lf_july2012_Web_Issue SM

JULY 2012

! ! é l O A Taste of Life in New Mexico

- High Notes from the Opera - Duke City’s Music Man - Tanti Luce Debuts in Santa Fe - Summer Whites

Santa Fe | Albuquerque | Taos

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Santa Fe’s Only Bloody Mary Patio Bar 12-3pm Every Sunday

DISCOVER

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“Lavender Illumination” by Jacqlyn Johns

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Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15, 2012

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inside:

The Buzz

ON OUR COVER:

by Eve Tolpa | 08

Get in on all the latest news from Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Taos.

Everybody reads the buzz…

Photo: Kitty Leaken

Maria Benitez Next Generation

High Notes from the Opera

by Dolores McElroy | 14

Maestro Frédéric Chaslin, Parisian-born and -bred—and a notorious foodie— reveals his favorite haunts for haute cuisine in Santa Fe.

Amp it Up!

by Lisa Alvarado | 18

Meet concert promoter Neal Copperman, the man who is determined to bring the world of music to Albuquerque’s doorstep. His passion for the very best of folk, acoustic, Americana and international music is as strong as his belief that music creates community.

Tanti Luce 221

by Greg O’Byrne | 23

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A Santa Fe landmark reopens with a new owner, a new look and a decidedly new vibe. Each reincarnation (from the Periscope to Julian’s to Amavi) has been wonderfully successful—and this may be the best one yet!

Quirky Heart of ‘Burque

by Kelly Koepke | 28

Celebrate Summerfest in Nob Hill, the undisputed heart (and stomach) of Albuquerque.

Spanish Market on Stage

by Gail Snyder | 30

From the haunting ballads sung a century ago in our state’s tiny villages to the Spanish and Mexican traditions of flamenco and mariachi—not to mention the sounds of pop, rock and rhythm-and-blues—Spanish Market covers it all.

¡Olé!

Photo: Gabriella Marks

by Dené Shelton | 33

Maria Benitez continues to have a profound influence on the world of flamenco in New Mexico. On the cover are five of her young protégés— Flamenco’s Next Generation.

There’s a Chef in My Kitchen

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by James Selby | 36

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Zippy Whites for Summer

Here’s what happens when you bid on a celebrity chef at a charity auction— and win! Fast-forward from the auction to the big night itself with localflavor bringing you all the yummy details.

by Greg O’Byrne | 40

Three wine gurus from Albuquerque—Kevin Roessler, Sam McFall and Julian Martinez—tell us what they’re pouring and pairing in their restaurants this summer.

The Taos Hum

by Tania Casselle | 42

Photo: Lenny Foster

When it comes to colorful characters, Taos takes the prize. Meet this month’s duo—Cherie Burns and Frederick Aragón—definitely two people who keep this town humming.

Still Hungry? Still Thirsty?

by Erin Brooks | 44

Each year the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival hosts one of the most glamorous events of the summer: The Chef ’s Gala. Writer Erin Brooks talked with three of the participating chefs and coaxed them into sharing not only their first course recipes but their wine-pairing notes as well.

(Layout backgrounds by Sirius and Jaded Reality)

JULY

2012 ~ Publishers

Patty & Peter Karlovitz Editor Patty Karlovitz Publisher’s Assistant Melyssa Holik Art Director Jasmine Quinsier Cover photo: Gabriella Marks Advertising: Mary Brophy 505.231.3181. Leslie Davis Albuquerque 505.933.1345. Christoper Romero 505.670.1331. Prepress: Scott Edwards Ad Design: Alex Hanna Distribution: Southwest Circulation LocalFlavor 223 North Guadalupe #442, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Tel: 505.988.7560 Fax: 988.9663 E-mail: localflavor @earthlink.net Website: www.localflavormagazine.com localflavor welcomes new writers. Send writing samples to localflavor@earthlink.net

localflavor is published 11 times a year: Feb, March, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan. Subscriptions $24 per year. Mail check to above address. © Edible Adventure Co.‘96. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used without the permission of Edible Adventure Co. localflavor accepts advertisements from advertisers believed to be reputable, but can’t guarantee it. All editorial information is gathered from sources understood to be reliable, but printed without responsibility for erroneous, incorrect, or omitted information.

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Accent on Vision East Dr. Renee Fuemmeler

New Summer Styles Now Available 7121 Prospect Place, NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 293-3515

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by Chef Owner Steven Lemon

Wood oven pizza every Thursday 2–7pm at Arroyo Vino wine shop

Only 15 minutes north of Santa Fe: 86 Cities of Gold Rd. off of 84/285

Taste the New Southwest Inspired by Northern New Mexico and infused with local and organically sourced ingredients, Chef Charles Dale’s new menu blends a sense of balance, place and comfort to create a new twist on Contemporary American Cuisine.

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Photo: Jane Freese

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letter

at the ‘flavor—and perhaps that’s why we have such an affinity for this, our annual Performing Arts issue.

On the cover this month are the five young women who are at the core of an extraordinary troupe called Flamenco’s Next Generation. The group has been hand-picked and trained by the venerable Maria Benitez for their skills, their dedication and, most importantly, the depth of their understanding of and passion for flamenco. Here, they share their own very compelling and very personal stories, which will inspire other young dancers while giving anyone who loves dance new insight into the heart of flamenco.

Of course, an issue on the performing arts would not be complete without a visit to the Santa Fe Opera. Taking us on our tour this year is the consummate insider, official opera blogger Dolores McElroy, who lives and breathes opera all year round. Her delightful interview with Maestro Frédéric Chaslin gives us a look at the opera stars looking at us. Where are the maestro’s favorite restaurants, his favorite hang-outs? And just how are he and the other globe-trotting opera superstars touched by Santa Fe? Whether you’re an opera aficionado or just a lover of the City Different in general, you’re sure to find this article a wonderful read.

To enjoy the beat of contemporary music we head to Albuquerque, where things are always moving and shaking, thanks to the commitment of one dedicated guy, Neal Copperman. Neal is AMP Concerts, and that makes him the Music Man in these parts. We caught him backstage at his latest gig that brought Alison Krauss and Union Station to town. The concert was great, but it wasn’t the only reason that Neal won our hearts...

This is one story you won’t want to miss. Lots of other surprises in the issue: wine-pouring notes from renowned chefs, food-pairing notes from top sommeliers, a visit to Santa Fe’s hot new restaurant, Tanti Luce, and more, much more. For us, the curtain is falling on another fun issue, and we’re already rehearsing our lines for the next one!

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Photo: Gabriella Marks

The localflavor office has an unmistakable “backstage” feel this morning; it’s press day, and that means show time!

The staff is racing around pulling together all of the last-minute details for the big July issue. A costume change here (still not happy with that font), a line change there (breaking news that just had to be in The Buzz), finding a last minute stand-in for that quarterpage ad space that had to be filled … so many details, so little time. Quite a production we put on each month here

Introducing Executive Chef Brett Sparman

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505/243-0130 www.FarinaPizzeria.com 510 Central SE Albuquerque

Sparman served as the Executive Chef at the Foundation Room in Houston, worked alongside Chef Nobu Matsuhisa in Dallas and was the Executive Sous Chef at Nana’s Kitchen in Dallas.

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211 Old Santa Fe Trail 505-988-5531 | innatloretto.com

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LIVE

JOANNE SHENANDOAH August 3 7-8:30 PM

Join us for dinner or weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended.

at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

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Join Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Joanne Shenandoah for an intimate live performance at the beautiful Indian Pueblo Cultural Center! d

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“Shenandoah has become the most critically acclaimed Native American singer of her time” - Associated Press Joanne Shenandoah, Ph.D., is one of America’s most celebrated and critically acclaimed musicians. She is a Grammy Award winner, with over 40 music awards (including a record 13 Native American Music awards).

She has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world, from North and South America, South Africa, Europe, Australia and Korea, with praise for her work to promote universal peace.

Shenandoah has performed at prestigious events such as The White House, Carnegie Hall, 3 Presidential Inaugurations, Madison Square Garden, Crystal Bridges Museum, The NMAI Smithsonian, The Ordway Theater, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto Skydome, The Parliament of the Worlds Religions, (Africa, Spain and Australia) and Woodstock ‘94.

“Joanne Shenandoah is one of the finest tributes to Native American Music and Culture” – Neil Young

DOORS OPEN AT 6:45P | TICKETS $15/ PERSON PURCHASE AT THE INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER OR ONLINE AT indianpueblo.org/joanne 505-843-7270 2401 12th ST NW ALBUQUERQUE NM 87104

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Talin Whole Foods

contact Leslie Davis at 505.933.1345 or leslie@localflavomagazine.com

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ALBUQUERQUE La Provence and Gruet Winery are co-hosting an evening event featuring barrel tasting, an exclusive winery tour with Laurent Gruet and a fourcourse dinner prepared by Chef Claus Hjortkjaer. Visit one of New Mexico’s most renowned winemakers, and taste its new offerings (as well as your old favorites) on Tuesday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75, and guest count is limited to 40, so call for reservations soon. Gruet Winery is located at 8400 Pan American Freeway NE. www. gruetwinery.com. 505.254.7644.

Here’s a sweet deal: Lavender In The Village’s annual Lavender Festival, is happening from July 13 to 15, in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. They took a year off in 2011 but are now back with events at even more venues, among them the Los Ranchos Growers’ Market, Casa Rondeña Winery, and a smattering of Fourth Street merchants, including Kelly Jo Designs, which is getting into the spirit with a studio tour, sale, free children’s painting projects, and a giant array of lavenderthemed ceramics. The festival kicks off with a Benefit Dinner Dance and Auction on Friday, July 13, 6 to 10:30 p.m. at the Agri-Nature Center, 4920 Rio Grande Blvd. NW. Benefit tickets are $75 and provide access to all events, like lavender-picking, wine tasting and beer brewing, live entertainment and exhibitions. Even sweeter is the cost of general admission: $3 for adults and $2 for children, with kids under 10 getting in for free. www.lavenderinthevillage. com.

the buzz

by Eve Tolpa

Get ready for Will Power 3, 3 Vortex Theater’s third annual Shakespeare festival, which started June 5 and goes through August 5. They’ve got Twelfth Night (directed by Brian Hansen) being performed until July 15, and after that is The Winter’s Tale (directed by Paul Ford), which runs from July 19 to August 5. Both are playing Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with tickets $15 for general admission, $10 for students and $10 for everyone on Thursdays. In a similar vein is CHE-kspeare! presented

by Blackout Theatre Company, who improvise an entirely new Shakespearean play based on audience suggestions, so it’s a different show every time. What’s summer without a little mistaken identity, romance and intrigue? Tickets are $6 at the door, the Vortex Theatre, 2004 1/2 Central SE, 505.247.8600. www.vortexabq.org.

Speaking of theater, through July 15 you can catch Landmark Musicals’ rendition of 1776, Sherman Edwards’ very catchy musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. General show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There’s also a special holiday performance on July 4 at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $18, $20 and $22, with a $2 discount for seniors and students. It all goes down at UNM’s Rodey Theatre, Central and Stanford NE, 505.925.5858, www.landmarkmusicals.org. Trust me, you do not want to miss seeing John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin dance and sing.

