October web issue 2

OCTOBER 2015

SANTA FE | ALBUQUERQUE | TAOS

Ride Your Bike to Fiesta!

Fun at the Maize Maze

A TASTE OF LIFE IN NEW MEXICO

Mapping the Frontier of Beer Artisanal Cider

Japanese Kitchen Teppan • Sushi • Omakase

Experience the Splendor & Excitement of Japan

Sushi Bar

505-872-1166 6511 America’s Parkway • Albuquerque

Steakhouse

505-884-8937 6521 America’s Parkway • Albuquerque

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OCTOBER 2015

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photo: Raymond Watt/ Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The Buzz by Kelly Koepke 10

Some things never change—some do! Check the Flavor for the latest on where to eat, where to stay and where to play.

The Art Buzz by Kelly Koepke 12

Stay on top of what’s happening at galleries in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos.

Biking at Daybreak by Emily Ruch 14

Biking through the darkened city to get a glimpse of the Dawn Patrol and then await the Mass Ascension is a tradition enjoyed by a cadre of hardy locals. Join writer Emily Ruch for an unforgettable ride to Balloon Fiesta park.

Of Mazes and Maize

by Mia Rose Poris 18

Hauntings and harvests and mazes and maize—head to the Rio Grande Community Farm in Albuquerque for the quintessential event that celebrates our glorious New Mexico autumn.

Artisanal Hard Cider

by Melyssa Holik 23

It’s not just another artisanal trend, nor is it another fad for big kids to drink... writer Melyssa Holik finds that “local cideries are fierce crusaders for sustainable New Mexico agriculture.”

Café Roha: Rich Traditions

by Mary Frances Cheeseman 28

Santa Fe welcomes its first-ever Ethiopian restaurant, where “each customer receives a slow-cooked meal, made with love and care—and spiced with Ethiopian tradition.”

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Who Knew? by Andrea Feucht 33 Who knew, indeed. Albuquerque can match any other urban center when it comes to a vast offering of ethnic foods. Just check out these hidden treasures that we found in some very unlikely places.

El Portal by Gail Snyder 37

Native artisans under the portal...a proud Santa Fe tradition for good reason.

Pressing Through Time

by Stephanie Hainsfurther 40

Taos is in the national spotlight again—this time for a citywide exhibition that celebrates 150 distinguished years of printmaking in Taos.

Still Hungry?

by Caitlin Richards 42

It wouldn’t be October without a beer mug in hand. In celebration of the annual New Mexico Brewfest, Local Flavor offers four favorite recipes starring—what else? Beer. And oh, yes, we even gave you a map to guide you to the 60-plus breweries in our state! (Happy Trails)

ON OUR COVER: The Balloon Fiesta captured by photographer Charles Mann

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OCTOBER 2015

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

Win a 2-night stay in Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque or Las Cruces

OCTOBER 2015 PUBLISHERS Patty & Peter Karlovitz

EDITOR Patty Karlovitz

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Michelle Moreland

ART DIRECTOR Jasmine Quinsier

WEB EDITOR Melyssa Holik Oh, the gourmet gluttony of Wine & Chile! Here I am with Allison, our newest member of the Santa Fe advertising team, sharing in a toast and a hug with Ziggy from Omira Bar & Grill.

-Lianne

COPY EDITOR Mia Rose Poris

PREPRESS Scott Edwards

AD DESIGN Alex Hanna

I’m with fellow Board Member, Michael, getting ready to welcome our Wine & Chile Fiesta guests to the Grand Tasting!

-Kate

ADVERTI S I NG

Enter Today at

SANTA FE

HHandR.com/LocalFlavor

Lianne Aponte 629.6544 Kate Collins 470.6012

ALBUQUERQUE Sheridan Johnson 917.975.4732

COVER PHOTO Charles Mann

WRITERS Mary Francis Cheeseman Andrea Feucht Stephanie Hainsfurther Melyssa Holik Kelly Koepke Mia Rose Poris Caitlin Richards Emily Ruch Gail Snyder

Enjoying one of the beautiful Popejoy Theatre’s AMAZING shows this season!

Can’t wait for the next one!

-Sheridan

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Palacio de Marquesa Taos | Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town | Nativo Lodge Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe | Lodge at Santa Fe Hotel St. Francis | Eldorado Hotel & Spa

HHandR.com/LocalFlaovr 6

OCTOBER 2015

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Kitty Leaken Charles Mann Gabriella Marks

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. Local Flavor 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 2015

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Great local food: free samples, chef demos, food trucks Live music | Beer garden | Kids activities

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OCTOBER 2015

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A

As the stories were coming in, I could sense that nearly all of the writers were also striving to say something about the mystery of the season—they felt the need to make a connection between their assignment and some tenderly buried memories of their own moments in childhood when time stood still. It must be that autumn thing.

In Albuquerque, “that autumn thing” is definitely the International Balloon Fiesta. Although visitors nearly outnumber locals during that time, our lead story is strictly for the folks who live here. It’s true that some residents head out of town or just dive under the covers during Fiesta, but others can’t wait to be in the very center of the excitement—and how they get there is the best part of all. Join writer Emily Ruch and a group of hardy locals who venture out into the pre-dawn darkness, hop on their bikes and follow the eerily quiet city streets to the dawn spectacle that is the Mass Ascension.

A bit more conventionally, families pack up the kids in the car and head to the Rio Grande Community Farm for the annual rite of the Maize Maze. “Of Hauntings and Harvests, Mazes and Maize” is a story you won’t want to miss. (You don’t even need the excuse of taking the kids...there’s fun for everyone!)

Also in the spirit of the harvest season, writer Melyssa Holik tastes her way through a new artisanal trend—local hard cider. New Mexico is home to the oldest apple orchard in the nation; it’s no surprise then that we should be at the forefront of this renaissance. Once you meet these pioneering young ciderists, we know you’ll be as inspired by their commitment to community and sustainability as we were.

The usual suspects are here as well— brand new restaurants to try, tried and true favorites to return to and some great recipes with beer as the star ingredient.

Now, no distractions, just sit back and savor the flavor.

Photo: Gabriella Marks

FRESH PRODUCE

lbuquerque photographer Charles Mann certainly captured the essence of a New Mexico fall with the shot that graces our cover. And it’s not only because of the unmistakable crisp blue autumn sky or the magical presence of a hot air balloon. There is something about the way the little boy is standing...that is what really caught my eye when we were searching for our perfect cover image. I felt that right at the very moment Charles clicked the shutter, this child was being flooded with images that would stay with him forever. Time was standing still for him. Autumn has a way of doing that.

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Join locals supporting locals. Deliciously.

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ALBUQUERQUE Congratulations to Executive Chef Michael Giese of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s Pueblo Harvest Café! Named Chef of the Year by the New Mexico Restaurant Association at their annual Hospitality Industry Awards, Chef Giese is known for his work elevating Native American cuisine and developing a Native-fusion menu at Pueblo Harvest Café. With dishes like chackewe con huevos, the rez dog and blueberry juniper elk, Giese has created a crosscultural culinary experience that makes Native cuisine accessible to all. One of Giese’s greatest achievements is cultivating and mentoring a team of Pueblo and Native American chefs. Food and beverage director Boris Revilla, says “Chef Michael is working towards training and mentoring more Native chefs in our own kitchen.” Go eat the chef ’s food: indianpueblo. org/visit/cafe. html.

Been to Canvas Artistry yet?

This new place in Nob Hill features food with a side of art, with Jesus Gomez in the front of the house, Chef of the Year Michael Giese, Pueblo Harvest Cafe and co-owner, Chef Saul Paniagua, behind the stove, a familiar name from 4 Aces Grill and The Standard Diner, among others.

The cool bar, at which you can imbibe local beer and wine, is made of reclaimed wood. The menu features elevated tacos, tempura-fried spam musubi and a kicking bahn mi sandwich. Gomez showcases local, national and international artists on the walls. Buzz us when you’ve tried it!

photo: Kate Russell

The latest from Matt DiGregory, Freight House Kitchen + Tap, will feature chef-inspired food to suit all palates.

That’s a tall order, but considering the restaurateur’s The Range Café and Standard Diner are doing just that, DiGregory should be taken at his | Matt DiGregory word. Located in the old Flying Star space in Bernalillo, Freight House is, according to a press release, “inspired by the historic Santa Fe Freight House building in downtown Albuquerque.” Look for modern industrial style, New Mexico craft beers and the usual DiGregory polish. The menu, still under development, features 10

OCTOBER 2015

snacks (lobster tots, a cheese plate and soft pretzels), street tacos with your choice of fillings, soups, salads, sandwiches (that shrimp po’ boy looks enticing) and heartier entrees you’d expect to find at a pub—fish and chips, mac and cheese and fried chicken.

Watch their website fr8house.com and Facebook for an anticipated early/middle November opening.

Over 25 of ABQ’s finest hunters and jumpers will compete October 25 at the 25th annual Albuquerque Equestrian Cup. During the competition you can stroll among hot cars, view and purchase art and jewelry, as well as taste samples from craft beer brewers, local favorite restaurants and wineries.

The event at Expo New Mexico also features the Rodney Bowe jazz band, a kids’ zone, televised football games and ¡EXPLORA! fun and games.

After the horse competition awards, local hipsters Vanilla Pop will rock out. Proceeds benefit Rotary Club of ABQ’s Centennial Signature Project at ¡EXPLORA! and Share Your Care Adult Day Services. Info and tickets at abqec. org or call 505.298.1700 x25.

Duke City Repertory Theatre opens its 2015-16 season October 8-18 with Death and the Maiden, directed by company member Katie Becker Colón and written by Ariel Dorfman. Years have passed since political prisoner Paulina suffered at the hands of her captor, a man whose face she never saw, but whose voice she can still recall with terrifying clarity. When an act of kindness brings the past to her door, Paulina decides to take justice and revenge into her own hands. But one important question remains: Does she accuse the right man? ABQ theatre at its best, this production promises to be a gripping tale of repression, doubt and survival. Visit dukecityrep.com.

