

ose Trujillo is plucky, smart and not afraid of work. She’s a farmer, a cook and a potter—one of her micaceous pots is in the Smithsonian Museum of the Indian Arts—and she’s a mean mimic. For four decades, Santa Feans have eaten her tamales, cooked her posole and savored her chicos. We’ve visited with her daughter, Gloria and Gloria’s two girls, Rogie and Christinia, at the farmers market. Her presence has long touched the lives of many. Rose was born in Penasco in l935 in the depths of the Depression. Her parents, Apolonio and Agrepinita, had names one seldom hears. She was named Rogie, pronounced “rohe” with a rolling “r”. Later, she changed her name to make it easier for others to say, but Gloria rescued it and gave it to

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her first daughter, who rather likes that no one can pronounce it. Rose’s father, Apolonio, was a farmer. “Everyone was!” says Rose. “There were no jobs around. It was very, very hard times. There was no money, no food on the table. At school they had hot lunch for the people who could afford it. Some of my friends, if they had five cents to go eat, they would bring us some bread and cheese. Otherwise there was nothing.” Rose makes it clear that any idea of these being the “good old days” is utterly ridiculous. “People nowadays say that long time ago was so-o-o nice, but to me they were not nice. It was rough. I’d go to school and wouldn’t have clothes to wear but one dress, one pair of shoes. All summer long, www.ediblesantafe.com

all winter long, I helped my folks by bringing in the wood, bringing water from the river, making the fire in the morning, making breakfast for my brothers, getting them ready to go to school. And cleaning the floors. They were wooden floors. We didn’t have these kinds of floors,” she says pointing to the linoleum in her kitchen. “We cleaned the floors with rags. We didn’t know what a mop was!”

Micaceous pot (opposite); Rose with her daugther Gloria (center), and granddaughters Christinia and Rogie (above); Senorita Trujillo’s famous salsa (below);

A single kerosene lamp lit their home and all the chores had to be done before dark, including peeling potatoes for supper and washing her one dress with soap made from pig fat and lye. “Oooh, it stank!” she says, winkling her nose and making a face. “Our clothes, they stank!” Rose left Penasco for Santa Fe when she was fifteen. It was hard for her to leave her family, but she could send them money from jobs waitressing, caring for children, and washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant, but never doing floors. She’d work two jobs in the day, and another at night, “Just like now,” she laughs, referring to her day job farming, helping Gloria after work, then making tamales in the evening. Rose met Amadeo Trujillo when she was seventeen, at the movies. “Spanish movies were shown at the theater and we went every week. We didn’t get married for three years. He was too young, and so was I.” When they did marry, they moved to Amadeo’s family home on the Nambe Pueblo. “My in-laws lived in half of this house, and we lived in the other half. They were farmers and used horses to do their work,” Rose says. “They didn’t have any tractors at that time, but slowly we bought a tractor and then we got a machine to cut hay.” Among the photographs and mementos in

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Rose’s kitchen is one of Rose and Amadeo standing in front of the last tractor they bought. It is so enormous that next to it, they look like children. Another shows Amadeo’s parents standing next to two horse-drawn wagons piled high with hay. The wagons dwarf them, just the way that tractor dwarfed Rose and Amadeo. Rose and Amadeo began selling their produce at the Los Alamos Farmers’ Market in l968. They sent their three children to college with the money they earned from the farmers market. Both had dreamed of having a permanent home for the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market, and now that has come to pass. Rose is elated that people come there to learn where their food is grown. With Gloria and Amadeo Junior having returned to the family’s farming life along with Gloria’s children, there are now three generations working the Trujillo’s market booth in Santa Fe. Before the farmers market began, the Trujillos traded their food. “With the pueblos it’s always been a trading deal,” Rose explains. “Those days were different from now. Now, if you don’t get that penny down you can’t take your groceries. They stand there while you dig out that penny or two cents. At the farmers market, if people don’t have fifteen cents, we say ‘Heck, you know, next time if you have a chance, come back.’ Some people do, some people edible Santa fe

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don’t. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to get Rose, her late husband Amadeo and their tractor; rich on fifteen cents, or poor, either. Nah!” We talk about the hundred pots Rose has waiting to be polished when she has time, about her life-long desire to learn things, her ability with computers and more. But floating through her conversation are notions about how to treat people, about kindness and respect. When Rose has customers at the market who seem sad, she takes time to talk with them, asking about their grandchildren or remarking on a pretty blouse. “You want to make people feel good at all times, you know,” she says. “And you don’t tell them your worries. They don’t care what you’re worrying about. We think about others because we were brought up that way. Our ancestors did that for us. They taught us first you respect others. By respecting others you respect yourself.”

a selection of spices from the farm.

Going back once more to the poverty of Rose’s childhood and the bitterness she expressed about it, how hard it was, I wonder if there isn’t something good she recalls. She responds to my question with a long silence, then answers slowly. “Being poor, it was hard. But we were together. Families nowadays, they are rich but they’re not together. They don’t have each other. I would like just one day to go back and be with my family. I know it’s impossible, but in my dreams sometimes I would go back to where my mother and father and my grandparents were and do the beautiful things we used to do. Grandpa used to grow a lot of wheat and we used to go cut it and put it to dry and get some goats to crush that wheat. Then we would sleep in the straw in the night and wait for the wind to come so my mother and my grandparents would blow that wheat clean. My grandma would have me help wash the wheat in the ditch, then we’d dry it and take it to grind. I mean, that was nice. It was a poor life but it was a good life too.”

On feast days, Rose and Gloria cook the foods they have grown and invite people to their house. They also invite school children to their farm so that they can see where food comes from, something they’ve been doing long before it was popular to do so. They may not have the usual measures of wealth, but they have enough and they Deborah Madison is the author of eleven books, including Local Flavors, What We Eat When We Eat Alone, and are generous, especially with food. Seasonal Fruit Desserts. A former chef and astry chef, she

lives near Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Look for the logo. Ask the staff what’s local. Tell them YOU support local food! For more information and a current list of participants: santafealliance.com/farmtorestaurant

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Delicious meats and seafoods can be paired with each salad, creating innovative combinations such as Grilled Caesar with Seared Diver Scallops or Apple Cheddar Chop with Grilled Pork Tenderloin. Savory soups, grilled sandwiches, a dozen wines by the glass, and housemade desserts supplement the salad bistro menu. 709 Don Cubero Alley Santa Fe, NM 87505 505.820.9205 www.vinaigretteonline.com

A Northern Star Morning Star Farm in Arroyo Seco

by Lisa Waterman Gray • Photography by Sergio Salvador

solar eclipse occurs on June 1 this year. “Eclipses don’t have good influences on growth,” says Marisol Gallegos, caretaker at Morning Star Farm in Arroyo Seco. “They’re generally not a good time for planting at all.” Marisol Gallegos and her husband Keith are reaping an in-depth education at Morning Star, a two-acre enterprise located north of Taos, in their first season as full-time farmers. It wasn’t the first time the couple had consulted a calendar when crafting their planting schedule. On April 25 and 26, they anticipated planting 4,000 leeks, beets, parsnips, turnips and rutabagas based on a biodynamic calendar. But Mother Nature had other plans, showering the area with snow, rain and hail on those days. “What I’m really getting, is that you can have these great calendars but nature is really in charge,” Marisol says. Marisol met the farm’s owner, Melinda Bateman, while working at a Taosbased Waldorf school. A native of Ecuador who attended high school and college in Kansas, Marisol worked at the school as a Spanish teacher where

