December 2013-January 2014 by Cullen Curtiss

A TASTE O F LIFE IN N EW MEX IC O

S A NTA F E | A L B U Q U E RQ UE | TAOS DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

L AU RA S H E PP H E R D ATELIER

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Buzz pg.10 by Kelly Koepke

Everybody reads the Buzz … and everybody follows the Flavor!

Top Ten Dishes of 2013 pg.15 by Chef Johnny Vee

In our annual tribute to the chefs of Santa Fe, Chef Johnny Vee takes a delicious look back on 2013 and names his ten favorite dishes. Your assignment: Like us on Facebook and let us know what your favorites were.

Sounds of the Holidays pg.26 by Craig Smith

Noted music critic Craig Smith recalls his local favorites—albums that capture the essence of a New Mexico Christmas.

Syne Wine pg.28 by James Selby

Wine aficionado James Selby presents notable wines and notable moments of the past—plus a reminder of why we treasure a cup of kindness … for auld lang syne.

Taos at Christmas pg.32 by Tania Casselle

English-born Tania Casselle reflects on the wonderment of Christmas in her adopted hometown of Taos.

Too Big to Wrap pg.36 by Gordon Bunker

Mmmm, those are the kind of goodies I want under my tree—the ones that are too big to wrap.

On the Cover: Chef Andrew Cooper pg.41 by Erin Brooks

A standout star since his arrival to Santa Fe, Chef Andrew Cooper, of Four Seasons Rancho Encantado shares his convictions on sustainability and community.

Ooh, Ahh … Albuquerque pg.46 by Kate Gerwin

What a year it’s been in the Duke City! The restaurant openings and night scene are positively electric. And as our girl Kate says, “Look out, people. The Q is on the loose.”

Read Me a Story pg.50 by Emily Beenen

A mom offers up her thoughts on the joys of reading to her children and recommends several of her favorites, all written by local authors.

The Quiet Side pg.54 by Gail Snyder

Savor the quiet side of winter with pursuits—some solo, some not—that nourish the spirit.

Still Hungry? pg.58 by Mia Carbone

A gift from Local Flavor–cherished holiday recipes from our readers, each with its own special story.

ON OUR COVER: Chef Andrew Cooper of Four Seasons Rancho Encantado Publishers: Patty & Peter Karlovitz Editor: Patty Karlovitz Publisher’s Assistant: Mia Rose Carbone Web Editor: Melyssa Holik Art Director: Jasmine Quinsier Cover photo: Gabriella Marks Prepress: Scott Edwards Ad Design: Alex Hanna Advertising: Santa Fe: Mary Brophy 505.231.3181. Lianne Aponte 505.629.6544. Margret Henkels 505.501.2290. Albuquerque: Ashley Schutte 505.604.2547. Distribution: Southwest Circulation Local Flavor Magazine 223 North Guadalupe #442, Santa Fe, NM 87501Tel: 505.988.7560 E-mail: patty@localflavormagazine.com www.localflavormagazine.com Find us on Facebook Subscriptions $24 per year. Mail check to above address. © Edible Adventure Co.‘96. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used without the permission of Edible Adventure Co. localflavor accepts advertisements from advertisers believed to be reputable, but can’t guarantee it. All editorial information is gathered from sources understood to be reliable, but printed without responsibility for erroneous, incorrect, or omitted information.

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taken in Albuquerque, Taos and France. Many of the pictures are accompanied by poetry from various writers. Hall donates all profits from the calendars to animal rescue groups like Watermelon Mountain Ranch and New Mexico Animal Friends/Street Cat Companions. Go to their website for places to find the calendar in Albuquerque. miriamhallphotography.blogspot.

ALBUQUERQUE A big welcome to the Duke City to the new executive chef of Farm & Table, Sean Sinclair! Late of Portland’s Genoa Restaurant, Chef Sean is a New Mexico native who brings a passion for local ingredients and real-world experience in almost every position in the kitchen. He’s got a first-class education from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, too. We’re excited to see what he can do with our desert and mountain ingredients at one of Albuquerque’s most interesting and innovative restaurants, set in the bucolic North Valley.

| Chef Sean Sinclair of Farm and Table Word on the street is that Susan and Daniel Baca, formerly of La Fonda del Bosque at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, are rocking red and green chile, seafood tacos and fresh sandwiches at ZS&T’s on Menaul in Uptown for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. I’m eyeing the caramel-pecan cinnamon rolls for a holiday morning start and a chile relleno burger when the weather’s nippy. And the chicken marsala special at dinner is right up my alley! Let us know how you like it. Nob Hill’s Asian cuisine roster has just added a new member to its ranks; Loving Vegan has moved from the Westside to the former Mean Bao bakery location, at 3409 Central SE. Loving Vegan was rated the best vegan sushi restaurant in the nation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) earlier this year and earns local praise for its willingness to accommodate allergies and

intolerances by making shrimp, squid and eel dishes from soy and vegetables such as yams and portobello mushrooms. This is a perfect addition to Nob Hill’s eclectic, trend-setting scene. Nob Hill’s about to get another tap room, too. Jim Shull, founder of Hello Deli (he sold it in the 1990s) plans to open Hops Brewery in the old Revolver Vintage spot, on Central next to Elsa Ross, early in 2014. Hops will join Tractor Brewing Company’s established outlet about a block away. There’s big news from Tractor, too. It’s moving its operations from Los Lunas to 1800 4th St. NW, just north of Downtown, in the New Year. The new building (not far from Marble Brewery’s own brewery and tap room) will also have a tap room with indoor and outdoor spaces. We hoist a frosty one to all the brewers in the Duke City—we’re firmly on the micro-brew bandwagon. If spirits are what moves you, move on down to Left Turn Distilling, at 2924 Girard NE, near Candelaria, and try some of owner Brian Langwell’s Brothers Old Tom Gin and La Luz Vodka. You can sample them both (as well as cocktails made with them) and buy bottles in the small tasting room, where a window allows you to spy on the distilling process at work. Soon, Langwell will offer blue corn whiskey and piñon rum, too, the fruits of his fascination with chemistry and liquor since he was 15 years old. Santa Fe’s had local distilleries for a while, and now Albuquerque has one to call its own. Call 505.508.0508 for hours. Longtime Terra American Bistro chef and coowner Peter Lukes has begun construction on a new restaurant, Piattini, on Girard NE, near Constitution. He plans a space almost twice the size of Terra and will offer Italian cuisine in a small-plate format. He also wants to expand the beer and wine offerings and venture into catering. Great news for lovers of Lukes’ cooking! The menus, wine and beer licenses and a webpage are coming soon, so watch Piattini’s Facebook page for updates. Cocina Azul, at Mountain and 12th, is expanding to a second location in Downtown Albuquerque, where it will take over the former Nick’s Crossroads Cafe and Fresh Choices spaces, at Central Avenue and 4th Street. Cocina Azul serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from a menu heavy on New Mexico staples.

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The new place, Azul Burrito Company, will operate under a “customized burrito or fixings bowl” scheme that includes choice of protein (carne adovada, shredded chicken, ground beef or steak) plus several rice and bean options, all complemented by veggies and chile or salsa. Fresh, inexpensive and fast will be the draw for Downtown denizens, for sure. Congrats to Local Flavor favorite Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm for being awarded a National Trust for Historic Preservation Trustees Emeritus Award for Excellence in the Stewardship of Historic Sites. The Rembe family, who owns the property, traveled to Indianapolis for the 2013 National Preservation Conference to accept the accolade given to individuals, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and corporations that have advanced their communities through preservation of architectural and cultural heritage, according to the National Trust. With its natural beauty, stellar cuisine, farm store stocked with products made with lavender (and other ingredients grown onsite) and exceptional service, the historic Los Poblanos property is a gem of the North Valley. Check them online for holiday gifts at lospoblanos.com.

SANTA FE Winter has officially arrived in the City Different, and it’s the perfect time to try some new restaurants from familiar names—like Izanami, the Japanese-inspired eatery at Ten Thousand Waves. It’s billed as a Japanese gastropub, but don’t expect fish or soggy tempura. Instead, you’ll find locally sourced meat and produce with an emphasis on seasonality, a stunning variety of Japanese teas, locally roasted coffee, Japanese craft beers and a first-rate artisanal microbrew cold sake selection, curated by long-time Waves designer, photographer and retail manager Deborah Fleig. (She and Linda Tetrault are both second-level sake sommeliers, two of only a handful of female sake sommeliers in the world.) Heading up the kitchen is Kim Müller, a much-loved Santa Fe chef who has spent time at the Galisteo Inn, The Compound and Real Food Nation. Check out Izanami at izanamisantafe.com and call 505.428.6390 for reservations.

Photo: Gabriella Marks

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

| “Life is a Ditch” Looking for more unique local holiday gifts? Local landscape and nature photographer Miriam Hall has several ideas for you. She and Fritz, the Hall family’s Jack Russell terrier, are regulars along the North Valley’s irrigation ditches. “Life is a Ditch,” a colorful 2014 wall calendar (subtitle: “Albuquerque dog owners give thanks to their best friends”) features images of dozens of canines and their human companions, captured along the ditches. For feline friends, Hall has “Cats Faraway & Nearby: From Paris to Albuquerque,” vibrant photos

| Chef Kim Müller of Izanami Another opening we’re excited about is L’Olivier (in the shuttered Tomme space). Chef Xavier Grenet of Ristra has teamed with wife, Nathalie Bonnard-Grenet, for a December 20 debut of this French bistro. Grenet trained at École Française de la Gastronomie’ Ferrandi and Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. When he came to Santa Fe in 2000, he brought with him more than 20 years of experience at some of the world’s best restaurants, under the leadership of Joel Robuchon. Work is proceeding apace to brighten and give warmth to the space, and

Photo: Gabriella Marks

we can’t wait to taste Grenet’s famous coq au vin and other French specialties.

| Chef Xavier Grenet of L’Olivier If a meal standing up suits you just as well as one sitting down to white linen, try Bang Bite Filling Station, the latest food truck to drive into our hearts. Chef and owner, Enrique Guerrero, has parked his truck at Old Santa Fe Trail and Paseo de Peralta, next to Ooh La La, Men! and across from Kaune’s, and from there he purveys a revolving menu of gourmet burgers, tacos, pulled pork, fajitas and fries, soups and other specials for lunch and dinner. For weekday breakfast, the amazing corn masa–meets–Mexican chocolate dish, atole de chocolate, could be a meal in itself, with its warm, porridge-like consistency. Catering’s available, too. Visit bangbitesf. com for a menu and check the food truck’s Facebook page for daily specials and hours. When my feet get weary and I need a break from the magical holiday beauty of the Plaza, I’m heading to a new, local and independent coffeehouse and art space in the Loretto Shoppes at the Inn at Loretto. Liquid Outpost has just a few spots for seating, but the charming, cozy space is filled with local artists’ works (including jewelry). It also smells divine from the fresh roasted coffee, espresso drinks, locally baked noshes and freshmade sandwiches. The owner, Sandra Vacca, is a genial hostess with a wealth of tips for visitors and locals alike. Stop in (except on Wednesdays) and tell ‘em Local Flavor sent you.

| Max Lehman’s “Junto Para Siempre!, 2013” Kudos to artist Max Lehman on his entry into the Tequila Herradura tequila barrel art creation competition. La Fonda on the Plaza was one of a handful of nationwide stops for this contest, which reaches its finale in Miami in December. Lehman’s winning piece, entitled “Junto Para Siempre!, 2013,” was inspired by the artist’s fascination with skeletons, which stems primarily from exposure to Mexican culture and immersion in the punk music scene. “Being given the opportunity to work on an actual Herradura tequila barrel was the kind of experience that forces one to think outside of the box,” said Lehman. “I was eager to try something new but also create a piece that could be recognized as a piece of my artwork, done in my style with techniques that I am well known for.