New Mexico Symphonic Chorus, under the musical direction of Roger Melone, opens its 2015-16 season October 25 through November 1 when it joins Opera Southwest for the New Mexico premiere of Verdi’s Aida! This sensational grand opera is filled with passionate romance and exotic charm, set amidst an Ethiopian attack against Egypt during the reign of the pharaohs.

The season continues in January with a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring the works of Aaron Copland, Randall Thompson, Moses Hogan, William Dawson and more. Then enjoy the sublime beauty of Mozart’s Requiem in March, and a season finale featuring magazine.com

Handel’s powerful oratorio Israel in Egypt. Tickets at nmschorus.org.

October at the Mine Shaft Tavern & Engine House Theatre in Madrid includes live music every weekend inside and on the deck. Of special interest this month is Joe West’s Theater Of Death The Tequila Plays, running October 16 through November 1. West is an awardwinning songwriter and performer who has toured extensively with the likes of Peter Rowan, Arlo Guthrie and the Violent Femmes. In its third year, Theater Of Death performs West’s original dark horror/comedies inspired by the Grand Guignol, with original live music. Head to joewestmusic.com for details.

Head a few miles south of Albuquerque October 10-12 for the inaugural Wine Festival at Isleta Lakes, put on by the New Mexico Wine & Grape Growers Association. Sample wines from winemakers representing every corner of the state, and vendors selling authentic, handmade New Mexico gifts and art.

The beautiful park near Isleta Resort & Casino is the place for the festival, which features live music each day from Josh Grider (Saturday), Swamp de Ville and Derrick Harris Band (Sunday), and Vince Alten and Guitar Slim (Monday).

Info atwinefestivalatisletalakes.com, and we’ll see you there.

SANTA FE Listicle alert! Santa Fe’s on top of the best-destination-for-culturephiles list, put together by a panel of experts at USA Today. The quality of our museums and art galleries and other artistic amenities (Santa Fe Opera and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet were namechecked in the article) moved us ahead of New York (No. 6), Philadelphia (No. 7) and Houston (No. 3). Kudos to all the museums, galleries and supporting players who make this such a culturerific city!

Change of plans alert! Chef Mark Connell’s announcement to open a new restaurant, Fables at the HIllside have been scrapped. Enter, new partner--Jack Shaab. Enter, new name for the place––Restaurant Five Hundred. Enter, new location––the former Infierno on Sandoval. One thing for sure, there’s never a dull moment in the restaurant world!

Those of you who shed tears (deserved) when Sunrise Springs resort south of Santa Fe closed in 2013, put the tissues away. The people behind Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort have reopened the 70-some acres as Sunrise Springs Integrative Wellness Resort.

According to the website, the resort’s “therapeutically designed programming and integrative spa are guided by

four evidence-based principles: Nature Bathing, Digital Detox, Learning Through Experience and Food as Medicine.” We can’t wait to try the food from Executive Chef Paul Novak, former chef de cuisine at Geronimo, who works closely with local farmers to source, organic and sustainably grown herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast and lunch will be at the Sages, an earth-toned space with adobe mud and straw walls and hand-hewn beams, and a koi pond that flows from inside the Sages to the outdoor fountain and patio. Dinner will be at the newly restored Blue Heron Restaurant, a historic building overlooking the spring-fed pond. Book a stay, make reservations and sign up for a yoga or other class at sunrisesprings.com. We. Can’t. Get. There. Soon. Enough.

We’re all abuzz about The Bourbon Grill at El Gancho, scheduled to open in midOctober. Opening in the old Steaksmith space, the newly remodeled restaurant will offer steaks, seafood and a variety of, wait for it, bourbons. A package liquor store is part of the plan with a large selection of wines for purchase to be served at your table. That’s all we know for now. Buzz us with more!

Now that you’ve recovered from Wine & Chile, enjoy the art of fine dining for the second annual evening of authentic Native American cuisine at SWAIA’s Native Food & Wine, October 16 at Hotel Santa Fe Hacienda & Spa. It’s an amazing evening—a true collaboration of Native chefs, in the only Native-owned hotel in the City of Santa Fe, with local food and wine. The evening features several of Indian Country’s top gourmet chefs working together for a one-of-akind culinary experience that benefits the programming of SWAIA. Call 505.9835220 x232 for tickets and details.

October 17 is the date. The Eldorado Hotel is the place for St. Elizabeth Shelter’s annual Hungry Mouth Festival. Join more than 400 guests to enjoy the amazing food and friendly cooking competition between local chefs James Campbell Caruso (La Boca, MAS), David Sellers (Street Food Institute program director) and Anthony Smith (Eldorado Hotel’s Agave Lounge and Old House) and their all-volunteer teams. A benefit to celebrate St. Elizabeth’s 29 years of providing essential services and

| James Campbell Caruso (La Boca, MAS), David Sellers (Street Food Institute program director) and Anthony Smith (Eldorado Hotel’s Agave Lounge and Old House)

Performance Santa Fe presents Mark Morris Dance Group on October 27 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center. Lauded

! w o n Act ited Lim ents m aparteft! l

Institute Reading ask these questions at Teatro Paraguas on October 18. Three guest poets with deep connections to the Southwest join organizer and Black Earth Institute fellow and Santa Fean Lauren Camp. BEI artists and scholars address social justice, environmental issues and the spiritual dimensions of the human condition. Joining Camp will be Alysse Kathleen McCanna, Jeanetta Calhoun Mish and Juan Morales. This is a donationrequested event, so get there early for an evening of poetry with a purpose.

Mexico. We are excited to add this to our collection of culturally designed New Mexico hotels,” says Jim Long, CEO of Heritage. “All of our Heritage Hotels and Resorts properties offer guests an authentic New Mexico cultural experience and tell a unique story about our rich heritage and history. El Monte Sagrado will remain the premier Taos resort property and enhance our presence in Northern New Mexico.”

The company plans to keep the design, history and character of El Monte TAOS Sagrado, as well as the focus on ecofriendliness. The hotel’s decor will be Taos’ most lauded hotel, El Monte Sagrado, updated to showcase aspects of New is now in local hands. Albuquerque-based Mexico’s culture and heritage, a common Heritage Hotels and Resorts, Inc. has bought thread among the company’s properties. the 84-room luxury property. It joins Palacio Heritage Hotels recently purchased de Marquesa Hotel as HHR’s second luxury and remodeled Eldorado Hotel & Spa lodging in Taos. “El Monte Sagrado is the in Santa Fe, and is constructing Hotel premier property in Taos and Northern New Chaco near Old Town in Albuquerque.

| Mark Morris Dance Group

photo: www.elmontesagrado.com/

Marcy Street is soon to see a shuffle of establishments. Ecco Espresso and Gelato is moving next to Cheesemongers of Santa Fe by the end of the year (no outdoor space for a while, though that’s in the works).

Verde Juice will open a downtown location in the Ecco space, and begin to offer more food products like chia pudding, nuts and organic popcorn. If you miss picking up your Verde juices at Collected Works bookstore, this new, bigger downtown space fills the void.

in The New York Times as “the kind of dancer who simply bowls one over,” Mark Morris made a name for himself in New York in the 1970s and ’80s. In addition to choreographing and conducting dance, he is a director and choreographer for the Met and Covent Garden, among other world stages. He founded the Mark Morris Dance Company in 1980 at age 24. Since then, he’s written nearly 150 works for the company, and is increasingly unique among modern

photo: PerformanceSantaFe.org

programs to our community’s homeless men, women and children, Hungry Mouth is sure to fill that maw many times over.

Tickets at steshelter.org or 505.470.9338.

The Santa Fe City and County Advisory Council on Food Policy invites you to World Food Day on October 16 at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds. This worldwide celebration of food and farming is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the unique culture and agricultural tradition of our city and county by focusing on the core tenets of the 2014 Food Plan “Planning for Santa Fe’s Food Future: Querencia, a story of food, farming, and friends” This celebration recognizes those who produce food, those who help others gain access to food, and those who work to end hunger in our community. For the schedule and details, visit santafefoodpolicy.org/foodday.

dance directors for his exclusive use of live music. Tickets at PerformanceSantaFe.org or TicketsSantaFe.org.

Do our environments and communities affect our perspectives? Can we truly understand the natural world? Can we deal with ecological changes? Does it matter where we live? The four poets presenting Getting There from Here: A Black Earth

A good storyteller can weave a tale that combines a spectrum of emotion and creates an image that returns months and years later. Taos Storytelling Festival, October 23-24, brings storytelling to Taos, a bright mode of communication and connection in this quick throw-away society. SOMOS (Society of the Muse of the Southwest) sponsors this two-day event that offers an impressive lineup of tellers spinning their weave in concerts, children stories and tales of the weird.

More at somostaos.org.

| El Monte Sagrado

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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ALBUQUERQUE Congrats to Diana Gaston, who will become the fourth in a succession of visionary leaders as Tamarind Institute’s new director in January. She leaves her post at Fidelity Investments where, for the past 12 years, she has helped build and curate their art collection. Gaston brings a comprehensive knowledge of Tamarind’s vast archives housed at the University of New Mexico Art Museum, where she was curator of prints and photographs from 19891993. She also held positions as curator at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, and associate director of SF Camerawork in San Francisco and has authored numerous catalogue essays, reviews and articles for national magazines.

In its 55 years, Tamarind has had only three directors: June Wayne, who founded Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles in 1960; Clinton Adams, credited with moving Tamarind to the University of New Mexico in 1970; and Marjorie Devon.

After the first two directors had fulfilled much of Tamarind’s original mission to revive fine art lithography in the United States, Devon expanded the scope to an international level. Visit tamarind. unm.edu and welcome Gaston aboard in the new year.

The Corrales Bosque Gallery has three new member-artists: Melba Bushmire, Stephen Feher and Edward Gonzales. Bushmire paints striking landscapes and still-life oil paintings and has been featured in juried shows, galleries and private collections throughout the Southwest. Feher, a metal sculptor, works in stone, steel, copper and

poured bronze from his studio in Placitas. While some forms are created more than once, each piece is specially original and one-of-a-kind. Gonzales is well known throughout the region for his figurative work, which draws heavily on family roots in New Mexico and Mexico. Gonzales is a 2013 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts winner. Visit corralesbosquegallery.com for shows, times and openings.

