October 2014

OCTOBER 2014

MAGAZINE.COM

FRONTIER OF BEER

A HARVEST OF LOCAL RECIPES PAINT OUT ON CANYON ROAD S A NTA F E | A L B U Q U E R QUE | TAOS

A TAST E OF LIF E I N N EW M EXI CO

L AU R A SHEP P HER D ATELIER

Accessorize yourself for Fall!

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OCTOBER 2014

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Scarves Shawls Handbags Jewelry

fallfor lavor

Local ingredients, served locally. We seek out the freshest, seasonal organic produce, meats and fish. Then we serve it up with flair and attentive service right in your neighborhood.

Join locals supporting locals. Deliciously.

OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE

HISTORIC NOB HILL

ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS

ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE

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...truly local.

omakase OCT LF 2014_Layout 1 9/10/14 4:48 PM Page 1

omakase お任せ (oh • ma • kah • say) = chef’s choice i’ll leave the food up to you, chef! the sake, too!

welcome! what would you like this evening?

our new omakase menu is served every night from 5 pm on.

どき どき！

how nice to sit back and let the chef plan my dinner!

wonder what’s new & fresh tonight?

by Kelly Koepke 10

ON OUR COVER: From the book Aloft!

by Douglas M. Heller Editor Bobbi Valentine

The one, the only, the original buzz! Every month for 19 years and it’s still the best buzz in town.

Hearts A’Fire

We can’t wait for you to meet the effervescent Dick Rice and his family. Their love of hot air ballooning is a real home town story and it all happened right here in Albuquerque, the town that put ballooning on the international stage.

!! か ん ぱ い !! the best: a happy customer!

The Buzz … and the Art Buzz

by Gail Snyder 14

call 428-6390 for reservations ahhhh.... what a great start!

inside: Yanni’s Urban Garden

by Emily Beenen 19

お い し い .. ..

Nicole Kapnison is enjoying the first harvest from her garden—and it’s right outside Yanni’s kitchen door.

Down the Road A Piece

by Caitlin Richards 22

It’s just down the road a piece—“less than 90 miles”—and it’s the perfect place for a day trip if you’re here for Balloon Fiesta.

It’s a Paint Out! announcing our new omakase “chef’s choice” dining options: 5 courses $40––or––8 courses $60, with additional sake pairing flights available. info at www.izanamisantafe.com

izanami

by Mia Carbone 26

It’s all plein air during the Canyon Road Paint and Sculpt Out—a true tribute to the carefree and historic beginnings of this mecca of art.

Frontier of Beer … Albuquerque Leads the Way

by Melyssa Holik 30

A run down of Albuquerque’s many microbreweries and the Que is just getting warmed up....

What brings us together?

by Gail Snyder 34

A view of Nancy Abruzzo’s work with the international ballooning community.

Taos Hum

by Tania Casselle 37

This Halloween month, we meet two ghost hunters on the prowl for things that go bump in the night.

Chef Johnny Vee Wants to Know

by John Vollertsen 38

Fire and Hops. JV interviews the guy in charge of fire and the guy in charge of hops. What a duo.

All Local all the Time

by Eve Tolpa 42

We may not be there quite yet, but the commitment to all local all the time keeps getting closer.

Still Hungry?

by Mia Carbone 44

It’s the perfect month to revel in the bounty of autumn and with so many recipes to choose from we had to put some of them online.

OCTOBER

2014 ~ Publishers: Patty & Peter Karlovitz Editor: Patty Karlovitz Publisher’s Assistant: Mia Rose Poris Web Editor: Melyssa Holik Art Director: Jasmine Quinsier Cover photo: Douglas Heller Prepress: Scott Edwards Ad Design: Alex Hanna Advertising: Santa Fe: Lianne Aponte 505.629.6544. Kate Collins 505.470.1612 Albuquerque: Ashley Schutte 505.504.8130. Amber Gillreath 505.235.9216.

223 North Guadalupe #442, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Tel: 505.988.7560 www.localflavormagazine.com Subscriptions $30 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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OCTOBER 2014

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letter The days of Wine and Chile are behind us. And Zozobra.

And the opera. And Indian Market. And Spanish Market ... and all of the other splendid events that make summer so special in Santa Fe. The entire season has a deliciously sybaritic feel about it and I am sorry to see it come to a close. My favorite moment: the magical time right before the tents open at Wine and Chile. Like athletes before a big game, the chefs are so pumped and excited and filled with the anticipation of 2,500 plus foodies waiting to taste their food. There’s a sense of pride in the air that is unforgettable.

And now, it’s Albuquerque’s turn to step into the stoplight as they dazzle the world with a hometown creation that is now known worldwide as the International Balloon Fiesta. We loved our interviews with two of the prominent families in town who have had so much to do with making Balloon Fiesta what it is today––Dick Rice and his family and Nancy Abruzzo and her family. The Rice family balloon is named Hearts A Fire and nothing sums up the passion of balloonists like that title. Ah, Albuquerque you have indeed set all of our hearts afire with this extravaganza.

On the quieter side is our Local Favorite for October, the Canyon Road Paint Out. There was a time when this cosmopolitan art center was a sleepy little street of adobes owned mostly by artists who I am sure enjoyed the waning days of autumn by sitting outdoors and painting. The Paint Out is a 2014 version but much of the nostalgia remains and it is certainly a laid-back favorite for locals.

Two wonderful restaurants are featured this month. Yanni’s, a Nob Hill landmark served fresh produce this summer from raised beds that were cultivated in their parking lot! Our hats off to Yanni’s—pioneers in fine dining in Albuquerque and now pioneers in urban gardening.

Santa Feans welcomed Chef Joel Coleman back to town and are delighted with his new place, Fire and Hops. Joel’s in the kitchen and sidekick, Josh Johns, is in charge of hops—a winning combination.

Everyone wanted to write the story on Albuquerque’s micro-brew scene ... but in the end, writer Melyssa Holik was the only one I could trust to actually make it back alive and still be able to do a great story.

Albuquerque is near the mark of thirty local craft brewers––and we wanted to know what was behind the brewery boom.

We hope that you enjoy the issue and like the tempting recipes we included this month, we hope that you keep coming back for more.

Rebel Donuts, Albuquerque Tia B’s La Waffleria, Albuquerque Clafoutis, Santa Fe Tribes Coffee House, Santa Fe Farmhouse Bakery & Cafe, Taos Michael’s Kitchen, Taos

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Photo: Gabriella Marks

Whole Foods Market, Albuquerque & Santa Fe El Dorado Supermarket, El Dorado Pojoaque Supermarket, Pojoaque The Co-Op, Los Alamos Frontier Mart, Corrales Triangle Grocery, Cedar Crest

At a photo shoot with our Art Director, Jasmine Quinsier (on the left), and Publisher’s Assistant Lily Carbone.

OCTOBER 2014

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cheers to all these great santa fe restaurants for another great event!

Pizzeria da Lino Plaza Café South Pranzo Pueblo Artist Café Pyramid Café Red Sage Restaurant Martin Rio Chama Ristra San Francisco St. Bar & Grill Santa Fe Bar & Grill Santa Fe Capitol Grill Santacafe Shohko Café Steaksmith at El Gancho Sweet Water Harvest Kitchen Swiss Bistro & Bakery Taberna La Boca Tabla de los Santos Terra at Four Seasons TerraCotta Tesuque Village Market The Bistro at Courtyard The Compound The Galisteo Bistro The Grille at Quail Run The Guesthouse The Old House The Palace The Ranch House The Shed The Teahouse Tomasita’s Tortilla Flats Vanessie Vinaigrette Zia Diner Photo by Lois Ellen Frank

Adelitas Alameda Café Anasazi Restaurant Andiamo!

Arroyo Vino Atrisco Café Bert’s Burger Bowl Bouche Bistro Café Pasqual’s Casa Chimayo Coyote Café Del Charro Dr. Field Goods Kitchen El Farol Epazote on the Hillside Fuego at La Posada Gabriel’s Georgia Geronimo Iguana Café Il Piatto izanami Izmi Sushi Jambo Café Jinja Joseph’s of Santa Fe l’Olivier La Boca La Casa Sena La Plazuela Las Fuentes Loyal Hound Luminaria Maria’s Midtown Bistro Omira Grill Osteria d’Assisi Pecos Trail Café

WANTED FOODIES

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Voted by Premier Traveler Top 10 World’s Best Spas Book Our October Special 80-minute Pumpkin Spice Wrap $10 savings, includes a take home dry brush. Call 995.4535

309 W. San Francisco St. • Santa Fe, NM • 87501 • EldoradoHotel.com

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OCTOBER 2014

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A tavola non si invecchia.

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

NEIGHBORHOOD TRATTORIA

Lunch M-F 11-2 · Dinner Nightly at 5 505.995.9595 · 322 Garfield Street, Santa Fe AndiamoSantaFe.com

‘Bottoms Up’

Beer Connoisseurs!

CRAFT BEER & MICROBREW TASTING

October 4 ABQ BIOPARK ZOO 6 - 9pm

LIVE MUSIC BBQ & OTHER GRUB *21+ Event Only (with valid ID) Proceeds benefit your ABQ BioPark

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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b y K E L LY K O E P K E

ALBUQUERQUE According to Women’s Health magazine, Albuquerque is one of the country’s “upand-coming” food scenes. To which we shout a resounding, duh! According to the magazine’s formula of searching for highly rated eateries, three Duke City restaurants were highlighted, all featuring creative Latin cuisine: Pollito Con Papas, Guava Tree Cafe and Pasión Latin Fusion. Kudos all around!

Photo: Joy Godfrey

And speaking of creative Latin cuisine, MÁS Tapas y Vino at Hotel Andaluz offers an exclusive chef ’s table dining option beginning October 9. Just 16 people per evening can get an intimate look into the artistry and craft behind award-winning Chef James Campbell Caruso’s twist on traditional Spanish cuisine. The five -course tasting is filled with an eccentric collection of modern tapas in an ever-changing menu, spanning unique flavor combinations among the likes of pan-seared squab with rosemary-smoked chocolate, braised oxtail croquetas and pork cheeks in carrot date caramel. Each tapas serving will also come with a side of culinary musings from Chef Caruso himself. The chef ’s table is by reservation only, Thursdays and Fridays.