The entire process was a huge learning experience for me and has generated some great ideas that I am sure I will use in the future.” He’ll be up against finalists from the other seven competing markets, and the winner will receive a $100,000 prize. Visit herradurabarrelart.com. Speaking of art, Santa Fe contemporary painter H Margret has a new show at Marji Gallery, 453 Cerrillos in the Railyard District, titled “Horse Games.” This exhibition of new work celebrates horses, a subject near to the artist’s heart (she’s also an equine professional). The show runs December 7 through 31, with an artist reception on December 13. Call 505.983.1012.

| “Horse Games” by H Margret Set a timer for the opening of a new restaurant going into the former O’Keeffe Café space. Canyon Road’s Geronimo coowner Lloyd Abrams will open Georgia’s Museum Café in early 2014, after an extensive renovation of the building. If the critical praise and awards for Geronimo (and Executive Chef/partner Eric DiStefano) are an indication of what we can expect from the new eatery, then Johnson Street will continue to thrive as an up-and-coming destination. The new TerraCotta Wine Bistro and Momo & Co. Bakery are rocking it already! We can’t wait for more. Need some inspiration for your holiday dinners? At the Santa Fe Culinary Academy, it’s all about desserts on December 11, when co-founder Tanya Storey brings the learning. How does French Bûche De Noël, mini baked Alaskas and a French almond torte with mascarpone sound? Almost as good as Lauren Roybal, owner of Cocopelli Chocolatier, teaching you to make decadent truffles, holiday-themed molds and seasonal gifts on December 14? And what about Rocky Durham (the other Academy co-founder) giving instruction on posole, tamales and bizcochitos in the New Mexico Holiday Traditions class, December 17? My notebook’s ready for all the secrets and tips I can handle! Visit santafeculinaryacademy.com and watch for The Guesthouse (the student-run restaurant) to launch in January.

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Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe & Cooking School’s instructor (and Local Flavor contributor) John Vollertsen takes you on a different kind of holiday culinary journey. This one touches down in Charles Dicken’s England for Vee’s Dicken’s Christmas Feast, December 13. Cheddar-ale soup, pub-style Scotch eggs with wilted spinach or apple and Stilton salad, anyone? How about roast duck with chestnut–caramelized pear stuffing, braised red cabbage and sticky date pudding? Yes, please! Visit lascosascooking.com for details on this and other culinary adventures.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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You may think nothing happens in gardens during the winter. You would be quite wrong! The Santa Fe Botanical Garden has transformed into a winter wonderland with Glow, which features dramatic and creative lighting, magic and ingenuity from Santa Fe designer Lisa Samuel. A vision of wintery radiance (if you will), Glow opens Thursday, December 5, and runs for five consecutive weekends on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights through January 4. Bring the kids (under 12 are free, member are $5 and everyone else is $8), buy tickets at santafebotanicalgarden.org or at the gate. This promises to be the start of a wonderful seasonal tradition here in Santa Fe.

Through March 31, 2013 New Mexico Residents can select one of each of the following for only $99:

New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors is always a refuge from the chill—not to mention a reminder of our rich cultural history in Northern New Mexico. Stop by beginning December 13 for the popular weekend event Christmas at the Palace. Bring the whole family for music, piñatas, hot cider and cookies, craftmaking and a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The museum also hosts the Young Native Artists Holiday Show & Sale, where you can see what the children and grandchildren of the Palace portal artists have created for your holiday gift-giving. More at nmhistorymuseum.org.

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Is winter break just an excuse for your kids to veg? What about you? Wise Fool’s Winter Break Youth Camp promises two full days of circus for kids ages 6 to 14, December 30-31 and January 2-3. Students will find themselves supporting one another in partner acrobatics, climbing to new heights on silks and laughing and being silly with their fellow clowns. It all culminates in a showcase performance on January 3. And don’t think you’ve got an excuse for the winter doldrums. From January 13 to 25, ELEVATE, the Circus Boot Camp for Adults, focuses on personal fitness through circus skills, for those of us who work full-time. Sample multiple disciplines (acrobatics, aerials, clowning and stilt-walking) during 28 hours of evening conditioning and circus skills instruction. No previous experience is required, so sign up for both or either at wisefoolnewmexico.org.

TAOS

Classic Guestroom

great reserves of graphic art and found 132 drawings and prints, many of which had never been on display before. This oncein-a-lifetime exhibition gives insight into four centuries of Spain’s visual culture and history. Artists include Velazquez, Murillo, Zurbáran, Ribera and Goya (whose full range is represented in the 26 works). Visit nmartmuseum.org for complete details.

| Francisco Pacheco (1564–1654), Saint John the Evangelist (1632). Pen and ink with wash and white highlights.

State museum sister institution the New Mexico Museum of Art has the distinction of being the only American venue for the exhibition Renaissance to Goya: Prints and Drawings from Spain, which originated at the British Museum in London and has traveled to Madrid’s Prado and Sydney’s Art Gallery of New South Wales. This outlookchanging exhibition runs December 14 through March 9, 2014, and smashes the conceit that Spanish artists did not draw and produced little in printmaking. British Museum curator Mark McDonald plumbed the depths of his institution’s

Ah, Taos in winter. Seems it’s been discovered by a host of travel publications. In fact, Taos has been added to several national “best of ” lists, this time being named the sixth “Most Liked U.S. City” by Money Journal, one of the world’s top ten “Best Solo Escapes This Winter” by Fodor’s Travel, and among the top five “Best Destinations for Your Christmas Vacation,” according to Yahoo! Fodor’s highlights Taos as a destination for solo “outdoorsy travelers looking for a cultural experience,” while Yahoo! says Taos is great for those who would prefer to skip the hassle of preparation and clean-up associated with holiday meals. Count us in! While you’re in Taos, try Old Casa Continental ... because Chef Mogens Hansen has returned. Remember when it was Casa Cordova and Hansen was behind the stove? Well, he’s back, and he has brought his European fine dining ethos to 1014 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, in Arroyo Seco. He’s offering an assortment of his favorite continental dishes (escargot, beef stroganoff, curries, chicken Cordon Bleu), and pairing up with long-time friend Johnny Montano, who manages the front of the house. Though we never get tired of New Mexican cuisine, sometimes you just want a change. Old Casa Continental fits that bill to a tee. Call 575.758.4522 for reservations.

SFCA SANTA FE CONCERT ASSOCIATION

2013-2014 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

December Donnell Leahy & Family Celtic Holiday Concert December 2, 2013

Donnell Leahy & Family

The King’s Singers December 6, 2013 Family Concert Series: Christmas Eve Dress rehearsal December 24, 2013 Christmas Eve with The SFCA Orchestra and Caroline Goulding December 24, 2013

The King’s Singers

Family Concert Series: New Year’s Eve Dress rehearsal December 31, 2013 New Year’s Eve with The SFCA Orchestra and Claire Huangci December 31, 2013

Caroline Goulding

January Family Concert Series: The Barber of Seville Dress Rehearsal January 8, 2014

Claire Huangci

Opera The Barber of Seville January 10, 2014 7:00pm January 11 & 12, 2014 Notes on Music The Sing-Along of the Nibelung January 16, 2014

The Barber of Seville

Family Concert Series: Mozart and Mendelssohn violin concertos January 26, 2014

Tickets: 505.988.1234 For more information, go to SANTAFECONCERTS.ORG

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

S AV O R T H E SOUTHWEST :H]VY [OL YPJO LHY[O` ÅH]VYZ VM JYLH[P]L (TLYPJHU J\PZPUL PUM\ZLK ^P[O YLNPVUHS PUNYLKPLU[Z H[ [OL (UHZHaP 9LZ[H\YHU[ Try our Three-Course Prix Fixe Lunch 4VUKH` :H[\YKH` $20 or Three-Course Prix Fixe Dinner :\UKH` ;O\YZKH` $40 For reservations, call 505-988-3236 Menu subject to change

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story by CHEF JOHNNY VEE photos by JOY GODFREY

few years ago Oprah interviewed the author of a recent diet book called Eat When You’re Hungry. After hearing the author’s hypothesis, Oprah exclaimed, “If I only ate when I was hungry, just think of all the good meals I’d miss!” I couldn’t agree with her more. I think most foodies would concur that we eat when we’re hungry but also when we’re happy, sad, stressed, lonely, joyful, in love or just plain bored (and I am lucky to add “for a living” to the list). Over the last 12 months I have found myself sitting down to dine for a multitude of reasons and in a variety of moods; covering the Santa Fe food beat is mostly a pleasurable experience. There have been a few hiccups here and there—I’m still surprised when hot food is served on cold plates, but I consider myself a fortunate boy. Many of my good friends are chefs, and our friendships are often played out over meals in their restaurants. What I love about our city, which I’ve dubbed “The City Deliciously Different,” is that when a meal is good, it’s often really good. Here is a list of my top ten most memorable dishes. They are in no particular order of deliciousness but are ones I heartily encourage you to try. After yet another year of economic craziness—and, added to that, political lunacy—we all deserve a little edible love. As mothers across the globe urge when anything might be bothering you, “For God’s sake, eat something!” It is, indeed, a cure-all.

Dinner at Geronimo A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Chef Joseph Wrede of Joseph’s Mustard Seed and Crème Fraîche Crusted Cauliflower

Chef Charles Dale of Bouche Classic Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Chef Joseph Wrede describes his menu at the new (and hot!) Joseph’s as vegetable-centric, meaning there is a conscious effort to celebrate that vast realm of ingredients but raise them above the salad and side dish status. A luscious case in point is the Mustard Seed and Crème Fraîche Crusted Cauliflower with White Beans and Anchovy Tomato Sauce. Though not truly vegetarian, by virtue of the wonderful umami injection provided by the anchovies in the zippy sauce, the dramatic plating of the cast-iron seared lobe of cauliflower on tender beans shows off Wrede’s Italian heritage and skill as the chef once deemed in the Top Ten in the country by Food & Wine Magazine (and still going strong a dozen years later). Many chefs lay claim to the farmto-table moniker, but Wrede walks the talk in this dish and on much of his menu. He might just destroy the carnivore in me yet! Joseph’s Culinary Pub, 428 Agua Fria Street, 505.982.1272.

At the Wine and Chile Fiesta this past September I kept hearing that Charles Dale at Bouche was serving up snails to the imbibing throngs. I was leery to seek them out; I always felt the only reason to eat the little guys was to have something with which to sop up the garlic butter. When I arrived at his booth, Dale implored me, in that charming way he has, to sample the snails. I was seduced, and a lifetime opinion changed. These Escargots à la Bourguignonne were tender and sweet, and I detected a dash of cream that elevated the sauce to a new luscious level. Dale’s goal at Bouche is to transport his dining guests to the Left Bank in Paris, and all of his classic dishes—especially this one—does exactly that. Bon voyage, my fear of snails! Bouche, 451 West Alameda Street, 505.982.6297.