Opening October 2 with an evening reception and running through December 5, Page Coleman Gallery presents Wild+Life - A Benefit for Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico, work by 70 community-minded New Mexico artists. A western screech owl will be at the opening reception as well as most of the artists. A special Meet the Birds event is November 14, hosted by Wild Life Rescue of New Mexico, an all-volunteer organization that rescues, rehabilitates and release over 2,000 orphaned and | Western Screech Owl at injured wild Page Coleman Gallery animals each year. Founded in 1980, the organization is 100-percent funded through private donations and grants. More at pagecolemangallery.com.

Weyrich Gallery/The Rare Vision Art Galerie presents UNM professor and Albuquerque Art Business Association Local Treasure recipient Kathryne Cyman in a show entitled Shino on Porcelain, October 2 through 30. Cyman states, “I am drawn to the dance of this earthy glaze on the seemingly quiet porcelain surface....Bringing

Sherlock Holmes

porcelain closer to the hand and everyday use here in the casual life that is New Mexico, keeps me grounded and inspired with the arduous craft that is this art....As a potter, I carry the reminder of how I create as directly related to the past each time I sit at the potter’s wheel.” More at weyrichgallery.com.

SANTA FE

New Mexico and became a working cowboy.

Thorp traveled 1,500 miles on horseback through Texas and New Mexico—the first ballad-hunting adventure in the cowboy domain. Thorp’s history-making journey resulted in the publication of Songs of the Cowboys, printed in 1908 in the small town of Estancia, NM. This was not only the first published collection of cowboy songs ever, but the first published collection of American folk music of any kind. Tickets at 505.982.9543 or newmexicocreates.org.

An American Modernism runs through February 21 at the New Mexico October 16, Matthews Gallery Museum of Art, holds a book signing for nomadic part of the Fall of author Robert Wolf, who Modernism cultural embarked on a Jack Kerouaccollaboration inspired adventure in the 1960s with the Georgia and ended up in Santa Fe for O’Keeffe Museum. a few years. He captured some Drawn primarily crazy stories of City Different from the museum’s | Hartley, Berlin Series No 1. artists (Hal West, Tommy rich collection of at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Macaione, Eli Levin among Modernist art, An them) on his Underwood American Modernism typewriter. Wolf ’s new memoir In Search of explores the quest by early 20th-century artists to find a distinctive American voice and to America features several of these stories. The define art for the modern age. The exhibition, gallery will display his typewriter, original organized into four subject themes—Industry, typewritten notes and work from the artists Nature, Urban and Rural— illustrates artists’ he mentions in the book at the event, New struggle to identify which subjects best defined Mexico Wild: Typewriter Tales of a Santa contemporary American life and art. A fifth Fe Bohemian. The show runs through section of the show focuses on the variety of October 31. Info at thematthewsgallery.com. stylistic approaches artists used in seeking a distinctive visual language of Modernism: Abstraction, Formalism and Flattening. “Most artists involved in defining American Modernism Taos Wool Festival, October 3 and 4, allows came to New Mexico or had direct contact with you to immerse yourself in the more than those who worked here,” says exhibition curator 400 years of wool tradition in New Mexico, Katherine Ware.

Colorado and Texas. Breeders and fiber artists celebrate in Kit Carson Park for family fun, Don Edwards, a premier performer of old-time a look at traditional and contemporary fiber ballads and cowboy songs, returns to the New artistry, an opportunity to get up close and Mexico History Museum Auditorium October personal with sheep, goats, rabbits, alpacas 18, performing The Legend of Jack Thorp. In and llamas, and an invitation for kids to this musical adventure, Edwards tells the story of try their hand at a fiber project. It’s a blast!

Jack Thorp. While still in his teens, he came to Details at taoswoolfestival.org.

TAOS

PRESENTS...

A witty, fast-paced production performed by the acclaimed Aquila Theatre

SUN | NOV 1 | 3pm

The Beach Boys

O CT. 1 0 - 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

Relive the classic songs that showcase the sounds of California and the spirit of a generation.

N O O N - 6 P. M . D A I LY

WED | NOV 4 | 7:30 pm

Sample award-winning New Mexico wines!

Live music daily – special guest Josh Grider on Saturday!

Delicious food!

Fine art and hand-made gifts!

20/adult

$

Nov 19-22 • 6 Performances

Popejoy Hall • popejoypresents.com

UNM Ticket Offices • 925-5858 or (877) 664-8661 • Albertsons stores

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includes souvenir wine glass $5 for designated drivers.

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

OCTOBER 2015

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stor y by EMILY RUCH

E

arly morning, mid-October.

Astronomical twilight—that moment when the faintest glow touches the eastern rim of the night sky—is still an hour away when I leave the house. Riding north, I Balloon Fiesta Park is on the north side of Albuquerque, peddle through quiet, somnolent streets (even about eight miles away along the North Diversion Channel Central Avenue sleeps this time of day) around Trail—which makes my entire round trip almost 20 daunting miles. Daily bike commuters may scoff, but as of this morning, the university duck pond to the intersection I don’t know if I can actually ride a bike for 20 miles, since I’ve of Tucker and Yale. This is my first experience never done it before. We start slowly. Because his bike is equipped biking in the city, in any city, and I have no idea what to expect—of my endurance, The morning grows bright, and soon enough of the ride, of my borrowed the rising sun spills over the Sandias, gilding the bike—but I am all exhilaration.

Anticipation. Childlike delight. graceful arcs of every flying balloon. High above, For 10 delicious minutes, I feel an unmistakable silhouette—Humpty Dumpty— completely alone, as though I have the entire city to myself. drifts idly between us and the eastern horizon.

We have planned to meet in a parking lot on the north side of campus, and—overestimating (for fear of being late) how long it would take me to get here—I am the first to arrive. I lean my bike against a curb, pull an apple from my bag, and take a bite, slowly savoring a scant first breakfast while I wait for my two companions.

The morning air, like my apple, is crisp and cool—cold, actually, now that I’ve stopped moving. With a shiver, I pull on a sweater and a pair of gloves, crunch through the rest of my Braeburn, and check the time. Ten past five.

Other bikers gather gradually, huddling into little bands here and there throughout the lot (which seems to be a popular meeting place). I watch as a pair materializes from the murk of a dimly lit street, straining for a glimpse of familiar faces but unable to make them out before they pass, gone again in the darkness. Several minutes later my phone rings. With the help of satellites orbiting high overhead—twinkling somewhere above us like stars with which to navigate—we find each other at last. Now, the real adventure begins.

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with lights both fore and aft (and because he is one of said daily bike commuters), my friend, Erik, takes the lead. He sets an easy pace, mindful of my uncertainty.

My concerns are soon forgotten, however, replaced by the sibilant wind hissing in my ears and chilling my cheeks to a blush—wind that is made (satisfaction!) by my own muscles rhythmically working the pedals. The trail is nothing fancy, but somehow this new perspective of the city (even of the interstate) quietly awakening from its nocturnal repose is enchanting. Intimate. As though we are peaking through some seam in the fabric, seeing the inside of things. We ride single file, saying little as the miles pass. All of us knowing instinctively that the liminal cusp of day is best appreciated without words.

Motivated by the simple pleasure of feeling what my body can do, I surge down every underpass, peddling hard in order to rocket back up the other side. Sometimes, when a line is painted between the northbound and southbound bike lanes (and when the coast is clear), I squiggle back and forth across it. Frolicking.

Just because I can. Because I’m riding a bike, and it still makes me feel a little like a kid. And because I’m having this vivid new experience—biking halfway across a city in the dark to the biggest hot-air-balloon festival in the world—and it makes giddy.

I’m a 30-something native New Mexican, and this will be my first time ever at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

photo: © Nadezhda1906 | Dreamstime.com

Not realizing how far we’ve come, I’m startled to round a corner and suddenly be there. The effect is heightened by the unexpected wonder before me: a shock of luminescence in the gloom. A row of Dawn Patrol balloons glow like giant paper lanterns just about to float away. The sight is transfixing, intoxicating, magical, and I gasp. My heart seems not to fit in my chest, they are so lovely—a vision whose radiance can only be fully perceived, perhaps, by eyes grown used to the night.

Our first stop is the Bike Valet, a service provided free of charge to encourage cycling to the Fiesta. As pleasant as the ride has been, we are quite happy to leave our bikes in the care of the all-volunteer valet staff and give our weary legs a good stretch. Now, at last, we pay our admission and enter, making like moths for the nearest candescent balloon.

Swarms of us crowd together around each basket, warming ourselves by the generous heat of the open flames above.

Almost irresistibly, we gaze up—every one of us—into the bellies of these creatures of light.

They are creatures of lightness, too, who will soon be ever so slightly lighter than air. More ardently with each roaring burst of flame (brilliant still, despite the first blue glimmer of dawn), the balloons yearn for flight. They flutter for a while just inches above the ground, trembling impatiently to touch the sky. Then finally, one by one, they ascend.

Down below, my two friends and I watch them rise until they are high enough to part with, and then we wander deeper into the park, weaving between the hundreds of balloons preparing themselves for takeoff.

The morning grows bright, and soon enough the rising sun spills over the Sandias, gilding the graceful arcs of every flying balloon. High above, an unmistakable silhouette—Humpty Dumpty—drifts idly between us and the eastern horizon. It isn’t long before we realize that we’re famished. Late last night, I learned that one of my favorite restaurants,

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the Wafflería (as we call Tia B’s La Waffería for short), would have a food truck at the Fiesta, and mouthwatering thoughts of savory blue corn Waffles Benitos have been hovering around the back of my mind ever since. So we brave the masses on a singleminded mission for waffles. And coffee.

When we have satisfied our appetites for food, drink and hot air balloons, we aim ourselves back toward the Bike Valet. Reluctant to leave, we let too much time get away from us, and our bikes are among the last to be claimed. We’re starting to crash.

Feeling the exhaustion of too little sleep and too many miles between here and home (those peddled and those that still need peddling). There is nothing to do but ride and hope that the riding gives us a second wind. Thankfully it does. Again, we travel in relative silence, ready for this adventure to be over and, simultaneously, not ready for it to end.