Contact 505.923.9080.

| James Campbell Caruso of Más The location is a secret, but if you’re lucky enough to be on the invite list, October 9 is Albuquerque’s first Diner en Blanc. The pop-up dinner party has taken other major cities in a storm of white dresses, tablecloths and napkins. Albuquerque organizers Micaela Brown and Taylor Trodden expect 500 people to this outdoor gathering for foodies who dress up in white formal attire

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and enjoy food and entertainment at a location kept secret until just before the event. For info and to sign up for next year, visit albuquerque.dinerenblanc.info.

In beer news, Bosque Brewing Company announced that it will open a second location in Nob Hill. By the end of the year, the former Hollywood Video at the corner of Girard and Central will be transformed, and will include a patio. Until then, try one of Bosque’s 12 brews on tap at the original location at 8900 San Mateo Blvd. NE, which is expanding its brewing operations.

To check in on the progress, visit the Bosque blog: bosquebrewing.com/blog.

| Alex Richardson as Hamlet Opera Southwest opens its 42nd season October 26 with the new world premiere of the lost opera Amleto (Hamlet) by Franco Faccio, libretto by Verdi’s librettist Arrigo Boito. Amleto premiered in 1865 in Genoa to unanimous acclaim and was revived in 1871 at La Scala to disastrous reception. The faded, torn score in the composer’s own hand was found in 2003 in the archives of Casa Ricordi, Milan, by composer Anthony Barrese, now artistic director and principal conductor of Opera Southwest. Leading the cast of this premiere will be New Mexico tenor Alex Richardson as Hamlet and soprano Abla Hamza, who recently appeared as Angelica in OSW’s 2012 production of Suor Angelica, as Ophelia. Mezzo-soprano Caroline Worra of New York City Opera and baritone Shannon DeVine make their company debuts as Queen Gertrude and King Claudius; bass Jeffrey Beruan also debuts in the role of Lo Spettro, the ghost, and bass Michael Gallup returns to Albuquerque as Polonius. Tickets for the October 26 through November 2 run at 505.243.0591 or operasouthwest.org.

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| ZOFO at Chatter In theater news, the Vortex has a new, easily-accessible, larger, more comfortable space at Candelaria and Carlisle (the old Langell’s Art Supply). New Mexico’s oldest continuously producing black box theater, the Vortex raised money for the move, renovation and a new sign.

With plenty of parking now, the theater company christened the new space in September with “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” and October sees a seasonappropriate “Mystery of Irma Vep” (an anagram for vampire) running October 10 through 31. For info and tickets, visit vortexabq.org.

SANTA FE Founding Chef Kim Müller, who helped create the unique, delicious and award-winning cuisine at Izanami at Ten Thousand Waves, is stepping down from her position to spend more time with family. Welcome to the new executive chef, David Padberg, who launches his omakasa (chef ’s choice) selection on October 1, International Sake Day. The five- or eightcourse tasting menu is paired with sake.

We don’t know how this James Beardnominated restaurant could get any better, but we’re willing to sacrifice to find out!

Head up for a soak, massage, facial and treat yourself to a 20 percent New Mexico

resident discount through October for your entire party, every day after 5 p.m. Visit tenthousandwaves.com.

Photo: Gabriella Marks

the BUZZ

If you like your music in an alternative venue (The Kosmos at Factory on Fifth), check out Chatter’s Sunday concert series in October, featuring Breaking Brass, Russian masters, ZOFO piano duo and Felix’s Birthday Cello Celebration.

October 5 is New Mexico’s premier brass ensemble, the Breaking Brass Quintet, with spoken word by Don McIver. On October 12, cellist David Schepps and pianist Alexander Schwartzkopf present a powerful program featuring the music of two great Russian masters, Prokofiev and Shostakovich, with slam/performance poet Christina Perez. On October 19, ZOFO comes to Albuquerque to present a dynamic program featuring works by Gershwin, Debussy, Urmas Sisask and Holst performed by Grammy-nominated, award-winning pianists Eva-Maria Zimmermann and Keisuke Nakagoshi, with award-winning poet (and Santa Fean) Lauren Camp. For October 26 info, and tickets to all performances, head to chatterabq.org.

| Deborah Fleig of Izanami with Chef Kim Müller In long-anticipated restaurant news, Tecolote Café will re-open its doors in November! Owners Katie and Matt Adkins say that they are moving into the former Yummy Café space at 1616-A St. Michael’s Drive. In the 34 years since it opened, Tecolote has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike, and the Adkins promise little change in the food and service (yeah bakery basket!). Certainly, the restaurant will look a little different, but again, the owners plan to incorporate touches of the original décor into the new space. As always, Tecolote will be a breakfast and lunch spot, Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., when they open. For updates and an opening date, visit tecolotecafe.com or visit their Facebook page.

More expansion news for Santa Fe Spirits.

Their downtown tasting room at 308 Read Street has officially opened an outdoor patio, adding 12 seats and an outdoor space to the popular tasting room. And a big welcome to new head distiller John Jeffery, who joined in September. He has designed and produced spirits for more than 15 start-up spirits companies, including whiskies (white and aged), gins, vodka, liqueurs, rums, agave-based spirits and others. Kudos to owner Colin Keegan, tasting room manager Molly Norton and the team for their success in bringing artisanal spirits and hand-crafted cocktails to the community. We lift a glass of your Apple Brandy in a toast! Or maybe Colkegan or Silver Coyote Whiskey? Oh, the tyranny of choice!

Driven by the old O Eating House in Pojoaque lately? The past few months have seen it transformed into the new incarnation of a nostalgic favorite, La Mesita Eatery. Owner Sean Ewy says this third generation restaurant will serve modern American cuisine: sandwiches, salads, soups and steak, and will have a full service bar with a private dining room. The restaurant’s silhouette logo is a depiction of the three people who ran the original: Charles “Smokey” Stover, Barbara Stover and Sheila Stover Ewy. Check lamesitaeatery.com or their Facebook page for an official opening date (late September or early October), or call 505.455.7004.

Congratulations to the 2014 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown winners! The judges anointed Second Street Brewery’s Alien Burger the king of the competition for its blue corn chile relleno, bacon, fried onions and three types of cheeses. The people chose the Mad Chile Burger, a half-pound of Black Angus chuck and fried green chile with aged cheddar and chipotle dijonnaise on a brioche bun from Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid as supreme.

All the proceeds from the wildly popular event benefitted the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute.

Photos: Joy Godfrey, Gabriella Marks and Kitty Leaken

Do good while eating well on October 18, when three local chefs cook for the community to benefit St. Elizabeth Shelter. The 2014 Hungry Mouth Festival features Andrew Cooper of Terra, Josh Gerwin of Dr. Field Goods Kitchen and Joseph Wrede of Joseph’s of Santa Fe. You be the judge in an amazing cook off at the Farmers’ Market Pavilion, featuring music of The BUSY McCarroll Band. Tickets, which include food and cocktails, at steshelter.org/hungry-mouthfestival.

season with her Native American inspired designs (she’s originally from Taos Pueblo).

She will again face Michelle Lesniak, who won season 11, as well as other fan favorites from the past few seasons. Check your Lifetime listings for times.

Attention birders! The inaugural Upper Pecos River Valley BirdFest is October 2 through 5 in Pecos. The festival features two and a half days of birding with guide Roger Clark. See why northern New Mexico is becoming a top birding destination. The tour includes guided tours, most meals and loads of ornithological knowledge. Call Kimberly Allen at 505.757.8752 for details and to register.

TAOS So many reasons to love Taos, including Taos and the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway once again a National Geographic top pick for Best Fall Trips in 2014. The article notes, “For those beginning and ending the drive in Taos (basically circling the state’s highest point, 13,162-foot Wheeler Peak), the 83mile loop offers spectacular natural features: golden-hued aspens, thick evergreen forests and abundant wildlife, including Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.” If you’re looking for a spectacular natural palette of red, orange and gold hues, you can’t beat this easy day trip through Northern New Mexico.

photo by Sergio Salvador

Bringing together local food, farmers and the community!

See our website for a full list of events and special dinners

8917 4th St NW

Albuquerque, NM 87114

505.503.7124 Farmandtablenm.com

Dinner: Wed-Sat open at 5pm Brunch: sat-sun 9am-2pm

| Joseph Wrede, Andrew Cooper and Josh Gerwin for Hungry Mouth

Photo: Gabriella Marks

The New Mexico Restaurant Association’s annual Hospitality Industry Awards last month feted back of house excellence award winner Fernando Flores of Jinja Bistro, while front of house awards went to Danielle Dotson and Andrew Roy of Il Piatto. Congrats to the folks who keep our bellies full of delicious food and our psyches happy with great service.

| Poet and Potter Max Early While you’re in Taos, head to Moby Dickens Bookstore for two author events. On October 4, renowned Native American potter and poet Max Early gracefully details both the everyday and the extraordinary moments of family and community life, work and art, sadness and celebration at the Laguna Pueblo. The book, “Ears of Corn: Listen,” beckons the reader to accompany Early on the journey between ancient and modern times. Including an historical preface by the author, an introduction by Simon J. Ortiz, and photographs of Early’s family and award-winning art, this debut poetry book is profound in its welcome and teachings.

Then, on October 18, award-winning poet Janet Eigner reads from “What Lasts Is the Breath/Illuminations,” her book of poetry and a winner of a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. Visit mobydickens.com for details.

| Designer Patricia Michaels The fans have spoken and New Mexico’s own designer Patricia Michaels is headed back to TV’s Project Runway for the Project Runway: All Stars edition, premiering October 30. You may recall that Michaels came in second during her

505-898-6336 CORRALESGROWERSMARKET.COM

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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the BUZZ ALBUQUERQUE Andy Warhol(American, 1928-1987); Queen Ntombi, 1985; from the series,Reigning Queens(Royal Edition); Screenprint and diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board; 39” x 31 ½”; Gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.© The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Foundation, as she discusses Shared Authority in the Art Museum: Precedents, Process and Propositions. The lecture at Armory for the Arts Theater, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, explores the concept of “shared authority” that has gained new currency as contemporary art institutions seek to evolve new and more inclusive platforms for collaborative museum work and interconnectivity on a local and global level.

How are these shifts towards more democratic processes in museological and artistic practices manifesting in institutions like the Guggenheim Museum? What new synergies and frameworks are evolving? Is the work of a museum changing? What new propositions for engagement are on the horizon and how do we measure their success? For reservations call 505.989.1199.