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Chef Mark Connell of Arroyo Vino Crispy Suckling Pig

Head Pastry Chef Dennis Adkins of Dulce Green Chile Quiche Lorraine

Mark Connell at Arroyo Vino goes from strength to strength! Starting at Max’s a few years back, and now taking on the task of appeasing and pleasuring the palates of the Las Campanas community, his skill and aplomb in the kitchen belie his baby face. With food this good, word spread quickly and soon townsfolk as well were heading out 599 to be wooed. I visit restaurants for a variety of reasons but seek out Connell’s creative cuisine when I want to be surprised, provoked and culinarily entertained. His Crispy Suckling Pig with Kimchi Consommé, Vermicelli and Snap Peas that I enjoyed this past summer still lingers in my mind—and is, happily, still on the menu, albeit in another clever incarnation. Connell continually challenges himself, cooks to the beat of his own drummer and, I think, needs to win a James Beard Award or Food & Wine Top Ten Chefs in America honor. Arroyo Vino, 218 Camino La Tierra, 505.983.2100.

There are plenty of bakeries in town to satisfy the carb-cravings of locals, but Dulce, off Cordova, is my neighborhood favorite, by virtue of their plump, voluptuous quiches, which change in variety daily, with both meat and veggie options. The casual, well-priced café offers a huge assortment of pastries, in both regular and glutenfree versions. (The Blueberry Muffins are perfect, their quality undisturbed by their lack of gluten), and the friendly staff makes eating here even better. On my last visit, my Bacon, Tomato and Green Chile Quiche was chock full of cheese, crispy bacon nubs and fiery chile, with a flaky crust that crumbled beautifully when nudged with my fork. I don’t know what being a “real” man means, but I do eat quiche, especially from Dulce! Dulce, 1100 Don Diego Avenue, Suite A, 505.989.9966.

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Kitchen Manager Avery Pearson of Vinaigrette Hearty Vegan Mushroom Stew

Owner Josh Baum of The Ranch House Rib and Chicken Combo

As much as I am not a fan of cold weather, a piping hot bowl of the Mushroom Stew at Vinaigrette is a terrific chill kill. Though offered as a vegetarian soup, this chunky miso-based potage is chock full of forest, button and porcini mushrooms and tricks your palate into thinking you are eating something meat-based. Fat-fried olive bread croutons top the bowl and start to soak up the hearty broth, so it’s best to dive in quick. I love how proprietress Erin Wade has figured a way to embellish her salad-based menu for the colder months, and I’m delighted for her that her new Albuquerque offshoot is packing in the customers, too. A restaurant with great food easily fits right in to any city rife with foodies. Vinaigrette, 709 Don Cubero Alley, 505.820.9205.

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I am a big believer of the notion that nice guys finish first, and I think a part of the reason the Ranch House does so well is the fact that its owners, Josh and Anne Baum and are so damn sweet—that and the delicious food and great prices. So whenever I have a hankering for barbecue, that’s my choice for downhome dining. The Baum’s were clever to stay in that same part of town when they moved to their fancy new digs after building their fan base at Josh’s BBQ on Cerrillos; it’s the new food frontier. I love the Rib and Chicken Combo and can’t pass up the Green Chile Cole Slaw, Smoky Beans and Buttery Green Chile Cornbread. I think the test for great barbecue is that the meats don’t even need added sauce to be moist and tasty, and the Ranch House wholeheartedly achieves this every time. The Chocolate -Banana Bread Pudding is delish, too! The Ranch House, 2571 Cristo’s Road, 505.424.8900.

Chef Clay Bordan of Tabla de Los Santos Poutine

Owners John and Bonnie Eckre of Santa Fe Bite The Big Bite Burger

As a frequent visitor to Canada, I have long been a fan of the Poutine, a bar food that has its origins in Quebec and is served around the country in various versions. I was surprised and delighted to spot it on the menu at my favorite cozy cocktail bar, Secreto, in the Hotel St. Francis. The recipe, in its simplest form, consists of French fries scattered with cheese curds and ladled with gravy (it’s way better than it sounds), but new Chef Clay Bordan, who took over the charming Tabla de los Santos restaurant adjacent to the bar, really gilds the lily by adding green chile–braised short ribs and sexing up the gravy with truffles. This romantic bar boasts one of Santa Fe’s most creative bartenders in Chris Milligan, who takes exceptional pride in his mixology (the Local Beet is one of my favorites). I also sampled other dishes off Bordan’s dinner menu, and I really want this talented Santa Fe newbie to succeed. I hear the dining room is being made more casual to encourage the hipsters from the bar to spill into one of the prettiest historic rooms in town. Tabla de los Santos, 210 Don Gaspar Avenue, 505.983.5700.

Sometimes you just need a burger to make things right in the world, so I head over to Santa Fe Bite for their honking Big Bite Burger, 16 ounces of juicy, house-ground beef grilled and served on garlic bread (you gotta add green chile and cheese). The fact that they moved to a new location two blocks from my house is a serious threat to my waistline, but it is winter after all. Ah, that’s better! Santa Fe Bite, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505.982.0544.

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Chef Brett Sparman of Luminaria Loretto Eggs Benedict

Chef Eric DiStefano of Geronimo Oven Roasted Rock Hen

Some successful chefs in Santa Fe are cocky while I think it is Chef Brett Sparman’s confidence in his cooking that is putting him in the league of DiStefano, Rios, Kiffin et al. The Phoenix native certainly knows his southwest ingredients and makes a mean paella to boot. When I looked back where I dined often this past year, Luminaria was right up there and; I enjoyed many a brunch on the sunny terrace in the shadow of the spires of the Loretto Chapel. For me, brunch is always Eggs Benedict, and Sparman’s Loretto Eggs Benedict (adorned with Hollandaise Foam, Asparagus, Shaved Ham and Crispy Breakfast Potatoes takes the prize. Yum, yum and yum! Luminaria, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505.984.7929.

Geronimo’s longevity as a premier dining destination is testimony to many things: gorgeous setting, excellent service, fantastic food, awardwinning wine list, creative cocktails and most importantly in my book, attention to details and consistency. Eric DiStefano, who has an expert palate and is backed by Chef de Cuisine Paul Novak’s adroit kitchen staff, does it right. Always. DiStefano even does chicken right, with his scrumptious Oven Roasted Rock Hen, rubbed with Spring Garlic, Lemon, Honey, and Thyme, on Creamy Citrus Black Truffle Risotto. To me, Geronimo is everything I love about our titillating food scene, all together under one roof. Twenty-two years and running—long may she reign. Geronimo’s, 724 Canyon Road, 505.982.1500.

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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story by CRAIG SMITH

Lawrence Bandfi L B dfield, ld then h Dennis D i Shrock, Sh h k Linda Li d Mack and now Joshua Habermann. The sopranos have a lovely and light-voiced float to their sound, the altos are rich and focused, the tenors strong and sprightly, and the baritones and basses provide a warm, fluent underpinning to the sonic structure. The characterful sound conforms itself to a variety of repertoire, periods and styles, too. You always know when the chorale is singing, but the choristers adeptly adapt themselves to the needs of each particular piece. In holiday terms they did that even in the 1980s, when the special “Christmas in July” repertoire was always a big hit. That skill can be heard full-bore in the 2010 recording Silent Night: Christmas with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. Led sensitively and soulfully by Habermann, the group explores a range of holiday treasures from around the globe, including famed composer Morton Lauridsen’s incandescent “O Magnum Mysterium”—a setting that in recent years has given the evergreen version by Spanish composer Tomás Luis da Victoria a run for its money. There also is a set of traditional German carols arranged by Hugo Distler, other carols including “The First Noel,” “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella,” “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” “Coventry Carol” and, of course, the title track, “Silent Night.” The vibrant acoustic of Santa Fe’s Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is well served, and there’s a real sense of immediacy from the presence of an attentive but also enthusiastic audience. Another live Desert Chorale recording, also from the Cathedral Basilica, is the 2006 Christmas in Santa Fe. Linda Mack conducts, and late (and greatly missed) Santa Fe harpist Rosalind Simpson contributes beautiful playing. Plenty of traditional sounds permeate the disc, including Adam’s “O Holy Night,” John Rutter’s “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day,” more carols from around the

hristmas in New Mexico offers a feast for all the senses. The eye takes in winter landscapes crowned by frost-clear blue skies that span the heavens, as well as the farolitos and luminarias that deck the streets and houses. Taste is pleased with traditional brandy-laced bizcochitos, luscious posole cooked with green or red chile, and piping hot blue corn atole or cocoa with crema. The nose draws in the scent of wood smoke, incense, piñon and many tempting foods, while our sense of touch luxuriates in the feel of coats, hats and mittens guarding one from the cold wind—or the still, quiet New Mexico chill that can be even more potent. But for me, the final sense—hearing—is the one that takes the coin every time during a New Mexico Christmas. Nothing can match having the ear caressed by holiday music performed by our own artists in local venues from churches to clubs, with inspired artistry (and sometimes even on the street during Christmas Eve)! Since I was trained as a classical musician, my own holiday music tastes run that way, and I admit to a partiality for the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, because that organization brought me to Santa Fe and New Mexico three decades ago. I came here to sing in the chorale’s first season, in 1983, and stayed. I’ve since followed the group over the years, and I’ve been impressed with how it maintains a definite sound presence, even under four different music directors: founder

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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“The quality is such that they would be ill-served as background music to an eggnog party. They’re more for finding a way into another world—one where sound is meditation and prayer is singing.” world, and a piquant setting by Steven Heitzeg of e.e. cummings’ poem “little tree.” It’s interesting to compare this recording with the sound of the 2010 Silent Night, though, for me, both are dual stars at the top of the musical Christmas tree. Listen to both and I think you’ll see—and hear—exactly what I mean. Albuquerque also is home to two fine local choruses whose precise sound, energy and taste always reward listening: Las Cantantes, the women’s choir at the University of New Mexico, founded in 1994 by Bradley Ellingboe; and Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, the state’s first resident professional vocal ensemble, founded in 2006. Both are now led by the multi-talented Maxine Thévenot, Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque. She is not only an accomplished church musician and international organ recitalist but a careful and competent builder of choruses, with special affinity for women’s voices. She began to acquire that skill in her native Canada, developed it further in study in New York and now it has come into full flower here in the Land of Enchantment. You can hear that skill for yourself on two admirable CDs on the Raven label. My Dancing Day: Music for Christmas, by Las Cantantes, dates from 2008 and was recorded in session at the Cathedral of St. John. Winter: An Evocation highlights the women’s voices of Polyphony and dates from 2011; it also is a Cathedral session recording. Harpist Lynn Gorman DeVelder can be heard on both discs, contributing strongly to Britten’s famous A Ceremony of Carols (Polyphony) and John Rutter’s popular Dancing Day (Las Cantantes). The choral sound is more consistent from Polyphony’s women than the Cantantes group, but both ensembles fully understand and project the right mix of sentiment and sincerity that Christmas repertoire demands. You’ll also hear on both discs composers you may not know, from Canadian Andrew Ager to Albuquerque organist-composer Frederick Frahm. Don’t let the fact that there’s new music here put you off: The contemporary works are good in the best and most modern sense of the word.