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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17

OF

HAUNTINGS & HARVESTS,

MAZES & MAIZE

FAVO R I T E October

M

y earliest autumn memory takes places on a chilly evening in Upstate New York. I was sitting in a horse-drawn carriage with one of my parents, though I can’t remember which. I recall only the lap next to mine, covered in a thick dusty blanket, and the arm around my shoulders. I remember the husk-brown fields and the sky growing dark, and a horizon made of trees with leaves no longer green.

And then I remember the dark figure that appeared suddenly and fleetingly out of a field of corn before disappearing back into the stalks. A witch, the parent next to me, holding me now, said. And I remember the feeling of being thoroughly spooked.

So that is autumn, or one of my first experiences of it—Halloween-time and its hauntings and tricks.

But there are also the days of small bodies hurtling into musky piles of browning leaves; the carving and painting of pumpkins and the sneaking of cinnamon-sugared apples from an unbaked pie; the gratitude for the bounty of a harvest turned into warm, fragrant evening meals; fires in the hearth. And mazes made of corn.

The Rio Grande Community Farm in Albuquerque becomes, in the fall, a microcosmic world of autumn’s bounty—from harvest to haunted house, and fields of corn to an eight-acre community maze. The publically owned Los Poblanos Community Space plot, 50 aces of which is managed by the Community Farm, is one of the oldest parcels of farmland, still in use, in the nation, and an active wildlife habitat, to boot. Beth Arnold, a maze organizer, says the land truly demonstrates our agricultural heritage; it’s been farmed continually for around 1,700 years.

For going on 20 years, the farm has managed its portion of the 138-acre Los Poblanos Community Space, and every weekend in October, the farm holds its annual Maize Maze, that eight-acre labyrinth of skyhigh corn stalks. The maze, which is shaped differently each year—and this year marks its 18th anniversary—is a great way to spend part of a fall day, wandering among stalks under the clear desert sky in the Rio Grande Valley. What a satisfying experience, to navigate your way out of the dead ends and trick turns and to learn about pollinators—this year’s theme—while you’re at

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story by MIA ROSE PORIS photos by GABRIELLA MARKS

it. Maze-goers can navigate the labyrinth using a field guide that teaches about those pollen gathering creatures, from beetles and bees to hummingbirds and butterflies, that make our world bloom.

Beth says there’s all sorts of “cool activities about bees” including a hive installation by local artist Nina Dubois that’s solar powered and, when you enter it, simulates the sound of bees. There are also pumpkins to be painted and snacks and drinks to be had, and by night, something mysterious happens at the Rio Grand Community Farm—word has it a creepy cult is attempting to raise the dead. (Quarantine: Origins is this year’s theme for the scary, interactive haunted house that puts the audience—13 years and older—inside Blackout Theatre’s performance, which takes place through the maze and around the farm.)

My son is an autumn baby—he turns one this October, and I can’t think of a family event I’m more excited to share with him than the Maze Maize. I realize, at 12 months old, he probably won’t remember any specifics—painting pumpkins, deciphering the maze and learning about pollinators, snacking on Hot Fizz’ paletas or Switch It Up’s sandwiches—but the autumn colors, the blue desert sky, the snuggly fall clothes, the smells of corn musk and rivervalley leaves…these, I think, will penetrate some sweet, nostalgic part of his autumn memories forever.

+

The Maize Maze is open October weekends, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For ticket prices and Quarantine hours; information about the Rio Grand Community Farm and appropriate attire for navigating the maze; a video and description of Quarantine and more, visit riograndefarm.org/events/maize-maze and quarantineabq.com.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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The

GOOD OL’ ZIA has a

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Named for the resort’s original hospitable owner and reputed ghost, Julia features truly spirited dining from James Beard recognized Chef Todd Hall.

For reservations, please call 505-986-0000 or visit opentable.com

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Harvest

a Row

This fall, harvest the abundance your garden has to offer to those who are hungry.

For more information,

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1222 A Siler Road Santa Fe, NM 87507 505-471-1633 ext. 12 jgentry@thefooddepot.org www.thefooddepot.org 8/18/2015 4:35:21 PM

Archaeology Day at the

(Photos courtesy of M. Kathleen Yount)

Center for New Mexico Archaeology

Saturday, October 17, 2015 - 10am to 4pm Learn about New Mexico’s fascinating 12,000 year cultural heritage through hands-on activities and demonstrations. Come throw atlatls, shoot bows and arrows, make yucca fiber string, learn about rock art, and talk with archaeologists.

Tour the new Center for New Mexico Archaeology, which is the storage facility for New Mexico’s archaeological collections, as well as working research laboratories for the Office of Archaeological Studies. Meet the archaeologists behind the excavations at the Palace of the Governors, the Civic Center, Railyard, Santa Fe County Courthouse, and many other locations around town and throughout the state.

CN MA

The Center for New M ex ico Ar chae ol og y

www.nmarchaeology.org

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•

7 Old Cochiti Road, Santa Fe, NM 87507

•

(505) 476-4404

stor y by MELYSSA HOLIK

E

ach fall, my thoughts return to the apple orchards and cider presses of my childhood.

The first hints of a chill in the air, crisp as a freshly picked apple, takes me right back to leaves crunching underfoot and warming my hands on a mug of hot cider.

So imagine my delight, then, at the soaring popularity of hard ciders in recent years, which let my adult self get in on the action and celebrate autumn in grown-up style. Even more exciting, over the past three months, local New Mexico ciders have become increasingly available at local breweries. This is due in large part to SB 440, commonly called the reciprocity law that went into effect on July 1. The new law allows local breweries to sell local wines (not just beers), and vice-versa. It’s had a hugely positive impact on local cider businesses, since ciders are considered wine under state law. It’s also a boon for the cider-drinking consumer, who can now enjoy a glass of the charismatic elixir with their beer-drinking friends.

New Mexico cideries are about more than making delicious beverages, though. The real mission behind these cideries is a fundamental commitment to strengthening our agriculture, our economy and our culture.

For centuries, apples have been an integral part of our state’s history. In the past, New Mexico orchards were full of heirloom apple varieties brought over from Spain. In fact, a survey conducted by the Manzano Forest Reserve in 1926 identified a tree that’s believed to have been planted by Franciscan friars before 1676, making New Mexico home to the oldest apple orchard in the United States!

Sadly, this long-standing heritage is threatened. Much of it has already been lost. Unpredictable weather patterns, competition from large-scale farms, dwindling interest in farming, and a problematic lack of biodiversity have forced many growers to give up their apple orchards. Sometimes, the orchards are simply left untended and become overgrown. Other growers, tragically, have had to rip out heirloom apple trees and replace them with alfalfa or another more profitable and stable crop. Cider making presents a solution to these difficulties, while handily making use of what’s already available. As a result, the local cideries are fierce crusaders for sustainable New Mexico agriculture.

One of the hardships apple producers face is unpredictable crop yields.

It’s very much a feast or a famine, because apple trees will often freeze and fail to produce fruit for several years. When they finally do bear fruit, farmers experience a bumper crop, and they aren’t able to sell it all. As Michael Zercher of Santa Sidra Premium Hard Cider explains, “Farmers can only sell a certain part of the crop. The apples have to be the right size, can’t be A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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hail damaged or misshapen. More than half the apples in New Mexico are ‘imperfect’ and not saleable for eating.” The desire to create a market for those unused apples is what motivated Zercher to start Santa Sidra back in 2013. He had been making cider as a hobby for several years, but after talking with several local apple growers, he learned that millions of New Mexico apples were deemed too small, too damaged, or just too downright ugly to sell at the markets, and were being left on the ground to rot. Michael saw an opportunity to use those wasted apples while also helping to support local agriculture.

“I’ve had conversations with growers about what gets lost when people can’t stay on the farm,” Zercher says. “From an economic and food systems standpoint, that’s a real loss to lose that knowledge. We lose some really important values that go back to the days when we were all small-town farmers: cooperation, collaboration, self-sufficiency. I’m just trying to preserve a tiny piece of that as much as I can with cider and working with the local farmers.”

Today, Santa Sidra proudly uses 100-percent New Mexico apples in each and every batch of cider they produce. The cidery recently took home the Sustainable Santa Fe Award for Food System Adaptation, in addition to taking winning gold and silver in the state fair for two years running. It would seem those useless apples aren’t so useless after all!

The issue of food waste and underutilized orchards also influenced Craig Moya to start New Mexico Hard Cider. About three years ago, his family’s orchard had an overabundance of apples. In an attempt to use up the excess produce, he tried making cider and found he really enjoyed it. After doing some research, he discovered cider would be a viable business in the next few years, so he decided to take the plunge.

Moya knows first-hand about the difficulties apple producers face. His uncle owns an orchard in Villa Nueva, and Moya has seen how younger generations’ loss of interest affects farming families. There are simply fewer and fewer people available and willing to tend the orchards, so many are left untended and become overgrown.

To combat this problem, Moya implemented an ingenious and inspired solution. He actively seeks neglected orchards and restores them in exchange for the first two years’ worth of produce. After the first two years, the owner is paid a regular price for the apples.

Moya gets his apples, the orchards are preserved, and the owner will be able to turn a profit on otherwise unused land.

“I think it’s important because farming really adds to the sense of community,” Moya says. “It keeps the traditions of the community going, and connects people back to the land. Plus the food just tastes better!”

After years of hard work restoring orchards and getting New Mexico Hard Cider off the ground, the cidery now offers many different varieties, including sweet, semisweet, tart cherry, perry, hopped, carrot-hopped and barrel-aged ciders. “I really like trying different stuff and experimenting,” Moya says. “We want to focus on experiential batches—the stuff you’re not going to get in a liquor store.” The cidery’s downtown tasting room (in the old Marble Brewing space) is set to open this month, and will provide the perfect experimental space for small batches and seasonal flavors.

Another agricultural issue with far-reaching consequences for all of us is the troubling lack of biodiversity among apple crops. As Santa Fe Cider Works co-owner Michelle Vignery explains, “The more diversified types of apples you have in an orchard, the more resistant to diseases or insect infestation the orchard is. Those older

“....local cideries are fierce crusaders for sustainable New Mexico agriculture.”