Jezebel

Hough

33 ARTISTS at 23 STUDIOS First 2 weekends in October Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 5pm Art Auction & Preview Show Friday, Oct. 3rd at the Engine House Theater on the grounds of the Mine Shaft Tavern, Madrid

Live Music 6 - 8

• Silent & Live Auction 7 - 9

MadridCerrillosStudioTour.com

Photo: Charles Mann

As part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, INSIDE OUT, an exhibition of work created

by Santa Fe artists being treated for mental illness, kicks off with a fundraiser preview on October 10 at the James Kelly Contemporary Gallery. On October 11, the one day only The University of New Mexico Art Museum show opens to the public. One hundred is a treasure trove of local and regional art. percent of all art sales go directly to the Through December, head to Beautiful artists. The exhibition includes watercolors, Disintegrating Obstinate Horror Drawings and Other Recent Acquisitions and Selections paintings and a series of work that combines photography and text called PhotoVoice. For from the UNM Art Museum’s Permanent info, go to insideoutsantafe.blogspot.com.

Collection. Featuring highlights from the UNM Art Museum’s significant collection of over 30,000 works of art, the largest public art collection in New Mexico, this exhibit presents works by many noted artists, including Clinton Adams, Dawoud Bey, Richard Diebenkorn, Margaret Evangeline, Damien Hirst, Robert Hudson, Raymond Jonson, Georgia O’Keeffe, Hung Liu, Beatrice Mandelman, Liliana Porter, Louis Ribak, Andy Warhol and Jean Xceron, among others. Among the recent additions are the collection’s first ancient sculptural work, large-scale Andy Warhol prints from the 1980s and contemporary photographic works by Bey and Evangeline. The exhibition also inaugurates the museum’s Jonson Gallery as a permanent collection gallery. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission is free. Go to unmartmuseum.org.

Kevin Box, Origami in the Garden Artful Saturday, October 18, features Palette Contemporary Art & Craft hosting the latest wax paintings from Encaustic Art Institute founder Douglas Mehrens. The show is titled The Big Rip, and Mehrens will be in the gallery from 3 to 6 p.m. to explain the pieces that chronologically represent the past, present and future of the universe from the Big Bang to the Big Rip! Visit palettecontemporary.com.

The same day, Weyrich Gallery opens Homage: Porcelain Works. UNM Assistant Professor Kathryne Cyman and invited students of the Arita, Japan, porcelain process created new works in green and white inspired by the porcelain art of Sensei Manji Inoue, National Living Treasure of Japan. These porcelain vessels take on the challenges of carving and dual glaze applications, featuring local celadons and clear glazes, reflecting the respect and result of many creative struggles along with the love these porcelain ceramists have for the practice of this porcelain art. Go to weyrichgallery.com.

SANTA FE SITE Santa Fe hosts Kim Kanatani, Deputy Director and Gail Engelberg Director of Education for the Solomon R. Guggenheim 12

OCTOBER 2014

Hie thee hence until October 25 to see Origami in the Garden, the large-scale outdoor sculpture exhibition created by Cerrillos artist Kevin Box at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden on Museum Hill. The exhibition features 15 origami sculptures created in the lost wax casting and fabrication method. All creations feature Box’s own compositions as well as collaborations with internationally respected origami masters, such as Dr. Robert J. Lang. If you fall in love with the colorful origami ponies, smaller tabletop sized versions are available for purchase in the admissions kiosk, all made in the same method as the large-scale sculptures, involving 35 steps over 12 weeks. Visit santafebotanicalgarden.org for details, times, etc.

our

33 rdD yea r!

TAOS

TAOS

DIXON

EMBUDO RINCONADA

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OJO CALIENTE

Taught by professional watercolor artist Lynn McLain, a fall watercolor workshop October 8 through 11 takes place at the lodge at Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort. What a great way to spend a few days in Northern New Mexico’s beautiful mountains, exploring your own creativity under the tutelage of a master painter. Call 575.587.1625 for more details on the classes, lodging and more.

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The Finest in Art and Craft since 1982

November 1 & 2 9am-5pm

575.779.1662 www.dixonarts.org

518 PEÑASCO

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ESPAÑOLA

SANTA FE

funded in part

by Rio Arriba Lodger’s Tax

l Schedule of Classes and Workshops at the New Mexico Art League

Hearts A' Fire

L

ike most other boys growing up in Terre Haute, Ind., Dick Rice’s head was filled with dreams and ideas, but they didn’t include flying his own hot air balloon. Outside of Jules Verne and “The Wizard of Oz,” ballooning wasn’t a real life concept to most kids in those days. Dick’s path to ballooning was much more of a long, strange—and grounded—trip, involving four years of college to become a certified public accountant and, after graduation, a job in the tax department of a firm in Chicago.

As Dick himself says, though, looking back, “I’ve led a charmed life,” and soon the winds of change spiraled in and Dick found himself Elsewhere. Not the Land of Oz. Better. One day at work, he remembers, “they called me in and said, ‘We’ve got a deal for you!’ And they sent me out to Albuquerque.” This was back in the early ’70s. Dick immediately felt himself mesmerized by New Mexico’s forever and ever skyscapes, its wide open mesas, its Out West-ness. “I bought a house here and then I went back and told them, ‘OK.’” Dick, a gregarious guy who’s never met a stranger, eagerly explored the available opportunities as he and his wife Judi settled into their new life. Soon he was asked by the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, “‘How’d you like to become a liaison to the Mayor’s Committee on Ballooning?’ So I did,” he says. “Now, Harry Kinney was the mayor back then. But let me back up a minute.”

In the unlikely tale of how ballooning came to reign supreme here in the Duke City, there are a few details that precede his arrival. “You know about Sid Cutter, right? No? OK. Sid was a former Air Force pilot. He and his family owned Cutter Aviation, for small planes, here in Albuquerque. Sid later became an around-the-world well-known balloonist, but before all that, the first time he ever saw a hot air balloon, he right away decided, ‘Man, that would be really neat—let’s get one of those!’ So he did, to celebrate his mother’s umptieth birthday, one of those landmark years. And they inflated it right inside the Cutter Aviation hanger. Everyone was there, everyone was enthralled with it, everyone had some drinks and, well, you know boys and their toys! They dared each other to return the next morning and the result was Sid and his brother Bill flew it without knowing a thing about how.” And once they

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managed to land it, Sid climbed out of that gondola a die-hard balloon enthusiast.

Now, balloons were still rare animals back in those days, Dick explains, but by 1972 they were starting to make an appearance or two, and one of Albuquerque’s oldest radio stations was about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

They wanted to do it up big. “So the future State Senator, Tom Rutherford, asked Sid if he had any ideas, and of course Sid had this idea for a hot air balloon race and he instigated it from the Coronado Shopping Center. Broadcast live!” As you can imagine, this completely out-of-the-blue, homegrown spectacle drew a gigantic crowd, 10,000 strong by some accounts. It was so well-loved, in fact, that it spawned an annual event. “They started having balloon races at the fairgrounds for the next couple of years after that. But it got larger, and more expensive, and they were having trouble paying for it. And so someone said, ‘How would Kinney like to support this?’

Kinney, remember, was the mayor, and I was the Chamber of Commerce liaison guy to the Mayor’s Committee. So I got to see the genesis of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! And in 1974, I became their treasurer.”

Dick and Judi took their first balloon rides, became hooked themselves and, as their own personal family expanded with three successive young sons, local balloonists took the Rices—and many others, as well—into their large extended family. They joined

story by GAIL SNYDER photos courtesy of DICK RICE

chase crews and became some of the first official scorers, driving off for the designated destination as soon as the balloons were aloft to await their arrival and measure whose basket came closest to the X-marks-the-spot. That fall, Dick and Judi ordered their own balloon, Windsong, and Dick fondly remembers their family spending that whole 1977 Thanksgiving weekend with a stack of paper and a big box of crayons, covering the table with balloon pattern drawings. “The design we agreed on was an orange, green and white variegated zigzag pattern. The colors of the Irish flag—delivered on St. Patrick’s Day, 1978!”

One of their passengers, Dick says, was an Irish priest. “He got so excited, a little spindly frail guy, he was up there looking out over the landscape and yelling, ‘I can see Galway from here!’” Dick chuckles. “Anyway, I got my license that July from a local instructor and that October flew in my first Fiesta.”

Their kids loved it. “We’d go flying nearly every weekend, just having a really grand time, going to Elephant Butte, Phoenix, Tucumcari, all over! It’s such a social event. Getting your crew together is probably the most difficult part of ballooning. But working a crew is also one of the most fun parts. You get up at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., go out and do a whole lot of hard labor, spend an hour flying, then more hard labor. The whole package weighs about 850 pounds so you need many hands. Their job is to follow and help you pack up again once you’ve landed, then return you back where you started. When you finish, it’s 9:00 a.m., you all have some champagne and that’s the whole day!”

Over the years, Dick became AIBF president, then quit flying for awhile to focus on his accountant work. Twelve years ago, after his son Brad got his license, he and Dick went into partnership on their current balloon, Hearts A’Fire. Amongst their crew, Dick says, “you’ll find the third generation of future balloon pilots”—the grandchildren. Comradery is still what most excites Dick, who continues to make friends through ballooning, albeit sometimes indirectly. “Over Labor Day, I was up in Colorado Springs participating in the Balloon Classic. I was sitting on the edge of the basket and my wallet fell out. All I know is we landed and I didn’t have it. I couldn’t walk the whole miles of terrain we’d just flown over, too many obstacles. So I just gave up and went home. But then, a few days later, I got this package from Harbor Freight Tool Store #58 in Colorado Springs and there was my wallet, all intact! They’d sent a note with it, saying, ‘We never found a wallet on our roof before!’ They’d FedEx’ed it to me, two-day delivery. I put that story on Facebook and got over 100 shares, plus an interview in the Colorado Springs Gazette and on two local TV stations.” Dick sent the employees a cookie bouquet in thanks.

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Hearts A' Fire If you go to the Balloon Fiesta this year, search among the others filling the sky for the Rice family’s balloon, Hearts A’Fire. Dick will be flying it, without Brad this time because he’s with his family in Ireland. “I’ll be doing the whole 10 days alone. Why?” Dick asks with gusto. “Because I love it. It’s unique. You become the wind. On a calm day, you could lay a tissue on the side of the basket and it won’t blow off. There’s no sensation of movement because there’s no mechanical movement of anything. You just stand there and the Earth goes away. It’s virtually indescribable. Once the burner’s turned off, you can hear dogs barking on the ground, and people talking. You can look out across the mesa and see jackrabbits, coyotes and cows. Every time they see the balloon’s shadow, they move. Again and again and again. I’ve herded cows all over the West Mesa! Eagles soar, we float. I feel one with nature.” He pauses. “Ballooning is probably the most forgiving of all aviation activities. It’s really just a great big parachute. You can do some pretty dumb things and live to tell your friends.”