I’d say that these recordings, as well as the Chorale’s CDs, are the kind you should give yourself plenty of time to sit and listen to: The quality is such that they would be ill-served as background music to an eggnog party. They’re more for finding a way into another world— one where sound is meditation and prayer is singing. After all, even “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is an invocation of a definite sort, whether you know it from that great film musical Meet Me in St. Louis, where Judy Garland famously sang it, or just from around the holiday fire. Once you’ve listened to these works, don’t forget that there are many secular discs available from a wide range of artists. I especially recommend the late flamenco classical guitarist Ruben Romero’s Christmas at the Mission and Pueblo Christmas by Taos Pueblo native and noted Native American flutist and composer Robert Mirabal. Recorded at Taos Pueblo, Mission covers traditional Western Christmas repertoire. As Mirabal notes, “As you listen, remember that many of these songs became popular during the 19th Century, a time of great change in America. But this was the music of the people; beautiful, uplifting and inspiring.” The performances are certainly that, from the rollicking “Green Chili Christmas” to “Angels We have Heard on High,” “We Three Kings,” “Silent Night,” “What Child is This,” “The First Noel” and even “Jingle Bells.” Until you hear Mirabal’s way with that last one, you haven’t heard holiday music. So as days shorten, darkness draws in and winter brings her cold presence to New Mexico, put on these recordings, sit back and refresh yourself. Musical art, after all, is the quickest way to a warm heart!

For information on purchasing these wonderful recordings, go to: Santa Fe Desert Chorale: desertchorale.org Las Cantantes: sites.google.com/a/unmchoirs.org/www/ las-cantantes Polyphony, Voices of New Mexico: polyphonynm.com Robert Mirabal: mirabalnativeflutes.com/pueblochristmas

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

Syne Wine

story by JAMES SELBY

ith the advent and wane of holiday reveries, it’s nearly impossible to escape the maudlin strains of “Auld Lange Syne” and not allow ourselves, in somber or cheerful mood, a reflection on what we leave behind and contemplation of what is before us. At Local Flavor, we’ll take a cup (albeit, a tastevin) in kindness yet, ponder some wines that filled it and share our chronicle of regions, rumors and trends of note.

The autumn brought ominous news of the falling worldwide supply of wine, a Chicken Little ruckus that should be taken with a grain of sulfite. The fox in waiting may well be the mega beverage industry hoping we’ll fill our cellars and their pockets. Global warming notwithstanding, those of us who intend to put a dent in the world’s wine supply can do so with alacrity. As with any art form, wine affects us sensually and emotionally, but it doesn’t have to be lofty to be significant. As Noel Coward once observed, “Strange how potent cheap music is.” (Listen to the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling.”) Similarly, I can as clearly recall reading Fleming as Faulkner. Our daughter recently sent a text from college. She was working on a project about sentimental value and asked about a bottle of wine we’d given her mother one Mother’s Day. We bought it for the label: a 1950’s photo of four little girls posed on a Vespa. One of those girls grew to become its winemaker. Her family’s Cascina Castlet Barbera d’Asti, from Piedmont, is as charming a wine as it was a present. Perceiving how it reverberated for our daughter was a serendipitous return on a $15 purchase. A much soughtafter bottle was handed to me on my birthday by a friend and client. It wasn’t wrapped, the label was wrapping enough: Domaine Jean-Louis Chave 2008 Hermitage. What made it particularly memorable is that my friend had inscribed it, as you would a book, by using a special marker pen, a fun way to personalize a gift of wine (available at wineglasswriter. com.) Let’s admit there’s nothing like a splurge. Recently, an acquaintance came to Santa Fe, the brother of a friend, to accompany his only child to college orientation. The last time we three gentlemen were together—one student and two starving actors—was 1984. We chipped in to buy the inaugural release of Opus One, a collaboration of Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. The Bordeaux-style Cabernet blend from Napa currently fetches as much as $500. Our 1979 vintage was $60, a lot of money to us at the time, and at a kitchen table in a Greenwich Village walkup, we opened it with reverence. I really can’t tell you what it tasted like, only that it was elegant and luxurious and didn’t disappoint. Thirty years later, two of us sat with a bottle of Louro do Bolo Godello from Rafael Palacios (the price of our share of Opus), a savory, mineral-rich white from the hilly Galicia region in Spain and toasted to old acquaintances not forgotten. Could there be a more apropos year-end wine than sparkling? It even brings its own noisemaker. New Mexico had a visit from the head winemaker of Maison Ruinart, which was founded in 1729 and is the oldest house exclusively producing Champagne. He told me he was anxious to try some vintage Gruet, as he unceremoniously extracted the cork from his Blanc de Blanc with a burst like a backfire. “Americans are always trying to keep it quiet. In France we let it pop.” He should know. Being the mate of a wine professional can have its disadvantages, and Leslie is a frequent wine widow during evening and weekend events, left behind on trips, or worse, conscripted to endure wine dinners with ceaseless haut-caloric dishes and palaver. But as a bunch, we oenophiles are keen to share. When I mentioned I’d be doing an article on the year’s notable wines and moments, without hesitation she said, “The 1995 Krug!” At a welcome-home party, a fellow geek arrived with a magnum—at 1.5 liters, the equivalent of two bottles—of legendary Krug Champagne. He could have made a mortgage payment with what it cost, but we remain awed and grateful. The distinctive aroma of fresh rye bread filled the nose. On the palate the Brut was characterized by a creamy finesse of almond pastry richness and vivid intensity. Is your glass slipper half empty, Cinderella? Cheer up, your purse won’t be. When midnight chimes, you can open a Crémant de Limoux, from southwestern France, a sparkler made primarily from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, zingy and satisfying at $15 to $20.

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Illustration to Robert Burns' poem Auld Lang Syne by J.M. Wright and Edward Scriven.

Chefs and sommeliers give a lot of attention to pairing food with wine, and results can be transformative. A dinner gathering evolved on a summer night, with a cadre of geeks fond of wine and each other. The theme was Tempier Bandol Rosé, and we’d managed to assemble seven vintages—a vertical—from this midnineteenth century vineyard on the French Mediterranean coast, where generations of Tempiers live and work as they always have done. Made from Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault, with its distinctive ecru cursive label on clear glass bottles, the Rosés stood in tableau as the evening sun illumined their myriad hues of rose, copper and salmon. The bold, spicy wines smelling of earth and herbs became a personality in the conversation, as if the winemaker were at the table. I don’t recall what we ate. It matched well. Don’t underestimate a spontaneous pairing of wine with folk. Visiting wineries can be hit or miss. Rote spiels from tastingroom employees begin to sound alike and looking at fermenters, storage tanks, and sorting tables is only edifying the first time around. However, spending an hour with an impassioned winemaker like Carl Wente amid his Livermore Valley vines this past summer at Murrieta’s Well or in Napa listening to the beguiling, if ironically named, Jonah Beer, Frog’s Leap Winery general manager explain the common sense of biodynamic farming by trespassing A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Syne Wine onto a neighborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conventional vineyard was a crash course in viticulture. As you drive the bucolic back roads of the Willamette Valley south of Portland, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll spot names of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pinot Noir pioneers, Erath, Ponzi, Chehalem, Adelsheim, Eyrie, Elk Cove. Recently, the Jackson Family wine consortium from California purchased four vineyards in the area. A game-changer, many fear. (Not unlike the chain reaction of small independent wine shops in Northern New Mexico about the onset of mega-store Total Wine.) Belle Pente Winery, in the Yamhill-Carlton district, is owned by the Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell family; a family of three, including a teenage daughter with dreams of being on Broadway. Sheep grazed along the winding driveway as Evan Martin, a young man who apprenticed into assistant winemaker, and his wife Sarah, a horticulturist, pushed open a gate in welcome. It occurred to me here is the new generation; fresh faces of the individualistic Willamette Valley. Once inside you tour the winery by turning around. Cases are stacked ready for market, a kitchen laboratory lined one wall, and a whiteboard calendar listed chores and events. Evan pulled corks on a vertical of two wines: the Reserve from vines on the hillside outside the door, and Murto, a bottling from grapes grown in neighboring Dundee on a remote, magically beautiful vineyard carved from a wooded slope. The 2011 and 2012 vintages sampled directly from barrels were fresh with potential, while the mature wines gave a comforting sense of continuum, affirming Oregon as one of the great regions for Pinot Noir. Mrs. Malaprop, the moribund character in Richard Sheridanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restoration comedy The Rivals, has a way of using a word that is the exact opposite of what she means. But while you laugh, it somehow makes sense, as when she says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our retrospection will be all to the future.â&#x20AC;? As the year flips at the tick of a midnight clock, it will be your own remembrances and expectancies that matter. Moments, like sips of wine, too often pass without tributeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at least, they do if we arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t paying attention. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a resolution.

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s a child in southern England, I always dreamed of a white Christmas. Every year Bing Crosby sang about it in the film Holiday Inn, which I always watched with my grandfather, who thought Bing was the bee’s knees. I assumed that this snowy wonderland was what Christmas was meant to look like. Every year I was disappointed on Christmas morning when I leapt out of bed and rushed to the window, expecting glittering snow, a world transformed, almost expecting to see old Bing himself humming away, pipe clenched between his teeth as he shoveled a path to our door. The truth is, snow was so rare that if an inch fell we’d cheer and dash outside to self-consciously throw snowballs, laughing gaily like we’d seen in the movies. We had little practice making snowmen and never enough raw material. Our snowmen were deformed snow dwarves, kneehigh blobs of brownish slush that melted in hours. Where was this White Christmas the universe owed me? I found it in Taos. My first Christmas in Taos, more snow fell than I believed possible. It fell, and it fell, and it fell. I watched in awe on those December days as the land turned virgin white, a perfect immaculate conception. On Christmas Eve, we bundled up and hiked into that pristine world as the sun set, firing the mountain tops with a tangerine glow. The foot-deep snow hushed everything, all except for our hot spring-fed creek gamely babbling by. Wraiths of steam rose from the warm water as it hit the frigid air, the holy ghost reaching for heaven. On the other side of the canyon two horses stood, heads down, stilled for the night. Far below us in the valley, the lights of Taos twinkled … our own little town of Bethlehem. By the time we returned, a bright star pierced the dusk sky. Everything still, everything silent. To say it was magical is trite. To say it was magical is true. It felt as if the whole world were waiting, waiting for the new hope, the new peace, the new birth. Now that I had Christmas looking like Bing had always promised me, I also discovered that a Taos Yuletide offers many more flavors than the straight vanilla one I was used to. Christmas Eve midnight mass at the San Francisco de Asis church might be followed by a bleary-eyed Christmas morning watching the Deer Dance at Taos Pueblo, or perhaps I’d greet the holy day sitting crosslegged in silent meditation with a Buddhist sangha. I’ll never forget my first Christmas Eve at Taos Pueblo, stamping my boots in the snow with the rest of the crowd. Just as I started wishing I’d worn two pairs of socks, a young Pueblo man emerged into the dark plaza. Burning torch in hand, he scaled one of the precariously high wood stacks, his