Put on your pajamas, grab a blanket, strap the kids into their car seats and

|| Kelly Jo Designs 10

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Sky a head to Stories in the Night Sky, new series hosted by the Albuquerque Balloon Museum. It’s happening every other Wednesday night throughout the summer, from 6-8 p.m., in conjunction with the Albuquerque Concert Band, who plays live at each event. July 11 is Fractal Man Jonathan Wolf with musician Seth Hoffman; on July 25 they’ve got Stories with Laurie and live music by Susie Tallman and Friends; and the August 8 program features Stories and Albuquerque Poet Laureate, Hakim Bellamy. Admission is free, but if you’re bringing a group of ten or more it’s best to call ahead: 505.768-6020. 9201 Balloon Museum Drive Northeast, www.balloonmuseum. com.

New Mexico’s only LGBTQQ square dance club, the Wilde Bunch, is starting a new class, and the first one is scheduled for Monday, July 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. The group also offers a free open house the first Monday of every month, from 7 to 9 p.m. All classes are held at the Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4909-15 Hawkins NE. For more info, call 505.410.6299 or visit www.wildebunch.org. Can I get a yeehaw?

Conveniently dovetailing with Route 66 Summerfest, Nob Hill’s Stone Mountain Bead Gallery is holding their third annual Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday, July 21, from 1 to 9 p.m., at 4008 Central Ave. SE. Explore thirty or so booths featuring handcrafted jewelry, beadwork, sculpture, wind chimes, and more—all created by the gallery’s customers. 505. 260.1121 Thirteen women from the artists’ collective Luna Project respond to the bosque fire of 2011 in Begin Again, an exhibit opening on Saturday, July 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Open Space Visitor Center Gallery, 6500 Coors Blvd.

NW (between Montaño and Paseo del Norte). By incorporating charred material, plants and images from the burn site, their works address the cycle of destruction and rebirth. The show runs from through August 26 and is free to the public.

Editor’s note: Here’s a shocker. Chef Joseph Wrede has left the Palace. Have not been able to confirm much else (and probably would not share it in the column if I did), but I have a strong hunch that Wrede will stick around Santa Fe and be back in his own kitchen very soon. He’s a great talent and I think he genuinely likes Santa Fe. As for the Palace, David Bigby has put together a great operation there.

The place has just the right ambiance and feel—and sous chefs can more than hold their own in a time of transition.

You can trust that we’ll keep you posted!

Now, news from The Inn and Spa at Loretto: Brett Sparman has been named Executive Chef of Luminaria Restaurant and Patio.

Sparman’sprofessional history includes stints at some of Texas’ most illustrious restaurants, including Foundation Room in Houston, Nana Kitchen (lauded by Gourmet Magazine as one of the Top 50 Restaurants in North America) and Rosewood Hotel Crescent Court, both in Dallas. Very cool indeed. You can check out the new chef ’s culinary creations at 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505.984.7915. www. innatloretto.com.

|| Executive Chef Brett Sparman

The Eldorado recently appointed Evan Doughty as Chef de Cuisine of The Old House, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Doughty, a CIA graduate who was chef and co-owner of Feast in Florence, Oregon, and has also worked in locales throughout California, among them Santa Barbara and Napa Valley. Welcome him to Santa Fe by heading over to The Old House, at 309 W. San Francisco, for a sure-to-bedelicious summer meal. 505.995.4530, www.eldoradohotel.com.

Here’s yet another reason to be proud of our town: The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market accepts food stamps (SNAP/ EBT/WIC), which means that even more people than before can enjoy high-quality fresh produce. The market is open every Saturday and Tuesday, from 7 a.m. to noon, at the Farmers’

Market Pavilion, 1607 Paseo de Peralta.

And July 3 marks the beginning of this year’s Tuesday Evening Southside Farmers’ Market, which runs every Tuesday through September from 3 to 6 p.m. at 952 Richards Ave. (aka the Home Depot parking lot). www. santafefarmersmarket.com.

Since 1992, Kitchen Angels has delivered three free home-cooked meals a day to thousands of homebound patients. Now you can help them continue their mission by partaking of a diverse array of opportunities to get out and about in Northern New Mexico.

It’s called the Adventures a la carte initiative. Splendid Fare Saturday is slated for July 7, and from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., participants will be treated to a seven-course meal with readings from popular food writers. On July 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., Native American Masters is offering a tour of Allan Houser’s sculpture and a four-course meal by Lois Ellen Frank. Then join Chef Johnny Vee on Saturday, July 28, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., as he shares tips for preparing delicious food in Beginnings & Endings. Tickets range from $100 to $125 per person. Get them at www.kitchenangels.org or by calling 505.474.7780.

July 11 is National Rainier Cherry Day. Who knew? And, more importantly, what does it have to do with us here in New Mexico? Well, La Fonda’s La Plazuela is taking part in the Washington State Fruit Commission’s Tree to Table campaign, wherein one restaurant per state is given 40 pounds of Rainier cherries and challenged to create a menu item showcasing them.

This is the second year that La Plazuela Executive Chef Lane Warner has joined in the festivities; last year he concocted an ice cream that combined Mexican chocolate and piñon nuts with the obligatory cherries. Find out what Warner’s got up his sleeve this year by heading to La Plazuela, located at 100 East San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, 505.982.5511. www.lafondasantafe. com.

Photo: Lloyd Thrap

|| La Fonda’s La Plazuela

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s 2012 summer season begins July 13, and the organization is pulling out all the stops with a world premiere by Spanish choreographer Hubbard Street Dance’s Alejandro Cerrudo, Square None by Norbert De La Cruz and Cayetano Soto’s Kiss Me Goodnight. Check it out July 13, 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center. Plus, for one night only, the Hong Kong Ballet—in their first U.S. performance since 2004—will grace the stage on July 31 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from to $20 to $72 and can be bought by calling 505.988.1234, stopping by the Lensic box office (221 W. San Francisco St.), or visiting www. aspensantafeballet.com. And get this: Groups of ten or more can receive discounts of up to 40%. For details on that deal, call 505.983.5591.

Photo: Rosalie O’Connor

Spanish Colonial ranch and living history museum El Rancho de las Golondrinas is serving up New Mexico wines, live music, great food and arts and crafts for the Santa Fe Wine Festival. From noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8, you can sample a variety of wines—and meet the vintners who produce them— in a gorgeous historic setting. Ticket prices are $13 for adults (includes a souvenir wine glass), $5 for youth ages 13 to 21, and free for kids 13 and under. www.santafewinefestival.com.

505.471.2261.

Mosaic Dance Company/Pomegranate Studios, Moria West African Dance and Drum Ensemble, Belisama Irish Dance, Lunares Flamencas Flamenco Troupe, Grupo Coreografico Leyendas, the Saltanah Dancers, Dance Station, Julie Brette-Adams and Echo Gustafson. Best of all, it’s free!

|| Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

The annual midsummer Mono Mundo World Dance Festival is back for its 17th year. On Sunday, July 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Santa Fe Plaza Bandstand, Santa Fe Parks and Rec teams up with the New Mexico Dance Coalition to host performances reflecting diverse international dance traditions. Participants this year include

|| Dance Station at Mono Mundo

This year marks the Santa Fe Desert Chorale’s 30th anniversary, and in addition to the 15 performances of four different programs that will be presented in Santa Fe and Albuquerque from July 20 to August 18, Music Director Joshua Habermann is also presenting world premieres of four commissioned works, a one-off encore concert of audience favorites and a special evening of cabaret with Patricia Racette. From Bach to the Beatles kicks off the season on July 20 with an opening-night pre-performance dinner in La Fonda’s La Terraza.

Then there’s Dancing the Mystery, featuring works set to texts by Sufi poets like Jalaluddin Rumi and Hafiz Shirazi, as well as compositions inspired by Sufi writings. Celebrating the Centenary salutes 100 years of New Mexico’s statehood with world premieres of three new works, representing the state’s three principal ethnicities. Finally, there are two performances of Rachmaninoff ’s Vespers, regarded as the epitome of Russian liturgical music. For a full summer schedule and to purchase tickets, visit www.desertchorale.org or call 505.988.2282.

If you like your fine dining with a side of art, culture and conversation, then you’re not going to want to miss these two events. At the Artist’s Table pairs renowned Santa Fe artists with award-winning chefs, all of whom collaborate on menus specially designed to celebrate New Mexico’s local cultures. On July 24, santero Arthur López and La Boca owner/ chef James Campbell Caruso join forces to explore Spanish art and cuisine. Then on August 14 (yes, it’s next month, but tickets are limited A Taste of Life in New Mexico

to 30 per event, so book them now) join Tewa-Hopi artists Dan, Arlo and Michael Namingha, who, along with James Beard award–winning cookbook authors Bill and Cheryl Jamison, will be exploring Native American culture and food. Each event features conversations with and presentations by both the chefs and artists, and each guest will receive a small original work of art. It all happens at the Santa Fe School of Cooking at 6 p.m. Tickets are $250 per person, with proceeds benefitting Partners in Education. For more information and reservations, contact the Partners in Education Foundation on the web at www. sfpartnersineducation.org or by phone at 505.474.0240.

TAOS Classical guitarist Daniel Weston has three Taos performance coming up this month. On Saturday, July 14, from 8 to 9 a.m., The San Geronimo Lodge is hosting a breakfast concert; cost is $10 per person, and San Geronimo Lodge is located at 1101 Witt Rd. That same evening, from 6 to 9 p.m., he’ll be at Antonio’s Courtyard Restaurant, on 122 Dona Luz St., for A Night of Spain. (Bonus: Tapas and seafood paella and will be served during the performance!) Then on Sunday, July 15, Taos’ French-Latin fusion restaurant, Gutiz, serves up a virtuoso performance from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free for patrons on the patio. Gutiz Restaurant, 812B Paseo Del Pueblo Norte. Call 575.770.5094 for more information on any of the concerts.

USA Today called it one of the “Top 10 Writers Conferences in the U.S.” It’s the 14th annual Taos Summer Writers Conference, and it’s happening July 15 through 22, in—where else?—Taos.

Participants can get their creative juices flowing with workshops in fiction, poetry, nonfiction and screenwriting in this weeklong event sponsored by UNM’s English Department. On the conference’s opening night at 8 p.m., join keynote speaker Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of the nonfiction Moments of Being as well novels such as Black and White and Family History.

You’ll also be rubbing elbows with the likes of Ruth Ozeki and Antonya Nelson, who will be leading workshops and master classes. Learn all about the various courses and schedules online at www.unm.edu/~taosconf/ or by calling 505.277.5572.

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New Mexico Wines Live Music

Great Food

Arts and Crafts 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 and

living history museum!

Herb and Lavender Fair July 28-29, 2012 • 10am-4pm Enjoy a guided tour of the museum’s herb gardens Make your own lavender “wand” Buy lavender and herb products from local farms Learn about distilling lavender, aromatherapy and more Hear marimba and other wonderful live music And more! 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 • 505-471-2261

Admission: Adults $8; Seniors & Teens $5; 12 & Under FREE. Call 505.471.2261 or visit golondrinas.org for more information.

Just south of Santa Fe at 334 Los Pinos Rd. I-25, Exit 276, follow brown “Las Golondrinas” signs.

santafewinefestival.com • No pets please!

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

painting by Ellen Barbara Segner photograph by Fred Seibert

fresh from the farm!