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varieties of apples, many of them have been replaced with more popular varieties. If we can help diversify the orchards, our environment in New Mexico will be stronger.” In other words, popular varieties like McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Gala dominate the market. Less attractive heirloom varieties are all but forgotten. Some of the traditional apple varieties are so unpalatable, they’re even nicknamed “spitters.” But the same astringent, high-tannin apples that are unsuitable for eating are ideal for making cider.

Vignery’s partner at Santa Fe Cider Works, Jordana “Jordy” Dralle, knows exactly how to take advantage of those less popular apples. Since she’s been a professional brewer for the past two decades, Dralle is well versed in fermentation science.

A few years ago, Dralle and Vignery began making ciders as a hobby. Then they noticed a growing demand for small-batch ciders. Vignery speculates, “The microbrew explosion has really opened up people’s palates to new experiences, and there’s a greater appreciation for crafted beverages.” As believers in the farm-to-table movement, they decided to seize the opportunity and opened Santa Fe Cider Works. They have two varieties, The Cider Different and Enchanted Cherry, and in all their batches, they’re adamant about using only real fruit and fruit juice so the ingredients are as natural as possible.

While each New Mexico cidery has its own distinctive character, they all share a commitment to strengthening our local economy and to supporting local agriculture. New Mexico ciders represent a marriage of practicality and mirth. It’s a blend of hard work and high hopes, a way of honoring our past with an eye to the future, all while making use of what’s available right in front of us. What could be more quintessentially New Mexican than that?

NEW MEXICO CIDERIES New Mexico Hard Cider 505 Cerrillos Road Suite A105, Santa Fe, 505.231.0632, nmcider.com Santa Fe Cider Works 575.137.7329, santafeciderworks.org Santa Sidra 1730 Camino Carlos Rey, Suite 103, Santa Fe, 505.424.6122, santasidra.com Skarsgard Farms 3435 Stanford Drive NE, Albuquerque, 505.681.4060, skarsgardfarms.com

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Midtown Bistro Midtown Bistro Omira GrillGrill Omira Osteria d’Assisi Osteria d’Assisi Pizzeria da Lino Pizzeria da Lino Pranzo Italian GrillGrill Pranzo Italian Pubelo ArtistArtist CafeCafe Pubelo Pyramid CafeCafe Pyramid Raaga Raaga Radish & Rye Radish & Rye RedRed SageSage at Buffalo Thunder at Buffalo Thunder Restaurant Martin Restaurant Martin Rio Rio Chama Chama San San Francisco Street Bar Bar & Grill Francisco Street & Grill Santa Fe Bar & Grill Santa Fe Bar & Grill Santacafe Santacafe Sazon Sazon Shohko CafeCafe Shohko Swiss Bistro & Bakery Swiss Bistro & Bakery Taberna La Boca Taberna La Boca TerraTerra TerraCotta Wine Bistro TerraCotta Wine Bistro Tesuque Village Market Tesuque Village Market ThaiThai CafeCafe The The Bistro Bistro The The ClubClub at Quail RunRun at Quail The The Guesthouse Guesthouse The The OldOld House House The The Palace Palace The The Ranch House Ranch House The The ShedShed The The Teahouse Teahouse Tomasita’s Tomasita’s Tortilla FlatsFlats Tortilla Vanessie Vanessie Vinaigrette Vinaigrette Zia Diner Zia Diner

Photo by Lois Ellen Frank

315315 Restaurant & Wine Bar Bar Restaurant & Wine Agoyo Lounge Agoyo Lounge Amaya Amaya Anasazi Restaurant Anasazi Restaurant Andiamo!

Andiamo!

Arroyo VinoVino Arroyo Atrisco CafeCafe Atrisco Bouche Bistro Bouche Bistro Boxcar Boxcar CafeCafe Pasqual’s Pasqual’s CasaCasa Chimayo Chimayo Compound Restaurant Compound Restaurant Coyote CafeCafe Coyote Del Del Charro Charro Derailed Derailed Dinner for Two Dinner for Two Dr. Field Goods Kitchen Dr. Field Goods Kitchen El Farol El Farol Estevan Estevan Gabriel’s Gabriel’s Garbo’s Garbo’s Gardunos Gardunos Geronimo Geronimo Iguana CafeCafe Iguana Il Piatto Il Piatto Infierno Infierno Jambo CafeCafe Jambo Joseph’s Joseph’s JuliaJulia La Boca La Boca La Casa SenaSena La Casa La Plazuela La Plazuela l’Olivier l’Olivier Loyal Hound Loyal Hound Luminaria Luminaria Maria’s Maria’s

Photo by Lois Ellen Frank

ToToAll AllThese TheseGreAT GreAT sAnTA sAnTAfeferesTAurAnTs resTAurAnTs Cheers !!

CheersToToThe ThefirsT firsT2525YeArs YeArs

Enkuan Bedehna Metachew

Authentic Flavors of Ethiopia in Santa Fe, NM

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stor y by MARY FRANCIS CHEESEMAN photos by KITTY LEAKEN

I

first visit Café Roha, a new Ethiopian restaurant, for lunch on a Friday, and it isn’t hard to find. Around the corner from the Starbucks in the Devargas Mall, the small space is filled with people eating plates piled high with salads and platters of stewed meats. At the counter, I order a glass of the spicy and sweet housemade ginger lemonade, then I sit down at a small table, eagerly awaiting my food. Soon,

rich and diverse, shaped by years of trading spices with the Middle East, Asia and the Mediterranean. Even beyond Santa Fe, many people have little context for Ethiopian food, but the mainstays of the cuisine are now exemplified for our community by this small, family-owned café.

I speak with Rahel Fikre-Selassie, a co-owner of the restaurant who emigrated from Ethiopia many years ago. She would travel back and forth between the two countries, and was inspired to bridge the gap between these two worlds. In Ethiopia, food is meant to be shared—eaten by hand from large bowls. Meals are a community a huge platter of delicious stewed meats and bright, affair, and food is precious and sacred, something that everyone participates in and has fresh vegetables arrives. For my lunch, I’ve selected in common. Looking at the sea of happy faces sharing food, it’s not hard to see how the Roha Classical Platter, which features sega wot, a this idea is helping bring people together. For braised beef stew; atakilt alicha, a vegan Rahel, the café is a way for people to immerse dish of cabbage and potatoes spiced with turmeric, garlic and ginger; and “It’s as if each customer themselves in a new culture. “It’s grounding,” she says. “It gives you a deeper sense of who you doro wot, a chicken slow-cooked in are.” berbere, accompanied by hard-boiled receives a slow-cooked Rahel tells me that, originally, she and eggs. The presentation is elegant and her partner entertained the idea of a catering balanced; the meat surrounded on all meal, made with love and company. She says they had to modify the sides by bright green kale, turmericpresentation of the food to make it fit the mold care, and spiced with yellow potatoes, and rolled injera, a of a traditional Western restaurant, and certain spongey, crepe-like flatbread made of Ethiopian tradition.” aspects of the Ethiopian meal, such as eating as teff flour, which can be used instead of a community from one bowl, are not feasible utensils to eat the food. The stews are in that context. Rahel says the restaurant is a spicy, earthy and rich. My mouth stings translation of those traditions, and will ultimately benefit the business. “We needed with the fiery tones of ginger, red chile and fenugreek. a location,” she explains. “It will help us build the brand.” The key elements of the The restaurant has a welcoming atmosphere that brand—the good food, the sound philosophy and the history behind it—are helping uniquely evokes Ethiopian culinary traditions. In a it to grow. Nothing about the restaurant is flashy or obvious; the decor is simple sense, the café is a love letter to Ethiopia, a country and clean, with a few baskets mounted on the wall, and a chalkboard sign signifying that still exists outside the mainstream American that here, the food takes center stage. Rahel and her business partner, who wishes to consciousness. Many things about Ethiopia have remain anonymous, are constantly at work, running food and bussing plates, talking changed. Its history is perhaps longer than any other country’s; it can claim to be the resting place where the and connecting with their customers. Even at a busy time, they make everyone feel skeletons of the first humans were discovered. In more welcome and acknowledged.

I, meanwhile, am munching on a huge platter of food. The texture of the sega wot recent years, the country has existed under a cloud is deliciously rich and hearty. It is surrounded by wilted kale, a salad dish called gomen, of war and famine. But its culinary traditions are which adds a nice crunch to the stewed beef, which practically melts in my mouth. I tear off pieces of the Ethiopian flat bread and scoop up pieces of the meat. The taste of the injera is unlike any other bread—a little bit like sourdough, but with the texture of a crepe. I top everything with aybe, a housemade buttermilk-based cottage cheese that’s simultaneously fresh and tangy.

My favorite aspect of the meal is the doro wot. The berbere sauce accompanying the chicken is at once bright and earthy, and the red chile base shines through notes of ginger and fenugreek. Rahel explains its importance to me. “It is the national dish of Ethiopia,” she says. “Doro wot is a classic festival dish. Every young girl must know how to make it before being married; it is a test of your skill.” Rahel maintains it’s a perfect sampling of the Ethiopian traditions on display in the food. “Butter, marinated in spices and then clarified, is added to berbere, which is a red chile-based spice mix,” Rahel says. Other traditional Ethiopian techniques, such as longer cooking times and certain key spices (everyone’s spice blend is different, and Cafe Roha’s is a well-kept family secret) are exemplified in the food. It’s as if each customer receives a slowcooked meal, made with love and care, and spiced with Ethiopian tradition.

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That’s Rahel flanked by her two chefs, Lester Cisneros and Denley Valenzuela.

You guys rock!

Start your day with a not-too-sweet Cinnamon Apple Blossom and a hearty cup of Ethiopian coffee….

You won’t believe the deep rich flavors in this traditional vegetarian platter… that’s the yummy Injera bread tucked underneath.

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Wendy McEahern

I also sampled some of the vegetarian entrees, most notably the atakilt alicha, or cabbage and potatoes, spiced with turmeric and garlic. While not cooked in butter, the ingredients are powerful, warming and filling. In general, the menu boasts an array of vegetarian items that can easily be made vegan by removing the aybe, which accompanies all the dishes. I ask Rahel if there’s special significance attached to vegetarianism in Ethiopia, since nothing about the food culture seems accidental.