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

flame twisting wildly in the brisk December wind. I held my breath as the pine wood shook and creaked, until finally he set the flame to the heart of the stack and leapt clear. A crack of ceremonial rifles nearly stopped my heart, and the scent of piñon burst from one blazing pyre after another, the old San Geronimo church illuminated by a golden glow. Then the Virgin appeared, a statue of Mother Mary carried high by a procession weaving a slow path between the fires. I could also get my Christmas Eve thrill at the Taos Ski Valley Torchlight Parade. We save that for New Year’s Eve, though, when the blast of avalanche bombs blows the old year away and the skiers’ flares light in the new, while we sip hot toddies on Hotel St. Bernard’s deck. (Speaking of hot toddies, I still mourn the closing of the Stakeout, which served the best hot buttered rum in town. Or “bot huttered rum” as a visiting London friend was calling it by the time she ordered a refill.) Earlier in December we’ve already admired the Festival of Trees and Wreaths, joined the bonfirewarmed Lighting of Ledoux street party, and perhaps celebrated a Chanukah meal with friends. By now my wrapped gifts fly across the country, across an ocean. Taos is the only place I’ve lived where many of those gifts were made by someone I know, or at least chatted with in a gallery or holiday crafts fair. Is it a coincidence that the most appreciated gifts I send are those with a note about the place it came from, the artist or author who created it? Our annual tour of the lights spirals out from the center of town, where farolitos turn the Plaza into a 19th century sepia postcard. Then we head to the hills and generally manage to get lost in some unfamiliar neighborhood, eager to see everyone’s nativity scenes, complete with flying reindeer. In London we made a special trip to Harrods or Oxford Street for their Christmas displays. Here you just glance next door for a vision that out-spangles Broadway. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my English family Christmases. Probably like many Taos imports, whether from Ohio or Australia, I sprinkle my Old Country traditions into the rich stew of cultures in my new home. It makes for an eclectic holiday, but Taos is Eclectic Central, and everything goes. This no-boundary blending of customs, each transforming the other, also feels faithful to the season’s spirit, the unity of humankind. So while I cook the same English Christmas dinner that my grandmother did, including Yorkshire Pudding (tricky at altitude and never as good as hers), over the years I’ve added American cranberry sauce. I had no taste for it until a Taos friend’s Thanksgiving version converted me. He

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whispered that it was an old family recipe, and I believed him, earnestly memorizing his instructions, until his straight face cracked and he admitted it was the recipe from the Ocean Spray cranberry packet. While I must make sweet mince pies—grateful that at least one local grocery usually stocks the fruity mince without which a London gal feels thoroughly Grinched—I must also make tamales. On my first tamale attempt, I didn’t know you should soak the cornhusks first to soften them. My American husband, who could have told me, was out. I stood for hours in the kitchen wrapping the (easy) masa dough filling in the (impossible) crunchy dried husks. The husks crackled festively but refused to be tied with my pathetic strands of sewing cotton. I’d long abandoned the plan of cutting traditional neat ribbons of cornhusk to tie the tamales. When I tried to tie my ribbons, they just broke in pieces. Eventually I had my angular little bundles of Picasso tamales. They steamed perfectly and tasted gorgeous, a New Mexico rite of passage. As a true Brit, I can’t miss the Queen’s Christmas Speech on the internet. She peers through her spectacles, wearing an awful dress with a corgi probably lying on the hem of it, and she tells us that old people are important and young people are important, while the camera cuts to video clips of both, in case we don’t get to see old people or young people in our ordinary course of life. Then I cry a bit, because that’s what you do, while my husband teases me. He doesn’t tease about Boxing Day, though. He’s learned to love the bonus holiday on December 26, traditionally the day you gave gift boxes to your servants. Now Boxing Day is about eating leftover Christmas dinner and actually enjoying it more because you didn’t spend the entire day cooking it. It’s about lounging around watching “family films,” whether you have kids or not. Boxing Day is a shame-free zone when you are supposed to feel fat and leave your waistband unfastened, and it’s fine to go out in your novelty socks and slippers, especially if Santa brought them. It’s a day when you say hello to strangers in the street—although in Taos that happens year-round; we just need an occasion for it in London. It’s also the day you start remembering everyone you forgot to send Christmas cards to, so you have another chocolate to console yourself. I’ve no plans yet for this year’s fusion Christmas. But at some point I’ll look down over Taos, snow quilting the mountains, woodsmoke misting the valley. With my tamale husks soaking properly, my shiny Christmas crackers ready to pull, I’ll start rolling pastry for mince pies, singing along first to “White Christmas” and then with even more gusto to “Feliz Navidad.”

s t o r y b y TA N I A C A S S E L L E painting by RICHARD ALAN NICHOLS

“PieJesu”-SantisimoTrinidad, Oil on Linen, 30 x 40 at Concetta D Gallery

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

The best in world, folk & eclectic music

www.ampconcerts.org DEC

DEC

VIENNA TENG IN CONCERT

DAN HICKS AND HIS HOT LICKS

AND CONVERSATION

and 103.7 Albuquerque

Holidaze in Hicksville

Outpost Performance Space Fri. 7:30 pm

South Broadway Cultural Center t Sun. 7:30 pm

Contemporary Jazz Chill - Latin Guitar

JAN

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Feb 13 Feb 21 Feb 25 34

FRED EAGLESMITH JOHN MCCUTCHEON PIXIES DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

ave you ever thought you might have too much stuff? Yeah, me too, and with Christmas (or, as my sister calls it, The Great Redistribution of Goods) coming…

story by GORDON BUNKER

But wait. There are alternatives. We can give an experience as a gift— better yet, an experience in our great out-of-doors!

Soaring Rolling down the runway, from the snug front seat I’m strapped into, I realize the glider takes off before the plane pulling us––its wings are that efficient. Up we go. There’s the sturdy rope arcing out in front of us, attached to the tow plane. We continue to climb. The views are spectacular; the glider responds to every little movement of air. The pilot, sitting behind me, brings my attention to the big red knob on the instrument panel. I am to give it a good yank when he says so. He then steers the glider into a climb to the right. This is felt by the pilot of the tow plane and signals we’re going to detach. “OK, pull the knob.” I give it a pull, and ka-chunk! The eyelet in the front of the glider opens, and I watch the rope, still attached to the tow plane, drop away. The plane banks and descends to the left. This experience gives new meaning to the concept, “we’re on our own now.” I hope this thing doesn’t fall out of the air; after all, there’s no engine propelling this wisp of an aircraft. But the glider lifts, and I feel in the seat of my pants the miracle of flight. There is a slight hiss of air around the canopy. Otherwise, it is quiet. Remarkably quiet. And we fly. My experience soaring was a long time ago, but it feels like yesterday. At the municipal airport in Moriarty, you’ll find a soaring museum, a soaring club and Sundance Aviation, which offers glider rides. Take them up on it. Sundance Aviation, soarsundance.com.

A Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride For those of us who are perhaps looking for a good reason to snuggle with our beloved while exploring the Valles Caldera (but not on snowshoes or skis), a horse-drawn sleigh ride is just the ticket. Scenes from Doctor Zhivago come to mind: lovers bundled together under thick blankets, skimming over brilliant snow-covered fields, sparkling ice, steam rising from the horses, sleigh bells… Our advantages in New Mexico: This is not the Russian steppe (talk about cold!), and we are not in the middle of a revolutionary war (yet). Bundle up for this adventure; the ride takes about an hour.

photo: TK Thompson

Image: Courtesy of Valles Caldera Trust

Bear Creek Adventures, bearcreekadventures.com.

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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Special thanks to Scott, who is open to being contacted by fellow climbers at domecyclelab.blogspot.com or you can contact Jay Foley at climbingschoolusa.com. for info about climbing around Taos.

What we see of the Valles Caldera from Route 4 is only a small part of the entire area. Nonetheless, it takes my breath away every time. There are miles of trails in the Valles. One winter day I’m there with a group of friends to go snowshoeing. We loiter in the parking lot at the visitor center, and there’s a cold wind blowing. Times like this I’m glad to have Nordic blood, but once we start snowshoeing we warm quickly. In a half-mile we’re peeling off layers. Away from the visitor center, the full scale of things settles in. Snow-covered range land sweeps away in all directions. The dome of blue sky above stretches to far horizons. The vastness, the reduction of the world to white and blue, is, in a word, humbling. We follow a fence line to one of the ranch cabins and hang out on the front porch for lunch. It’s south-facing and protected from the wind. We’re all down to our last layers and loving it. Sharing a thermos of hot chocolate here, you make friends for life. (For this adventure, be sure to dress more warmly than you think you’ll need—and in layers.) Valles Caldera, vallescaldera.gov.

Photo: Mary Ann DeBoer | Cumbres Nordic Adventures

When my editor, Patty, asked, “What about ice climbing?” Well, I had no idea. Somehow “ice” and “New Mexico” don’t go together, unless we’re talking about our interstate highways the day after a snow storm. Nonetheless, I searched around the web and learned there are many opportunities to take part in the sport. When I reached out to local climbing enthusiast Scott Beguin he infomed me that, “There are some 35 ice routes in the Los Alamos Canyon area, but it depends on the year— basically how cold it is. Jemez Falls is moderate, and the ice is pretty consistent.” Routes can be found in and around Taos, Questa and Chama. North is the general direction to go, says Scott. “Most New Mexico ice climbers venture to the San Juans,” in Colorado, which are best “early in the season,” since “later, there’s too much risk of avalanche.”

Snowshoeing the Valles Caldera

Image: Courtesy of Scott Beguin

Ice Climbing

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

XC Ski

Stay in a Yurt

If your gift recipient looks like he loitered a bit too long at the dessert cart, here’s the way to burn off those extra pounds and skip the impact on your knees, hips and everything else: Go cross country skiing on a groomed track. There was a time that when winter came around, I lived on XC skis. I was way into the backcountry thing. Steep terrain, deep snow—bring it on. But that was then, this is now. Skiing groomed trails is another ball game. When the skis are waxed and tuned, you kick and glide and you fly … it is sublime. The winter landscape flashes by. At night when the moon is full and the snow luminous, there is no comparison. And all those calories are things of the past! The Enchanted Forest in Red River has over 30 kilometers of groomed ski trails and 15 kilometers of snowshoe trails. They also have yurts for overnight accommodations, all in some of the most beautiful country northern New Mexico has to offer.

Last winter friends Kathleen and Tom spent a weekend in a yurt beside the Bull of the Woods Meadow, in Taos, right in the neighborhood for hiking Gold Hill and Wheeler Peak. “The hike to the yurt was only two miles and gained 1,500 feet. Easy, right?” says Kathleen. But carrying their share of supplies for a party of seven, on snowshoes? “Perhaps we overdid it a bit, [but] once there and settled in, the yurt was cozy, secluded, quiet and fun.” They found the yurt well stocked and well cared for. Kathleen continues, “We woke up on our last morning to a fresh snowfall. Just beautiful and made us not want to leave!” Light sleepers, however, need be prepared. Tom’s first impression: “Bring earplugs!” There could be some snorers in the group, and, he adds, “Cooking can be a little tricky, since the propane stove is limited in size and heating capacity, so keep it simple. Overall, it was a good time.”

Enchanted Forest, enchantedforestxc.com.

Winter Camping

Southwest Nordic Center, southwestnordiccenter.com. Cumbres Nordic Adventures, yurtsogood.com.

Some readers may remember my report on winter camping a year ago in these very pages. The advantages of winter camping remain the same: no bugs, it doesn’t rain, you’re pretty much guaranteed some peace and quiet, and you don’t need to lug water. The downside, alas, does also remain: It’s cold enough to freeze your … well, let’s just say it can be very cold. The rewards are special. Watching the light at end of day go silver-blue, slowly drifting into darkness. Being the first person (ok, maybe the only one crazy enough) to see the early little slivers of a new dawn creep across the mountains. That first sip of hot tea. It’s all out there, waiting for you.

Camping, explorenm.com.

f you’ve been thinking that these adventures require stuff, you’re right. But there are skis, snowshoes and etceteras available to rent. Having had most of these experiences firsthand, I can say they’ve made impressions much stronger and more meaningful than the one time I used the nonstick electric crêpe maker (which, now that I think of it, I’m moving to the Goodwill bag). Happy Experiential Holidays!

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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Celebrating and promoting local businesses in New Mexico for two decades.