And he leaves me with this, the inauguration every novice gets to hear at the end of the ride:

Balloonists’ Prayer The Winds have welcomed you with softness.

The Sun has blessed you with its warm hands.

You have flown so high and so well that God has joined you in your laughter, and set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth.

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Yanni’'s Urban Garden s t o r y b y E M I LY B E E N E N photos by JOY GODFREY

Yanni's urban garden; farmer Paloma Sanchez; Nicole Kapnison with fresh vegetables from the garden; farmer Gretchen Garcia

W

isdom is often hard earned, but the true testament of the strength of that wisdom is when it is shared and honored from one generation to the next. Nicole Kapnison was 6 years old when her parents opened Yanni’s in 1993. Since 2011, she and her mother, Chris Komis, have used the accumulated wisdom of those 21 years to modernize and progress to keep pace with the shifting restaurant scene. They wanted

to move beyond the “pigeonhole” of just being a Greek restaurant; therefore “Mediterranean Grill” was added to the name in order to embrace all the region’s flavors, from Italy to Morocco. Wines lists were revamped, cocktail menus as well, with drinks using house made syrups and freshly squeezed juices. Every year Nicole set a goal for the restaurant; in 2013, she focused on the renovation of the upscale, chic Lemoni Lounge and in January 2014, she

decided to add an urban garden in the back of the restaurant. Yanni’s already boasts a large amount of free parking (often a challenge for Nob Hill patrons on busy weekend nights) and many were suggesting the open space be used for even more parking, but Nicole smartly refused to add more concrete. She suggested the garden to her mom, who urged her to “run with the idea.”

Nicole had been closely observing the farm-to-table movement. “I’m a huge health nut,” she explains when I inquire if there was a personal interest vested in the decision to build a garden. “I like to know where my food is grown and I like to know that it doesn’t have any extra added anything in it.

And it’s great to be able to buy local and use organic ingredients, but it’s even better to know we’re the ones growing it and we’re the ones putting it on the table.” But as a restaurateur, she knew she needed the help of an experienced grower.

Farmers tend to be pretty busy folks. College students not only have more time on their hands, they are also often looking for experience and internships. So Nicole put an email blast out to the UNM Sustainability Program and received responses from UNM students Gretchen Garcia (who A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Yanni’'s

Yellowtail Amber Jack Fillet over lentil artichoke cake; julienned vegetables; tomato caper relish (grown in Yanni’s Urban Farm)

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Lemon Cucumber Farm Salad with tomatoes; basil and feta; vegetables from the garden

was in her native Alaska during the interview) and Paloma Sanchez.

After several months of organizing and planning the logistics of the garden, construction on the 60-foot-long, 2½-foot-high raised bed began in May. Gretchen and Paloma went to work leveling the land, building the bed (with untreated wood), adding 15 cubic yards of compost, putting in the irrigation system and finally, planting. Though culling the list was difficult, it was decided the seeds of moon and stars watermelon, ancho and green chiles, sweet cherry and indigo rose tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, beans, lemon cucumbers and a host of herbs would grace the soil. At that point, Gretchen left and Paloma took over for the remaining summer months.

For Paloma, who has also been working on a farm in Santa Fe alongside other permaculturists and gardeners, being on her own was a new experience. “But I’ve learned a lot here [at Yanni’s], especially from Gretchen,” she says. She’d never built raised beds before, and square foot gardening—an urban farming technique used to boost production in a small space—was also new.

“I looked toward these girls to see what they thought was best,” Nicole says.

“Which is nice,” Paloma responds. “It’s good to have that kind of freedom. It’s also very relaxing and it’s very important for a farm or a garden to have that. Because gardening and farming can’t be rushed—it’s a natural process and you’re just helping nature out. It’s not really up to you.”

In the restaurant business, there is no lack of anxiety and the addition of the garden has been therapeutic for everyone. The kitchen staff loves it. Paloma will let them know what produce is ready and they clearly enjoy and show pride in their harvesting efforts. “They’ll arrange it beautifully in a big bowl and ask me to take a photo for Facebook,” Nicole laughs. “I think they like to get out of their little niche in the kitchen and go out into nature for a bit.” Even the bartenders make the occasional run for mint for muddling in their mojitos.

The most important feedback has been from patrons. Nightly specials are based on what’s ready for harvest and those that feature produce from the urban garden always are the first to sell out. “We’ve received a huge response,” Nicole tells me, “and yes, it’s wonderful that it sells more than our other menu items, but the compliments on the taste are really what we’re looking for and what we’ve received.” The gardenfresh taste has customers coming back on a regular basis, inquiring as to what has been picked that day and how it will be served that night.

Nicole also comments that the garden experience has made her realize the difference between locally grown vegetables and other produce. “It looks like a tomato and it might even be beautiful,” she says of some store bought items, “but it doesn’t even taste like a tomato anymore!”

Who needs GMOs, anyway? The inaugural zucchini grown at Yanni’s was up to two feet long because of Paloma’s persistence and patience (and learning a few tricks for battling the omnipresent squash bugs). Presently, 100 percent of the herbs used at the restaurant are grown in the garden, which, especially for basil (a heavily used herb), is an amazing feat.

Nicole and Paloma are making plans for a winter garden (which Gretchen will join upon her return) and reflecting on what worked well and what to change for next year. Paloma has plans this winter to bike down to Mexico and work with farmers there as part of her thesis but will return in January to finish up her final semester at UNM and continue her work at Yanni’s. “We do have room to expand—we could put at least two more beds back there,” Nicole says, “but we’d never be able to sustain, even for a day, how much produce we need in this restaurant.” Beyond productivity, though, the message of the garden is significant; the added awareness for their customers, knowing where their food is coming from, as well as the extra layer of accountability Yanni’s is willing to take on to set the restaurant experience apart.

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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Up the Road story by CAITLIN RICHARDS

H

A Piece

ere you are in Albuquerque for the International Balloon Fiesta. You got up early and went to the balloon glow, walked among the balloons, oohed and aahed over the mass ascension and posted enough photos on Facebook and Instagram that your friends are not only no longer “liking” them, they’re on the verge of blocking all further posts from you. You look at your watch at 9 a.m. and think, “What now?” You could stick around for the chainsaw carving (do you really want to?); you could go visit the other attractions in Albuquerque, of which there are many, but the other 100,000 people you were rubbing elbows with this morning will be crowding the Bio Park and the museums; or you could just go to your hotel and spend the day at the pool, thereby missing anything that the Land of Enchantment has to offer.

The United States is the most vacation poor country in the world. Do you really want to spend your few, precious days away from the office fighting the masses or wasting the day emulating the vultures from The Jungle Book? If it’s further amusement you’re seeking, there’s an option: hop in your car and travel the fifty miles up I-25 to Santa Fe.

e.com © Benkrut | Dreamstim

© Ralph Brannan | Dreamstime.c om

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GET INTO THE SPIRITS HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU

Dreamstim © Cia Pix | e.com

With museums dedicated to everything from bugs (Harrell House of Natural Oddities) to folk art (Museum of International Folk Art) to fine art (New Mexico Museum of Art), there is bound to be something for everyone.

Unsettled Landscapes, the current exhibit at SITE Santa Fe, a contemporary art space in the Railyard District, is a choice that can satisfy almost all comers. “Memorial to the Acadia Woodlands Clear Cut (Green, Violet and Brown),” by Andrea Bowers, is the first piece you see upon entering the exhibit. Made of paracord, metal, rope and wood, it hangs from the ceiling like a giant green and purple jellyfish. This piece practically begs the viewer the touch it, to stick an arm through the outer layer and set the whole thing swinging.

A sign nearby saying “please don’t touch” discourages this, but the temptation is there. Round the corner is a tree trunk that rises from floor to ceiling, by Miler Lagos. The placard says that it is made from paper and wire, but it has the texture and color of wood. This is a mystery until a docent comes over and asks, “Would you like to see how it’s made?”

She takes her gloved hand and ruffles a few inches of bark.

The effect is similar to ruffling the edges of a book—you can see the newsprint before it all settles back together. The rest of the exhibit continues with photos, paintings, sculptures, videos and even a truck.

(SITE Santa Fe, Paseo de Peralta, 505.989.1199)

BEER HERE! If trying local beers is your thing, Santa Fe has got you covered! Santa Fe Brewing Company, on the south side of town, is New Mexico’s oldest brewery. Duel Brewing specializes in Belgian style beers and also offers life drawing sessions (beer and nudity being a time honored go-together).

If you’re looking for a meal with your IPA, you can’t miss at either of Second Street Brewery’s locations. Both feature great patios. The Second Street location is a good place to while away a pleasant hour or two under some trees and wave at the folks on the train. The Railyard location is great spot to sit and people watch while enjoying traditional pub fare. All of the Santa Fe breweries keep a few favorites on tap year round while challenging themselves, and each other, with fabulous seasonal specials. You could look up what’s currently on tap at any of their websites, but why bother when you can walk into any one of them and drink a beer rather than reading about one?

(Santa Fe Brewing, 35 Fire Place, 505.424.3333; Duel Brewing, 1228 Parkway Drive, 505.474.5301; Second Street Brewery, 1814 Second Street, 505.982.3030, and 1607 Paseo de Peralta, 505.989.3278)

If trying a local adult beverage is appealing to you but you aren’t much of a beer drinker, not to worry. Santa Fe Spirits, a distillery making single malt whiskey, apple brandy, gin (described as smelling like New Mexico after a rainfall) and vodka, all with a local flavor, has two tasting rooms in Santa Fe. The Read Street tasting room offers cocktails that highlight the spirits. There is also a tasting room at the distillery itself, on the south side of town, where you can get a bit of education with your spirits in the form of a distillery tour. And if your skin is feeling a bit dehydrated from the arid desert air, a few minutes in the humid, aromatic barrel aging room will plump your pores right up.

Editor’s note: There are actually five distilleries in Santa Fe–– who would have guessed! To learn more about our local handcrafted spirits and the wonderful folks who make them go to localflavormagazine.com.