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Marisol and Keith at the farm this spring; Opposite: sprouting tomatoes, Keith harvesting lettuce, chicken from the coop

Melinda taught handwork. Melinda asked if Marisol would like to work on her farm that summer. That was in 2001 and Marisol wanted to learn more about biodynamic farming. Ten years later, Marisol and Keith are testing their farm management skills, while Melinda takes on an off-farm sabbatical. Biodynamic farming predates organic farming and puts practitioners in touch with how planting and harvesting are part of a larger farm ecology and a cosmology based on an astronomical calendar. “We take into account the soil and what’s all around the plants,” Marisol explains. “We also work closely with the cycles of the moon. It’s almost a spiritual way

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Rather than artificial chemicals, biodynamic farmers nourish crops with manure and compost, practice regular crop rotations and plant cover crops... Adopting a positive attitude while tending the land is also considered important.

of farming.â&#x20AC;? Farmers try to create self-regulating, diverse ecosystems in order to encourage healthy land development. Rather than artificial chemicals, biodynamic farmers nourish crops with manure and compost, practice regular crop rotations and plant cover crops. Fermented biodynamic herbal and mineral preparations stimulate plant growth, improve compostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nutrient content and cause unmistakable changes in soil structure. Adopting a positive attitude while tending the land is also considered important. It seems to work at Morning Star, which grows an astonishing array of vegetables and herbs, especially given the altitude and growing season around Taos. This is true abundance, when the rest of us are clearing out raised beds and watching seedlings appear in their trays. Unheated greenhouses shelter spring crops that await transplantation into prepared beds. These crops often include salad mix and Oriental greens such as arugula, mizzuna, and senposai which love this climate and grow well where it is cooler. As a CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture, Morning Star is a community enterprise, in which growers and consumers share the bounty and risks of the farm. Shareholders select what produce they want each week, and pick food up from one of two locations. Buying a share helps to promote local agriculture by sustaining a farm business throughout the year, rather than intermittently at the market. Several years ago, I met owner Melinda at her farm. It was a cool September morning and immediately, I felt at peace amid plump carnival acorn squashes, magenta-hued beets and garlic bulbs the size of fists. Enormous kale leaves and plump carrots awaited harvest. Lush soil and brilliant sunshine hosted bright green leeks, plump potatoes and sunny pumpkins. www.ediblesantafe.com

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“Seeing is believing and maybe eating is believing too. We have shareholders who say they feel so much better while they’re eating this food.”

“I love biodynamic farming because the farm is no longer just about the production schedule, marketing, budgets and soil management,” Melinda said. “It becomes this magical blending of your senses, trying to perceive subtle natural forces that are at work, and figuring out how to use them to strengthen the farm.” As the spring planting season begins, I meet this time with Marisol and Keith, who have been entrusted with the farm in Melinda’s absence. They are responsible for the farm, the CSA, a blog and continuous web site updates. “Marisol has a connection with the farm,” Melinda said. “And Keith is one of those special guys that can figure out how to do anything; hence my willingness to hand over the reins.” Keith is also an accomplished builder of straw bale homes. Marisol and Keith agree that biodynamics is a very natural way of growing food in which you consider the farm as a whole being. “Sometimes you have to think a little bit outside the box,” Keith says. “Seeing is believing and maybe eating is believing too. We have shareholders who say they feel so much better while they’re eating this food.” Carl Rosenberg and Romany Wood have been shareholders since 2001. “We’ve been friends and supporters, ever since,” Carl says. “We like the farm and we love the herbs. We like what Melinda—and now Marisol and Keith—are doing there, and we like supporting biodynamic farming.” “Melinda said she was pretty comfortable with us doing whatever we felt was the best way to run the farm,” Keith says. “We started looking at the edible Santa fe

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business plan and getting together the members’ list. Our current plan is to give back to Melinda around Thanksgiving, and we hope that she will be completely rejuvenated.” Morning Star CSA membership has already increased by 50 percent. Heirloom lettuce and pungent fennel, crisp cucumbers and meaty crimson tomatoes are just a few items available in Morning Star summer shares. Imagine picking up your food and then filling your car with aromatic basil, tarragon and other herbs, breathtaking seasonal flower bouquets, and eggs from free-range chickens that eat organic grains. “We think this is a really important thing for our community,” Marisol says. “This is something that Keith and I want to do for the rest of our lives; we want to go back to Ecuador and farm there.” Many traditional Ecuadoran farms also follow moon cycles, with a number of plantings occurring near the full moon. Much transplanting takes place when the moon is descending and going through the earth signs. Giving thanks and ‘offerings’ to the earth are important when spraying dynamic preparations in Ecuador, as well. Some plants used for biodynamic composting at Morning Star, such as chamomile, valerian and oak bark are also used as companion plants in Ecuador. Whether it is the moon that invests the energy bringing abundance to Marisol and Keith, their mentor Melinda, and the people who eat this bounty, or whether it is merely the sheer passion that these people have for the soil, this is a star worth following!

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New Mexico Wines Great Food Arts and Crafts Live Music Taste the fine wines and meet the vintners from around the state, all in the historic setting of El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a Spanish colonial ranch. Fun for the whole family! $13 Adult (includes souvenir wine glass) $5 Youth 13-20 (under 13 free) Just south of Santa Fe at 334 Los Pinos Rd. I-25 Exit 276; follow signs â&#x20AC;˘ 505-471-2261 santafewinefestival.com â&#x20AC;˘ No pets!

Presented in cooperation with New Mexico Wine Country. Additional support provided by Santa Fe Arts Commission, New Mexico Arts, New Mexico Tourism Department and Santa Fe County Lodgers Tax Advisory Board.

sergio salvador | photography

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Delicious Diversity: Heirloom Revolution Preserving the diverse and delicious foods of our past at the market and in the garden

by Bill Thorness • photography by Carole Topalian

lost our roots in agriculture. In the course of the 20th century, farming as an occupation went from 38 percent in 1900 to less than 1 percent today.

hen you sit down to dinner with your family, a dish may circulate that sparks discussion. Not about the food, but about the vessel: an antique platter passed down through generations, carefully stored and brought out on special occasions. It often comes with a story about where the original owner got it, or how it has traveled to be in your hands.

As our farm population dwindled, so did biological diversity. In a study of the U.S. Department of Agriculture listings of 75 vegetable and fruit species being grown on farms between 1903 and 1983, the number of varieties had shrunk by 93 percent. As farms got larger and seed sources were concentrated into fewer hands, heirloom varieties were replaced by industrially suited hybrids. Hybrids are created by cross-pollinating plants to uncover more desirable traits, such as size uniformity for shipping or a longer shelf-life for retailing. More recently, hybridization shifted from the field to the laboratory, a trend staunchly opposed on many fronts that has resulted in genetically modified varieties, many of which are now proprietary to their sellers.

What if the food on your table carried an equally distinctive heritage? In some cases, it does. Most of us are only a few generations removed from agrarian roots. Many of our ancestors came to America from abroad, carrying their valuable histories with them—including seeds of the very food that nourished their families, tucked under hat bands or sewn into the linings of coats.