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DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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story by ERIN BROOKS

photos by GABRIELLA MARKS

ndrew Cooper always dreamed of becoming a chef. Although he’s worked with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for 14 years, recently he has been awarded his first executive chef position at the company’s five-star resort at Rancho Encantado. But cooking for Terra, the gorgeous restaurant on the property, isn’t the only thing he’s been up to. Since moving to Santa Fe a year ago, Andrew has been busy working with organizations like Cooking with Kids and The Food Depot, implementing his philosophy of organic, local and sustainable foods within our community. He’s also busy raising his one- and three-year-old sons. It may sound like a lot for one person, but this is one chef full of energy and an insatiable appetite for all things cooking and community. As with many chefs, his love of food began with his grandmother, who made special meals for him and his family when they visited her in Brooklyn, New York. He cooked during Boy Scouts (once cooking over a campfire with a Danish cookie tin that exploded). In high school, he got a job at a country club where he cooked hot dogs, chicken and fish for golfers. When it came time to think about college, Andrew decided to pursue his dream of becoming a chef. “I spent more than eight hours a day thinking about food,” he says. “I wanted to get paid for it.”

Four Seasons Rancho Encantado A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

He enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York. When it was time for his required internship, he decided to apply at Bouley Restaurant, in New York City. Dressed in his best (and only) suit, he knocked on the back door of the restaurant and told David Bouley that he wanted to be a chef and wanted to intern with him. Bouley asked him to start immediately—by making pasta with his sous chef. “The first thing the sous chef did was take a whole handful of pasta and throw it across the table to me,” Andrew remembers, smiling. “I looked down at my suit and thought, ‘Oh well.’ I worked the rest of the day there. Bouley was so impressed that he took me under his wing and trained me.” Andrew has traveled the world, learning about and teaching cooking in Switzerland, Italy, Australia and even Taiwan. In his 14 years with Four Seasons, he’s worked at hotels in New York, Hawaii and West Lake Village, California. One of Andrew’s strengths is his varied experience and willingness to learn from each new place he goes. When he worked for Four Seasons in New York, the food was all about indulgence: duck fat, butter and foie gras. But in West Lake Village, he had to relearn his techniques in order to make more healthy food that still tasted indulgent, like mayonnaise made from avocado. On the Big Island in Hawaii, Andrew’s focus shifted to what would become an important part of his personal philosophy as a chef: sustainable cooking. “When you’re on a rock in the middle of the ocean,” Andrew says, “you have to be as sustainable as possible. You can fly food in, but it costs an arm and a leg.” When asked to write a sample menu, the resident chef responded by highlighting all the items that weren’t local—over half the menu. So Andrew started touring the island, visiting the more than 160 local farms that sold produce and meat to the hotel. He enjoyed getting to know the farmers and their families, as well as learning how they grew and prepared their produce— even how it was delivered. “It really made my love of cooking even more special,” Andrew explains. “I started to understand how and why something is grown and associate the produce with the farmer. So a tomato wasn’t just a tomato—it was Dave’s tomato.” Andrew has brought his knowledge and passion for local, sustainable food to Santa Fe. When he arrived at Four Seasons at Rancho Encantado, he asked the folks in the kitchen where they got their apples. No one knew, and Andrew discovered that there weren’t many local ingredients on the menu. He took his kitchen crew to the farmers’ market, and they’ve been going every week since, buying as many local ingredients as possible to incorporate into the menu at Terra. He spends time getting to know our local farmers and learning to make the best use of local ingredients, especially green chile. “When I first came across Romero Farms and experienced the chile roasting,” Andrew exclaims, “the smell was intoxicating! The flavor, the taste—I fell in love!” Andrew wants to share his excitement for local ingredients and sustainable food with the community, and he also wants to show people what Terra is all about. “People tend to avoid coming out here because it’s ten minutes out of town,” he explains. “Four Seasons is fine dining–focused, but I want to show people that we can be fun, down-to-earth and Venison Loin, sweet potato puree, fall vegetables, greens, chorizo, guajillo chile demi 42

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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affordable.” Andrew took advantage of the Four Seasons taste truck, a food truck manned by different Four Seasons chefs across three states, to showcase “gourmet meals to-go.” Upon its arrival in Santa Fe, he took the taste truck to Tesuque Elementary School, where more than 130 kids were served homemade tamales, enchiladas and churros. He’s very excited to work with kids, especially after seeing his own threeyear-old son’s excitement for what goes on in the kitchen. “He wants to be involved when I’m cooking,” he says, grinning. “It’s messy, but he’s so interested!” Andrew also participated in this year’s Souper Bowl and Pie Mania events for The Food Depot. “I want to share my passion and love for what I do with the community,” he says. To show people what Terra is all about, he has created chef ’s table dinners, where people can dine in the kitchen. “People told me I couldn’t do it,” Andrew says, “because it gets so crazy in the kitchen. But I said, why not? It’ll be like watching a Broadway show, but they’ll be in it.” He set up a table in the kitchen, and when a local family made the first reservation, no one quite knew what to expect. At the last minute, Andrew grabbed eight aprons and decided to get the family involved in the action. Instead of simply eating dinner in view of the kitchen, the family was able to help plate food and call out orders. Everyone had a blast, getting to experience the crazy dance of cooks and servers at work on a busy night. Andrew points out that these days, with the Food Network and the popularity of cooking shows, people are much more aware of food than they used to be. Now, at Terra, people will have the opportunity to get a real-life peek behind the scenes. If you haven’t been to Terra yet, you should go. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, with a clean, modern feel and a cozy fireplace, behind which is a gorgeous glass-enclosed wine cellar. The restaurant has an open feel, with several windows that look out on a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. With Andrew’s creativity and faith in all things local, his food—which he calls American regional with Southwest influence—is some of the most exciting in town. He told me about one dish he recently created using what was available at the farmers’ market—and green chile, of course, which he used to marinate some short ribs. He had pumpkin and chard from the farmers’ market and some local mushrooms. Thinking of ideas in the dining room at Terra, his eye fell on the fireplace, and he decided to smoke the pumpkin with piñon wood. He was also drinking coffee, and so he finished his dish with coffee syrup. The result? Green chile–braised short ribs with a smoked pumpkin purée, wilted Swiss chard and sautéed mushrooms with a coffee reduction. Are you getting as hungry as I am? I ask if it’s easier, living in Santa Fe, to cook using local and sustainable ingredients. “It’s not easier, but it’s more important,” he explains. “Here in Santa Fe, people really care about their food and they ask where it’s from and if it’s organic.” He points out that what we eat really affects us and that we should have a say in what we eat. “We have a choice to know where our food is coming from and to understand what we’re eating.” Having his own kids has also changed his perspective on the importance of eating local, sustainable food. “Being a parent now, I’m very aware of what my kids are eating.” To raise awareness about his own cuisine at Terra, Andrew lists on the menu several of the farms he sources from, including Old Windmill Dairy, Romero Farms, Pollo Real, Rancho Chonito Orchards and several others. “I want my food to be from here,” Andrew says. “I want that story.” By engaging with chefs, farmers and organizations within our community in an effort to create change and awareness, he’s now part of that story himself. Terra restaurant at the Four Seasons Rancho Encantado Resort is located on State Road 592, just outside of Santa Fe. 505.946.5800. fourseasons. com/santafe. A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

s t o r y b y K AT E G E RW I N

flame has been lit. The food scene in Albuquerque has been growing for years, but this year there’s a fire burning that’s on par with metropolitan cities across the country. A trifecta of new restaurants, top chefs and electric nightlife has given the Duke City the kindling to start a blaze roaring high enough that the nation has started to take notice. If 2013 is any indication of what is ahead, might Albuquerque be the next Portland? I recently strolled down Central Avenue in the Nob Hill district on a crisp November afternoon with my girlies. We reveled in the plethora of new business, some of which we hadn’t even noticed before. Nob Hill is known for its eclectic mix of locally owned businesses, and this year saw a slew of new restaurants and bars.

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

Many Burqueños were shocked at the closing of a Nob Hill favorite, Bailey’s on the Beach (one of only two rooftop establishments in the district), which shut its doors in May. But brightly, like the moon that hits your eye, comes a new pizza pie: Amore Neapolitan Pizzeria. Owners Gabriel and Kimberly Amador met and fell in love in Italy. The couple was trained, certified and mentored by president of the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN), Roberto Caporuscio. APN certification is the highest certification for pizza chefs in Italy and can only be obtained in Naples, Italy or New York City. The Amadors opened Amore with the desire to combine the things they love the most: “a hand-made, healthier style of pizza, Naples, family and our pride in all things local.” After you have had your pizza fix, head a few blocks east on Central to the perfect spot to soothe your sweet tooth: the Chocolate Dude. It’s part coffee shop, part chocoholic heaven, with a pinch of hippie mentality. “Chocolate Dude is a place where you are able to slip out of the harsh reality of the real world for a moment and a place that will bring back childhood memories,” says Kirk Clark, owner and eponymous chocolate dude. He is also the former manager of Bailey’s on the Beach. (Yep, one door closes, and another opens – and sometimes just a few steps away.)

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An authentic Jewish bakery fits in perfectly with Nob Hill’s worldly offerings. Situated on the busy corner of Carlisle and Central Avenue, Nosh opened its doors in September. It offers up bona fide matzoh ball soup, latkes, knishes and glimmering pastries worth loosening your belt for (try the chocolate babka). I, for one, am grateful that owner Alisa Turtletaub-Young had the chutzpah to create a genuine Jewish experience. And there’s no green chile in sight! If you’re looking for holiday libations, there are quite a few new spots to add to your list of watering holes in Nob Hill. Yanni’s remodeled this year, creating the vibrant Lemoni Bar, which awaits your arrival. With a new cocktail menu offering fresh-squeezed juices as well as house-made syrups and spirit infusions, the bar is a welcome addition. They even showcase a mezcal cocktail (yes, real mezcal, not the stuff with the worm that makes you quiver with regret the next morning). It has allnatural peach liqueur, apricot nectar and fresh lemon juice. Yum! The motorcycle-themed Shade Tree Custom Cycle Works is not your stereotypical shady biker bar. Have no fear of walking in solo and bellying up to the bar for a locally-brewed craft beer. Shade Tree offers La Cumbre,

For a more upscale experience, try Elaine’s, headed by Executive Chef Andrew Gorski, whose résumé (try Thomas Keller and Alain Ducasse) will impress any foodophile. The menu is stocked with words to make you drool: foie gras, confit, tartare, truffle... The list goes on, and the creativity is impressive. The restaurant is cozy, so make a reservation (only open Tuesday through Saturday). But if you have to wait, I can assure you the wine list has a gem or two that will help pass the time. You should keep your eye on Chef Andrew Gorski, of Elaine’s, but he’s not the only one

in the Albuquerque food scene who’s packing heat. The game is changing, and the bar has been set high. Chef Mark Kiffin has been a well-known award-winning chef in Santa Fe for years, seizing the highly respected and most coveted culinary honor, the James Beard Best Chef Award in 2005 for his work at The Compound. This year his Albuquerque-based authentic Mexican taqueria and tequila bar, Zacatecas, was a semi-finalist for the James Beard 2013 Best New Restaurant. Add to that rockstar Jennifer James and her back-toback 2010 and 2011 James Beard Best Chef nominations, and it’s only a matter of time before the Duke City brings home one of the most sought-after marks of respect, the Oscars of the food world. And don’t forget famed tapas chef James Campbell Caruso, owner of Santa Fe’s La Boca, who happens to be a five-time James Beard Award nominee himself (cough, cough). A published author of two cookbooks and repeat competitor in the Copa Jerez International Food and Sherry Pairing Competition—as well as an allaround sweetheart of a guy—Chef Caruso has joined forces with Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque for the opening of Más. Replacing Lucia, Más is a full-service

tapas and wine bar offering reinventions of traditional Spanish small plates created with local ingredients and high-quality imported ingredients and spices. And, on a side note, I hear rumors that Mark Kiffin and James Campbell Caruso are not the only big-name restaurateurs from Santa Fe looking to make the move south to the Q. It appears the Duke City is drawing a few more of Santa Fe’s elite. If all pans out, Albuquerque may just be supplanting our neighbors to the north as the the Land of Enchantment’s premier culinary destination. Love it that Breaking Bad shined a little light upon my favorite breakfast spot in town, The Grove. It had three on-location appearances in the AMC show and was an integral part in the season finale. Owners Lauren and Jason Greene (Jason happens to be Albuquerque’s most under appreciated chef, in my humble opinion) found their restaurant at the center of the series clincher, the scene where lead character Walter White poisons his meth ring cohort Lydia. “People are super excited about the part [The Grove] played in the show. People from all over the world are coming into the restaurant and asking to sit at the table where the final deed was done,” explains Lauren. “At first, we were a

Marble Brewery and Santa Fe Brewing Company beers, all on draught, in addition to malts from “outta town,” like the Kona Longboard Lager. The menu has breakfast, lunch and dinner choices, all cleverly named to fit the mechanical theme, and there’s live music several nights a week. The place houses an actual custom motorcycle shop. It’s located in the basement and features a motorists’ entrance in the back alley, so enthusiasts can break for an oil change or customize their ride with original work from Albuquerque’s finest craftsmen. It’s a win-win for beer lovers and gear heads.