(Santa Fe Spirits, 308 Read Street, 505.780.5906, and 7505 Mallard Way, 505.467.8892)

IS IT TIME TO EAT YET? Of course it would be remiss to try to lure you to Santa Fe without mentioning the food. If you are looking for a true New Mexican meal, if you’ve read about red and green chile and have never tried it, if you’ve been to New Mexico in the past and find yourself dreaming of chile that the local taco shop just can’t deliver, if you’re just happy to be on vacation in a state that doesn’t have a Hard Rock Cafe, Santa Fe is here for you.

There was talk of putting up a sign at the city line that said “Welcome to Santa Fe, we’ve got great food,” but the city elders couldn’t decide if should be “good food,” “great food” or “the BEST food” so they decided to table the discussion while they went out for lunch. The first staffer sent to retrieve them went to Tune Up Cafe, thinking that they would have opted for this funky, unpretentious favorite among locals. They weren’t there, but as it was lunch time the staffer sat down to enjoy a plate of banana leaf wrapped tamales.

The second staffer thought perhaps since it was such a beautiful fall day, perfect for a walk around the Plaza, she would try The Shed, a restaurant tucked in an old adobe building on Palace Avenue, just off the plaza. Few restaurants in Santa Fe have such a picturesque Southwestern feel. The vivacious atmosphere and the scent of chile in the air was too much for her, she succumbed to a bowl of chile con carne with a side of garlic bread.

Heard of green chile burgers and want to try one of the best?

Santa Fe Bite on Old Santa Fe Trail won’t disappoint—this is the new home of the original Santa Fe green chile burger, formerly found at Bobcat Bite. This is the burger that wins awards.

Post a few of these on Facebook and see the likes pile up. “You got to see an Angry Bird balloon, cool art and a distillery?” “You drank amazing beer? Jealous.” “OMG—green chile burgers?

LOVE!” “Dude—wasn’t there a chainsaw art demonstration?”

(Tune Up Cafe, 1115 Hickox Street, 505.983.7060; The Shed, 113½ E. Palace Avenue, 505.982.9030; Santa Fe Bite, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505.982.0544)

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A new senior lifestyle is coming to Rio Rancho with apartment styles and amenities not offered in other area communities.

The Neighborhood is scheduled to open in 2015, giving you time to consider how beautiful your future can be. But you must act now.

A new information center is now open at 4500 Arrowhead Ridge Drive SE in Rio Rancho (one block west of the intersection of Highway 528 on Ridgecrest Drive SE).

Reservations are now being taken for when the apartments become available for occupancy.

To arrange for your visit, please call Ashley Trujillo at (505) 994-2266.

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T U O D L O S BODEGA

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OCT. '14

It's a Paint Out!

A

mong the myriad experiences that make October in Santa Fe such a special, nostalgic time—chiles, golden leaves, nippy nights, costumed kids, apple cider and pumpkins—is the city’s return to a true locals’ town after a bustling summer of visitors and markets and long, hot days. In these cooler, shorter days, we turn inward and perhaps backward as we sigh and relax and begin to let the vibrancy of the past year settle down. The light of October sheds its glow on our town and our selves, and it’s in this golden northern New Mexico light that the Canyon Road Merchants Association has joined forces with over a hundred artists to bring back the feeling of the historic road’s past by revealing the beauty of our town through the eyes, hands and brushes of local painters.

This year, the Historic Canyon Road Paint and Sculpt Out, one of the nation’s largest artist demonstrations, invites “the public to interact with working artists as they demonstrate how they create,” says Nancy Leeson, owner of Canyon Road Contemporary Art and executive member of the Canyon Road Merchants Association.

The event begins on Friday, October 17, with an evening of receptions, artist talks, food and music. On Saturday, the entire Canyon Road Arts District, starting at the intersection of Canyon and Paseo de Peralta and ending at the intersection of Canyon and Palace, comes alive for the day with live sculpting demonstrations and plein air painters, giving the public a glimpse of what Canyon Road looked like a century ago.

The day includes music from the Santa Fe Public School Music Program, a parade and a not-to-be-missed surprise event at 2:55 p.m. at 701 Canyon Road. What better way to spend a golden autumn day than to wander around one of Santa Fe’s beautiful, richly historic roads, experiencing simultaneously what it once was and what it currently has to offer in all its colorful glory?

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Local Flavor: What was—and is—the inspiration for this vibrant autumn event? How did it come to be?

Nancy Leeson: Canyon Road has long been a mecca for the arts. Canyon Road is situated in a uniquely beautiful setting that has attracted artists for a hundred years. The natural beauty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the autumn has proven to be irresistible to artists. The Paint and Sculpt Out brings together all these elements for one glorious autumnal weekend.

LF: What’s new this year?

NL: This year has wonderful new elements to an already-popular event as we introduce sculptors to our roster! Many sculptors will reveal all or a part of their fascinating process for the first time on Canyon Road. Additionally, we have a surprise public-participation event scheduled for 2:55 p.m. [on Saturday] at 701 Canyon Road. We don’t want to spill the beans, but plan to be there for an exuberant finale to a perfectly artistic day.

LF: What’s the significance of plein air—why is it such an important part of the Santa Fe art scene?

NL: Plein air painting has been deeply influenced by the artists of Canyon Road as it is practiced in the contemporary realm. These artists continue to push the limits of plein air as active, working artists will, and the sheer number of artists on Canyon Road has made this in part possible.

story by MIA ROSE PORIS

|

p h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f C A N Y O N R O A D PA I N T O U T

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r a m s ART

OCT. '14

m n U e h T & n r a B ay, ARTsmart’stFall FUNdraiser! d e r u h t a S at o 20 o , B 5 2 r Boo at the barn & The Unmasked dinner tobe

It's a Paint Out!

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Saturday, October 25, 2014

Boo at the barn

LF: Do many people buy the paintings and sculptures that they’re watching unfold before them?

NL: There is no doubt that people’s inhibitions are relaxed as they connect directly with the creative process!

LF: The event paints the scene of what Canyon Road looked like a century ago. Help us imagine what the historic road was like back then. What has remained the same?

NL: Canyon Road evolved from the natural contours of the foothills. It follows the Santa Fe River as it meanders toward the Plaza. The unique quality of light is virtually unchanged from days of yore as the high-desert sunlight dapples the cottonwoods, conifers and aspens alongside the river in the warm seasons. Adobe walls are transformed to objects of unrivaled beauty with fresh snowfall and the narrowness of Canyon Road serves to accentuate this beauty as the warmtoned walls embrace the outer edges of the road with their comforting warmth.

LF: What’s been the biggest change to Canyon Road since its beginnings as an artist community?

NL: Canyon Road was originally developed as a residential neighborhood, then slowly evolved to be an artist settlement because of its extreme beauty. The talented artists became noticed by the world and so did Canyon Road, which continued its evolution to what it is known for today as a mecca of galleries, boutiques and restaurants known the world over.

LF: What do you envision the future of Canyon Road to be?

How do you envision the Paint Out in 25 years?

NL: Unlike many other art districts, Canyon Road holds a place in art history due to its natural evolution. Its old world architecture has been retained and is as authentic as the art it houses. This strength of character and deep roots will help to retain the integrity of the district for years to come. The Paint and Sculpt Out will always be a part of the experience of Canyon Road, as long as artists and galleries remain.

And don’t forget: 2:55 p.m. at number 701!

Visit visitcanyonroad.com/paintout_current.html for more information.

OCTOBER 2014

C

Open House 1–4pm ARTbarn 1516 Pacheo St

LF: What do the artists like about the event?

NL: Artists are often in their studios, not able to receive direct feedback from enthusiasts. They’re attracted to the rare opportunity to interact with the public.

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Children are invited to make Halloween masks under the guidance of ARTsmart instructors, while parents are given a tour of the ARTbarn Community Studio.

Free Admission

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arn B e h t o at BoUnmasked The dinner se u o H n Bistro 6:30pm peMidtown 901OWest San Mateo

ARTsmart “unmasks” its exciting 2015 programs and events... pm 6: 30 & more surprises at this FUNdraiser.

ro t id RSVP: Seating is M limited.

Mateo n a S t 505.992.2787 Wes 901 speterson@artsmartnmg.org ” its e s k s a t “unm and eve r a m s ART programs ise 2015 more surpr raise and d N U this F

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For information on events and special offers visit: facebook.com/GardunosAtOldTown

Trivia Night Every Tuesday 800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104 (505) 222-8766

125 W. Washington Ave. • Santa Fe, NM 87501 • 988.4900 • HotelChimayo.com

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Frontier of Beer

Albuquerque Leads the Way p h o t o s a n d s t o r y b y M E LY S S A H O L I K

Bosque Brewing Company

Chama River Brewing Company

Nexus

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Il Vicino

Marble Brewery

Tractor Brewing

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Frontier of Beer La Cumbre Brewing Company

Marble Brewery

Thirsty for more? Head to localflavormagazine.com for more stories on local brews, including where to sip in Santa Fe.

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www.ampconcerts.org

Tickets: Hold My Ticket (112 2nd St SW), 505-886-1251 and ampconcerts.org, 505-232-9868 NHCC Tickets - In person or by phone, NHCC Box Office (505-724-4771)

OCT

8

Ribab FusiOn CaRavan OF Thieves 26

with Kumaresh Rajagopalan (violin), & Jayanthi Kumaresh (veena)

JOHNNy BOyd

3 the Cooperage Fri, 8 pm MalCOlM the Cooperage tues, 7:30 pm 28 JiM ENSEMBlE Outpost Performance Space Sun, 3 pm 2 OrCHid FOr tHrEE 16 tiME KiMo theatre Sun, 3 pm SaNta CECilia 21 la la Fonda Hotel Ballroom Santa Fe, Fri, 8 pm •

•

nOV

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AMP Concerts & Chamber Music Albuquerque present •

nOV AMP Concerts and DLeNM present •

DeC ¡Globalquerque! presents

1 daKHaBraKHa the dirty Bourbon Mon, 7:30 pm KOttKe 4 LeO KiMo theatre thurs, 7:30 pm •

DeC

•

DeC CHRISTMAS FROM IRELAND with

13 L2 úSHOWS! nAsA & KArAn CAseY NCHH Sat. 4 pm & 8 pm

TUESDAY

The Cooperage • Sun, 7:30 pm

More Great ShowS!