Today we call these seeds heirlooms. You may have seen the term in seed catalogs, at farmers’ markets, in produce aisles or on restaurant menus, but As a result, the food of our ancestors is not widely available to us today. what does it truly mean? How does it reflect our food culture? Counteracting these trends are committed small farmers, seed-saving acHeirlooms are vegetables or fruits that come to us from another time, tivists and home gardeners determined to perpetuate and enjoy heirloom sprouted from seeds that have continued to adapt to each new climate, just varieties. as their human carriers did. “Heirlooms are true survivors,” wrote entrepreneur Kenny Ausubel, founder of Seeds of Change, a seed company aimed Many preservationists who value heirlooms are driven by the desire to at preserving old varieties. When immigrants introduced their heritage retain culturally significant foods. But perhaps the greatest driving factor seed varieties here in the New World, they added that lineage to our gene to grow heirlooms comes from people who are eager for the flavors, aropool as well as a particular history and character to America’s horticultural mas and uniqueness of the foods they remember from the past: the tangy sweetness of a vine-ripened heirloom tomato or delicate nuttiness of a landscape. unique potato.

Growing Our Heritage

The Cherokee Purple tomato holds just such allure. This wine-like, dusky A common definition for today’s heirloom seed is one that has been passed tomato that can be readily found in nurseries as seeds or seedlings was not down from generation to generation. This means that the seed is at least a too many years ago an unknown treasure. half-century old (many are much more ancient) and is being singled out for The seeds were received by tomato grower Craig LeHoullier of Raleigh, preservation because of some danger of extinction. N.C.—unnamed with just a description—by fellow Seed Savers Exchange Today, a vast majority of our vegetable heritage has been lost or discarded member J. D. Green of Tennessee in 1991. Green told the story of the seeds through a combination of neglect, commercial seed company consolida- being shared by neighbors, who said it had been in their family for 100 tion and changing lifestyles. As our country has developed, most of us have years, originally received from the Cherokee people.

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In the Garden Knowing, growing and eating heirlooms are helpful steps in their preservation, but there is a need to go deeper. “The real concern from our perspective,” says Matthew Dillon, a founder of the Organic Seed Alliance of Port Townsend, Washington, “is that the skills of working with seed are being lost even more than the seed themselves. The [work of] farmers and gardeners who created the diversity we have today is no longer being regenerated—selecting varieties, seeing anomalies you like and saving it.” You can be part of bucking that trend. To get started with your own heirloom garden, you need look no further than the plentiful, versatile bean. You will have no trouble finding heirloom beans, as the ease of saving and long shelf life have made them the stars of the heirloom world. New Englander John Withee was so enamored with beans that he grew a thousand heirloom varieties, which he willed upon his death to Seed Savers Exchange, the non-profit seed bank and heirloom advocacy organization based in Iowa.

Cultivated, named and introduced to the seed trade by LeHoullier, it is now a staple for tomato lovers for its sweet, rich flavor. The reddish purple globes have green streaks across their shoulders, with the purple and green bleeding into the firm, solid flesh. While many heirlooms come from the Mediterranean and the Near East, the Americas also hold centers of origin for entire genera of edible plants. Corn originated as maize in Mexico, where traditional farmers still allow its ancient ancestor teosinte to grow along the edges of the fields to breed hardiness into their many varieties. Beans, chiles and squash can be traced to the American Southwest and ancient Mesoamerica. Many heirloom seeds and plants made roundabout trips with seafaring explorers before they reached the American table. That was the path of the potato, which originates in the Andes of Peru. Potatoes were carried in ships from South America to Europe and eventually brought to the U.S. But one modest fingerling potato can trace its lineage directly up the West Coast of the Americas. Anna Cheeka’s Ozette is a thin-skinned tuber with yellow flesh that you would definitely notice in the potato bins: it is nearly covered in warts and knobby nodules. That might have kept it out of the supermarket, but it did not stop the Ozette Makah tribe on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula from keeping it in cultivation. The Makah were first given the familiar tuber by Spanish explorers in the late 1700s who had sailed up from South America with their rooty booty. The Makah people have cultivated it for generations, and it is now listed on the U.S. Ark of Taste roster, a catalog created by Slow Food detailing more than 200 foods that are culturally significant and in danger of extinction. The rare, regional foods listed in the Ark help us celebrate these unique and nearly forgotten flavors. Recently, Anna Cheeka’s Ozette is making its way, in fits and starts, into seed catalogs and farmers’ markets. With its provenance and a unique, squash-like flavor, the Ozette potato has earned a spot in the hearts of heirloom gardeners. edible Santa fe

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The Cherokee Trail of Tears, a small black bean, has a heartbreaking provenance. It was a staple carried by the Cherokee people when they were driven from their land in the Southeast to Oklahoma by the U.S. Army during the bitter winter of 1838. Four thousand Cherokees died on the path, forever known as the Trail of Tears. Greeks used fava beans as voting tokens. Native Americans string scarlet runner beans as jewelry. Names like Lazy Housewife, Dragon’s Tongue and Wren’s Egg speak to use, shape and color. Oregon Giant sports eight-inch, maroon-mottled pods. Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan told one writer that his favorite seed name comes from a bean he was given by Southwest Indians that translates roughly as “little bitty kittie titties.”

Active Preservation These flavors and stories of our vegetable heritage have inspired gardeners and eaters, and their zeal has led to many preservation efforts. By seeking out and growing heirlooms, we can keep them available for future generations. Seed Savers Exchange (SSE), which turned 30 last year, is supported by 13,000 members, many of whom list their own seeds for exchange in SSE’s thick, annual yearbook. Heirlooms have become a growing segment of seed sales for SSE and bioregional seed companies, like Oregon’s Territorial Seeds, that cater to home gardeners. With the popularity of farmers’ markets has come the direct-marketing opportunity for farmers to try out smaller crops of unique, old varieties, so today shoppers will see “Heirloom!” on many of their signs. Buying from these farmers, and engaging them on the topic of heirlooms, is another path to heirloom cultivation. When you sit down to your table with a dish of heirloom vegetables from your local farmer or your own garden, you will be nourished by a lot more than a healthy dose of vitamins; the bowl will overflow with history that is literally the stuff on which civilization was made.