“In Ethiopia,” she replies, “because of the Christian traditions, we fast 60 to 70 percent of the year.” During the fast the diet is a vegan one and “is really beautiful,” Rahel says. “We fast for the time when Mary was in exile.

When we’re not fasting, we’re gorging. When the saint you feel is your patron has a feast day, you spend a lot of money on a big feast for everyone.” This fast has translated into dishes that are filling but not excessive. Even after sampling three different entrees, the side salad and many pieces of injera, I feel satisfied but not stuffed.

Café Roha’s dishes are reasonably priced, with no entrée over $15. I can see coming back here again and again for the delicious food and the warm, welcoming atmosphere. In fact, I can’t resist, and I come back again a few days later for the coffee, which in the tradition of Ethiopian style, is rich and dark, with floral and mocha overtures. For my breakfast, I have the house coffee and a cinnamon-apple roll shaped like a rose, glazed with cardamom and caramel. The sweetness of the apple is perfectly countered by the earthy cardamom, and it leaves me feeling indulged, but not spoiled—the perfect antidote to the sugary breakfast pastries I typically encounter.

It is a sign of the uniqueness of the cuisine, which is at once a taste of Ethiopia and right at home in Santa Fe. Rahel tells me with a smile, “I love the traditions; they form the basis of what we do.

But I also love innovations and what we can create from those traditions.”

Certainly the café itself is an innovation, a unique expansion of the diversity of cuisines evolving in Santa Fe. Café Roha is located in the DeVargas Center at Guadalupe and Paseo de Peralta in Santa Fe. 505.982.2655.

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Join Us! Saturday, October 24, 2015 •6:00 pm Midtown Bistro • 901 W. San Mateo • Santa Fe Menu selections by Chef Angel Estrada Accompanied by Selected Fine Wines Contributions to ARTsmart’s new space conducted by Mark Johnson Tickets, $110 per person, inclusive • RSVP: Seating is limited Please book your reservations early Call or email Sharon: 505.992.2787 or speterson@artsmartnm.org or Call Midtown Bistro: 505.820.3121

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story by ANDREA FEUCHT

S

pend enough time getting to know the local Albuquerque cuisine and you’ll realize that chile is an acceptable ingredient in everything—sauces, appetizers, desserts, salads, even drinks (sometimes). We as a city are expert at combining beans, corn and chile in dozens of ways, across hundreds of restaurants. It makes one think that chile is all our city does, especially after seeing chile on pizza or burgers at national franchise joints.

But don’t count Albuquerque out. For all the homogeneity in our love of spice, there are categories of culinary excellence that would pass muster in any major city. Who knew that one could find housemade charcuterie, eight treasure duck, to-die-for spring rolls or Polish sausages all without a road trip? You can find all of that and more (New York cheesecake? Yes, please!) by following this handy reference, grouped in three categories worth your attention: Homestyle Asian, Authentic Regional Delis and Middle Eastern Eats. Every one of the three categories—and the three restaurants in each— are worth a special trip; they’re that good.

Asian Traditions BUDAI GOURMET CHINESE

SAIGON RESTAURANT

Yes, there is a thing called “eight treasure duck.” It’s a boned bird stuffed with rice, mushrooms, sausage, nuts, veggies and more, which requires advance notice and a group to partake. Here’s the thing: so much at Budai is wonderful any day of the week, and you’ll be charmed regardless of the occasion. Photos on the wall guide diners to regional specialties, but following your nose around the room and ordering whatever else looks great on other folks’ tables is absolutely OK. As the weather cools slightly, I love the fish and goji berry soup, but Taiwanese beef noodle soup is a favorite comfort food of your host Elsa’s homeland and highly recommended. From garlicky veggies to salt-and-pepper shrimp, nothing is boring, nothing is bland. Ask for help (or the Chinese menu), and have a ball.

Her name is Vicki and she is the effervescent owner of not one but two of the best Vietnamese joints in Albuquerque, a town already stuffed full with great Vietnamese. At either location, begin with delicious spring rolls wrapped in rice paper and fried to an ethereal crisp, as thin as taquitos. If Vicki is on hand she might take (or deliver) your order of tamarind mussels, saying, “OK, honey,” with every smile. Standard fare abounds like pho and bun noodle bowls— all good—but the treasure is in the “weird stuff ” like grilled onion beef (which is thinly cut and rolled up with tender white onion) or clay-pot rice with chicken—the pot keeps each bite nice and hot until you’re done.

Finally, drink like you mean it: the salted lemonade is refreshing beyond all belief.

Budai Gourmet Chinese, 6300 San Mateo Blvd NE Suite H1, 505. 797.7898 budaigourmet.com

Saigon Restaurant, 6001 San Mateo Blvd NE D4, 505.884.0706 Saigon 2 Restaurant, 2003 Southern Blvd Suite 105-106, Rio Rancho, 505.896.0099 saigonrestaurantnm.com

JAPANESE KITCHEN SUSHI BAR AND CUISINE Two important features of Japanese Kitchen are not easily discernable from Louisiana Boulevard near the mall, and that’s a disadvantage in a neighborhood awash in chains. One hidden aspect is the teppan grill dining room, festive and boisterous.

The other sits kitty-corner next door and has been my quiet respite for sushi for years; the interior is refined and comfortable but the service is affable once they know you’re interested in great Japanese cuisine. For sushi, just ask the chefs what’s good and let them guide you to sashimi or something extravagant like the Revevie Roll with sweet shrimp, yellowtail and jalapeño. Very few rolls or dishes are over the top with adornments or deep-fryer treatment, and that’s how it should be. The reverence for food at Japanese Kitchen is palpable, from the servers to the chefs to the diners.

Japanese Kitchen Sushi Bar and Cuisine, 6511 Americas Parkway NE, 505.872.1166 japanesekitchen.com

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WHO KNEW?

M’TUCCI’S MARKET & DELI Housemade charcuterie, here in Albuquerque? Sure. A chef-driven kitchen just as interested in food-science geekery as with great taste? That’s M’Tucci’s Market, an offshoot of the Italian eatery next door—though the two are worlds apart in feel and clientele.

Housemade sourdough permeates the air, while imported cured meats and cheeses make any foodie’s eyes pop open in delight. Take a seat from the few available and scan the brief menu… even though you’ll order the charcuterie plate. Have the chef choose what to put on the slab, from silky ham to beef with housemade garnishes and pickles. Sigh in pleasure. Later, leave with deli items for your own larder or fridge, and perhaps even a muffaletta sandwich for the road.

This nubbin of a deli has been delighting Nob Hill for a few years now, and for good reason. The interior is tight and bustling, full of conversations and newspapers to read, with great-looking food from every vantage. Nosh serves everything to soothe an East Coaster’s heart, from black-and-white cookies to matzo-ball soup. Get your salt fix on with corned-beef hash and a side of latkes—one menu item that is allowed to be both greasy and delicious. Breakfast includes lox and eggs—a staple in New York just like huevos rancheros here—and buttery pastries galore. Don’t forget lunch, where the crowds are still appreciative of Reubens and egg salad on challah, followed up by a slice of carrot cake that will kick start your afternoon.

Nosh Jewish Deli & Bakery, 116 Amherst Drive, 505.919.8022 noshnobhill.com

M’Tucci’s Market & Deli, 6001 Winter Haven Road NW Suite G, 505.639.4819, kitchinaabq.com

RED ROCK DELI The first time I visited Red Rock Deli in the Northeast Heights, I went a little overboard: pierogies and bratwurst and borscht, oh my! After I ordered nearly half the menu, owners Mark and Paul Toczek seemed concerned but happy. “I’ll take leftovers home!” I explained. I couldn’t help myself in this spare yet welcoming grocery and café. With borscht that’s thin and authentic, Polish and German wursts, and even a potato salad of your dreams, it’s easy to order in abundance. The Midwest presence extends to Chicago hot dogs and Iowa fried pork chop sandwiches. Those pierogies are hand-made offsite and brought in for Paul and Mark’s customers by the dozen; but you can order “Russian roulette” and receive six random flavors, from cheese to cabbage to beef. Shop the grocery before leaving or just have the naleśniki for dessert: sweet crepes with cherries. Yum.

Red Rock Deli, 13025 Lomas Blvd NE, 505.332.9656

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SAN PEDRO MART Owned by Palestinian brothers Muhamad and Abraham, the former gas station grocery and café gives off no vibe of fine dining, but that’s OK by its legions of fans. Nearly everything on the menu is perfect, from parsley-heavy tabbouli to spiced fava beans drowned in fragrant olive oil to the lamb shawarma plate, easily the most famous dish here. Bits of chopped char-grilled lamb are centered on the plate surrounded by a moat of hummus. Use the bland but fluffy pitas to soak everything up, and feel an unstoppable smile spreading across your face. After dining, you can shop for ingredients to make your own feast, but honestly, you won’t—not after having everything prepared by the experts. It’s worth it, every moment in that cozy dining space.

San Pedro Middle Eastern Restaurant, 4001 San Pedro Drive NE, 505.888.2921

YASMINE’S CAFÉ Very few places let loose their garlic love enough to ward off both infections and second dates; if you adore the pungent bulb, Yasmine’s Café is for you. Start with the hummus, reveling in the rich spread, whether on pita bread or just on a spoon. It’s also a great topping for balls of falafel or meaty kabobs. As that garlic begins to seep into your pores, so does the charmingly tidy dining space that oozes comfort from wall murals of colorful sunsets. Yasmine’s menu is vast, from dips and salads (don’t miss the Jerusalem Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and tahini) to both meat and vegetarian combos galore. Finish off that shawarma plate (my favorite here is chicken) or anything else with a potent Turkish coffee. Inky black and super-sweet. Dessert? Nah.