OCt

nOV

Zakir Hussain

OCT

On tour as part of Center Stage The Dirty Bourbon • Wed, 7:30 pm OCt

An evening of Indian Classical Music

The Lensic | Santa Fe

AMPLIFY Your Life

OCT

7

7:00PM

•

MarCHiNg BaNd 17 MarCHFOurtH Sunshine theater Sat, 9 pm BeLA FLeCK & 21 ABIgAIL WAshBurn

JAn

•

JAn

tiX ON SalE OCt 17

KiMo theatre • Wed. 7:30 pm

sAInt-MArIe 15 BuFFY KiMo theatre Sun, 7:30 pm

FeB

•

tiX ON SalE CArLOs núñez OCt 3 FEB 28, NHCC • Sat, 8 pm

tiX ON SalE hAPA OCt 10 Mar 28, KiMo theatre • Sat, 8 pm

tiX ON SalE ALtAn OCt 24 aPr 1, KiMo theatre • Wed, 7:30 pm

FREE CONCERTS • Ribab Fusion - Tues. oct 7, 12:30 pm, n4th Theater DaViD FRanCEY - Thurs. oct 16, 12 pm, Tony Hillerman Lib. anD Fri. oct. 17, 12 pm, north Valley Lib.

MORE Fall 2014 Season Highlights Allison Miller César Bauvallet Eric Vloeimans Le Chat Lunatique & Wildewood Bassekou Kouyate Jacky Terrasson Ralph Alessi Miguel Zenón Pray for Brain Doug Lawrence Michael Datcher & John Rangel

ALL ACTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Michael Anthony Fred Sturm Glenn Kostur Women of the World (WOW) Poetry Slam Latif Bolat Eliane Elias Plus Jazz Classes for Youth & Adults, Art Exhibits and More!

210 Yale SE | 505.268.0044 | outpostspace.org

A taste of life in New Mexico.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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W

hen Santa Fe native Nancy Abruzzo met her future husband Richard, a renowned balloonist from Albuquerque, she was a total novice in that world. But she was also game and she was adventurous. Richard’s passion for balloons, both gas and hot air, was contagious, and Nancy found herself not only becoming an aficionado but, eventually, a pilot, herself. The son of world-famous balloonist Ben Abruzzo who founded the Albuquerque Balloon Museum, Richard had won countless awards, capped in 2004 by the Gordon Bennett Cup, a prestigious international contest he won with co-pilot Carol Rymer Davis for long distance gas ballooning.

In 2010, Richard and Carol set out once more to compete for the Gordon Bennett Cup, this time from Bristol and across the Adriatic Sea to Croatia. As countless New Mexicans remember, shortly after the race began, news reports began coming in that Richard’s balloon was missing.

Rescue crews searched the waters while Albuquerque’s entire ballooning community, along with well-wishers local and world-wide, held their breath, hoping for the best.

No sign of balloon or bodies was found for nearly two months, an agonizing time for Nancy and the couple’s two children. Once the tragic outcome was confirmed, Nancy had no other choice but to walk her children into the unavoidable pain, and through it, till they could reach the other side.

Her chosen method of healing such enormous grief, for herself as well as her kids, was to be proactive. So they planted the Lost Balloonist Tribute Tree together outside the museum; others are invited to plant trees there, too.

And Nancy established the Richard Abruzzo Foundation, which raises money to support and create resources for the Balloon Museum and the Fiesta Park, with special interactive science and math exhibits and programs. “I evolved into this path,” she says. “I found a platform. It’s my joy to give back in any way that can help and to make it be a tribute in Richard’s honor.”

In recent years, she’s also taken on being head of the Welcome Committee that Balloon Fiesta created for firsttime international pilots. “They can be overwhelmed,” Nancy says. “There are lots of moving parts in the Fiesta mechanism, and if you’re new, and your English isn’t fluent, it can be stressful. Fiesta makes this be as seamless a process as possible. Don Edwards, the event director, is a liaison with all the volunteers.” Body language, she says, and laughing, are the universal ways of communicating when a common language is lacking. Candid moments ensue and friendships are forged, often lasting a lifetime, between pilots and their volunteers.

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story by GAIL SNYDER photos courtesy of NANCY ABRUZZO

brings

Volunteer Cynthia Handfield says of her family’s experience, “We had so much fun that we look forward to doing it again this year. Our two pilots and their girlfriends were from Lithuania. We took them from the airport to get food and supplies, over to the house where they were staying, and then to pilot registration, where they saw many old friends from around the world.” The Handfields were also their chase crew, which meant meeting their pilots at the hotel every morning before dawn. “We got to go to the pilot tent for breakfast, attend the morning pilots’ briefing, then went to the launch site and got the balloon ready. We were clumsy the first couple of days,” she admits, “because we had never crewed before, but by the end of the week, we at least looked like we knew what we were doing! Being part of a chase crew was exhausting but exhilarating.

“Our pilots made new friends wherever they went—and were not afraid to invite themselves to any party along the way! We discovered that the ballooning world is just one big happy family. Mid-week we invited them home for dinner and they brought a very special bottle of vodka. One of the girlfriends told us that this was the best meal she had eaten in the U.S.” On the last day, Cynthia got a balloon ride, which thrilled her. Then they took their new friends back to the airport—“they were going on to their next adventures somewhere else in the world. We’ve kept in contact with them and look forward to seeing them again at this year’s Fiesta.”

“Balloon Fiesta,” says Nancy, “is the most intimate and hands-on spectator festival I’m aware of.” Pilots often initiate contact, asking spectators to hold the basket for launching or helping inflate the balloon. This is great for kids, with their tendency to be especially hands-on-friendly.

One of the most popular events among the many kid Fiesta attendees is the Special Shapes Glodeo, held Thursday and Friday nights. “The characters come alive in the sky in the glow of the early evening’s setting sun,” Nancy raves—clearly this is one of her favorite parts as well—“and international pilots tend to have excellent special shapes balloons. Especially the Brazilians! They reflect Brazil’s lively personality, tending to top each other’s fun year after year with pranks and practical jokes, not taking a day for granted.” And while the other countries bring some stiff competition—Belgium’s Darth Vader balloon, India’s Angry Birds, Canada’s “Airabelle” Creamland Cow and the upside-down-falls-on-his-crown American Humpty Dumpty— Brazil really does steal the show for humor and inventiveness, including an incredibly lifelike frog, Baby Dino, halfway out of his egg and a round aquarium full of fish and underwater plants circling its circumference.

Fiesta specifically honors its international pilots with a Flight of Nations dinner and then again with the Wednesday morning mass ascension, beginning with flights by representative pilots from each country, each flying their national flag. “Unity grows, and builds off itself each year as pilots return and everyone shares their stories,” Nancy says. “All of Albuquerque does a marvelous job of supporting this event. It’s a happy, festive time, which is universal for all the pilots, including those who are New Mexican, out-of-state and international. Restaurants and other local establishments offer discounts like the Show Your Pilot Badge.”

It’s a lot of work to make the 10 days appear as seamless as Nancy describes, but the Balloon Fiesta council has pulled it off for 44 years now. What does Nancy do during the 355 other days of the year? She gets to work on Richard Abruzzo Foundation projects, another of which is to visit schools to read “Pop Flop’s Great Balloon Ride,” the Fiesta kid’s-eye-view book she wrote. “That’s always a lot of fun. We demonstrate how gas ballooning works and the kids are fascinated with how do men and women stay aloft for three days.

They ask the most creative questions!” She pauses. “The classroom,” she goes on, “is our future. For kids in Albuquerque, this is all second nature—they grew up with balloons in their backyards. Hopefully, we can keep that interest and intrigue alive.”

Filip Audenaert, a pilot from Belgium, says of Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta, “It’s beyond the imagination!

It’s very fun, it’s huge, there are so many people on the field in the mornings. And the silence—!” There he stops, groping for words. With a similar level of the passion that Richard Abruzzo followed to the end of his life, these international guests value and appreciate this beautiful land and sky. And we get to share that with them, taking no day for granted.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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TAOS

s t o r y b y TA N I A C A S S E L L E

photos by LENNY FOSTER

I

n our regular column, Tania Casselle introduces us to the people who make Taos hum. This Halloween month, we meet two ghost hunters on the prowl for things that go bump in the night.

Reyes Cisneros Reyes Cisneros co-founded New Mexico Research and Investigation of the Paranormal (NMRIP) to find proof of the paranormal but also to provide rational explanations for spooky events. “About 75% of the time, that is the situation,” says Cisneros. “We’ll find bad plumbing or electrics, or the house foundation tends to shift, so cabinets are opening or shutting on their own.” NMRIP doesn’t charge to investigate homes or businesses, but it accepts donations. “We started the organization to help people, to shed light on whatever it is that they are experiencing.”

Cisneros and his team head into the haunt hunt with a battery of equipment including an electromagnetic field detector, infrared film, thermal imaging and laser grids to capture motion. They find ample mysteries to explore in historic Taos. “The John Dunn House Shops … there is indeed paranormal activity in there.”

While investigating Moby Dickens Bookshop, Cisneros was interrupted by an unexplained voice. “I was speaking into my recorder, and I said, ‘We are here at the old Long John Dunn House.’ Immediately the voice said, ‘John Dunn House.’ It was correcting me.” (He believes this energy is benevolent—as well being as a stickler for detail.) Cisneros often conducts “mock closings” to convince any spirits that a building is empty. The investigators depart but leave their equipment running. “We get a lot of spikes right after we shut down. Like they know everyone’s gone: ‘We can run around now!’”

Is Cisneros ever scared? “No. Even when I was in the military, we were put in positions where we were quite fearful and just had to face it and carry on.”

When he is not busy growing his web and graphic design business, Burning Star Design, the Taos-born Cisneros is working on the family home that he built on land inherited from his grandfather. “Designing is my first love,” he says. “The last three years have been really good. I moved from the dining room into a storefront!”

Cisneros laughs when I ask about downtime activities. “What’s downtime? I watch cartoons with my kids when I get a chance. They’re my life; they’re why I’m doing what I do. I want them to see that if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish it. And if you don’t accomplish it, you’re just that bit closer, so don’t stop. A bit of hard work isn’t going to kill you.”

Find information on New Mexico Research and Investigation of the Paranormal at nmrip.com. Contact Reyes Cisneros at 575.613.2796 or burningstardesign.com.

Melody Elwell Romancito If your spine can stand some tingling, meet Melody Elwell Romancito on the Taos Plaza at twilight and she’ll take you on a walking tour of haunted Taos, regaling you with ghost stories and uncanny tales. “There are so many stories that I’ve heard people tell,” says Romancito. “Some have been written up, and others are part of the urban legend of Taos. There’s a certain amount of showmanship involved. I’m not into scaring people, but some of the stories are a little unsettling.” (If kids are on the tour, she’ll tone down the creepiness factor.)