Bill Thorness is the author of Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden. (Skipstone Press, 2009). Find Seed Saving Basics online at www.ediblesantafe.com

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farmer’s diary

My Secret Waltz with Weeds by Kristen Davenport • Photo by Sergio Salvador By mid-June, even our high-mountain farm in Taos County—way up at 8,100 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains—is in full swing. The garlic is two feet tall; the potatoes have all poked their dirty noses out of the soil. Lettuces are small and sweet. The peas are sending tendrils up their trellis. And the whole field is carpeted in a shimmer of pinkish green—a lovely carpet of pigweed. Any farmer who isn’t Roundup Ready will tell you that weeds are one of their biggest issues. New Mexico’s high and dry climate means we can (sometimes) escape some of the plant world’s worst bugs. But we have a wonderful variety of pernicious weeds. Here at Boxcar Farm, we have a particularly severe problem with weeds at least in part because I, one of the two primary keepers of the fields, have a guilty and quiet fondness for them. While other farmers spend hours with their hoes, put black weed mat everywhere, cultivate between rows and generally declare war on the weeds, I sneakily head out to the fields to admire the little green shoots of annual buckwheat sprouting near the beans. Last summer, I actually got a bad case of weed envy—my farmer friend Ric Gaudet had some gorgeous little red morning glories growing all over his pepper patch. I liked the flowers as much as the peppers (well, almost). So, despite my best efforts to play by the rules and get rid of the weeds, I never seem to make much progress. Pigweed, for instance, is a marvelously impressive little plant. When it germinates, it sends out little plant poisons into the soil to prevent other weeds from sprouting. Who can resist a plant with such intelligence? Plus, a mature pigweed is downright delicious before it flowers—like asparagus. Only easier to grow. Pigweed’s close cousin, lambs quarters, is another problem in the field. But it makes a great spinach substitute, and frankly, the spinach didn’t germinate very well because we didn’t get all the pigweed out of that bed. It’s so delicious that you have to leave a little for next year. Purslane? This sweetly lemony little succulent is better than any salad green I know. I never pull out purslane. Last year, one of our most difficult weeds kept hiding its basal rosette from our hoes. I discovered that it is actually shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), a weed that is commonly used as a medicinal plant by herbalists as an agent to slow or stop bleeding. When some herbalist friends heard I had shepherd’s purse in my field, they begged me to leave some so they could come harvest at its proper stage (which is, of course, after it’s basically gone to seed). Dutifully, I left the shepherd’s purse alone, but the carrots didn’t seem to mind.

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Over the years, as we’ve moved our fields and our farm around, we’ve faced different weeds. Some of my favorites are the early spring weeds, like the wild mustards that are probably partly crossed with my kale crops, and which are incredibly tasty. I’m a huge fan of dandelion and cringe with pain to hear of urban lawn-keepers attempting to get rid of this delightful and tasty piece of sunshine. But I don’t just save the edible weeds. I like the pretty ones too, like the wild sunflowers that sprout up along the roadside and whose seeds accidentally found their way into our lower field (oops). Then there’s that gorgeous grass. I don’t know what it is, but it’s an annual grass that forms really big clumps. They are easy enough to pull out, but when they make their delicate seed heads, they are so pretty and turn the field into a fairyland, so I like to leave some there. You know, just a little bit. Last year, though, it took over the parsnips and I had to finally take it out. Some of our weeds were introduced by us, like the field peas and the buckwheat we planted as cover crop that keep coming back because I never seem to pull out all of them, leaving just enough that it will come up again next year in unexpected places. After all, the bees love the buckwheat and the kids love to eat the pea shoots, which taste just like snap peas. (And remember that row of peas I planted over in the purslane patch? It’s not doing so well.) Of course, there are some exceptions. I really do hate Canada thistle from the depths of my being, and I’m really happy the bindweed has limited itself to the edge of our driveway so far. I could do without that wild tomatillo, which sort of stinks. But it hardly seems appropriate for a market farmer to allow this weed insanity to continue. The little lettuce heads need some room to breathe. Just as a journalist, say, has to weed out the falsehoods from the truth, it’s our duty as farmers to get rid of all this pigweed for the sake of the squash. So this summer, we’re really planning to get out our hoes and go to work. We are dedicating the whole month of June this year to weed patrol. We’ve invited as many friends and strangers as are willing to come spend some time on our war against weeds. Volunteers welcome. Just don’t touch the purslane.

Kristen Davenport and her husband, Avrum Katz, are the owners of Boxcar Farm. They can be found most Saturdays from July on at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. Their website is at www.boxcarfarm.com. 2626

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food craft

chillin’ at the taos cow by Sharon J. Leach • photography by Sergio Salvador

hen the thermostat threatens to top out, it’s time to scream! Not just for relief from the ongoing drought, but for the sweet summertime relief of old-fashioned locally crafted ice cream. But beware, only the very tastiest of artisanal ice creams warrants raising your voice.

Josie Leeson in front of (opposite); a creamy scoop of mint chip (left) owner Jamie Leeson (right);

the refreshing absence of these additives. The taste is rich, luxurious, but not overly sugary. “We put in less sugar than most commercial ice creams, and we use only brown cane sugar, no corn syrup or refined white sugar,” Jamie explains. Add-ins include chocolate chunks, from white to dark to milk, cookies, cherries and of course, sheer devotion to the craft.

Northern New Mexico is the fortunate home to one of the nation’s few truly natural and super premium ice creams, made locally from regional ingredients. The Taos Cow was started in 1993 by Jamie Leeson and Todd Fortune. Leeson took a detour from his track as a would-be lawyer cum skier and found his appointed destiny as a restaurateur and ice-cream artisan.

Jamie brings a mobile scoop stand to events like the Taos Solar Music Festival and Taos Cow is served in Santa Fe at the Museum Hill Cafe, but it’s best enjoyed fresh from the source, located in the art colony village of Arroyo Seco. Maybe it’s the towering cottonwoods or the sound of the rippling acequia behind the restaurant, or maybe it’s the local ingredients that Jamie uses when he can, like New Mexico-grown pecans and pistachios, and lavender from Los Poblanos in Albuquerque, but Taos Cow ice cream never fails to please.

“I came to Taos to ski for one season,” Jamie recalls of his arrival 20 years ago from New England. He stayed on to start a family and a roadside attraction on the way to Taos Ski Valley, as well as a legacy in taste. The Cow—as the lunch spot with the cozy ice cream stand is affectionately called by locals—is a Taos fixture. Jamie still has the first ice-cream batch freezer he bought when he started. Nothing unnatural gets added to the recipe Jamie uses. “We have one of the few non-rGBH ice creams you’ll find,” says Jamie, referring to his source, the Rasband Dairy in Albuquerque. This sweet treat is free of hormones and artificial additives.

Regulars also frequent the Taos Cow for the amazing breakfasts, incomparable homemade pot pies or to linger over coffee with friends. The restaurant purchases a local farm share from Morning Star Farm and serves Fair Trade and organic coffee. They use compostable plates, containers and cups. But the ice cream is what brings people back again and again. Visitors may be drawn to New Mexico flavors like Cherry Ristra and Pinon Caramel. I’m true to Blueberry, but my 8 year-old loves Mint Chocolate Chip. “My favorite right now is the Sweet Cream,” Jamie boasts, a little shy and proud at the same time. “You make it without anything added, not even vanilla. It gives you a genuine sense of what ice cream is all about.”

Commercial ice creams, whether from a chain or in the freezer section at the market, often put in chemical stabilizers to maintain a shelf life. Surprisingly, many a mom-and-pop roadside ice-cream joint buys a mix product for making what is often called homemade ice cream. Those mixes are created to homogenize the fat, sugar and water.

But nobody who’s tasted this kind of fresh, pure ice cream could fail to notice www.ediblesantafe.com

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permaculture

Relationship S kills Learning the Benefits of Guilds Story by Nate Downey, photo illustration BY Christie Green

n easy way to see the difference between agriculture and permaculture is to understand permaculture’s concept of a fruit-tree guild. In conventional and traditional farming, fruit trees are grown in mowed fields. Such orchards make the trees relatively easy to maintain and simple to harvest. This can be critical when trying to get a product to market.

Members of guilds mutually benefit one another and improve the health and overall productivity of the system as a whole.