Support provided by Santa Fe Arts Commission and 1% Lodgers’ Tax, New Mexico Humanities Council, New Mexico Arts and New Mexico Tourism Department

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Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Sunday Brunch

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505-471-3800 | joesdining.com 7:30 am – 9 pm | daily 2801 Rodeo Rd (where Rodeo meets Zia Rd)

clients A RTs m a r t / A RTf e a s t A s s i s t a n c e D o g s o f t h e We s t Cornerstones Th e E s s e n t i a l Gu i d e Inn & Spa at Loretto L o c a l Fl a v o r M us e u m o f N e w M e x i c o Fo u n d a t i o n New Mexico Municipal League S a n t a Fe We a v i n g Ga l l e r y Victoria Price Art & Design Wi l d E a r t h Gu a r d i a n s www. in visib le c ity d e s i g n s . c o m

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Celebrate a Melody of Flavors Spend an evening celebrating amazing performances with our 3-course, pre-fixe menu available only for patrons of the Santa Fe Opera and The Lensic. Santa Fe Opera patrons can take advantage of a complimentary shuttle to and from the show. Extend an unforgettable evening with the option to return and enjoy your dessert after the performance!

Santa Fe Opera and Lensic Patrons Enjoy: 3-course, Pre-Fixe Menu - $35* Shuttle to Santa Fe Opera Option to enjoy dessert after the show

Reservations recommended. Please call 505.995.4530.

Located at Eldorado Hotel & Spa 309 W. San Francisco Street EldoradoHotel.com *Surcharge applies to some items.

photos by Kathalina

Rodriguez & Morgan Smith . design by Paulo T. Photography

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Maestro

Frédéric Chaslin

story by DOLORES MCELROY

A

lthough he has been known to show up at parties in a rhinestone-studded cowboy shirt, cowboy hat and a pair of faux-leather shoes he got at Ross, you probably wouldn’t take The Santa Fe Opera’s Chief Conductor Frédéric Chaslin for a native Santa Fean. And you’d be right. Chaslin is a Parisian, born and bred. But he is also a deep appreciator of all things New Mexican— including the local cuisine.

Photos by Ken Howard

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“I love the local products here, the Farmers’ Market. With French cuisine, it’s all about the recipes, but with New Mexican—like Italian cuisine—it’s all about the raw products. I love the local heirloom tomatoes, the local mushrooms … and those little green chiles at Tesuque Village Market that they put in the scrambled eggs!” This is high praise from the maestro, who is a notorious foodie.

Since his first visit to New Mexico, in 2009, when he conducted the French diva Natalie Dessay in La Traviata at The Santa Fe Opera to great acclaim, Chaslin has been enamored of the place. And he is no stranger to beautiful places. Trained in Paris and Salzburg, Chaslin made his international debut in 1993 at the beautiful Bregenz Festival in Austria (famous for its floating “lake stage”). He served as music director of Rouen Opera and resident conductor at the Vienna Staatsoper, and currently he’s Music Director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. He’s led many of Europe’s most famous symphony orchestras, as well as conducted in the world’s major opera houses. (Fun Fact: Chaslin is also the composer of the cultishly famous “Diva Dance” from the 1997 sci-fi film The Fifth Element.

Who knew?!)

You get the picture: He’s a busy guy. And when he comes to The Santa Fe Opera in June to begin rehearsal as one of the nearly 600 additional employees who fill out the Company during the summer months (up from a year-round staff of 70), his schedule is hardly relaxing. A typical day for the conductor of two of the season’s five operas—this year it’s Puccini’s Tosca and Rossini’s Maometto II—involves shaking off the inevitable jet lag with a cup of coffee at 6 a.m., then sitting down to practice piano for a couple hours until rehearsals begin at 10 a.m. at “the Ranch,” as the Opera’s offices and grounds are called. Sometimes he rehearses with the cast, sometimes with the orchestra, sometimes with both. The schedule changes daily (and sometimes hourly). Rehearsals end at 5 p.m., but somewhere in the middle, everyone comes down to “the Cantina” (aka Dapples Pavilion) for lunch. And we mean everyone. Most of the Opera’s 653 employees—including apprentice technicians, carpenters, groundskeepers, diction coaches, apprentice singers, conductors, rehearsal pianists and straight-up divas—all congregate at the Cantina. For one thing, it’s the only place to get food on the Ranch. For another thing, it’s beautiful. Newly remodeled in 2008, the Cantina features a gathering of tables under a large tent near the Company pool (yes, there’s a pool…) and fosters the uniquely democratic culture of The Santa Fe Opera.

“What makes it unique is that you can find technicians, the General Director, even patrons all together,” says Chaslin. “And how often do you see General Directors [at other opera companies] in the cafeteria? Absolutely every level of the opera is together.”

Photo by Robert Reck Photo by Ken Howard

And though he claims to go home and play the piano every night until he collapses around 9 p.m., the maestro still manages to get out a bit. His favorite Santa Fe restaurants include Osteria D’Assisi, Coyote Café (“There’s a stew they make for 24 hours in a big pot. I love to sit at the bar and watch the cooks cooking in front of you—it looks like the flames of hell, but it’s magical to watch them”), the Compound (for the sweetbreads), and El Farol (for the flamenco). “And when I really want to have fun, I go to the Cowgirl.

The people are so fun. You can hear the local bands, and you can play billiards.”

And who knows? That next favorite restaurant could be Chaslin’s own. It is a dream of his to open a restaurant in Santa Fe. In fact, his eldest son, Alexandre (age 24), currently studies at the world-famous Institut Vatel in Paris for hospitality management. As Chaslin puts it, “He would be the manager, and I would be the inspirer!”

French–New Mex Fusion? Perhaps. Chaslin has already embraced a staple of New World cuisine: “I’ve adapted my favorite Florentine recipe for red meat to buffalo!”

The maestro learned to cook from his mother, who made traditional French dishes at home but appreciated when her son brought home fresh ingredients from his travels as a young musician.

It was just one such trip that taught Chaslin an important lesson about food.

While traveling in Italy, Chaslin was invited to perform at a church in a small village outside the town of Perugia by an eccentric priest who loved music. The priest offered no money but promised Chaslin the best meal of his life. As Chaslin and his companions sat down to eat a very simple meal prepared by the priest’s mother— indeed, the freshest and most perfect they’d ever tasted—the priest gestured out the window. “Everything you are eating you can see from here,” he said. “The sheep for the cheese, the olives for the oil, the wheat for the bread.”

“And that’s when I learned the secret,” says Chaslin. “The best products are simply super-local.” In a way, Chaslin’s appreciation of place echoes what he loves best about The Santa Fe Opera. “What makes the Company different is its history. The root of this opera company came from the dream of one man [founder John Crosby], which is very rare. Many companies are the dream of a group of people or a municipality. But everything that has been the dream of

Photos by Bob Godwin

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Maestro

one person has always been something extraordinary. And unlike many of those things, which are monuments or cathedrals, here is a living creature that breathes, that screams, that gives people a lot of energy. It’s been a source of life for many people.”

“And, of course, the fact that the space is open is very interesting, to feel the high desert surrounding you, sometimes hearing a coyote or a bird of prey. [Tosca director] Stephen Barlow said to me the other day, ‘I was not looking to update or transform Tosca,’ but we both agreed that there is a magic thing in Santa Fe. Everything we do here is transformed by the fact that we are playing in the desert. One hundred years ago there were probably only coyotes at this spot, and now—all this. So the contrast between the outside, and then walking into the opera house to listen to what was probably created in a European city, but then to hear it here, completely transforms the work. It gives us the freedom to look at the piece with fresh eyes, fresh heart, fresh soul. It feels renewed for me, just because it’s here.”

Ah, yes. Fusion, indeed.

To enjoy your own magical night at the Santa Fe Opera, go to santafeopera.org or call 505.986.5900.

“A LOVELY, CLASSY NOSTALGIC EVENING OF COMEDY AND SONG.” – B R O A D WAY W O R L D

HOT ON THE HEELS OF HER CABARET PERFORMANCE AT FEINSTEIN’S in New York City, Kaye Ballard stars with Liliane Montevecchi and Lee Roy Reams in an evening of song, dance and timeless comedy acts from the best of Broadway and New York cabaret.

Featuring a 10-piece orchestra conducted onstage by David Geist!

A B ENEFIT FO R LENSIC PRESENTS

July 20–21, 7:30 pm $25–$50 / Student Nights Photos by Bob Godwin

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505.988.1234 · www.TicketsSantaFe.org SERVICE CHARGES APPLY AT ALL POINTS OF PURCHASE

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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it up!

AMP

Neal Copperman

N

eal Copperman wants to tune you up. Not with brass knuckles or by crawling under the hood, but with music from all over the world. Copperman, the executive director of AMP Concerts, is a man with a vision. He wants as many people as possible in the Albuquerque area to sample an international palette of music genres spanning the globe.

According to its Facebook page, “AMP brings the best in folk, acoustic, Americana, international and eclectic music to Albuquerque and beyond. AMP prides itself in creating community through music.”

The collection of artists that all find room under Copperman’s aegis is ample evidence of eclectic—Allison Krause and Union Station, Paco de Lucía, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Mala Maña, Hugh Masekela, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Philip Glass.

Why music as career? It just so happened that Copperman, a thin, wiry man with glasses and a ponytail, who, despite a degree in mathematics, loved a variety of sounds and bringing people together much more than formulas and algorithms.

Why ’Burque? It’s a love story. The former Air Force brat lived in a host of cities growing up, but nothing moved him liked the people of Duke City. “I was just there, floating, not really connected,” he says. “My family traveled all over while I was growing up. I never felt particularly rooted anywhere. The people here were so welcoming, so warm, I felt for the first time I had a place to belong. I wanted to give something back.”

His roots as a music entrepreneur are as grassroots as they come, starting with bringing musicians he knew to house parties and sporadic concerts in small local venues in his adopted hometown, shortly after his arrival from Baltimore in 2000. AMP Concerts took flight as a 501(c) 3 non-profit in 2007, after a three-year stint starting in 2004 as a for-profit music enterprise. The evolution seems to suit Copperman’s focus on collaboration and community over profit.

“We don’t want to compete with existing organizations,” he explains. “There were already great people bringing in punk and jazz, for example. We wanted to complement what was already going on.”

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s t o r y b y L I S A A LVA R A D O photos by KITTY LEAKEN

Alison Krauss and Union Station An example of that is the relationship with Santa Fe–based Health Productions, whose most recent joint promotional effort is the Krauss/Union Station concert. “We were approached to help secure the right venue and we were able to help bring it together at the Kiva,” Copperman says. Plans are in the works for more joint efforts throughout the year, including The Shins in October.

This promoter is a passionate advocate for the significance of the music, hoping that current and potential audiences will “expand their palette.” Instead of music lovers “staying with their comfortable favorites,” he wants concert goers to “open the windows, open the doors, let themselves be surprised. The job of the promoter is to connect the pieces.” Explaining the diversity of acts as a personal quest, he notes, “We’re always looking for what’s missing. We want to fill a void.”

AMP Concerts puts a fine point on building community anywhere it can. Their website has links to other promoters, musical groups and community organizations. There’s also partnering with unique ethnic restaurants to bring local foodies into the fold. One example was a ticketed dining night at Albuquerque’s only African restaurant, Talking Drums.

“It was the only one in town, and the food’s incredible,” he says. “Doing something like this is a way to reach out to people.” On July 8 at 6 p.m., there will be a Caribbean dinner party, held at the Caribbean Temptation Restaurant.

Aware of challenging economic times, Copperman strives to keep tickets at a reasonable price point, with many events free and many others coming in at 25 dollars a ticket. Fundraising and grant writing have also been tossed into the grab bag of things he does to keep the music coming. It’s all about personal sweat-equity for him, along with a committed board and volunteers.

“Part of what we hope to do is help people see that events like these can be a priority,” he says. “I know times are tough, but we hope people will begin to see coming to live music they can’t get anywhere else as important as money spent on cable, for example. It’s about offering a choice.”