Her Ghosts of Taos walking tours run on request and take a leisurely couple of hours to explore the town’s historic district. “The old courthouse is chock full of goodies ... and Ledoux Street and Dona Luz,” says Romancito, who believes that Taos has an especially spirited legacy of hauntings. “All places where humans have been leaves an imprint, and Taos has that historically, because a number of people have lived here over the centuries, way before the Europeans got here.”

Romancito moved from Los Angeles to Taos in 1986. “The minute I stepped out of the car here, I knew this was it, so I married a local boy and had a kid.” The local boy is Rick Romancito, long-time editor of Tempo, The Taos News’ arts and entertainment magazine. Melody herself was Tempo editor for two years, starting soon after she arrived in Taos. “That was a pretty good way to get to know a community,” she says.

Her media background includes radio reporting and freelance magazine writing; now she specializes in video and audio editing and web development and design. She does videography, too, for New Mexico Research and Investigation of the Paranormal (and some places the organization has researched are included on her tour).

The combo of high-tech and tradition continues in Romancito’s passion for music. She has sung with the Taos Gospel Choir but also creates electronic music; one of her compositions was used in a European bicycle commercial.

Many of Romancito’s tour customers like to trade their own eerie experiences and discuss theories about phantoms. “On a rainy night I’ve been booked just to sit in a bar and hear their ghost stories,” she says, “and I don’t mind!”

Book a Ghosts of Taos tour in advance, $20 per person with discounts for children and groups, ghostsoftaos.com. Contact Melody Elwell Romancito at 575.613.5330 or melodyromancito.com.

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575.758.2233 A Taste of Life in New Mexico

taosinn.com OCTOBER 2014

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A

s a longtime fan of Chef Joel Coleman’s cooking, I remember my disappointment when I heard he was leaving town after running into owner problems at his downtown venture Koi. Prior to that, Coleman had made a splash with Mauka in the Guadalupe district, serving his unique spin on Japanese and Asian inspired cooking. His frustration is one that many talented chefs feel; finding your culinary footing in this fickle industry can be tricky. I was glad to hear he was back in town and eager to check out his new gastro pub, an idea he had been playing with in his head for years. As I wrote in my round-up in the September issue of Local Flavor, when I visit a restaurant three times in a week, you know I’m intrigued. Fire & Hops has become my new “local favorite” so I was curious to hear from the chef himself, and partner Josh Johns, just how this new gamble is panning out … and to talk Spam.

story by JOHN VOLLERTSEN photos by STEPHEN LANG

John Vollertsen: With your other two restaurants, Mauka and Koi, you enjoyed measured success but still closed them sooner than you had hoped to. Do you feel that with Fire and Hops third time’s a charm?

Joel Coleman: I feel like it’s all about everything falling into place at the right time. A lot of people don’t realize that Koi wasn’t actually mine, and I became very unhappy with the owner and overall situation there. After I quit, they closed the restaurant. With that said, everything feels right with Fire and Hops. Josh and I have put a lot of work into this place and I think people really recognize and appreciate that.

JV: What have you been doing in the past three years? How have you changed and how has your cooking changed?

JC: Koi closed in April of 2011 and I was frustrated with that situation and I needed a change, so I moved back to the Bay Area. It was an interesting few years out there and I learned a lot. I spent a few months in southeast Asia and came back with a different perspective on things. I also had a brief stint as a personal chef, and I had stages at some amazing restaurants. I think all of those things helped me to become more diverse with my cooking.

JV: Do you think Santa Fe has changed since you were in San Francisco?

JC: I have definitely noticed some changes since I’ve been gone and they all seem to be very positive. I feel like there are a lot of good things happening in Santa Fe as far as the culinary scene goes, and on top of that it just seems as if there are a lot of people trying to help with moving things forward here.

JV: What person, chef or otherwise, do you feel has taught you the most about the business?

JC: One person is definitely my best friend Matt Tinder, whom I’ve known for over 20 years. He is one of the best pastry chefs in the country and he has always helped me to stay driven and has taught me so much over the years. I would also have to say that Mu from Mu Du Noodles has taught me a lot. I’ve worked for her a few times now, she’s been going strong for 16, 17 years now, and I’ve learned a lot from her about the business.

JV: How did your partnership with Josh Johns come about? What roles do you each play within the business?

JC: I met Josh back in 2010, when Koi was open and the crew would go into Second Street Brewery quite a bit. Josh was the bartender and manager there and he always created

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Photo: Gaelen Casey

Chef Johnny Vee

Wants to Know

OCTOBER 2014

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Josh Johns and Joel Coleman

Smoked Organic Chicken, Summer Squash, Farro, Aji Amarillo BBQ

a great environment there. He was also very easy to get along with. We always joked about opening a gastro pub one day and when I moved back to Santa Fe at the end of 2013, the idea came up again and everything came together very organically.

Josh Johns corroborates: I had just helped open the Railyard location and was bartending and then managing. Joel and his crew from Koi would come in in the evening and a friendship was struck up with him. When Joel moved back to town we reconnected and everything just lined up nicely for opening a place—financials, timing, finding a location, etc. And here we are! Joel is the head chef and kitchen manager and I’m the manager for the front of the house. We collaborate on beer, wine and cider and what is best for the season and pairs well with the food. I give him feedback on what customers think of the food but I basically told him when we first got together that he is one of the few chefs in town I’d want to work with and that I believe 100 percent in his cooking and menu choices. We agreed that we will be changing the menu seasonally.

JV: What are your signature dishes on the Fire and Hops menu?

JC: I think the most consistently popular dish would have to be the poutine.

Aside from that, the pork belly has also been very popular, as well as the fish and chip fritters and the Chiang Mai sausage. The salt and vinegar potatoes are a snack that has also become quite popular. These are all things that will probably stay on the menu going into fall.

JV: How would you describe your niche market at Fire and Hops? Is it the crowd you were hoping to reach? Is it different from your fans at your previous restaurants?

JC: We were really hoping for a pretty diverse crowd and I think we got that. I have a following from past restaurants and Josh has quite the following himself.

We really want anyone and everyone to feel comfortable here. We have people who just come in for a beer, others that have a burger or a snack, and then there are the guests who come in and sit for hours and have several courses. On top of the well thought out beer list, we also have a very nice wine list and a nice selection of ciders as well.

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Fire and Hops JV: Have you had to rethink the way you plan a menu to serve it alongside a beer-centric rather than wine-oriented menu?

JC: It doesn’t really change the way I write a menu, although I do try and think of ways to incorporate beer. We use it to brine the pork for Cubanos, braise the pork belly in and I’ve even made a sorbet with it, which people seem to love.

We plan on hosting some beer dinners soon and although we are very beer focused, I want people to know that we put a lot of thought into the wine list as well. It’s small, but it has a nice balance and should please most palates.

JJ: I’ve worked at Second Street Brewery, Wolf Canyon Brewery, Blue Corn Brewery, Brown’s Brewery in Troy, N.Y., and the Barrington Brewery in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, so you could say I’ve gotten my feet wet with beer. With beer I feel I know the basics pretty well but it’s an ever growing field that’s always changing. We just try to stay aware of new styles and trends and if it tastes good to us we feel like others will like it as well.

In addition, I just love people and conversing with them. It’s great to watch folks come together in a casual environment to relax and enjoy a quality beverage with great food. The fact that we built it ourselves makes it all the better!

JV: Any dishes we can look forward to you adding to the menu this fall?

JC: I love the summer season for all of the bright and fresh ingredients, but I’m really looking forward to the fall menu as well. I plan on doing a shepherd’s pie with Shepherd’s Lamb from Tierra Amarilla. We’re also going to be adding a cassoulet, an heirloom hubbard squash soup, braised short ribs and some other hearty dishes that will be appropriate for the fall and winter seasons. I think it’s very important to follow the seasons and I always hate to see tomatoes being served in January. Ingredients taste best at their peak, during the season, and we try to focus on that.

JV: Any underappreciated ingredient you love to cook with that doesn’t show up anywhere on Santa Fe menus?

JC: I have an appreciation for Spam. I spent 14 years in Hawaii and I love it. I think it will make an appearance on the menu, or maybe as a special at some point. I think Spam musubi (Spam sushi) would make a great snack at the restaurant/bar.

JV: Care to admit to a food you love to eat that would surprise our readers?

JC: I do my best to eat well and support local farms and ranchers as much as possible, but once in a while I get a craving for Wendy’s. I can’t help it.

Fire and Hops is located at 222 North Guadalupe in Santa Fe. 505.954.1635. fireandhopsgastropub.com.

Want to know what else Johnny Vee knows?

Visit localflavormagazine.com for more.

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Celebrating the Taste of Life in New Mexico for over two decades!

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

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all local all the time s t o r y b y E V E T O L PA

O

n a bright Thursday morning, a group of six people have set up a temporary camp of sorts at the Hillside Market in Santa Fe, packing produce into boxes and reusable grocery bags. It’s member pickup day for Beneficial Farms CSA, Steve and Colleen Warshawer’s family business. The couple is joined by three volunteers (as well as some of the volunteers’ tiny, adorable children) and Colleen’s son Thomas Swendson, who moved to Albuquerque from Denver three years ago to work for MoGro, a nonprofit mobile grocery store that supports sustainable local food distribution. “I’ve been doing more of the technical side part time for Beneficial Farms,” he says, “but in the past month, it’s been more hands on.” Despite everyone working to a tight deadline, the collective vibe is laid back and friendly. But laid back does not mean slack, as any conversation with Steve quickly demonstrates.

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Though not from a farming family himself, Steve knew he wanted to go into agriculture after spending time as a teenager working on a co-op farm located in Georgia. He came to New Mexico in the late 1970s as a junior at St. John’s College; when he finished up that academic year, his path took a different turn. “The land that we live on was purchased with my senior year tuition savings, and I didn’t return to school after,” he says. Thus began the long road to creating a working farm, which didn’t come into full existence until 1993.

Initially the land, about 25 miles southeast of Santa Fe, was vacant unmanaged ranch land, and all infrastructure had to be put in place.

There was, says Steve, “no water, fences, roads, anything.”

He goes on to explain that “the original concept of the CSA [started] back in the late ’80s,” noting that a community would come together to support the farm via funding and distribution, and in turn the farm would support the community with food. This was the model Steve followed when he first got Beneficial Farms up and running. His first member group consisted of the parents at the Santa Fe Waldorf School, and he supplied biodynamic produce for the families. “It was originally a single-farm CSA called Beneficial Farms.”