But in a backyard permaculture setting, an apple tree or any fruit tree can be nurtured to grow in a way that mimics the diversity and productivity of a forest. Permaculturists call this a guild. Like the worker associations of the Middle Ages, and like components in natural plant communities, members of guilds mutually benefit one another and improve the health and overall productivity of the system as a whole.

Legumes. Planted to fix nitrogen in the soil. They convert nitrogen to a form available for other plants, including the tree. It doesn’t matter if the nitrogen comes from the roots of a pea, bean or a leguminous shrub, like Siberian pea shrub.

The relationships among the members of an apple-tree guild become more important than the individuals. Guild members perform more than one function, increasing the overall productivity dramatically. Most are edible, yielding more than apples from your apple-tree guild. With unpredictable frosts that can blight our blossoming fruit trees here in New Mexico, another benefit of an apple-tree guild is temperature control. As a group, the guild plants slightly increase the ambient air temperature near those fragile, cold-susceptible blossoms. This understory, as forest gardeners and permaculturalists call it, can act like an insulating blanket. The blanket prevents cool air from getting stuck under the tree canopy, while it emanates heat from its living, water-filled mass. Although no level of understory plantings will fend off a serious cold snap, a little bit of plant-based insulation can mean the survival of an entire crop when temperatures briefly dip below freezing. Since many of the components of guilds provide nutrients or natural pesticides, one of the most important benefits of a guild is that it can thrive without the use of nasty chemicals. This keeps our rivers, soil, and food healthier for generations to come. edible Santa fe

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Members of a Fruit-Tree Guild

Flowers. In addition to the tree’s own blossoms, nearby flowers attract pollinators throughout the year, giving the apples a boost when their blossoms arrive. You can plant flowering bulbs, strawberries or golden currants to encourage spring pollinators, but helping out your local honey bees with pesticide-free food all season long can be critically important. Living mulches. You can add broadleaf plants like rhubarb, horseradish and comfrey to shelter and protect the surface of the soil, retain moisture in the soil and keep weeds down. These mulch-making plants will usually outcompete any water-hungry grasses and forbs. Aromatics. Plant your apple-tree guild with dill, fennel, carrot, celery, parsley or one of the other umbelliferae—a family of aromatic plants with hollow stems. These will provide a fragrance to attract beneficial carnivorous insects. Pumps. Many of the above components are also deep-rooted crops that will lift up water and minerals from far below the surface of the topsoil. This simultaneously frees up space for the roots of the apple tree itself. Downey is a frequent guest on public radio, a perennial presenter at green events, a blogger and the author of two books on water and sustainability. Nate’s newest book, Harvest the Rain, is available this fall from Sunstone Press. Nate and his wife Melissa are the owners of the landscape-design firm, Santa Fe Permaculture. Read Nate’s blog: backyarddigest.blogspot.com www.ediblesantafe.com

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brewhaus

Summer Blondes By Brad Kraus • photo by carole topalian

ith summer weather arriving, our thoughts may turn to crisper, lighter and more refreshing beverages, especially beer. People gravitate toward pale-colored, light-bodied beers in the warm seasons. Lager beers, pilsners, blonde ales, summer ales and Kölsch all fill the bill. But the one that really shines is wheat beer. Sad news perhaps for the glutenchallenged, but great drinking for the rest of us. Almost extinct by the middle of the 19th Century, weissbier or weizen is a German-style wheat beer. A Bavarian brewing tradition, it was very popular in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Brewer Georg Schneider is credited with saving the style from obscurity. His process was to carbonate the beer using a second fermentation, while leaving the yeast in the bottle (as in Méthode Champenoise). This was the creation of Hefeweizen, or wheat beer with yeast. As were most beers in early brewing history, there are ales. They became a traditional summer beer after the appearance of lagers, because Hefeweizen could still be brewed in the warmer summer months. Traditionally, a Hefe has these have at least 50 percent wheat malt in the grist, but as much as 70 percent in some examples. Now, this type of wheat beer is available year-round, but a Hefeweizen retains its summer appeal. A distinct fruity aspect combined with a phenolic impression created by the yeast is best described as banana and clove. This is balanced by the bready wheat character and malty sweetness. The result is that they have a well-rounded, flavorful palate with a relatively dry finish. This makes them a truly versatile beer that can go with most anything on your summer menus. As for garnishing a true wheat beer: the question of lemon or no lemon would be quickly answered in Bavaria with a resounding NO! This was a contrivance and really should not be part of the presentation. From the centuries-old German tradition, we cross the Atlantic to the only decades-old craft beer movement in the United States. A fairly new style, but a very popular one is American wheat beer. Despite their roots in the German style, the American wheats are as different as can be. American style has more hop and less yeast character than the German style. Also, these beers usually incorporate less wheat malt. Fermented with typical American ale yeasts, they can be fruity, but without the banana or clove flavor and aroma. Medium light to medium in hop bitterness and aroma, as well as body, these beers often have a very crisp finish. They come in filtered and non-filtered versions, and make an excellent refreshing choice for your next barbecue. The latest and greatest in popularity comes from Belgium. Belgian-style Witbier is a 400 year-old beer style that was headed toward obscurity, until the late Pierre Celis revived it at Hoegaarden in the 1960s. Distinctive spices and herbs separate this beer from crowd, most notably Curaçao or bitter orange peel and coriander. Most brewers use a proprietary blend of

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spices, though some rely on the spiciness of their yeast to lend a distinct flavor and aroma profile. Named for its telltale whitish haze, Witbier, Witte, Biere Blanche or white beer gets its namesake color from the use of raw wheat and sometimes oats in addition to suspended yeast. The raw wheat can make up about 50 percent of the total grist, the rest being pilsner malt and sometimes a small percentage of oats. They offer a pleasant sweetness, a zesty, citrusy-orange fruitiness. The white beers are refreshingly crisp with a dry, often tart, finish. This make them the perfect accompaniment to salads, shellfish, crustaceans and white fish. And you can skip the lemon—and the orange—on this one too! Traditional Wit also is not served with sliced citrus garnish. This is dedicated to my dear, late friend Pierre Celis, a famed brewer from Belgium, who passed on April 9, 2011. I learned so much from this always cheerful man who had a passion for his craft.

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liquid assets

Bold New Places Cocktails and Summer Sensations by kate Gerwin • photo by carole topalian

ommeliers following the trends are stocking restaurants all over the U.S. with unique and obscure wine varietals. Gone are uncomplicated days when the job consisted of which Chardonnays or Cabernets to choose. There are over 24,000 names for grapes, from approximately 10,000 actual grape varieties, of which around 150 are imported to the U.S. for wine consumption. With so many choices, it becomes difficult to face the price of exploring new territory. When your brave new selection doesn’t live up to expectations, instead of tossing the wine into your next cooking project, try spicing it up. Make sangria—also called sangrita. This wine cocktail combines spice and wine and is also aptly dubbed “fix the flaw.”