One choice for avid music heads is an annual membership: $75 general and $65 for seniors, all Paypal-ready with plenty of perks. In line with the stated goal of “complementing the available music in town,” AMP offers a span of events to capture as many people as possible, among them a free monthly series

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AMP it up!

at the Albuquerque public libraries; workshops with visiting artists; a series called Concerts and Conversations; and a free quarterly series that integrates developmentally disabled artists and the community at the N4th Arts Center.

This last initiative is another way that AMP sets itself apart from the music-strictly-for-profit pack. The N4th Arts Center, part of VSA New Mexico, provides education and exhibition opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.

Copperman, working together with the N4th Arts Center day-program staff, booked high-energy bands at the venue, not only for program clients but also for the community at large. Once again, the driving wheel of bringing people together was at work.

“It was great,” he says. “We wanted a mixed audience, and the N4th Arts people loved to dance. It was fantastic. I will say the people from the community had a harder time getting on their feet.”

And if that wasn’t vision enough, AMP Concerts is one of the forces behind ¡Globalquerque!, the annual Albuqurque-based amalgam of world music and culture, held this year on September 21 and 22 and featuring the likes of Bettye LaVette, New Mexico’s La Familia Vigil, Plena Libre from Puerto Rico, and R. Carlos Nakai, who is premiering an ensemble with Mongolian musicians.

“Globalquerque will be their debut,” says Copperman of the Nakai group. “They’ll arrive in Arizona, then rehearse, come here and we’ll be the first performance.” ¡Globalquerque! includes a free Global Fiesta, an “afternoon of fun-filled activities and workshops” created in collaboration with the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Education Department. As evidence of yet another partnership, the NHCC campus will be packed with dance, music and hands-on activities for both youth and adults. Tickets for each day are a ridiculously cheap $30. For this you can see ten acts from around the world perform on three different stages. It’s one of the best musical deals around and a must see event for world music fans.

When asked about a day in the life of a promoter, Copperman offers a wry smile. “It isn’t glamorous, I’ll tell you that much,” he says. “It’s a full-time job, and most of the time I’m answering emails and making phone calls. It’s not the life of a rock star. The day of the event, it’s from early in the morning to late at night.”

Details, details and more details consume his attention. From securing artists, locating venues, selling tickets, conducting media campaigns, making sure equipment gets unloaded and set up, coordinating the lights and sound and offering concierge services to performers, it’s clear he’s got one helluva full day.

But, then again, Neal Copperman is doing what he loves—and music-lovers of all persuasions reap the benefits.

To stay on top of AMP events go to www.ampconcerts.org and watch for their listings in localflavor.

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meet me at 221...

A perfect Opera deserves a perfect dinner!

– Puccini

restaurant + bar Pre-Opera Dinner 3 Courses for $35 5:00 – 6:30pm Sunday – Thursday

221 Shelby St. • Santa Fe 505.988.2355 • www.tantiluce221.com Like us on Facebook!

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Northern New Mexico’s Favorite Choice Competitive Prices Largest Selection Friendly Staff We also carry over 20 varieties of keg beer FINE WINE & LIQUOR

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Reservations: 505-983-3328 150 Washington Ave. Santa Fe

uly 31 this A With good until J r e f f O

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Patio Open

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anti Luce 221

story by GREG O’BYRNE

photos by KITTY LEAKEN

I

t took Rick Smith and Missy Auge a year of cross-country searching to find the perfect venue for their restaurant. But the moment they saw 221 Shelby Avenue, they knew their search was over. Located a block from the Santa Fe plaza, the historic building has a rich restaurant history and seemed ideal for the couple’s concept, which now goes by the name of Tanti Luce 221.

It’s a late afternoon in May. I sit on the patio in the newly minted restaurant’s busy front bar to meet with the couple. The setting sun filters through the trees, shading the famed restaurant venue that has housed such Santa Fe legends as Periscope, Julian’s and, most recently, Amavi. The first thing I learn is that Smith, Tanti Luce’s sole proprietor, has never been in the restaurant business. Naturally, I am curious to find out what motivated him to tackle the almost insane venture of opening and running a restaurant.

Smith tells me that he had been living in Manhattan and working successfully as the CEO of The American Liver Foundation, a position he held for five years.

Previously he was the CEO of the National MS Society and, before that, the Executive VP of the American Diabetes Association. He was an every-night diner at his favorite mid-town restaurants—The Oak Room, Le Cirque and Bistro Milano—but he had no restaurateur experience.

“It was a Thursday afternoon prior to our weekend-long national board meeting,” he recounts. “I remember looking out my 45th floor window at the Hudson, and it hit me that I was done. I said to myself, ‘I am 58. I don’t want to die having done only one thing.’ I was a closet chef—had been working for a year on meeting with literally a hundred restaurant owners while formulating my restaurant concept—and I knew it was time. So at our Friday night reception prior to the board meeting, I told the chairman I was resigning. He didn’t believe me, but it was true.”

Smith and Auge spent the next year looking at restaurant spaces in Manhattan, Scottsdale, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. “In fact,” says Smith, “I had bought a place in Greenwich Village, but our Albuquerque broker called as we were about to get in the plane to New York and told us to get in the car: ‘I found your dream space.’ We drove up and saw this, and 15 minutes later we knew this was it.”

Auge, the restaurant’s general manager, has worked in restaurants most her adult life, while also building her acting and modeling career. A native New Mexican, she grew up in Belen, graduated UNM as a theater major and went to New York on a dream. There she acted, bartended and modeled. She even ran for Miss New York and was crowned runner-up. It was at that point that she said, “I’m done,” and moved back home—though not before meeting Smith.

“My grandparents knew Rick’s parents for years,” she says. “Ironically, Rick and I were living across the street from one another in Manhattan, and my grandma kept calling and told me to get Rick to take me out to dinner. ‘You are a struggling actress, he’s family—call him and have him buy you dinner!’ my grandmother encouraged.”

Auge took her grandmother up on the offer, and thus began her and Smith’s joint culinary journey. “We went to hundreds of restaurants over a year—eating out,

Housemade Buffalo Short Ribs ravioli with marsala glaze and pecorino cheese A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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anti Luce 221

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finding out what we liked and didn’t like,” she says of the process of hatching a plan for a restaurant of their own. And of the Shelby Street location: “This space spoke to us. We looked at restaurants that were currently open, but we wanted to start with our own new team from scratch.”

Smith agrees. “This felt right. We wanted fine dining, a separate bar, a new concept, a new brand, new cuisine, edgy signature drinks, a new staff,” he says.

“We are running the restaurant with my business model, supported by team Tanti Luce. Tom Kerpon is an extraordinary chef, and he understands profit and loss.

We all three bring a unique skill set. Ultimately, we agreed on what we wanted the personality and the ambiance of the restaurant to be. We knew we found the right space and the right community. I wanted to do something that marketing executives almost never do, to co-market the same place as two concepts. The bar is snarky and serves a set of different guests other than our diners.”

Smith says he had been playing with the name Tanti Luce (which means “many lights”) for a while, and he envisioned a restaurant space that combined lights from different sources. There is a wall of lights on the bar wall, the fireplaces, the light from the west-facing windows.

“The minute we saw this space, we knew the search was over,” says Auge. “We hired Paul and Michael from Violante & Rochford Interiors,” who, she notes, worked with her and Smith to understand and interpret their vision. “They did a great job, exposing the wood, lightening up the space, letting all the details shine.”

Everyone involved felt it was vital that the restaurant have a new and fresh vibe. The bones of the space were wonderful, and the team felt it was important to lighten the rooms up, using classic white to allow the architectural features to stand out. Prior to the redesign, the space boasted yellow walls, burgundy carpet and seven different wood colors throughout the restaurant and bar. The first step was to simplify, and that meant removing all of the carpeting. Beautiful wood floors were discovered; with some TLC, the team knew they would be amazing.

The designers’ remodel gave continuity to the space, adding light and flow that mirrored the restaurant’s name. And true to Smith’s vision, different lighting is now featured throughout, including a 1920’s Italian chandelier in the entry, locally made lanterns for the dining room and handmade paper votives in the bar that create a wall of lights. Simple white table linens and woven bistro chairs tie the restaurant together.

It was important for every decision that was made on the interior to emphasize the ambiance and add to the comfort of the clientele. To create a fun atmosphere in the bar, the designers added red seating to the white scheme. It’s a look that’s playful yet still keeps with the clean, uncomplicated theme of the restaurant.

The redesign aptly reflects Smith’s values as a businessman—and a host. “The elegance of the dining experience is important to us,” he explains. “We took time in hiring and training the staff, to make sure everyone understood my definition of elegance, excellence and generosity. My managerial bias is that excellence exists where generosity exists.”

As a first-time restaurant owner, Smith already has a firm grasp on the importance of guest service. “There’s a really fine line between facilitating a guest’s experience and becoming part of their experience,” he posits. “You are not there to participate but to facilitate the guest experience so it exceeds their expectations. As an owner, I will be on the floor every night. I make every effort to say hello to each table, but in a manner that’s not intrusive.”

As for the fine dining menu, Smith says, “I wanted the restaurant branded by its ambiance, not its menu. I wanted food from different regions. From that initial concept, Tom made a lot of dinners for us, and together we designed the menu.”

Smith’s respect and affection for Kerpon is evident. “I really like his playfulness with

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food; he is creative. It’s important to him and he doesn’t stick to a formula.”

Kerpon, a Santa Fe culinary legend, has created an Italian dinner menu with French, Spanish, and some Santa Fe influences. It reflects the discernment of an experienced chef who is driven to use great ingredients, thoughtfully seasoned.

Last but not least, it provides solid value.

It is in Tanti Luce’s bar menu—both cocktails and snacks— that the element of play really comes in. And it is here, too, that Smith’s idea of marketing two totally different concepts becomes apparent. “As with the cocktails and the bar, at almost every level, we want to do something that differentiates us,” he says. “Relationship management, customer service, branding, edginess, personality… A restaurant has to exude a personality that people want to embrace.”

Kerpon’s personality and unique wit shines through here, too, with the humorous one-line descriptions of his appetizers.

Case in point: “Braised Pork Belly (Bacon with an Attitude)”; “Buffalo–Green Chile–Short Rib Sliders (Hot Chicks Dig ’em)”; “Kobe Beef Hot Dog (the Cristal of Hot Dogs).” The bar is also fun, a welcome addition to the burgeoning Santa Fe cocktail scene, and that attitude is evident in the cheeky, in-joke descriptions of Tanti Luce’s signature cocktails. “221 Margarita” —A Spicy New Mexican with a Touch of Snobbiness, Just like Missy; “Ricktini—Dry, Salty and Kind of a Pain in the Ass. Add a 2006 Corvette $35,011.”) As for the creation of the cocktails themselves, Auge, Kerpon and Smith spent quite a few long nights with professional mixologist Leif West, whom Auge knows from her bartending days in Albuquerque.

The wine list is thoughtfully chosen and extensive, offering more than a dozen wines by the glass and upwards of 100 wines by the bottle. It satisfies both every day diners seeking a delicious $36 Baroli Dolcetto and special-occasion diners looking to spend $1000 on a bottle of Penfolds Grange. Kerpon is running the wine program with input from Auge. “Tom is a first level sommelier,” she says. “He just loves it and has done a great job.”

For his part, Smith says he is in it for the long haul.