The single-farm model didn’t pan out, though. Nor did the strictly local and seasonal models of procuring produce. For one, Steve found that many people tend to see food more in terms of an economic transaction than as a community-building endeavor. Then there was the relative transiency of Santa Fe’s population, which made it difficult to maintain a subscriber base. But Steve was not deterred.

“I’m a pragmatist,” he says. “If it doesn’t work, figure out what does.

Cultural change, social change, takes generations. We are who we are.”

Later, Beneficial Farms CSA began to include partner farms. In turn, Steve and Colleen’s own family farm took on the name Mesa Top. There they raise dairy and meat cattle, grow a handful of crops and produce eggs. Mesa Top practices organic and biodynamic principles, but it is not certified organic. That’s because going through the organic certification process can often be cost-prohibitive.

“For a lot of small farms it’s just an expensive label they can’t afford,” says Thomas, who notes that if the CSA is dealing with a partner farm that is close by, it’s relatively easy to visit in person and make sure that the growing process—the water, soil, handling, harvesting and processing of the produce—are all up to Beneficial’s standards.

Today, Beneficial Farms CSA has 75 members. This week, those members are getting boxes full of sweet corn, peaches, cantaloupe, beefsteak tomatoes, arugula, parsnips and mitsuba.

(Never heard of that last one? You’re not alone. According to Beneficial it’s an Asian green vegetable; Colleen says one easy way to prepare it is chopped and stir fried in a wok.)

The traditional growing months in New Mexico are May though September, but Beneficial Farms CSA runs year round, incorporating items from partner farms in the region, from

Beneficial Farms CSA, 505.470.1969, beneficialfarm.com.

© Nilanjan Bhattacharya | Dreamstime.com

© Bhofack2 | Dreamstime.com

Farmers’ Markets Make it Easy to Support Local Agriculture Year-Round

© Mark Hammon | Dreamstime.com

Texas to California and parts in between. Says Thomas, “We have about 19 farms listed this season [that] we’re doing business with.” Mesa Top, too, grows cold-weather produce: kale, collards, cabbage and winter squash, among others.

“People have a choice, and if you’re going to open a business, you might as well run it year round,” says Steve, who values flexibility as well as perseverance.

Not surprisingly, Beneficial Farms CSA is constantly evolving. Steve and Thomas are currently working with local restaurants and kitchens to develop a wholesale market for Beneficial’s goods. There is already a wholesale market page on the CSA’s website, where members can order items in larger quantities, but this is somewhat different—more similar to the farm-to-restaurant concept, says Thomas. “Restaurants expect the industry standard” when it comes to the aesthetics of produce.

They have a definite idea of “what that orange or cucumber should look like.” The wholesale initiative involves, among other things, forming relationships with chefs and urging them to, as Thomas puts it, “be more forgiving about the blemishes” on fruits and vegetables.

He adds that it is important to remember that “produce is coming out of the dirt.”

Colleen weighs in on that subject. Gesturing to the salad mix in a member’s share box, she explains, “I rinse this off with a hose in the field. Then I pick it and put it in the bag.” CSA members, she says, “know they need to wash it; it may have a lady bug or dirt in it.” For many small farms, the benefits of thoroughly pre-washing produce can be outweighed by the hazards. All it takes is one contaminant to render an entire batch of, say, fruit inedible—or worse.

The issue of how to most effectively distribute local produce to people of all economic strata is what Thomas terms “the million-dollar question.” CSAs are one piece of the puzzle and, he says, “We’d all love a simple answer.” However, “CSAs and farmers markets are great ways to support local economies.”

Equally important is becoming familiar with what is grown locally and how to cook it. Thomas recounts that when he first came to New Mexico, he was not well versed in the culinary language of blue corn and chiles. Now, he says, he is aware of at least seven or eight different kinds of corn. Member education is also a big part of what CSAs do, and Beneficial Farms includes food preparation ideas in their pick up boxes, as well as online. Finally, when it comes to dining out, pay attention to how restaurants source their food and prioritize the dishes and establishments that feature local goods.

Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Director, Paolo Speirn, explains that since 2008, when the market opened its purpose-built Railyard facility, “We’re here 52 Saturdays a year,” adding, “The first thing you notice when you come into the winter market is how impressive the produce is. I think people tend to underestimate the variety of winter crops.” He cites heirloom turnips, three or four kinds of beets, and carrots grown in different soils. Then there’s the value-added items like jams, ciders and body products, all of which use local products in their creation. Paolo also mentions the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, which loans growers money to secure grants for building greenhouses and other season-extension projects.

The Taos Farmers’ Market operates from late July through late October on the Taos Plaza, and, according to Board President Kelly West, “We now offer what we call our Holiday Market. It’s the Saturday before Thanksgiving.” Offerings include specialty jams and preserved foods, as well as meats and produce. “As the community responds enthusiastically, I see this as a step toward a pre-Christmas market,” Kelly says.

This year’s Holiday Market takes place at the Guadalupe Parish gymnasium, near Taos Plaza.

The Albuquerque Downtown Grower’s Market has extended its season by one week this year, as well as introduced a spring market that runs from April 5 to May 10. Also, says Gina Meyers, market manager, “We started a Wednesday market on Civic Plaza this year over the lunch hour, from 11:30 to 1:30, for the working community of Albuquerque.” It began midJuly and is running through the end of October (and possibly later). In addition to familiarizing themselves with farmers’ markets in general, attendees can also pick up crepes, tacos or tamales for lunch.

In our search on the web and our calls to area Farmers’ Markets we were unable to find a comprehensive list of farmers involved in CSAs. But if you are interested in joining one we encourage you to ask around at your local Farmers’ Market to find one that suits your taste.

Harvests, homesteads and home-cooking from the farm and garden… visit localflavormagazine.com for more on the local harvest scene.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Still We roast chiles all year round!

Our Ristras have arrived!

Plus Fresh Chile from Hatch, NM Now available

story by MIA ROSE PORIS

S

o long summertime, autumn is here! And while we may feel the occasional whiff of nostalgia for those warmer, greener days, autumn in New Mexico is a true pleasure to behold. From the smell of roasted green chile in the crisp, cool air to the warm, golden hues of corn, squash, apples and pumpkins that dapple our farmers market booths, we are blessed with the sweet abundance of fall’s harvest. And so, in honor of nature’s bounty and the year’s final edible hurrah, we’ve chosen recipes from two local cookbooks that dish out the best of New Mexico’s harvest. In his book, Cooking with Johnny Vee—from which we’ve reprinted a recipe for a warm, delicious green chile, apple and chicken pot pie—our very own Chef Johnny Vee combines fall’s sweet and savory bounty into a meal to warm any cold autumn night. Celebrated culinary professionals Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison honor the traditional New Mexican cuisine of the Rancho de Chimayó restaurant in their new 50th Anniversary Edition of The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook, from which we’ve reprinted the Jaramillo family’s Chimayó Cocktail, a spicy apple libation, perfect for these chilly autumn evenings and golden weekend days.

Still Hungry for more recipes? Head to localflavormagazine. com to find these fabulous local harvest recipes: Chef Michael Giese of The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center offers up his savory, down-home Juniper Lamb Stew.

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Arlene Wagner of Wagner Farms in Corrales shares a delicious, comfort-food dish of Calabacitas con Carne.

From Chef Novak of Madrid’s The Hollar Restaurant, we have his colorful, vegetable-laden Farmers’ Market Soup.

And because we wait all year for fall’s apple harvest, Chef Jonathan Perno of Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm shares his sumptuous Savory Baked Apples with Green Chile.

Green Chile, Apple and Chicken Pot Pie

Reprinted from Chef John Vollertsen’s Cooking with Johnny Vee: International Cuisine with a Modern Flair Makes 8 small pies 4 tablespoons butter, divided, plus additional for ramekins ¼ cup minced celery ½ cup minced onion 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and finely chopped ¼ cup chopped, roasted green chile 2 tablespoons dry vermouth or dry white wine 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme Salt and pepper, to taste 2 chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes ½ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese 2 eggs, beaten 1 batch Real Flaky Pie Crust* 1. Butter eight 6-ounce ramekins and place in refrigerator.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large skillet and sauté celery, onion, and apple until tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Add chile, vermouth, lemon juice, parsley and thyme, and sauté for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

4. Melt remaining butter in a sauté pan and cook chicken until it is almost cooked through. Divide chicken among the ramekins, top with green chile and apple mixture, and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Brush egg onto rim of each ramekin.

5. Roll out pie crust to ⅛1/8 inch thickness and cut circles of dough ¼ inch larger than ramekins.

6. Place dough over each ramekin and pinch down to seal. Cut 2 steam vents in crust and brush tops with beaten egg.

7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until crust is nicely browned. Serve hot.

Chimayó Cocktail

Reprinted from The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook: The Traditional Cooking of New Mexico, 50th Anniversary Edition by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison Serves 1 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Lemon wedge 1 ½ ounces Cuervo Gold or other high-quality tequila 1 ounce apple cider; preferably unfiltered ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice ¼ ounce crème de cassis 1 slice unpeeled apple Stir together the sugar and cinnamon on a saucer. Rub the lemon wedge around the top of an 8-ounce glass. Immediately dip the glass rim in the cinnamon sugar.

Half fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour the tequila, cider, lemon juice, and crème de cassis over the ice and stir to blend. Garnish the rim with the apple slice and serve.

Jamison, C.A. & B. 2014. The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook: The Traditional Cooking of New Mexico 50th Anniversary Edition.

Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press.

*Real Flaky Pie Crust Makes 1 (9-inch) crust 11/2 cups flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup very cold lard or non-trans-fat vegetable shortening 1 tablespoon chilled butter 1 egg yolk ½ teaspoon white vinegar ¼ cup ice water 1. Place flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the lard or shortening and butter into very small pieces and stir into the flour.

2. Using a pastry blender or two dinner knives, cute the fat into the dough until it resembles a coarse, dry, oatmeal-like texture. Stir in the yolk and vinegar and slowly add ice water, mixing until the dough comes together and easily forms a ball. You may not need all of the water.

3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until you are ready to use it.

4. Lightly flour a pastry board and roll the dough into an 11-inch circle. Form into a pie plate and fill as per recipe directions.

Vollertsen, J. 2008. Cooking with Johnny Vee: International Cuisine with a Modern Flair. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2014

45

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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