Yasmine’s Café, 1600 E Central Ave., 505.242.1980

SAHARA MIDDLE EASTERN EATERY Many fans of Middle Eastern restaurants, due to some eggplant-related trauma in their past, choose hummus over baba ghanouj every chance they get. Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery, right across from UNM on Central, has baba ghanouj so good it’s almost like going to therapy. The eggplant is char-grilled (always a good start, as we New Mexicans know from our chile habit), then pureed and blended with tahini, lemon and garlic. The flavors are simple and clean and oh-sogood. The newly revised menu only gets more interesting after appetizers are served; the Lebanese Plate has one each of meatball and chicken kabobs, plated up with yogurt cucumber salad, tabouli, rice and pita bread. The owners are happy to suggest dishes for customers both new and seasoned—let them guide you to something wonderful, but only if you save room for a little something sweet.

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery, 2622 E Central Ave, 505.255.5400 saharamiddleeasterneatery.com

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story by GAIL SNYDER

photos by GABRIELLA MARKS

T

he first thing I ever bought from a Native artisan under the portal at the Palace of the Governors was for Father’s Day. My dad and I were oddly estranged at that point.

I felt guilty and sad about that, and willing now to make some kind of peace offering, I thought I’d send him some really great Thing. But my dad wasn’t easy to buy presents for (even when I was a kid and he was my hero); he didn’t play golf or go hunting or have a special team he rooted for, like other dads. My brothers and I were always at a loss for what to get him.

I combed all the bookstores downtown—in my family, no matter who the recipient is, you always start in a bookstore, and my dad was a voracious reader—but came up empty-handed. Something funny in an unexpectedly whacky way was always a score—he had a quirky sense of humor, but you couldn’t really go out and look for something like that, it had to just jump out. He loved music, but again, you couldn’t force it. And I had to find and mail whatever it was that very day if I wanted it to get there on time.

“God!” I muttered. Maybe this was a crazy idea, wanting to find him something to let him know that, beneath our arms-distance behavior of late, I still really loved him. I stood still, in the middle of the sidewalk, angst-ing about the whole dilemma, when suddenly I got this very clear hit to go to the portal at the Plaza. On the surface, that made no sense whatsoever: my dad didn’t wear jewelry, and jewelry was all I thought I remembered being offered for sale there. But on the other hand, he’d always been very much in awe of Native Americans. In fact, the first time he visited me here, in 1981, he bought my mom a sand painting, something neither of them had ever seen before. But I was afraid I wouldn’t find anything for him at the Palace of the Governors, or if I did, I remembered with a sinking feeling that nothing there was marked. What if, after seeing something, the price ended up being way beyond my means? I knew people said they bargained with the artists, but that seemed unfair.

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The portal kept very clearly announcing itself to me, and since I had no other ideas, I wound up standing on the east end of Palace Avenue, along with throngs of tourists. And looking down the line, I saw that in fact there was a wide variety of work laid out carefully on the blankets in front of each vendor— yes, jewelry, but also pottery, carvings, even paintings and drums! I listened to tourists asking questions; I listened to the answers, which were always polite, no matter what, and I felt very at home with these vendors. They were ready to explain how they made an item, what the symbols meant, even a little about themselves, if the customer asked.

I love buying from the portal So I stopped worrying about what I would artists.... It’s a Santa Fe ever find; I even pretty much tradition. We all have great doubted there was anything stories about the artists there for my dad. And then I we’ve bought from there. saw this amazing stone. It was big, a startling green, like a cat’s eyes, like a piece of vibrant jungle transported to the desert. And it was made into a bolo tie. Now, even though my parents had recently retired to Arizona, I couldn’t in a million years picture my dad wearing a bolo. Was I nuts?! I asked the middle-aged gentleman what the green stone was. Gaspeite, he said. He told me about where he’d gotten it, he let me hold the piece, and he told me how much it cost before I had to ask—it wasn’t so astronomical after all. I stood holding it awhile, and the man didn’t pressure me. So what if my dad would never wear it? I was buying it for the stone, which was gorgeous. My dad loved stones; he collected them when he was a kid. The artist, a friendly and kind man, gave me his card to include with it, and he wrote the information 38

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about gaspeite on the back. I told him it was for my dad, for Father’s Day, and he smiled. “That’s good,” he said.

I love buying from the portal artists. And I encourage everyone else to do it, too. It’s a Santa Fe tradition. We all have great stories about the artists we’ve bought from there. And it cuts out the middleman—the spaces are free, so all the money from their work goes to the artists. But more than that: I think of this space, all along the north side of the Plaza, as a portal in the “doorway” sense. In this dangerously divided and separated world, we often associate most closely with a small circle of people who are just like us. Here’s our chance to not only buy Native American artwork but meet the artists face to face, person to person, which helps vanish that feeling of otherness. All the work is authentic; the artists have to pass rigorous tests in order to qualify to be there. There are only 69 spaces; if too many vendors show up, a lottery is held to see who gets to stay that day. This valuable opportunity for Natives to sell their work, called the Native American Vendors Program, is sponsored by the Museum of New Mexico. It grew out of a desire that Southwestern Native art have a reputable and reliable outlet, and the program has provided such an opportunity for over six decades. Because Museum of New Mexico members recognize that life in pueblos and on reservations includes many civic and ceremonial obligations, they’ve provided the scheduling flexibility that makes it possible for artists to fulfill these obligations while supporting their families.

“It’s an honor to be here,” says Teri Cajero, a pottery-maker from Jemez Pueblo. “I waited a long time to do this, and I’m proud to have my artisan card!” She usually goes four times a week, often with her mother or her mother-in-law, Helen Garcia. “Lots of people want their picture taken with the artist when they buy something—that happens to me a couple of times a day,” Teri says. “So I always dress the part, wearing nice clothes, because you’ll be in people’s photo albums!” She likes the connection she makes meeting the buyers in person. “I always give story cards to kids when they buy my pottery, so they can read about it for show-and-tell.” Visitors come from all over, Teri says. “I love being there.”

Helen, Teri’s mother-in-law, also from Jemez Pueblo, started coming 35 years ago, with her own mother-in-law, when her son was two. Back when Helen first started going, there was no lottery because there weren’t as many vendors then as there are today. And they didn’t accept credit cards. “In the winter, it’s so cold we can’t even move!” Helen says. “Many people have to have part-time jobs to make it through the winter.” People are often curious, she says, about how she makes her storytellers and other pottery. “I’m selftaught. I tell them it starts with digging the clay from the Earth, then you build your piece, let it dry, and do the painting and firing. I’m partial to kids in the summer,” she tells me when I ask about bargaining. “I give kids a break when they’re buying something themselves.” And Helen always asks where people are from. “I tell them, ‘Welcome to New Mexico.’ I feel blessed to have a livelihood, and really grateful.”

When I sent the card and the bolo, I wrote a quick story about the man I bought it from. Everything felt so right because I had that connection and I could share it with my dad. He called me as soon as he got it. And he was excited! He loved the stone; he loved my story of buying it; and I could tell he was pleased I’d gone to this effort for him—not just buying any old thing off a shelf. On the card, I’d written, “Don’t worry if you aren’t comfortable wearing this, Dad. You can just hang it and see the stone.” But at the end of the call, he said, “I think I will wear it.” And he did.

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OCTOBER 2015

St. Elizabeth Building Futures...Changing Lives

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stor y by STEPHANIE HAINSFURTHER

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hat Taos pulls artists and art lovers is both lore and legend, evidenced by its rich history and modern-day attraction for well-known painters who made the historic town their home.

But you may not know that the root of that allure is no mystery to the more than 100 printmakers who live there.

“It’s a community that’s found its own little niche here,” says Jennifer Lynch, owner of Lynch Pin Press, which offers printing services and workshops to artists in non-toxic printmaking. “There is a book by Clinton Adams [a former director of Tamarind Institute], Printmaking in New Mexico 1880-1990, that turned me on to Taos as a printmaking center. I read the book and made contact with a few people mentioned in it, and started my business here.”

Lynch’s own Solarplate works are on display now at Taos Center for the Arts, part of a citywide collaboration called Pressing Through Time: 150 Years of Printmaking in Taos. This remarkable series of exhibitions and events is the first of its kind and includes most of Taos’ museums and major galleries. This unprecedented joint effort allows visitors a comprehensive tour of Taos printmaking throughout history and the present day.

Pressing Through Time brings together a treasure trove of prints made in or with a connection to the Taos Valley. Visitors to the several venues can view historic and contemporary lithographs, woodblocks, etchings, monotypes and linocuts, showcasing nearly every printmaking technique

A

CONTEMPORARY PRINTS ABOUND Co-curators David Farmer, a print collector and author of books and articles about prints, and Robert Parker, a 20-year printmaker, delved into private collections, museums and university resources all over the country to map the breadth of Taos printmaking. “We issued a call for entries in January, specifically to printmakers with a strong connection to Taos, who have either lived here or spent extensive time here,” Parker says.

Master Printer Bill Lagattuta from Tamarind Institute and Helen Frederick, curator and author of numerous books on printmaking, were among the judges.

One of the judges, Dan Welden, is the originator of the Solarplate method of printmaking. “Taos is a huge market for printmaking,” Parker says. “Many artists spent many months or lived here. We had a list of over 100 contemporary B printmakers alone.”

Parker explains that each contemporary artist has developed a style of his or her own. “The contemporary shows are really going to surprise people,” he says. “They are quite extensive with incredible diversity and a wide range of aesthetics: conceptual, representational, photographic.” Out of 87 applications, 67 contemporary artists made it into Pressing Through Time. Both female and male printmakers are represented with a broad range of ages.

Jennifer Lindsley, a founding member of Pressing On printmakers, is delighted that her group was invited to exhibit. Their works will be shown at Stables Gallery and they’ll also present educational demos for the public.

“We are 17 printmakers, and we’ve done pop-up galleries before, but not anything like this,” she says.

Parker will speak on “The Legacy of Light: Contemporary Printmaking in Taos Valley” at a symposium held October 17-18 at The Harwood Museum of Art. Juried contemporary prints can be seen at the Taos Center for the Arts Encore Gallery and in the Fechin Studio at the Taos Art Museum.

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A. Andrew Dasburg, untitled woodcut, n.d. private collection.