He has fully embraced the Santa Fe community and even bought a house here. He’s also committed to being at Tanti Luce every night—though he admits that opening the restaurant has not been easy. It is, he says, “by far the most difficult and complicated thing I have ever done, the most amazing experience I have ever had in my life. And I have run organizations with hundreds of people,” he adds. “Part of what’s made it lovely and intriguing is the restaurant community in Santa Fe. What a great place!”

Tanti Luce 221 is located at 221 Shelby Street in Santa Fe. 505.988.2355. www.tantiluce221.com. They are open Sunday through Thursday, the bar from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the restaurant from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday they open at the same time, but the bar is open until 11 p.m. and the restaurant until 10 p.m.

Rick Smith, Missy Auge Juarez and Chef Tom Kerpon A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Quirky

s t o r y b y K E L LY K O E P K E

Photos courtesy of ELIASQUINN.COM

Heart of ’Burque

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ob Hill’s annual Route 66 Summerfest is arguably the best summer festival in Albuquerque.

On Saturday, July 21, make your way to the quirky heart of ’Burque for food, fun and entertainment, courtesy of Nob Hill Main Street, the New Mexico Jazz Festival and the City of Albuquerque.

Central Avenue between Girard and Washington becomes a pedestrian thoroughfare from 2 until 10:30 p.m. to recognize the storied past and vital present of Historic Route 66 in Albuquerque. Live music and entertainment, car shows, tours of historic Nob Hill, kids’ events, arts, sidewalk sales plus local wine, beer and an astounding variety of food—restaurants, food trucks and sidewalk vendors—all turn Nob Hill into the place to be for the whole family.

The Route 66 Cork & Tap Festival for the over21crowd is open from 3 to 8 p.m. on Central between Sierra and Graceland, and it features local wineries and breweries, bands and food. An admission price of $10 buys you ten tokens, each good for one 1.5-ounce pour of wine or three ounces of beer; five tokens get you a full glass of either. So far, participating beverage vendors include Casa Rondeña, St. Clair and Gruet wineries, as well as Rio Grande, Marble, Chama River and Tractor brewing companies.

For me, the real highlight of the day will be the food. Some of Albuquerque’s best and longest established restaurants call Nob Hill home—they’re what turned this funky shopping area into the vibrant area it is. With prime outdoor seating to watch the goings-on, Kelly’s Brew Pub and Nob Hill Bar & Grill’s burgers, fries and local brews anchor the western end of the festival’s food offerings. Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar always gives the white linen treatment upstairs, with the bar’s lighter pub plates and innovative cocktails in the cellar. In the middle, there’s Scalo’s for white-linen Northern Italian fare (try for the always-packed patio) and newcomer Zacatecas, a Mark Kiffin project known for its upscale tacos and seafood salads—really first-class.

On the eastern end of Nob Hill, Desert Fish is offering fresh seafood and oysters, while Cosmo’s Latin tapas menu will tempt hungry wanderers all day long with its own pocket patio for crowd viewing.

O’Neill’s Irish Pub has a new patio canopy to ward off the July sun (try their signature Black N Blue Burger).

For the second year, the food is mobile, too. Five food stations will be scattered along Central with food trucks and local chefs turning locally grown and sourced ingredients into the most interesting and innovate cuisine this side of New York.

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One of those local creative cooks is Chris Olson of Skarsgard Farms (formerly Los Poblanos Organics). Off a three-year stint as Executive Chef at Standard Diner, Olson will be manning the Harvest Truck, the farm’s food wagon that will be grilling up New Mexico beef, South Valley pork, and whatever fruits and veggies are ready in mid-July.

In the same general area, between Amherst and Carlisle, Mother Truckin’ Gourmet, a mother-daughter mobile restaurant run by Kathy and Valerie Hazelbaker, will posh up the menu with light offerings and big portions. Fussy eaters will love choices like roasted chicken and pepper jack on a hoagie roll with homemade curry and beer mustard; a wild rice salad with pecan, oranges and cranberries; and roasted shrimp and orzo salad. This last salad—sold out last year by 3 p.m.—may have some competition with the Mother Truckin’s Chinese chicken salad featuring bell peppers, asparagus, edamame and homemade Asian vinaigrette.

“With all our salads, you get homemade beer bread that we make from an old family recipe,” says the younger Hazelbaker, Valerie. “This will be our second year at Summerfest, and we wouldn’t miss it! Nob Hill is definitely our kind of crowd, and we’re excited to be back.”

Just down the street, between Sierra and Graceland, Firenze Mobile Pizza’s oven will be quick-baking individual made-to-order artisan pizzas. Owner Felicia Meyer vouches for their Italian authenticity. “We were at an event last weekend, and a woman from Italy said our classic margherita is as close to her mama’s pizza as she’s ever tasted. She almost cried!” says Meyer, who adds that the wood smoke gives the pizza an authentic flavor. The all-organic, locally sourced ingredients (like hot Italian sausage and chicken from Keller’s Farm Store) and house-made pesto don’t hurt either.

There will be plenty of traditional summer eats as well. Like organic pit-roasted pork and other grilled fixings from Dudley BBQ Barbecue. Or fajitas, quesadillas and Frito pies from Chavez Chile Grill. (Not to mention hotdogs, hamburgers, nachos and just about any other kind of street food around!)

Once your stomach is full, you’ll need a cool beverage and some ice cream, right? The adult beverages will be corralled at the Route 66 Cork & Tap Festival, but family-friendly drinks and desserts will be scattered along Central. Cold Stone Creamery will bring its rich, hand-scooped and -blended concoctions to the Nob Hill masses, while La Vida Mocha’s moveable assortment of gourmet coffee drinks and aguas frescas will please any palate. Or try a treat from the Hawaiian Shave Ice truck—it’ll cool you off while turning your tongue (and face and hands) happy colors.

A summer festival without festival fare is no festival I want to experience. Nob Hill’s Summerfest does it right.

For complete details and a schedule of events, visit www.rt66central.com.

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Spanish Market

On Stage

story by GAIL SNYDER

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s we honor New Mexico’s 100th year of statehood, it’s worth reflecting on just how blessed we are to be steeped in a wealth of rich, vibrant musical cultures. Think flamenco! Think mariachi! Think heartbreaking ballads and centuries-old waltzes! It’s been said that music is the universal language, expressing deep and mysterious yearnings of our collective human soul. Regardless of our different mother tongues, music is a siren call, alerting the savage beast in each of us, assuaging our secret emotions. Stirred by music, we feel connected, sometimes in spite of what our recalcitrant minds may think.

photo: Kevin's Photography

And what better way to celebrate New Mexico’s centennial than through its music? This summer’s 61st annual Spanish Market does just that, with its ongoing live musical performances at the Santa Fe Plaza’s bandstand throughout the weekend of July 28-29. These performances highlight local Hispanic musicians both eclectic and electrifying, covering the gamut from traditional mariachi and folk to Latin world music and even rock— not to mention some contemporary songs written in the old formats.

“It’s a way of showcasing the evolution of so many styles over the years,” says Donna Pedace, executive director of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, the organization that hosts Spanish Market. After centuries of relative isolation, she explains, the villagers in their lonely outposts dotting our remote mountainous and desert regions, needing something to keep their spirits up, developed favorite styles of music and dance—all in accordance with local preferences, musicians’ capabilities and, of course, availability of instruments. “We’re offering representations of some of these village and town favorites,” Pedace adds. And, with a line-up like this one, it won’t matter how scorchingly hot it is down at the Plaza that weekend.

The music will—guaranteed—be hotter.

Many of the featured musicians were weaned on traditional music. The spicy band Antonia y Trio Jalapeño, from the Española Valley, brings a repertoire of more than 200 original songs based on traditional folk favorites learned from parents and aunts and uncles. Zia is another group showcasing traditional Northern New Mexico favorites. Arsenio Cordova, of El Prado, is the founder of Grupo Sangre de Cristo, performing music that can be traced historically along the Royal Road through northern Mexico and up into New Mexico. He’s received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work.

Nacha Mendez, too, spent her childhood playing local ranchera with her family. Now hailed as “The Reigning Diva of Latin World Music” and recently voted Santa Fe’s best female vocalist, Mendez takes an interest in her native music and expands it to include music from all the world’s Spanish speaking countries. She combines an experimental slant with traditional roots music that is, as she says, “full of surprises.” And New Mexico natives Darren Cordova y Calor, recipients of the New Mexico Entertainers Lifetime Achievement Award, spent the past 20 years writing and performing original hits like the well-loved “Cantinero” and “Mi Amigo,” songs with roots that also harken back to local music traditions of old.

| Mariachi Nuevo Sonido

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Everyone in Mariachi Nuevo Sonido, on the other hand, grew up in Mexico and learned their craft from the state of Jalisco—recognized as the heart of regional Mexican folk and popular music, both historical and current. Today they perform those pieces, as well as New Mexican folk songs, with authenticity and full instrumentation. Another featured local performer not originally from New Mexico, Michael Combs, developed a deep appreciation for the old songs he first heard ancianos in Northern New Mexico play back in 1972. Over generations, he says, “this music and the dances have helped people come through tough times together, not on their own but as families and communities.”

Brothers Amado and Buddy Abeyta of Sol Fire have forged their own distinctive sound by merging elements of rock, pop and rhythm and blues with Latin influences. They’ve opened for Los Lobos and Latin Kings of Comedy’s Paul Rodriguez and, perhaps most famously, headlined the burning of Zozobra to crowds of 20,000-plus.

Alongside the musicians in this Spanish Market line-up will be a variety of featured local troupes dedicated to keeping New Mexico’s traditional dances alive and in the spotlight. The girls and boys of all ages lucky enough to be chosen for Baile Español

“…with a line-up like this one, it won’t matter how scorchingly hot it is down at the Plaza that weekend. The music will— guaranteed—be hotter.”

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begin learning the colorful dances literally from the time they begin to walk, under the instruction of Angie Miller. The 50 performers making up Los Coloniales, headed up by Las Vegas– born Benjamin Baca, wear period costumes of the early 19th century as they demonstrate los bailes antiguos, popular dances of the New Mexico territories from 1540 to 1848. Los Matachines Alcalde, family members who’ve passed the dances down through many generations, continue the arresting performances originally introduced by the Moors to the Spaniards in the eighth century.

With uniquely dramatic costumes and, at times, keening pace, a Matachines dance performance is considered to be a reflection of the Holy Spirit within each individual dancer and, by extension, within the audience members as well. And brilliantly representing flamenco for Spanish Market is the Santa Fe youth group Flamenco’s Next Generation, which works closely with the grande dame herself, Maria Benitez, to create their own take on what is perhaps the most popular Spanish dance form of all.

All aspects of Santa Fe’s Spanish Market have been greatly expanded for 2012, and Director Maggie Magalnick is excited about the many new attractions available to the more than 80,000 expected visitors. In addition to the traditional handmade art by over 350 local Hispanic artists and the musical centennial salute, there is also a category for “Innovations Within Traditions”—a category that reflects innoivations in the artistic traditions beloved by aficionados, collectors and the families whose living heritage it represents. But it also embraces change, a freedom to innovate within the boundaries of the forms. The resultant mix, says Magalnick, “adds a new excitement to Market that is a must-see!”

For more detailed information on Spanish Market go to spanishcolonialblog.org.

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Flamenco’s

s t o r y b y D E N É S H E LT O N

Next Generation

photos by GABRIELLA MARKS

|

Miguela Sanchez Wiegel, Simone Jaramillo, Domino Martinez, Alex Martinez and Janira Cordova

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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itting across from me at a long brown folding table is a young woman dressed in black, her hair pulled back to reveal smooth skin and piercing brown eyes that are accentuated by immaculate makeup. Domino Martinez is a mujer hispana joven y hermosa, a beautiful young Hispanic woman.