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bit scared to accept the offer, since I knew the show revolved around a crystal meth drug ring, but the producers and cast were so kind and gracious, and we knew that this was something good for Albuquerque as a whole, so we decided to go for it. Now we get visitors, Facebook posts and emails about the appearances.” The series may be over, but the glow is still here.

Then on the corner of 2nd and Gold, there’s the ArtBar, a private club that is also Albuquerque’s first non-profit bar. The profits from its operations are split evenly between six arts-oriented non-profit organizations. Memberships are $30 for a year and grant you access to art shows, fundraising events and handcrafted cocktails under the organization’s full liquor license. The ArtBar’s kitchen is managed by popular Albuquerque food truck The Supper Truck. Finally, the food truck trend has sunk its roots into Albuquerque, and it’s about

time! Throughout the year, I spotted more and more traveling treats, and a visit to roaminghunger.com/abq or abqfoodcarts. com will help you locate one of the dozens of mobile munchers roaming around the city, taking no prisoners in the food battle. Talin Market is also a great spot for the gathering of the curbside caterers. Every Wednesday both the trucks and the hungry gather at 10 a.m. in the parking lot on the corner of Louisiana and Central for an international feast. Albuquerque has seen tremendous growth for the industry in 2013, and the buzz is already starting for 2014. More nightlife with shocking energy, talented chefs pulling out all the stops and a growing international melting pot of cuisine are all just little tasters of what’s to come. The hospitality community here is a family (sometimes a little dysfunctional, like most families), but the brothers and sisters support each other, because we all know that it takes a village. There is no one chef or one restaurant that will change the scene and raise the standards for the whole city, but the electricity flowing through Albuquerque right now is at its highest—and it’s contagious. Look out, people. The Q is on the loose.

Albuquerque nightlife has seen a boost in quality destinations this year, and downtown may be on the verge of a rebirth. The bar Sister, owned by Ross Sorce, Doug Albin and Jesus Zamora (all three long-time employees of the pool hall and bar upstairs, Anodyne), has become my go-to destination for a tipple. I have a passion for amari and herbal liqueurs, and for this they are the only game in town. I feel instantly at home when I walk in, and if there is no live music, I drop off my ID, borrow the bean bags and find a challenger for a friendly game of cornhole. (If you don’t know what cornhole is, I suggest a visit immediately.) But music is the name of the game. “There is nothing more important than music when it comes to Sister,” explains Jesus Zamora (aka Zeus). “Music is our religion, in a sense, and is held in the

highest regard. We never intended to become a music venue. It just kind of happened. From the second we opened our doors, it became more and more apparent that Albuquerque wanted and needed another venue for live music.” Sister has certainly filled that void, booking national touring acts on a regular basis. They also have the best draught beer selection in Albuquerque, hands down. “We also don’t carry Budweiser, Bud Lite, Coors or Miller on purpose.” proclaims Zeus. Sister has everything I look for in a great bar: unpretentious, comfortable environment, great tunes, good people. Done and done.

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INVISIBLE CITY DESIGNS g r a p h i c d e si g n

clients A RTs m a r t / A RTf e a s t Cornerstones Th e E s s e n t i a l Gu i d e Inn & Spa at Loretto JL H M e d i a L o c a l Fl a v o r M u s e u m o f N e w M e x i c o Fo u n d a t i o n N e d r a M a t t e u c c i Ga l l e r i e s New Mexico Municipal League S a n t a Fe P r o p e r t i e s Th e S a n t a Fe O p e r a Southwest CARE Center Zacatecas www. in visib le c ityde s i g n s . c o m

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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s t o r y b y E M I LY B E E N E N

’m amazed at the constant inquisitive nature of children. I have no idea what sound a giraffe makes, even after dozens of trips to the zoo, straining against those thatched shelters to get a bit closer to the spotted behemoths. Nor do I know what to say when my two year old asks, “What does the sun eat?” because I majored in English Literature and not, well, Outer Space. (I’ll be ready, though, when he asks about iambic pentameter.)

Tortilla Sun

There can be a fair amount of doubt involved in parenting small people, and consequently I want the answers, pronto, but mostly to feed my own confidence. I get ready to whip out my phone that’s smarter than I am, when I remember that I live, quite deliberately, across the street from a wonderful little library. So off my children and I go, hand in hand, looking both ways to make sure it’s safe before we cross, on our quest for answers. If we’re lucky, we don’t find any, but rather more questions—or, at the very least, lots of other cool books we didn’t even know we were looking for. I love books and always have. Most of my own childhood memories revolve around the local library and reading, and I definitely want that passion instilled in my kids. And the one question I always know the answer to is, “Mom, can we read this story?” We are fortunate to live in a place that is rich with story, and these five recommended children’s books offer a small slice of that wealth. All of the authors, and most of the illustrators, are local New Mexicans.

by Jennifer Cervantes, illustrations by Ana Juan Tortilla Sun, a chapter book aimed at fifth- through seventh-grade readers, is un cuento (a story) about 12-yearold Izzy’s summer spent with her grandmother in a small unnamed village outside of Albuquerque. Izzy is from California, and her return reads like a scenic stroll through New Mexico, acknowledging all of our beloved landmarks and iconography. Though Izzy is initially upset with her mother for “abandoning” her to complete research in Costa Rica, her intrigue grows as details unfold about her father who passed away before she was born. Izzy also becomes more attached to the eccentricities of her first home and the friends who immediately welcome her as family. Jennifer Cervantes gleaned inspiration for the book from her own grandmother’s house, “nestled among cottonwood trees” with a “tiny kitchen filled with the sweet aromas of Mexican spices and homemade tortillas.” The story is complete with her grandmother’s tortilla recipe, minus the special secret ingredient, por supuesto (of course). 50

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Tía’s Tamales

by Ana Baca, translated and illustrated by Noel Chilton For children, school being called off on account of snow always feels like a gift in and of itself, but in Tía’s Tamales, young Luz’s abuelita (grandma) bustles through the drifts with more presents: a brightly wrapped round box, ingredients for tamale making and, most importantly, the story of when ebullient Tía arrived in her silly hat on a similarly frosty day to teach Diego, Luz’s great-grandfather, the skill and joy of making tamales in hard times. Though his mother is ill and the despensa (pantry) is almost bare, Diego learns from Tía to make the chickens laugh to lay eggs, to shake the piñon trees just so, and the secret hiding place of honey mushrooms. Each page is divided in half, with the English first and Spanish translation to follow, and at the end there is a recipe for traditional tamales to make with your own tía (aunt) or abuelita. The book also includes a brief history of tamales—the original “to-go” food that was always made with whatever ingredients were at hand—ants, squash blossoms, raisins, even tadpoles! ¡Salud!

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

You don’t know about Bass Reeves, who served as Deputy U.S. Marshall for thirty years in the late 1800s in Indian Territory? Neither did Vaunda Nelson, who spent most of her childhood watching Old West TV shows and playing cowboys and thinking there were only a few African-Americans in these scenarios—and none who did anything important. How different her childhood view might have been, she writes, if the Western heroes she idolized might have included Bass Reeves. So she set out to tell Bass’ tale, so subsequent generations of children wouldn’t miss out on the story of this cunning, fearless and wellrespected peace officer who was so strong he could single-handedly pull a steer out of mud up to its neck. Bass, born a slave of Texan Colonel George Reeves, had an argument with the colonel and escaped to Indian Territory, where he lived and was accepted by Native tribes as a runaway until the Emancipation Proclamation. He was father to eleven children, a consummate horseman and “took to guns like a bear to honey.” (Although he was “blazing fast on the draw,” he always handled them with respect.) Ever the churchgoing man, Bass attempted to do more than just round up outlaws; he would head to the jails after supper to tell stories from the Bible and talk “about doing right.” Truly the stuff of legend.

Songs of Shiprock Fair

by Luci Tapahonso, illustrated by Anthony Chee Emerson Again, there is no school, but this time it’s not due to weather but instead the annual Shiprock Fair. “The whole town brims with excitement,” including Nezbah and her brother, Kiinèèz, who look forward to the two-day festival and the prospect of being joined by relatives who travel long distances to attend this special event. The imagery is extraordinary, invoking the aromas of strong coffee, stew and roasted mutton, visons of blue ribbon squash and dances of the Yèibicheii (those who symbolize the Holy Ones), and the laughter the evening carnival goers or the Navajo songs sung to brass band and drums in the morning parade. Every line speaks to an autumnal celebratory tradition specific to the Navajo people and connects it to the universal joy of coming together as a community. It’s clear why author Luci Tapahonso was honored as the first Navajo Nation Poet Laureate. A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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The Santeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miracle: A Bilingual Story by Rudolfo Anaya, illustrated by Amy Cordova

Don Jacobo, a third generation santero (carver of saints), is a wise man wary of modern teachings. He is proud of his grandson, Andres, who is quick to learn this tradition, unlike Don Jacoboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own son. The true gift of The Santeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miracle is in how it reveals the vital and special role of grandparentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; grandparents that wake with the roosters, thank their spouses for every meal cooked and share their stories and dreams (like the mysterious dream Don Jacobo has about the saint he is currently carving, San Isidro, who watches over the farmers, plowing with the help of two oxen and angel in the middle of a winter storm). Rudolfo Anaya marvelously weaves a story of food, tradition, family and devotion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every day is a miracle,â&#x20AC;? grandmother reminds Andres when he complains that the snow will keep his parents and sister from joining them for Christmas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All you have to do is have faith.â&#x20AC;?