B. Sydney Craig, World’s Fair 1939, 2008. Reductive woodcut diptych.

C. Susanne Pinkham, Eugene Before the War, 2014. Silkscreen powder printing on glass.

D. Eugene Kingman, untitled lithograph, private collection.

E. Stephen Kilborn, Colored Cottonwood, 2012. Woodcut with watercolor.

HISTORIC PRINTS UNVEILED

C

Co-curator Farmer, who will speak about the printmakers and artists of Taos from 1854-1994 at the same symposium, recalls that it took about a year and a half to chart the span of the exhibits and plan the events.

“What we saw was a gap in the record,” Farmer says. “This is the 100th year of the founding of the Taos Society of Artists and there’s a lot of attention on that, but not much attention given to prints and printmaking. Many printmakers were the people who made the art that documented this valley.”

Far from dusting off pieces from the archives, Farmer, who’s also an art historian, aimed to find never-before-seen prints from well-known artists. For example, Philadelphia artist and printmaker Peter Moran (1841-1914), known for his “exquisite etchings,” will be represented in works loaned by private collections and the Philadelphia Sketch Club. “I have a very strong feeling that this is the first time that New Mexico is seeing these etchings,” Farmer says.

Another don’t-miss part of the exhibit at The Harwood is the Gustave Baumann (1881-1971) section, offering a woodblock from 1926, along with a watercolor study for the finished piece and six blocks in the printed color sequence. Also represented is Fritz Scholder (1937-2005), better known as an expressionist painter, whose lithographs were printed at the Tamarind Institute, now part of the University of New Mexico.

The museums and art centers featuring prints made around Taos in the 19th and 20th centuries are The Doel Reed Center for the Arts, The Harwood Museum of Art, The Millicent Rogers Museum, The Taos Art Museum at Fechin House and The Taos Historic Museums/E. L. Blumenschein House. “This series of exhibits is the affirmation of a vision that holds historical significance and really tells a story,” Farmer says.

COLLECTIBLE AND AFFORDABLE

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There are reasons printmakers are drawn to Taos: its rich history and quality of light are two, but its printmaking facilities also explain the attraction. The first printing press in New Mexico came here in 1834. Others followed, allowing the art of printmaking to flourish, particularly in Taos, when the less-heavy, more versatile printing press of Adam Ramage was borne here. Joseph Imhoff brought the Rutherford lithography press to the town in 1930. The Veloy Vigil family, in Taos since 1979, runs a printing press there still.

Of course, the present-day ubiquity of presses has also made prints the country cousins to paintings and other original art forms.

Even though print runs can be small, prints are made in multiples, so intrinsic values are considerably less than those of one-off works. “It’s democratic, which makes it less precious,” says Jennifer Lynch of Lynch Pin Press.

This fact of the printmaking life leads to collaboration between printer and artist. Artist and printer work together to render the works in their final forms, from simple monotypes to intricate lithographs. The event’s E A Taste of Life in New Mexico

(Continued on page 45) OCTOBER 2015

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story by CAITLIN RICHARDS

T

he World Series. Football season. Balloons over Albuquerque. Raking leaves and having the last cookouts of the season. Oktoberfest. What do all of these have in common? They all occur in October, and they all pair beautifully with beer. According to the New Mexico Brewers Guild, New Mexico is the Frontier of Beer, and the heart of that frontier is in the Duke City. Looking on the Brewers Guild website, I see 25 members with Albuquerque or Rio Rancho addresses, and visiting all of them could take a full week’s vacation. I spoke to Chris Goblet, beer ambassador for the Brewers Guild, to get a little history of brewing in New Mexico.

“The opening of Marble Brewery in downtown Albuquerque in 2009 is really the benchmark moment” for Albuquerque breweries, Goblet says, though there was a lot of brewing going on before that. “In 2016,” he explains, “five brewpubs will be 20 years old.” Fortunately for you, October is also the month in which the New Mexico Brew Fest takes place in Albuquerque, so you can save your week-long vacation and try out New Mexico’s finest beers, all under one roof.

Why is New Mexico dubbed the Frontier of Beer? Goblet says it’s a play on words, with frontier containing several meanings.

There’s the scientific aspect; there’s New Mexico’s role in the American frontier; and of course, there’s the final frontier—space. “We’re out there,” says Goblet, “but still on the map. We’re pushing the envelope of brewing.” I’ll drink to that.

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My father used to make a similar fondue when we visited him when we were young. My mother grew tired of us always raving about Dad’s fondue and decided to make it herself one night (this was the ’70s). The result was not a culinary success; the fondue was hard as a rock and wanted to come out of the pot as one giant chunk. It’s now lovingly referred to as Mom’s Fon-don’t.

1 garlic clove, halved 1¼ cups beer 2 cups shredded Leicester or mild cheddar cheese 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon dry mustard Pepper

I

n honor of all of this beer flowing around the state, Still Hungry? is cooking with beer this month. Beer is a wonderful ingredient, and the type of beer you choose can really change up your recipe.

Sweet, nutty, toasty, coffee, chocolaty, yeasty, malty, hoppy: all flavor profiles of different beers, and while the alcohol will burn off in the cooking, the flavors will remain. Most beer recipes don’t specify a particular beer, so experiment a bit. Beware of IPAs, they can leave your meal a little bitter; and remember, like cooking with wine, quality counts—don’t cook with a beer you wouldn’t drink.

Rub inside of fondue pot with cut garlic clove. Add beer and heat until bubbly. Toss cheeses in flour and mustard. Over low heat, add cheeses to beer, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Serve with bread cubes and pickles.

From The Book of Fondues by Lorna Rhodes Rhodes, Lorna. The Book of Fondues. “Pub Fondue.”

HP Books. New York, 1988.

What feels more like Oktoberfest than sausages and sauerkraut? Poaching the sausages in beer before grilling adds a little extra something. The Whole Foods website suggests chicken sausages, but any sausage of your liking will benefit from the beer poaching.

6 sausages 3 cups beer 6 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 Tablespoon canola oil

This is my recipe, an amalgam of different recipes I’ve seen and used over the years. I love steamed mussels, and I’ve made them with both the more traditional wine broth and with a beer broth.

Both are excellent, but they are very different dishes. The beer broth makes the dish a little more laid back and casual. Don’t skimp on the bread—you’ll want to savor every bit of broth.

1 medium onion, sliced 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 stalks celery, diced Olive oil Pinch of red pepper flakes 12 ounces of beer ½ cup diced tomatoes 1 to 1½ pounds mussels 2 Tablespoons butter

Prick each sausage a half-dozen times with a fork.

Arrange sausages in a baking dish and cover with beer and garlic. Cover and refrigerate; marinate for about 1 hour. Arrange onion slices in a skillet just large enough to hold all sausages. Place sausages on top and add leftover marinade to cover. Place the skillet over medium heat and gradually bring liquid to a simmer.

Poach sausages until partially-cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate and pat dry if needed. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium-high heat cooking. Lightly brush sausages on all sides with oil and arrange on the grill. Grill until crisp and nicely browned and sausages are cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer sausages to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Serve as is or on toasted buns with condiments of your choice.

From wholefoodsmarket.com

First step is to make sure you clean the mussels really well; a little sand in the mussels can ruin the whole dish. Sautee onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes. Add beer, tomatoes and mussels and reduce heat. Cover. Simmer for seven to 10 minutes until mussels open. Add butter. Serve with crusty bread and lemon wedges.

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It’s hard to resist gingerbread, especially one that is “gleamingly risen” at the center.

1¼ sticks (10 Tablespoons) butter 1 cup golden syrup 1 cup (packed) plus 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 cup stout (such as Guinness) 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1¼ cups sour cream 2 eggs 1 rectangle aluminum foil or cake pan, approximately 13x9x2 inches Preheat your oven to 325˚. Line cake pan with aluminum foil and grease. Put butter, syrup, dark brown sugar, stout, ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves into pan and melt gently over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in flour and baking soda. You will need to be patient and whisk thoroughly to get rid of any lumps. Whisk the sour cream and eggs together in a separate bowl then beat into the gingerbread mixture, whisking again to get a smooth batter. Pour mixture into cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes; when it’s ready it will be gleamingly risen at the center and coming away from the pan at the sides. Allow gingerbread to cool before cutting.

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From Nigella Kitchen, Recipes from the Heart of the Home by Nigella Lawson Lawson, Nigella. “Guinness Gingerbread.”

Hyperion. New York, 2010.

and 103.7 Albuquerque

Contemporary Jazz Chill - Latin Guitar Music You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else in New Mexico...

For a map of Santa Fe Breweries go to localflavormagazine.com.

Relax and Unwind at The Oasis and Enjoy a Beautiful Autumn

New Mexico Brewfest 2015 will be held Saturday, October 10 at Expo New Mexico.

Get more info at nmbrewfest.com. Lederhosen and dirndls are optional.

...Your Escape from Ordinary Music

OCTOBER 2015

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1037theoasis.com

Take a little trip.

LODGING, DINING & LIVE MUSIC NIGHTLY at The HISTORIC TAOS INN

F

575.758.2233

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F. Kristine McCallister, The Big Hard, 2005. Chine-collé.

co-curator David Farmer points out that, although the artist is present and involved in the making of each print, the originality of the process is offset by the multiplicity of prints made. “They are a more affordable medium of fine art,” he says. “That affordability lies at the very essence of making prints.”

Printmaking’s multiples also allow the artists to reach more collectors. And collectors appreciate seeing the hand of the artist within the printmaking collaboration. “It’s not a casual enterprise; you have to have a good sense of where you’re going and a very strong skill base,” notes Robert Parker, Farmer’s co-curator in Pressing Through Time. “You need to stay focused through the whole process.”

With about 20 different techniques to exploit, printmaking can be varied, complex and often difficult to execute. For all of these reasons—difficulty, multiplicity, affordability—prints are very collectible and very popular.

You can begin or add to a collection of prints during the shows. On October 30, the public can purchase prints at a “oneday extravaganza” at Stables Gallery. First-time print seekers and longtime collectors alike can educate themselves at Pressing Through Time, with workshops offered by UNM-Taos and panel discussions given during the Symposium. Other events will be created throughout the life of the exhibits, which are available to view through February 16.

Chomp...

ON THE PATIO ON THE TAOS PLAZA

For a detailed list of locations and other information, visit pressingthroughtime.com.

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