And she is intimidating. Not because she is beautiful but because she has attainted a sense of grace beyond her years. She meets my gaze head-on, her hands in front of her, and answers my questions directly and easily, as though she has had this conversation a hundred times.

“I feel like I’m on the verge,” Domino says. “I’m considered a professional dancer. By who? I don’t know. I don’t consider myself a professional dancer. I love flamenco. I do flamenco. I’m good at flamenco. But I don’t consider myself a professional.

There is so much to learn. I’m on the verge of coming into my own.”

Once she starts talking, I am taken by her openness and eloquence, and when I interject with questions I get the impression that she is thrown off to have her train of thought interrupted.

I am instantly fascinated and feel as though I am being tested. So I meet her gaze and become her audience, letting her lead the conversation and throwing in only the most essential questions when she pauses.

“Maria is my flamenco madre.”

Domino continues. She is talking about Maria Benitez, the striking woman from the posters surrounding us and the founder of the Institute for Spanish Arts, where we are sitting now. In 2002 Maria started a youth company called Flamenco’s Next Generation, made up of a group of passionate and dedicated young students that included Domino.

“Maria had already been having her adult company, Teatro Flamenco, for years,” she says, “and she decided she really wanted to bring in the youth, because she was recognizing that here are all these artists that are adults, but who’s going to come after them?”

Domino was already dancing with Maria when Next Generation started, and she sees herself as a product of that

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Flamenco’s

Next Generation

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company. “In flamenco, you have to be disciplined,” she explains. “I found out who I was. You have to learn body coordination, and you have to be focused and dedicated. I started to realize that it’s about style. It’s about personality. It’s about, What do you bring to the table? And so now, every day, I am thinking about what more I can bring to the table, to the art of flamenco. What’s never been done before?”

Domino leans back when settling into the conversation, exhausted from a long day spent at work and teaching classes. “Today I got out of work at 8:05 in the morning, slept a few hours, came here for six hours, and I’m going to go teach these girls and give them the best baile I have.”

She danced with Next Generation until college, and now, at 24, is a registered nurse who also runs her own dance company, Flamenco Con Paz (“con paz” meaning “with peace”).

When I ask her who she would ideally like to recruit for her company, she pauses. “Anybody can do flamenco. I could get you up in five minutes and show you some steps and you can do it. It depends on your personality. Somebody who’s dedicated, who can feel it.” Domino begins slowly moving her arm toward her chest and then back out. “I can show you a step, and you go out-in, out-in, out-in…” She is mechanical, restrained. “Or you go ba-da, da-da, ba-da, da-da, dah!” Her hand is quick, the wrist accentuated, fingers tucked into a sharp point as she bends her elbow in, then splayed in a striking explosion as she straightens her elbow and arches her arm high and back above her. Her forearm almost seems to bend, and in five seconds of flamenco brazo technique, I am struck by the many things she becomes at once: the beautiful, the triumphant, the indignant, the defiant, the denied, the vulnerable.

“So there’s a difference,” she says. “You have to be able to feel it.”

I understand in this moment how it is possible for her to have such grace, to hold her thoughts inside and become difficult to read when she needs to. It is because she has flamenco, and everything can come out at once when she dances.

The young women of Next Generation are at a time in their lives when they are experiencing great change. They are learning to practice acceptance, self-care and accountability as they face the challenges that come with growth and maturity. This empowered stance is what flamenco offers, and because of flamenco, these girls are better equipped to handle what comes at them with a certain level of grace.

Janira Cordova, 17, has been a member of Next Generation for nine years and often dances alongside her brother, who is 15 and plays flamenco guitar. Janira is smaller than the other girls, her thin frame belying her age.

She is so soft spoken and polite that I slide the recorder across the table toward her to make sure her voice gets picked up by the machine.

“The girls were recruited by Maria,” she says, explaining her own introduction to the company (and counting herself among the recruits).

“She selected the ones she thought had the most promise.” Janira calls flamenco a “stress release”—more specifically an “anger release”—and says, “It has different sides: guajira, (a flirty side), a forceful side, an elegant side.

I get to have another side besides just being shy.”

Janira and the remaining members I interview are of full or partial Hispanic descent. They consider English their first language and speak little or no Spanish. They were all born and raised in Nuevo Mexico and seem to identify strongly with New Mexican culture, believing that their dance practice connects them to New Mexico’s land and heritage.

Alex Martinez, 20, joined Next Generation when it started in 2002; she was seven years old. Alex is at ease, immediately comfortable and enthusiastic about her art. “This [flamenco] is one of the huge parts of Santa Fe,” she states. “This is what Santa Fe is.”

Alex feels flamenco provides her with the physical and personal challenge she needs and also notes that it “calms me down.” Alex is a junior at the University of New Mexico, majoring in psychology, and she hopes to become an occupational therapist for children with disabilities. She is particularly interested in opening a studio that utilizes flamenco to help

children with autism improve their relationships with their bodies.

Miquela Sanchez Wiegel is 18 and will also be attending UNM, where she plans to major in flamenco and some form of health care. She has been dancing flamenco since she was four years old and joined Next Generation at its beginning. She resembles the other girls in style and dress, but her sandy blonde hair and pale skin reveal a mix of Anglo and Hispanic backgrounds. I am curious if her ethnic background makes her feel out of place at all in the group.

“Dancers are inclusive, even of the audience,” she counters. “We are very engaged and very welcoming. We’re always, always welcoming students and always encouraging everyone to continue this art form, because we never would ever want it to die.” When I ask her if she feels flamenco connects her to her culture, she becomes animated. “Definitely.

New Mexico’s culture is so rich!”

Miquela feels that flamenco is a direct line to the heartbeat of New Mexico. Like New Mexican culture, flamenco is, as she says, “all so raw.

It’s all so rich. It’s all so appealing, and so how could you not love it? How could I not crave this dance? Once it’s pulled you in, it’s so enchanting you’re never going to get out.”

Simone Jaramillo, 17, hails from Chimayó, unlike the rest of the girls, who are all Santa Fe residents. Simone is also of mixed descent and paler than most of the other girls, with light brown hair and a small and feminine but athletic frame. She is incredibly active, participating in various sports and outdoor activities. She has danced since she was in kindergarten and started with Next Generation later than the others; she tried out only five years ago.

“I was the new girl. It was three of us, and we had to audition to be in her [Maria’s] company. It was me, my best friend and a girl from El Rito. So we came in, and all these girls were really intimidating at first, because they had been doing it for much longer and under Maria, who is really strict, really intense. I felt for the longest time that we were constantly trying to compete and be on the similar level as the other girls, and it took a very long time to be on the same level and get respect, a place in the company.”

She found that flamenco connected her to her Spanish heritage on her father’s side of the family, which stretches back many generations in New Mexico. She believes that the dance form is “very rare, very special” and feels that it grounds her, which is perhaps why she has stuck it out as newcomer in the tight-knit program all these years.

“Flamenco is one of the few things that has been steady throughout the years,” Simone says. “Throughout adolescence, so much changes.

This [flamenco] allows me to let things go. It gives me confidence.

Expressing yourself allows you to be true to yourself.”

Flamenco’s Next Generation offers a dance form that has opened a gateway for self-expression, personal empowerment, a sense of ease in the body and a bond with the other dancers. That makes it particularly appealing to modern women—and to girls coming into womanhood.

Flamenco is powerful because it is a creative practice that requires a woman’s body to become the instrument of expression. It is her very self that is in the energy released, the energy that is then seen and experienced by the audience. Through flamenco a woman’s whole self can be seen— all parts: celebratory and exuberant as well as sad, angry and alone. The form makes room for all of these and forces the audience to look, to see, to feel and to participate.

Flamenco is a dance form in which women will not be denied.

The performance schedule and schedule of classes for this extraordinary troupe is listed on their website www.institutespanisharts.org or for more information call (505)467-3773.

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a chef in my kitchen! story by JAMES SELBY photos by GAELEN CASEY

| Celebrity Chef Dakota Weiss

| Connor Browne and his wife, Dr. Christina Price 36

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he cook, the photographer, the family and their friends all combined their energies, talents and munificence in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Northern New Mexico, a volunteer and professional mentoring network.

Former Santa Fean Dakota Weiss, now executive chef at W Los Angeles-Westwood Hotel, auctioned her skills at the fall gala to prepare a private dinner for the highest bidder. The lucky winners were local couple Connor Browne, executive board president of BBBS, himself a Big Brother, and his wife, Dr. Christina Price. Randy Dry, Connor’s colleague at Thornburg Investment and also a BBBS volunteer, is married to Ocean, Dakota’s sister. Not that anyone’s making an accusation of insider trading, but when Browne and Price threw down for Weiss’s services, it secured their option for a delectable gathering on a pretty June night.

For over 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided one-to-one monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Biggies”) and children facing adversity (“Littles”). The Northern New Mexico chapter has more than 700 kids between the ages of six and eighteen paired with individual mentors.

In 2011, the Santa Fe chapter received the national Small Agency of the Year award. Along with the organization’s professional staff, credit belongs to volunteers like Browne, Price and Dry, who keep the boat afloat with major contributions as well as selfless commitments of time, skills and guidance.

“Connor has brought BBBS a long way since taking over as president,” says Dry, the BBBS board secretary. “It takes $1500 a year to mentor one child.”

Weiss, who did a stint at Santa Fe’s Coyote Café upon finishing culinary school, now has the word “celebrity” prefacing her title, partially due to her appearances last fall as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef. At W, Weiss supervises food services for the entire hotel, their flagship restaurant NINETHIRTY and The Backyard, a pet-friendly patio/lounge where the well-heeled four-legged can devour her canine menu. Much is made of the filigree of tattoos adorning her clavicles, shoulders and arms, but it’s her eyes that demand attention. Large and dark, they lend an expression of being at the edge, with a fire that could sear meat. As a woman in a mostly male-dominated profession, she is known for holding her own. While the bad-girl demeanor fuels her celebrity persona, it belies her legitimate successes, generous good nature, self-deprecating wit and zealous dedication toward her craft. A few days prior to arriving in Santa Fe, escorted by photographer Gaelen Casey, Weiss created a high-profile dinner for 300 at a star-studded fundraiser called Backstage at the Geffen Playhouse. The trip here was her vacation.

The night of the dinner, Weiss—ensconced in the Browne-Price kitchen—opened drawers and cabinets searching for utensils. “I wanted to prepare some of the food in Los Angeles and bring it with,” she said, “but that didn’t happen.” A stockpot burbled with her signature 24-hour braised-beef short ribs, begun the night before. Near the pool house, family and guests sipped Champagne cocktails infused with watermelon, tarragon and mint. “I think every chef wants to have their own restaurant,” said Weiss as she plated a first course consisting of homemade burrata (a soft, creamy cheese resembling mozzarella), roasted peaches, sea salt, and arugula-mint pesto, paired with a 2010 Jaffurs Viognier from Santa Barbara.“Seriously, I’m already working so much,” she continued. “Imagine if I my name were on the place … I’d never go home.” Home is a loft in Downtown Los Angeles that she shares with Casey.

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Weiss’s sister Ocean, a more classic but no less compelling beauty and mother of two young towheads, amiably sipped 2008 Chassagne-Montrachet from Domaine du Château de Puligny-Montrachet, while waiting for her sister’s sunchoke bisque, beurre noisette, with toasted herbs. “Kota was always a finicky eater as a kid,” she confided, using Weiss’s nickname. “We called her the hamburger girl. She took a job at a bakery and found her passion.”