Ideas for your own sangria: • Is the wine too bitter and acidic? Add sweetening agents like a fresh fruit juice, agave, honey, maple syrup or add any flavor to your own infused syrup (1:1 sugar with boiled water). You can kick it up a notch by adding a sweet liqueur, like St. Germain Elderflower or TRU Organic Jasmine! • No complexity in the wine? Muddle in herbs or spices like sage or cardamom. • Flat and flabby? A shot of tequila or cognac and a bitter will do the trick (try The Bitter End, a Santa Fe local). • Hot and astringent? A little fruit juice and soda water will lighten up your cocktail and the wine will add a new complexity not commonly found at your local watering hole. Not only is experimenting entertaining, but you won’t feel bitter when the purchase doesn’t live up to expectations.

Going Blonde for Summer Aromatic whites are the way to play this summer and there is no better place to start your exploration than with an Albarino from Spain, particularly the Riax Biaxas. With worthy flavors of white pears, peaches, and flowers balancing with acidity and minerality, the chances that you will have to repurpose your wine and break out your bartending tools are quite slim. The popularity of Torrontés is on the rise, and, with winemakers like Susana Balbo creating wines reminiscent of Viognier (one of France’s Rhone Valley’s prestigious whites.), it’s no wonder this star grape from Argentina is stealing some of the spotlight from Malbec. While perusing through Italian selections, sample an Arneis. This elegant full-bodied white is a Chardonnay enthusiast’s treasure. Vermentino, Vinho Verde, Cortese, Malvasia, Trebianno—the possibilities are infinite.

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The extreme dry heat of the desert can make reds a bit more difficult, possibly rendering you less willing to experiment. But a dry Lambrusco, even slightly chilled, can be the perfect answer to a red wine aficionado’s mid-day picnic dilemma.When it comes to fun summertime reds, northern Italy wins my vote. From the Veneto region comes Valpolicella and Bardolino. From Piedmonte hails Barbera, Grignolino and Freisa. These wines are light enough for summertime quaffing, as long as you stay away from the expensive barrel-aged ones.For a little more spice and complexity, reach for Cabernet Franc. Coming from cooler regions like France’s Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc can awe even the most discerning palates without leaving them dry and parched. So, get out your corkscrew and Riedels glass and explore some new wines, and if it doesn’t work out, just dig out that old shaker tin and have some fun! Kate Gerwin is a Certified Sommelier from the International Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators, and one of the few women in the country to hold the Expert Diplôme es Vins de Bordeaux. www.ediblesantafe.com

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

Annapurna Annapurna is a woman-owned vegetarian restaurant serving healing cuisine in Albuquerque since 2001 and Santa Fe since 2005. This Premier organic establishment focuses on a madefrom-scratch menu that is Ayurvedic (a healing system from India), vegan and gluten-free, including its own vegan and gluten-free bakery. 2201 Silver Ave SE, 505.262.2424 and 7520 4th St NW, Los Ranchos de Abq, 505.254.2424. chaishoppe.com Artichoke Café Celebrating its 20th year in business, the Artichoke Cafe offers casual fine dining, a Wine Spectator Award Winning Wine List and Artisan Cocktails in the full-service bar. Private rooms are available for special occasions and meetings. Off-premise catering. Onpremise parking with attendant on duty. 424 Central Ave SE, 505.243.0200 artichokecafe.com Casa Vieja Located in the heart of Corrales, this gem of a restaurant continues to win accolades for the food, ambiance, service and wine. Housed in a 300 year old adobe building, Casa Vieja specializes in sustainably farmed, local, slow food. Dine outdoors on our patio and enjoy awardwinning cocktails, local beers and specialized wine flights. 4541 Corrales Rd, Corrales, 505.508.3244 Mon-Sat 11-9, Sun 10-9 casaviejanm.com Farina Pizzeria & Wine Bar An artisan pizzeria and wine bar with a classic Italian menu with a sophisticated twist. Great selection of affordable Italian wines, local Marble Brewery on draught, and delectable home-made desserts in a rennovated historic building. Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Albuquerque The Magazine. 510 Central Ave SE, 505.243.0130 farinapizzeria.com PRIME Gourmet sandwiches and delicatessen, fine wines by the bottle, beers and spirits, specialty cheeses and full-service butchery featuring prime cuts of beef and lamb. 6855 4th St NW, Los Ranchos, 505.890.9150, Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat-Sun 9-3 cutofprime.com www.ediblesantafe.com

Savoy Bar and Grill Savoy is a casual fine dining, locallyowned restaurant in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. Savoy has a full bar, extensive wine list, serves steaks, oysters, and fresh fish. We have a beautiful patio and lounge, featuring specials and a great happy hour daily. 10601 Montgomery Blvd Lunch: M-F 11-3, Dinner daily at 5. 505.294.9463 savoyabq.com Seasons Rotisserie & Grill Great food and wine with a seasonal flair. Enjoy our wood-fired steaks and seafood while sipping a glass of wine from our award winning wine list. Or, relax on our rooftop patio and enjoy our happy hour with a great view of Old Town, Albuquerque. Lunch: M-F 11:30-2:30, Dinner daily at 5. 2031 Mountain Rd., NW. 505.766.5100 seasonsabq.com The Grove Café & Market An artisan café serving breakfast, lunch and brunch. The Grove features local organic produce and products and always uses the highest quality seasonal ingredients available. Enjoy fine coffee, tea, wine and brunch cocktails and peruse our market for culinary gifts and favorite foodie items. Sunday brunch is a true taste of this bustling café scene. 600 Central Ave, SE 505.248.9800 Tues-Sat 7-4, Sun 8-3, Closed Mon thegrovecafemarket.com Vernon’s Hidden Valley Steakhouse & Jazz Club Voted Best Steakhouse by Albuquerque The Magazine & Top 50 Most Romantic Restaurants in the Nation by OpenTable.com! Do you have your password? 6855 4th St. NW, Suite A, Los Ranchos, 505.341.0831. thehiddensteakhouse.com Zinc Wine Bar and Bistro A three-level bistro in the heart of Nob Hill, Zinc features contemporary cuisine with a French flair. The intimate cellar bar serves a lighter menu with live music three nights a week. Serving lunch and dinner daily, weekend brunch, fabulous cocktails and tasty bar bites! 3009 Central Avenue, NE. 505.254.9462 Lunch T-F 11-2:30, Dinner daily at 5, Weekend brunch 11-2:30. zincabq.com (continued next page)

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Eat Local Guide

A Local Favorite For Over 27 Years

your guide for best dining in NM SANTA FE

Experience Chef Gharrity’s Modern, Sustainable Cuisine Infused with Fresh, Local and Seasonal Ingredients.

Like us on Facebook for weekly specials. 125 E. Palace, Santa Fe, NM (505) 988-9232 | lacasasena.com

lunch • dinner Local Recipes, Locally weekend breakfast • full bar Grown, Tasty Prices!

505-983-7401 DeVargas Center 193 Paseo de Peralta Santa Fe www.atriscocafe.com

award winning cocktails award winning food

award winning wines 505.508.3244 4541 Corrales Road

www.casaviejanm.com

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Aztec Street Cafe A Santa Fe Tradition for over 20 years— located in the heart of the Guadalupe Arts District, between the Capitol Building and The Santa Fe Farmers Market. House made pastries, organic coffee, smoothies, local fare, patio dining, house-made ice cream, soups, sandwiches, New Mexico specialties. 317 Aztec St, 505.820.0025 Breakfast and Lunch; Dinner coming SOON. Family Friendly - Open 7am daily. aztecstreetcafe.com Café Pasqual’s In 1999 we received the James Beard America’s Regional Cooking Classics Award for a “timeless, grassroots restaurant that serves memorable food and is strongly embedded in the fabric of the community.” For thirty years we have been serving emphatically flavored cuisine inspired by the culinary traditions of New Mexico, Old Mexico and Asia. We are dedicated to using fresh, seasonal, organic and naturally raised foods. 121 Don Gaspar, 505.983.9340 or 800.722.7672, Open Daily for lunch from 8-3, Sunday Brunch 8-3, Dinner nightly from 5:30pm.