Also at the table were Price’s mother and father, Pat and Dr. Dennis Price, who helped start the emergency medicine program at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine, where Price— herself an emergency physician—now works. The elder Dr. Price, sixty-one, mentioned that he has a practice in Princeton, New Jersey, but he commutes part-time to UNM. Apparently, his latest project in New Jersey is an organic blueberry farm; the night of this soiree, however, it was mojitos. He mudded the mint to perfection with a wooden spoon.

The genial and attractive hosts, Browne and Price, squeezed together at the table’s end to make room for an unexpected guest (moi), as their two toddlers posed for Casey on a chaise longue. “Donations are instrumental in our ability to support the more at-risk children in our communities,” said Browne, separating the enjoyment of the evening with the mission of his convictions. “I’ve seen the positive impact mentoring can have with my Little, Alex, over and over again.”

Browne’s mother and father, Noel and Jim, visiting from Pittsburgh, spoke of a Christmas when their son was younger. “Rather than a present,” Noel recounted, “I told him, ‘Find a way to help others.’” By the holidays, she’d forgotten her request, until Connor announced he’d volunteered as a Big Brother.

Generosity was the leitmotif. Architect Carlos Kinsey had come early to string lights along the beams of the outdoor kitchen and arbor he’d designed.

Dry, who served as the evenings sommelier, brought a 2005 magnum of Denner Syrah from Paso Robles, which complemented the surf ‘n’ turf entrée of short ribs, sautéed prawns, sweet corn–and-potato purée and a lightly pickled vegetable salad. In the kitchen, Weiss dished up dessert: strawberries marinated in white-truffle maple syrup over vanilla custard with a fat dollop of basil whipped cream. (“Oh! Randy’s allergic to fruit,” she exclaimed. “I need one without berries.”)

When everyone finished and had gathered around the fire pit, Weiss and Casey continued to work. She put up fresh plates; he photographed them in the “magic hour” of dusk. (Perhaps a cookbook is in the works?)

“I’ve eaten at The French Laundry,” Noel Browne confided. “This is better.” Philanthropists, it seems, travel on their stomachs.

For information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico, go www.bbbsnorthernnm.org.

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Zippy

White Wines of Summer

story by GREG O’BYRNE

A

s the days get warmer, my wine choices get lighter. I am a red wine drinker, but with summer upon us I find that most reds simply have too much weight for my dinner table. As the temperature rises, wine drinkers are replacing heaviness in tannin, weight and alcohol with higher acidity, fresher fruit and more chill.

Over the past two months I have moved from cellar temperature (55 degrees) Oregon Pinot Noir to chilled Beaujolais, then to rosé and now white wine.

Hearty stews, braises and lasagnaes with their concomitant Zins, Cabs and Chiantis, are best left alone for winter days indoors. Patio dinners consisting of farmers’ market salads, grilled vegetables and seafood for dinner on the patio at 8 p.m. simply beg for something satisfyingly refreshing to drink. In this heat, at day’s end I salivate for crisp and zippy white wines with tang and bite that will quench my thirst and exhilarate my palate.

I talked with three of Albuquerque’s most savvy restaurant wine directors, and they each reported that guests are demanding— and getting— more white wine choices this season. Chardonnay is still king, but many adventurous diners have moved on to leaner and more aromatic varietals.The ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc, a white wine that has long delivered the necessary zip to an evening meal, has been joined by other interesting whites: Muscadet, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.

What new varietals are you pouring?

Sam McFall, wine director at Prairie Star, is excited that his guests are ordering whites off the beaten track and reports they are enjoying “the nervy, less oakdriven whites that quench thirst and make food taste good all at once.” One of his guests’ current by-the-glass favorites is Herman Moser Grüner Veltliner Per Due. Sam says this Grüner from Austria is “a classic example. Flinty, dense and mineralic, it could easily be confused with up-scale Chablis, for pennies on the dollar, comparatively.” Another favorite by the glass is the 2011 Domaine St. Lannes Côtes de Gascogne (80% Colombard, 20% Gros Manseng) which Sam says is, “fresh and zingy with glorious purity to the floral and fruit aromatics, then explodes on your palate with rich stone fruit and green pear. So delicious and cheap at $6 a glass and $15 retail.”

Julian Martinez, wine director at Artichoke Café, says his guests and wine team are “always excited about Riesling but especially during our blazing New Mexico summers.” He adds that “this month by the glass we are offering Schloss Vollrads from Rheingau.” German Riesling is perhaps summer’s best white wine. (It certainly is my own go-to summer white, particularly when I am looking for higher acid and lower alcohol, a must for hotter days.) Julian notes that Artichoke Café’s favorite white wine by the glass at the moment is Eric Chevalier Muscadet Sur Lie Côtes de rand Lieu A.O.C., from the Loire. “We are also persuading our guests to experience the festivity of dry sherry,” he says. “We definitely have a crush on a couple: Toro Albalá Fino Eléctrico and Emilio Lustau Palo Cortado Peninsula.”

Kevin Roessler, co-owner of Seasons, Zinc and Savoy, currently runs the wine program at Savoy as well as its by-the-glass menu. “Unique but not screaming summer is the 2007 Reserve Trimbach Pinot Gris,” he says. “I priced it pretty reasonably knowing it would be sort of a premium white offering, and [I] have been pleasantly surprised how positive the response has been.” Pinot Gris from Alsace (of which Trimbach is one good example) can be a bit weightier then its leaner and brighter counterparts from northeastern Italy’s Friuli and Alto Adige regions. Oregon has been also producing some great versions of Pinot Gris in the high-toned, non-oaked version.

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Favorite food pairings?

What are you drinking at home?

All three wine directors have successfully created summer wineand-cuisine pairings that are big hits with their guests. At Savoy, where there are three species of raw cold-water oysters available every day, Roessler is offering the classic oyster/Muscadet pairing in Domaine Claire Moreau Muscadet. Roessler reports that Sauvignon Blanc is as popular as ever. “For the price, the Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc delivers!” he says. “It’s crisp, light and lively, and I think pairs really well with our Parmesan-crusted chicken entrée.”

Julian says, “I find myself really enjoying chilled, high quality, sweet and dry vermouth these days “I always have dry Sherry, Rosé and Riesling handy though. For red, I tend to keep Cru Beaujolais and Oregon Pinot Noir around.”

And from Kevin: “My wife loves Sauvignon Blanc, so there is always a bottle or two of that in the fridge. She likes the New Zealand styles jumping with acidity and grapefruit citrus. My general preference is to reds, but I do like to mix it up with the less common whites from the Loire Valley, which are unique and generally very affordable.”

Julian at Artichoke points out Riesling’s high-acid virtue noting that it “pairs with anything and everything” mentioning that it “works beautifully right now with our butter leaf and spinach salad with oven-dried tomato, watermelon radish and house-made Green Goddess dressing.” He also likes to serve Muscadet with the café’s signature steamed artichoke plate or the steamed mussels with saffron, shallots, garlic and sherry.

Sam’s at-home choice is “Adami Garbel Prosecco from Italy, Hugo Sparkling Rosé from Austria and the current vintage of Berger Grüner Veltliner, the one with a bottle cap in the liter bottle. It’s a party waiting to happen!”

At Prairie Star, Sam reports, “all these white wines beg for the foods of the season—sweet corn, fresh herbs, shellfish, cold chicken salad, garden tomatoes. Probably the best pairing here has to be the 2011 St. Lannes Côte de Gascogne with Darren’s Caprese salad with avocado, fresh mozzarella, local tomato and basil, drizzled with a soy-balsamic reduction.” He likes to pair a 2008 Dr. Hermann Erdener Treppchen Kabinett withtheir lobster, shrimp and crab relleno, which is served over yellow curry aioli and Asian slaw.“It sings!” Sam says of the combo..

The Prairie Star Restaurant is located at 228 Prairie Star Road at Santa Ana Pueblo. 505.867.3327.

The Artichoke Cafe is located at 424 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque. 505.243.0200. www.artichokecafe.com.

What are your guests looking for in a white wine these days?

Zinc Wine Bar and Bistro is located at 3009 Central Avenue NE. 505.254.9462. Savoy is 10601 Montgomery Boulevard NE. 505. 294.9463 and Seasons is located at 2031 Mountain Road NW. 505.766.5100. All three are in Albuquerque.

Photo: Amy Burton

Roesller at Savoy says, “I think our guests are looking for variety, diversity, balance and value. People are always willing to try something new,— melon de Bourgogne or Muscadet—, but I believe you have to have a base of wines that people are at least generally familiar with— like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay— and offer diversity in range of wines and pricing. Something light, like the Muscadet or Ferrari Fumé, all the way up to the rich, but still balanced, Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris Reserve or Mondavi Reserve Chardonnay. I also understand that people will also know what a good $6 glass of wine is, and [I] try to have nice wine options at different, and fair, price points.”

Sam at Prairie Star notes that his guests are “more willing to explore than they once were.

Obviously, though,” he adds, “it is the season for fresh, fruit-driven whites with bright acidity and less alcohol and wood. And then there is the economy. Everyone is still hurting, no matter what they say on the five o’clock news. These sleek whites can be less expensive, and they slake thirst like nothing else and are so amazing with food!”

Photo: Dora Horvath

Julian at Artichoke’s perspective is, “We are certainly receiving more requests for our recommendations these days, building rapport and having plenty more conversations about acidity, mineral and floral complexity, subtlety and balance.” He points out a national trend in our wine drinking populace: “As with food, the wine palates of the general American public are evolving and catching up with other countries that have been producing and drinking wine for eternity—drifting away from candy-coated, one-dimensional, flabby, overly-rich, nonthirst-quenching, palate-suffocating wines. Who wouldn’t prefer a mouth-watering wine full of finesse and subtle complexities? It’s simply a matter of being exposed to what’s good and proper.

There has always been steady availability of great European wine in the American marketplace.

However, now more than ever there seems to be a tremendous amount of great European wine at an affordable price point. This, in conjunction with all of the great cool-climate wine being produced in specific areas of California, Oregon and Washington, has provided that exposure.”

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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TaosHum

the

s t o r y b y TA N I A C A S S E L L E photos by LENNY FOSTER

There is no other small town on earth that has as many colorful folks as Taos--and writer Tania Casselle seems to know them all. We love our new monthly column and hope you do, too. Now, let’s meet two more people who make Taos hum….

Cherie Burns Zipping around Taos in her MX-5 Miata, Cherie Burns is as glamorous as the subject of her latest book, Searching for Beauty: The Life of Millicent Rogers, published by St. Martin’s Press. Although Burns was, as she puts it, “never a car person” back in New York City, she certainly catches the eye now with her car top down and her Australian cattle dog riding in the back. “In a car like that you have to either take your husband or your dog,” observes Burns. “Often the dog gets to come.”

A journalist and author of books including The Great Hurricane: 1938, Burns formerly lived in Nantucket and Manhattan but frequently visited New Mexico (and attended high school in Colorado). “I always understood there was life west of the Hudson, always had a sense that I wanted to be in Taos. I had a visceral connection to it. It’s a very casual yet sophisticated community.”

Burns’ custom of taking guests to the Millicent Rogers Museum inspired her biography of the Standard Oil heiress and fashion icon.