(At the table with good friends you do not grow old.)

Open Nightly from 5 AndiamoOnline.com 505.995.9595 · 322 Garfield

Andiamo We prepare the finest, local and seasonal ingredients a la minute with the utmost care and respect. Eating sustains more than the body, dining at Andiamo inspires conversation and evokes memories. We see Andiamo as a collective experience for people who love food, our staff is genuinely happy to work with our customers. At the end of the day, we want our guests to feel better for having eaten here. Across the street from the Railyard. 322 Garfield, 505.995.9595. Nightly 5:15 www.andiamoonline.com Annapurna Re-opened at our new location in Santa Fe! This premier organic establishment focuses on a made-from-scratch menu that is Ayurvedic (a healing system from India), vegan and gluten-free, including its own vegan and gluten-free bakery. M-Sat 7am-8pm, Sun 10am-8pm 1620 St. Michaels Dr, next to Cinema Café. 505.988.9688. chaishoppe.com Atrisco Cafe & Bar A friendly, neighborhood New Mexican restaurant. Simple recipes, fresh ingredients, and friendly service. We cater to the tastes of Santa Feans who love authentic New Mexican chile, but also offer a small but carefully crafted selection of American dishes. We purchase New Mexico grown ingredients including grass-fed ground beef, lamb, red and green chile, honey, and vegetables when in season. DeVargas Center, 193 Paseo de Peralta, 505.983.7401, 11am to 9pm daily, breakfast weekends only, 8am-1pm atriscocafe.com

NEIGHBORHOOD TRATTORIA

Il Piatto Italian Farmhouse Kitchen Located One Block North of the Historic Santa Fe Plaza. Nationally acclaimed bustling trattoria featuring farm fresh, local produce, wine bar, private wine room, patio dining , Enoteca. House-made everything - award winning Chef. 95 west Marcy St, 505.984.1091 Lunch Mon–Sat, Dinner 7 nights, Enoteca 2-5 Mon-Sat ilpiattosantafe.com La Boca An intimate 50 seat restaurant in the heart of downtown Santa Fe that feels like a lively European tapas/wine bar. Exploring widely within the narrow focus of Spanish food, Spanish chef James Campbell Caruso creates small dishes and authentic tapas. 72 W. Marcy St. 505.982-3433 labocasf.com La Casa sena A local favorite for over 27 years! Chef Gharrity features modern, sustainable cuisine, infused with Southwestern influences and fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. We also feature an awardwinning wine list. Located in the historic Sena plaza. 125 E. Palace Ave 505.988.5232. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11-3, Sun Brunch: 11-3, Dinner 5:30-10 nightly. www.lacasasena.com Museum Hill Café Museum Hill Café, a beautiful setting situated between two world class museums serves lunch daily. An eclectic menu, Asian Shrimp Tacos, Traditional Reuben, Roast Beef on Grilled Sourdough, Curried Lentil Salad, Cobb Salad, Wine & Beer, lots of free parking. 710 Camino Lejo. 505.984.8900. museumhill.org/dine Real Food Nation The Supper Club is an intimate “farm fine dining” restaurant featuring a Mediterranean inspired menu, seasonal, organic produce, sustainably raised meats and sustainably sourced seafood.Our 1 acre on-site garden supplies seasonal ingredients for our menus. We support the Farm to Restaurant Delivers program & SF Farmer’s Market. Beer and wine available. Wed–Sat, 5:30 - 9:pm Reservations recommended. 505.466.2440 The Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering full breakfast, sandwiches, salads, vegetarian, vegan and meat dinner entrees. All breads and pastry are made in house. 628 Old Las Vegas Hwy, exit 290 off I-25.Café hours are Tues – Fri 7:30 to 7:30, Sat-Sun 8 to 3; 505.466.4073 www.realfoodnation.biz Second Street Brewery at the Railyard Enjoy Santa Fe’s best locally brewed beer in a comfy public house environment beloved by locals. Patio dining and live music. Pub favorites and a variety of salads, appetizers, and daily special featuring local produce, meat and cheeses. Wine served. 1607 Paseo De Peralta @ North www.ediblesantafe.com

end of Farmers Market building. 505.989.3278. (Check out the original Brewery and Restaurant at 1814 Second Street - M-Sat 11am to close). Sun open @ noon. secondstreetbrewery.com Station House Café Serving the best coffee and espresso drinks in Santa Fe located in the historic Gross Kelly Warehouse track side at the Santa Fe Depot in the Railyard. Pastries, groumet sandwiches and all natural Taos Cow ice cream. Look for the red umbrellas! 530 S. Guadalupe in the Railyard. 505.988.2740. stationcoffeeandtea.com Vinaigrette A bright and lively bistro and wine bar in an historic adobe near downtown Santa Fe. Specializes in creative, gourmet entrée salads that highlight local and organic ingredients, including produce from the owner’s farm! 709 Don Cubero Alley, 505.820.9205 M – S 11am – 9pm, Closed Sun vinaigretteonline.com taos

Doc Martin’s, Taos Inn Doc Martin’s Restaurant is a true Taos tradition, an acclaimed dining estab-

lishment located in a registered historic landmark. Executive Chef Zippy White specializes in fresh local food with a splash of the southwest, sourcing from regional farms and gardens. With over 400 wine selections, our world class wine list has earned Wine Spectator’s “Best Of” Award of Excellence for twenty one consecutive years. 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos. 575.758.2233 Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday. taosinn.com

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baked fresh daily from scratch with love

The Gorge Bar and Grill Located on the historic Taos Plaza, The Gorge Bar & Grill is a fun and casual restaurant, perfect for a delicious meal or cocktails and appetizers to top off the day. Here at the Gorge, we are providing a clean, fresh and modern sense of casual dining without sacrificing quality of service and the quality of our food and drinks. The menu is straightforward and yet eclectic, chock full of favorites with the special twist of The Gorge. Every dish on the menu is made from scratch using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible. 103 East Taos Plaza Taos, NM 575.758.8866 thegorgebarandgrill.com

Taos. More than a day trip!

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Edible Communities readers across the country rely on Edible Eat Local Guides to find the restaurants and chefs that are committed to celebrating and bringing diners the very best in local food and drink. For more information on how you can be listed in Edible’s Eat Local Guide in print and online, please email Jill@ediblesantafe.com.

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edible events

June and July

June

Farm Camp: every tuesday (8 weeks) 9am - 3pm 3011 Barcelona, just north of the Rio Bravo/Isleta intersection Engage youth in all aspects of sustainable agriculture through hands on learning, including milking a goat, making cheese, planting, weeding, mulching and harvesting; canning and preserving food, compost, pollinators, and more! $30 per session (pre-registration discount). Contact Amanda or April: 505-242-4570 or email them: amandarichabq@gmail.com

Chef Knockout, Round 4 Noon - 5pm East Convention Center, ABQ Albuquerque’s finest restaurants battle it out in the kitchen with four 30-minute challenges. The event will also include a cocktail challenge with local bartenders, a PB&J contest for the kids. Over 40 restaurants will be offering samples. Tickets start at $20, $50 for ringside seats. 505-480-6082. albuquerquecc.com

June

5 & 12 Santa Fe Botanical Garden presents Garden Tours 1pm - 4pm 1213 Mercantile, Suite A, Santa Fe Picnic Luncheon on June 5. Tickets through the Lensic. 505-988-1234 santafebotanicalgarden.org

June

11 - 12

Sustainable Seafood Festival 6pm - 9pm Albuquerque Aquarium and Botanical Garden Co-sponsored by the Seattle Fish Company of New Mexico, the festival will feature live music, show a film and host a lecture from a seafood expert. cabq.gov/biopark/aquarium

Albuquerque Coop Tour 10am - 2pm An annual tour of Albuquerque area chickens, gardens and more! Started in 2008, the Albuquerque Coop Tour is a great way to get ideas, gain inspiration, meet neighbors and see backyard farming in the Albuquerque area! Contact Jennifer at 505-508-0131, scouty_d@yahoo.com or find it on facebook. albuquerquecooptour.com

June

11 Albuquerque Mountain Rescue Fundraiser 3 - 11pm Marble Brewery, 111 Marble Ave. Albuquerque Mountain Rescue is partnering with Marble Brewery and other local businesses to raise funds to purchase needed equipment and supplies for our all-volunteer technical rescue team. abqmountainrescue.org

July

2-3 Santa Fe Wine Festival Noon - 6pm daily El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, La Cienega The festival includes varietals from several different New Mexico wineries, live entertainment, food, traditional agricultural products and arts and crafts. $13 adult admission includes festival wine glass, $5 for ages 13-20. santafewinefestival.com

June

11 - 12

18-19

The GreenBuilt Tour A two-day self-guided tour of sustainable homes in the greater Albuquerque area, Santa Fe, Embudo, Silver City and other locations. The tour is structured to give the public a sense of what are sustainable elements in construction and how they can be accomplished. usgbcnm.org

8th Annual Fine Art and Wine Festival Brandenburg Park, Red River Visit the awe-inspiring town of Red River for its Fine Art & Wine Festival Father’s Day weekend. The event will showcase a wide range of works from sculptures, photography and pottery. New Mexico wineries will be offering wine tasting and seminars to please the palate while the arts please the eyes. redrivernm.com

July

16 Permaculture Farm Community Day All Day Pojoaque, NM Reservations required, $10 donation. Contact Arina at 505-455-0514 or arina@permaculture.org.

July

Fall Gardens and Season Extensions Workshop 10am by Bernalillo County Open Space Backyard Farming Series at the Gutierrez-Hubbell House, ABQ. Must RSVP in advance. bernco.gov/openspace

First Annual 2011 Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour 9am - 1pm Visit five gardens and discuss the features with the homeowners. Early Bird Ticket prices are $30. For information call, 505-473-1403 homegrownnewmexico@gmail.com

August

4-7

18-19

Honoring the Past, Preparing for the Future - 2011 Native Plant Conference and annual meeting 9:30am - 2pm Center for Lifelong Education on the campus of the Institute of American Indian Arts, The College of Contemporary Native Arts. Contact Tom Antonio at 505-6905105 or tom@thomasantonio.org newmexico.org

Field to Fork Dining series Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center 9:30am - 2pm Featuring delightful menus created by Executive Chef Jonathan Perno using fresh local produce and seasonally inspired flavors. This event will be prix-fixe at $65.00â&#x20AC;&#x201D;pay at door. Contact Molly Ater at molly@lospoblanos.com or 505-344-9297, ext 33. lospoblanos.com

August

18-20 Hot Chili Days, Cool Mountain Nights Saturday cook-off at 9am - 4pm Bradenburg Park, Red River, NM. Includes the New Mexico State University Green Chile Championship, Lone Star BBQ Society cookoff, live music and other cook-off categories. Music venues will be located throughout the town and along the Red River. 1-877-754-1708 info@redriver.org

August

September

3-5

Traditional Food Preservation: By Fermentation, Vinegars, Drying and Oils 10am Gutierrez-Hubbell House Part of the Bernalillo County Backyard Farming Series held at the Hubbell House. FREE (pre-regsitraton required) bernco.gov/openspace

Harvest Wine Festival Noon - 6pm Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, Las Cruces Sample and take home some of the best New Mexico wineries have to offer. The festival includes live music, a showcase of local artwork and lots of food. Admission $15, includes a souvenir wine glass and tasting. Call 575-522-1232. wineharvestfestival.com

Your Event send info about your event to us for consideration in our

Calendar of edible events!

Fall

sarah@ediblesantafe.com

www.ediblesantafe.com

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Summer 2011

edible ed

Lurdes Ortiz, photo by Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Sow What? Youth action in the food community Story BY Sarah Wentzel-Fisher • photos by Lurdes G. Ortiz

n a windy spring afternoon, I enter a modular classroom on the South Valley Academy campus to meet a high school student. Lurdes G. Ortiz is enrolled in Richard Brandt’s electives class and taking part in the Youth Food Action Project, a youth-educating-youth initiative. The project grew out of Dragon Farm, a plot covering two-thirds of an acre and tended by Academy students. Students from four other Albuquerque area schools learn along with and from Academy students about the benefits of eating organic, non-GMO foods, knowing where your food comes from and cultivating it yourself. Eventually, students from the mentored schools will till their own plots to begin food production. Lurdes, a 17 year-old junior, has taken on the task of being the voice of the project, and is photo-documenting student activity at the farm while blogging her experiences and observations. Lurdes worked at the Dragon Farm stand this past summer in the Albuquerque Downtown Growers Market. This is her first year in the field. When I ask Lurdes about being a farmer, she tells me she loves planting the seeds and seeing the sprouts, but isn’t so in love with pulling weeds. For her, the take-away from the course isn’t the time she spends growing veggies, it’s the relationships she builds in her community through dialog about healthy food. edible Santa fe

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Summer 2011

Lurdes’ fellow classmates spend a large portion of time learning about how to become more savvy food consumers, reading labels, asking questions and letting the taste of food speak for itself. Lurdes is struck by the delicious difference between fresh organic tomatoes compared to the average grocery store variety. She enjoys pointing this out to friends and family. Talking about these differences and about food in general is a way for this student to teach others about knowing and enjoying good food. In addition to growing veggies, Lurdes says she is part of a movement of young people advocating for food that is better for people and the environment. Her experiences selling at the market and working with peers through the Project have given her new confidence to talk about where our food comes from and why it matters. She hopes her blog, photography and writing will raise awareness about growing and eating local, nonGMO and pesticide-free foods and that her work can provide a space for others to get involved.

Learn more about the Dragon Farm and the Youth Food Action Project online: youthfoodactionproject.blogspot.com

www.ediblesantafe.com

road food

A PLACE TO STAY A PLACE TO GROW EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP Early Learning & Preschool Centers, & Afterschool Enrichment Programs

NOW ENROLLING FOR THE FALL!

YMCA OF CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

Several locations throughout Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, & Santa Fe

ymcacnm.org