Burns was looking for a new book subject and realized that she’d found a story that extended well beyond Taos. One surprising discovery arose from Rogers’ letters to Dorothy Brett revealing “great affection, even love, towards Tony Luhan.” Burns found no evidence that Rogers acted upon that feeling toward Mabel Dodge Luhan’s husband. “As freewheeling as she was, she didn’t cross that line.” Rogers was not the only woman to put Tony Luhan on a pedestal. “Georgia O’Keeffe also thought he was the cat’s meow,” she says.

Burns finds that Taos is a good place to write. “You can be very directed and keep your head down, do your work, come out and connect with people when you want to.” In her downtime, Burns hikes, skis and appreciates that “almost every night of the week if you want to hear music, there’s somewhere to go.” The Taos Inn is a top pick for the social scene, and she enjoys eating at The Love Apple. She’s also a regular at World Cup cafe. “You could learn a lot about Taos sitting in there.”

Burns talks about Millicent Rogers at Fort Burgwin on August 7 and Taos Public Library August 18. Find out about her books and events at www. cherieburns.com.

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Frederick Aragón

As an illustrator, painter, singer, Native American flute player, actor and filmmaker, Rick Aragón lives and breathes creativity. He performed in Taos the Movie, won the 2008 New Mexico Governor’s Cup Short Animation Competition for Coyote Tales: Mystery’s Night and scooped a 2009 New Mexico New Visions Award for another film, Dark Is My Light, based on his song about curanderas. Oh—and by day he works at the Habitat for Humanity store, where you might find him making DIY creations. “It’s all about repurposing and recycling, the artist’s way,” he says.

Of Navajo, Hispanic, Chinese and Anglo descent, Aragón was raised in Arizona and started visiting Taos when his father retired there. He was always keen to return home until Taos captured him one Christmas. In Aragón’s words: “Something just bit me in the butt.” He’s lived in Taos for 16 years, saying that while the land is breathtaking, “I came here because of the cool people.”

Aragón paints and plays flute at Acuarelas Studio Gallery on Saturdays through October and often works on several paintings, bouncing back and forth between them. “Right now I have five paintings started. That’s what will be fun at the gallery; it won’t be boring.” Despite his many work and arts activities (among them playing flute at weddings), Aragón describes himself as a homebody, happy to tinker around on projects and on the computer “like a mad creative scientist.” One experiment was Rick Aragón’s 5 Chile Challenge on YouTube. “I love hot stuff, but I’d never tried ghost chiles,” says Aragón, who likes to munch the super-fiery peppers, also known as Jolokias, to find out if he can still sing afterwards. (He can, rather beautifully.) The Chile Challenge also gave him a chance to learn video special effects, handy for illustrating his mounting pain. “I’m inquisitive,” he says. “I try to figure out a way to do it, conquer it, and move on to the next thing.”

Nature is a great inspiration. “There are all kind of hidden things in Taos,” Aragón muses. “See the skull in the mountain? Even at Albertsons, you can look at the mountain and see it’s almost like a perfect skull.”

Find out more at frederickaragon.com. Acuarelas Studio Gallery is at 125 North Taos Plaza, 575.751.7263.

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Still

story by ERIN BROOKS

D

ining and the arts—two of the greatest things that Santa Fe has to offer and the reason why this year’s Chef ’s Gala on July 17th is one of the summer season’s most anticipated events. The dinner is the largest annual fund-raising event for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and this year all of the wine has been graciously donated by Kongsgaard Wine, a family-run Napa Valley winery. John Kongsgaard got involved with the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival through his friendship with its artistic director, Marc Neikrug. “My wife Maggy and I run a Chamber Music Festival in Napa,” says Kongsgaard. “We’ve been in the business of presenting music for 30 years. Marc has performed in our Chamber and we co-commissioned his most recent string quartet, which had its world premier here in Napa.” The Kongsgaards are also close friends with Alan Gilbert, the music director for the New York Philharmonic and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival’s 2012 artist-in-residence. Whether it’s in Santa Fe or Napa, the Kongsgaards love music. “We’ve always had a passion for music, although neither of us are performers—we’re listeners.”

Kongsgaard produces some of the most coveted and critically acclaimed wine from the region. Wine critic Robert Parker has called their wines “some of the most interesting naturally-made wines one will find on planet Earth.” When looking for land to plant a vineyard, Kongsgaard decided on sites where the grape yields would be low. “We devoted some of the most interesting, rocky vineyard land in Napa to Chardonnay,” he says. “You get a special mineral character in wine grown in vineyards where the crop is naturally small, and you can actually taste the character of the soil in the wine.” Kongsgaard wanted to make a Chardonnay that was less like Napa—super fruity and oak-driven—and more like Burgundy, where the grape is famous for expressing terroir. The wines from these vineyards are incredibly balanced, with plenty of fruit and perfume as well as a lively acidity and just enough well-integrated oak.

Included in the evening’s lineup are the 2007 Syrah, the 2008 The Judge Chardonnay and the brand-new 2010 Chardonnay, a fabulous vintage that will have its world premier at the Chef ’s Gala. I spoke with three of the participating chefs, who all happened to pair their potential first courses with the 2010 Kongsgaard Chardonnay. Along with their own recipes, I asked the chefs for their tasting notes on why this wine will make a fabulous pairing for their dishes.

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Still thirsty?

hungry?

magazine.com

Challah French Toast with Artisan Cream Cheese, WoodGrilled Peaches, Local Honey, Parma Prosciutto and Purslane

Created by Chef Joseph Wrede of The Palace Restaurant and Saloon French toast, cheese, peaches and Chardonnay—Chef Wrede’s opening course sounds like a slice of heaven. “I chose to pair my opener with the 2010 Kongsgaard Chardonnay,” he says.

“I believe it will pair well with this recipe, in part because the wine’s acidity will contrast well with the clean sweetness found in the challah toast, prosciutto fat, cheese and honey. The flavors of the wine will match well with the grilled peach and earthy mineral flavor tones found in the purslane.”

Peaches: 2 Build a wood fire in your grill. Once coals are formed spread evenly across grill. Scrape grade clean. Slice at 360 degrees around center of peach. Twist the peach sides in counter directions, pulling into two equal pieces. Place the peach flesh-side down on the warm grill. Turn each half 90 degrees after three minutes and cook for three minutes more. Place the peaches in a cool place on a cutting board. Slice into thin pieces.

French toast: challah 3 organic eggs 1 Tablespoon fresh vanilla bean pulp 3 Tablespoons heavy cream 1 Tablespoon water 1 Tablespoon butter per two pieces of bread Slice an inch-thick piece of challah. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make the batter. Dip the bread slices into the batter. On a medium flame, warm a sauté pan and coat the bottom of the pan with melted butter. Add the bread to the pan before the butter is browned, toasting on each side for three minutes. I recommend using two pieces at a time. Place the French toast in a warm place or under a kitchen towel while finishing this step.

To assemble, place a warm piece of French toast on a clean plate. Place a dollop of artisan cream cheese on top with half of a grilled peach. Take a thin slice of prosciutto and place gently on top like an unfolded freeform tissue. Drizzle local honey over the plate. Garnish with five sprigs of washed purslane from your yard or garden, a dash of sea salt and lightly cracked fresh pink peppercorn.

Serves four

Tickets for the evening are $600 per person (with $250 being taxdeductible). For more information on the Chefs’ Gala evening or the wine auction (which accepts proxy bids), contact Sarah Weiler at 505.983.2075, x 111 or sarah@sfcmf.org.

Roasted Apricot, Frisée and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Vinaigrette and Famers’ Market Honey Created by Chef Andrew Nichols of The Club at Las Campanas Chef Nichols’ salad is so perfect with the 2010 Kongsgaard Chardonnay that the wine—and a corkscrew—is part of the recipe. “This salad will taste great with the wine,” he says. “The richness of the apricots and cheese will complement the richness of the Chardonnay, but the touch of acidity in the wine will balance the dish and pairing to perfection.”

Ingredients: five fresh apricots 1 bunch watercress 1 handful arugula 1 bunch frisée 2 Tablespoons local goat cheese 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar 4 Tablespoons extrv-virgin olive oil 1 Tablespoon farmers’ market honey 2 limes salt black pepper mill baguette micro plane (fine) 1bottle of Kongsgaard 2010 Chardonnay 1 corkscrew A couple of hours before you begin to prepare the salad, put the wine in the refrigerator so it cools down. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 tablespoons of lime juice and reserve. Halve your apricots and place on a sheet pan. Drizzle each half with the honey and lime mixture and sprinkle with salt. Cut two slices of baguette about ½ inch thick and drizzle with the olive oil. When the oven is hot put the apricots in and cook for about 5-8 minutes. You can cook the baguette at the same time, but only cook it for 4 minutes so it remains soft on the inside While the apricots are cooking, rinse and dry the lettuces and reserve. Whisk together the two kinds of vinegar, goat cheese, a pinch of salt, two turns of cracked black pepper and extra -virgin olive oil. Remove the apricots and bread from the oven and allow to cool. Dress your greens with the vinaigrette and a pinch of salt and plate. Place the toasted baguette and roasted apricots on the plate as well. Drizzle everything with the rest of the honey-lime sauce and add a couple of turns of black pepper. Zest the remaining lime over the top of all the food. Remember to remove the bottle of wine from the refrigerator thirty minutes before serving the salad so that the wine isn’t too cold. Open and enjoy!

Serves two

Heirloom Tomatoes and Cucumbers, Chimichurri, Crispy Mushrooms and Garlic Created by Chef Jonathan Perno of Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm Chef Perno’s Heirloom salad couldn’t be a better match for the summer season and for a chilled glass of Kongsgaard Chardonnay. “The 2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay’s almond richness will balance well with the tomatoes and the citrus notes of the wine will complement the citrus in the salad,” says Perno. “The mineral character of the wine will exemplify the flavor of the toasted quinoa, and the crispy garlic and mushrooms will match the oak.”

Chimichurri Sauce: ½ bunch Italian parsley ½ bunch cilantro 3 medium Serrano peppers, or equivalent chopped green chile 2 teaspoons minced garlic 3 Tablespoons lime juice (about 3 limes) 1 - 1 ½ cups olive oil salt to taste In a blender add the Serranos, garlic, parsley, cilantro, a pinch of salt and the lime juice.

Blend at medium speed while adding the olive oil. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides. Blend quickly to incorporate all the ingredients and adjust with more salt if needed.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Quinoa vinaigrette: ½ cup cooked toasted quinoa 1 cup lemon juice ¼ cup preserved lemon (optional) 2 Tablespoons minced shallot 2-3 cups olive oil salt pepper Combine the quinoa, lemon juice, preserved lemon and shallot. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for half an hour. Whisk in olive oil. Adjust seasoning.

Salad Components: 4 heirloom tomatoes, 3/8” slice 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cucumber (we like locally grown Armenian and Japanese varieties) 1 cup crispy sautéed oyster mushroom strips, lightly salted ½ cup crispy sautéed garlic chips, lightly salted ½ cup sunflower sprouts Assembly: Generously streak the bottom of a serving platter (or individual plates if preferred) with chimichurri. Gently toss tomatoes and cucumbers with salt, pepper and olive oil. Pile in the middle of the platter, allowing ingredients to fall where they may. Drizzle with quinoa vinaigrette. Top with crispy mushroom and garlic bits. Crown with sprouts.

Yields approximately 2 cups

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

JUNE 2012

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PHOTO: GORDON WONG

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61st Annual Traditional

July 28 - 29, 2012

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Market Week Events July 23 - 29 SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY 750 Camino Lejo On Museum Hill Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Flamenco Dancer, Photo by Gene Peach