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story by GAIL SNYDER

y the time the end of the year rolls around, my secret fantasy is just to unplug. As holiday distractions beat a final retreat and winter lumbers its lugubrious self in for real, I’d love to rip the January page right out of the calendar and hunker down by the wood stove. Let the wind howl, the snow pile up till it buries my car —I’m inside. Is it Friday? Sunday? Who cares? I could eat luxurious breakfasts, spread art projects across the table, read, write, follow the meandering of my thoughts. Periodically my dog and I would venture out, he tearing around joyously marking all the chamisa bushes, me walking meditatively down the arroyo amongst coyote and rabbit tracks, pulling frozen air deep into my lungs and studying the map of sky. Shivering more deeply into my coat as the chill seeps in, I’d hurry us back homeward across the mesa. Stoke the stove, pull up a cushion and, over dinner, in the flickering firelight, I’d sit, eyes unfocused, dreaming shapes in the flames. Shadows lengthen, time blurs, a comforting silence envelops and my witness self begins whispering messages of encouragement, nourishment, possibility. Until, at last, sated, I’d wander off to bed beneath stars, hard and bright outside my window. Wrapped in a cocoon of flannel and down, I’d drift into a childhood realm of magic, as fantastical creations come alive behind my eyelids, luring new sides of myself out to play. In a perfect world, I’d already be barricading the door right now! Realistically, though, quitting work for a month isn’t really an option. Besides, some of us need a little more discipline. Otherwise, instead of giving ourselves conscious contemplation and soul replenishment, we’d fill the time getting lost navigating Facebook-land or compulsively cleaning the garage. But baby steps work—and we don’t have to try this at home. New Mexico is the mother of retreat space, with its astonishingly rich offerings of beautiful places reflecting a whole world of traditions and cultures. Here are a handful to choose from, if you’d like to start the new year by stilling the inner voices and getting back in touch with You, and your dreams for this life.

Chaco Canyon’s evocative ruins of a vanished civilization is known as Yupkoyvi, “the place beyond the horizon,” by ten clans of Hopi who consider it part of their ancestral homeland. During the four-century span between 850 and 1250 AD, this was a central networking hub for thousands of Pueblo peoples. Today, the park and its roads, sites, trails and campgrounds remain open all winter. Camping there is an otherworldly experience. From December through February, campers are relatively few. The feeling of stepping outside of time is especially strong when you have the place to yourself. Ancestors at Chaco make themselves known so watch and listen. A friend of mine spent a long Christmas weekend there, solo, during a blizzard. The insights she received changed her life. Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, nps.gov/chcu/index.htm.

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Chaco Canyon National Historical Park

photo: Talitha Tarro Photography

>> Desert Harbor

If outrageously beautiful wilderness beckons to you, choose Desert Harbor, 33 remote acres bordered by BLM-land just south of Golden. The cottage is simple and elegant, with a luxurious bathtub. The creative menu is extensive and, perched on the edge of the world, there’s a ramada with a hammock and views that go forever. Raymond Linam offers life coaching. “Are you scripting your life or just responding?” he asks. Wesley, his wife and co-owner, a licensed counselor, offers interfaith spiritual direction. “We’re geared to the quiet person with intentionality,” Raymond explains. “We give you a place to relax and do your work, whatever that work is.” Featured on their website is this promise from Rilke: “How surely gravity’s law, strong as an ocean current, takes hold of even the smallest thing and pulls it toward the heart of the world… If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees.” Desert Harbor, desertharbor.org.

Stardreaming Mountain Cloud Zen Foundation Center For those who treasure the subtle mind-altering journey of a labyrinth walk, Stardreaming is your Louvre. Located outside of Galisteo on 22 acres, this sacred site was created by artist and magician James Jared, who chose the many individual boulders and stones, hauling and placing them here. Each creation is based on ancient traditions of sacred geometry, alchemy and magic. Stardreaming is home to 13 labyrinths collectively known as the Temples of the Cosmos. Each one is oriented to specific stellar, lunar or solar alignments, and each has its own creation story. Most recently built are the temples to the ancient grandmothers (“They dreamed me, and I dreamed them,” James says), to the ancient grandfathers and to their grandchildren—this latter being the first temple you see as you arrive because, says James, “they are the future.” Stardreaming provides a powerfully charged experience, a safe place for individual pilgrimages, ceremony, prayer and experiencing your own inner alchemy of healing. Reservations are required. Stardreaming, stardreaming.org.

The embodiment of tranquility, Mountain Cloud Zen Center, beneath Sun Mountain, was hand-built by New Mexico devotees. Teacher Henry Shukman, of the Sanbo Zen lineage, conducts group retreats, with four cabins accommodating several roommates. “Everything in retreat is done in silence,” says student Katie Widlund. “Meals, meditating, walking. We keep a soft, lowered gaze.” Katie explains why their teacher says it’s safe to let go here. “I trust as I sit that something powerful happens, that I’m letting this larger intelligence operate. Things come up that want to be seen, and you slowly learn to see and to accept the resistance. I get in touch with loving myself and honoring my experience.” In group retreat, she adds, you feel supported, so you don’t give up as easily. The center, Katie says, “was built with love and still wants to give love.” They welcome beginners. Mountain Cloud Zen Center, mountaincloud.org.

Bosque del Apache >> National Wildlife Refuge

The cranes are back! Every year, they return to spend the winter in this 30,000 acres of richly irrigated farmland and wetlands, part of the Rio Grande floodplain, a designated wilderness refuge in the high desert grasslands and foothills of the Chupadera and San Pascual Mountains. Many other migrating species join the exotic cranes, including water fowl, shorebirds and birds of prey, all roosting together here by night. Lodging is plentiful in nearby Socorro. Plan your retreat around the birds’ schedule, arriving at sunrise as flocks wing their way to nearby feeding grounds, or at sunset when the skies fill with their return. It’s a spectacular sight. Take your bike or just wander the footpaths, replenishing your soul as you, like the birds, take refuge here. As your retreat companions, these wild visitors from afar can reconnect you to your own untamed self, if you dare to make eye contact with them. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache. A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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“We’re the getaway that isn’t that far away!” says Ten Thousand Waves’ public relations director, Mary Johnson. Just three and a half miles from downtown Santa Fe, this artfully crafted Japanese-inspired spa on the road to the ski basin is a different world. And because it offers 13 separate lodging choices, each balancing luxury with a wonderfully spare Asian aesthetic, you can design your own private retreat that incorporates all the wonderful amenities. Communal and women’s baths are complimentary to lodgers, as is the breakfast of organic coffee, granola and fruit. There’s a sweet, reverential hush at the Waves in January. The crisp mountain air, the steam, the attention to detail and the principle of nothing extraneous usher in your inner exploration. A long soak, a flash in the cold plunge, a return to your room to bask beside the fire—it all reawakens your senses. Treat yourself to dinner at Izanami, the spa’s new restaurant and sake bar. Ten Thousand Waves, tenthousandwaves.com.

Chi Kung

Ten Thousand Waves

Martial arts teacher Sifu Lin, founder of Albuquerque’s Chinese Culture Center, demonstrates the way we breathe as babies: fully, deeply, with gusto, pulling air into our abdomens until they swell like balloons, then exhaling completely. The effects on our bodies of pulling in such health-giving chi, or life energy, are vitally important. Chi Kung, with roots dating back over 4,000 years in Chinese culture, is dedicated to “building up the fire” and stoking the body’s inner furnace with deep abdominal breathing. Chi Kung students learn from their own experience that the martial art brings warmth to the body’s core, along with an infusion of life-enhancing oxygen, resulting in not only more inner strength but relief from chronic pain and supposedly incurable diseases. With a few lessons in the basics, you can make this art your own daily practice, in a group class or in a natural setting of your own choosing—a beach, an arroyo, a mesa top. Chinese Culture Center, chineseculturecenter-abq.com.

Remember simpler days, lying on the rug with a picture book, becoming part of the world described within its illustrations as a whole afternoon goes by? You can still do that. Venture through the rainbow tunnel into the children’s room at the Llano Street library. Picture-book shelves create a circular haven. Shuck off your coat, sit on the carpet, absorb the colorful book jackets. Let books choose you. Curl up in a window seat. One Morning in Maine. Inhale. Robert McCloskey’s soft pencil drawings of a time out of time. Jane spills her milk, but only the cat notices, lapping the floor. The sisters run down the beach, calling to seagulls and tall pines as their father digs clams. They all row to the mainland, hair blown straight back behind them in the stiff wind. Men at the general store admire the gap where Jane’s loose tooth used to be. Exhale. Ahhhh. Santa Fe Public Library La Farge Branch, 505.955.4860, 1730 Llano Street. 56

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photo: Kitty Leaken

La Farge Library’s Children’s Room

by MIA CARBONE

reflection. This d an n io it ad tr , d o fo e for family and he holidays are a tim to share one of their s er ad re r u o to n o ti an invita season, we extended akes it special. m at h w s in la p ex at along with a story th , es p ci re ay d li o h ed cherish sweet memories of e k o ev at th es p ci re are all traditional Not surprisingly, they deep and rich and e ar ey h T . er th ei e, es? No surprises ther st ta e th d n A t. as p e o sent them. h th w s ie il m fa e th as u savor them as much yo e p o h e w d an , ey hom

Great-Grandmother Gansle’s Sauerkraut

from the kitchen of Emily C. Swantner Writes Emily: Great-Grandmother Gansle brought this “sour cabbage” recipe with her when she immigrated to the United States from Stuttgart, Germany, just prior to the outbreak of World War I. She fermented the cabbage in a beautiful old stoneware crock. Though I have added the bacon and used fresh onions and garlic (she used dried onions and granulated garlic powder, as I remember), the recipe has remained essentially the same. Great-Grandmother made and served sauerkraut often, but we serve it with holiday meals only. It remains a traditional dish for family and friends on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sauerkraut in a jar is much easier to find in the marketplace, but if you can, use a “packaged” variety, such as Boar’s Head. I do not rinse my sauerkraut, because I like it straight from the package or jar, but feel free to rinse it if you like. The sauerkraut is best made the day before serving, which allows the flavors to meld. This recipe can easily be doubled, as it is perfect with leftovers, hot dogs or sandwiches or just all by itself. Friend and chef John Connell says his mom used to sauté thinly sliced cabbage with the onions. Give it a try. Serves 6 1/4 cup goose or chicken fat (or bacon fat if goose or chicken fat is not available) 1 large onion, diced 3 large head garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 1 32-ounce jar or package of crispy sauerkraut 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds 2 teaspoons juniper berries 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or more as needed), preferably homemade or low-sodium commercial stock Freshly milled black pepper 6 slices smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional) 2 teaspoons Gold Medal Wondra flour, to thicken Heat the goose fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the sauerkraut, caraway seeds and juniper berries. Stir to combine. Add the chicken stock and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the crumbled bacon, if using, and the Wondra flour, stirring, and cook another 30 minutes until thick and creamy. Serve hot.

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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Aunt Candida’s Italian Beef Sandwiches by Jeanne Schoditsch

Writes Jeanne: What would our Italian Christmas celebration be like without Aunt Candida’s Italian beef sandwiches? For years they have been a part of our Christmas Eve celebration, and even at age 98, Auntie is still treating her family to these juicy, delicious sandwiches topped with sauteed Italian sweet peppers. And for her seven great-grandchildren, the real treat comes when Grams unveils a tower of pizzelles— delicate wafer cookies handmade with love from the woman who is at the very heart of our family. Buon Natale from our family to yours! 4 pounds sirloin tip roast or eye of round 3 Tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard ½ bottle chili sauce 2 cloves garlic, sliced in thirds lemon pepper 1 cup red wine 2 cups beef broth (to pour over roast) 3 stalks celery, with leaves 3 sprigs parsley 1 onion, cut in quarters Italian or French rolls Spread the mustard and the chili sauce over the roast. Make slits in the meat and tuck the slices of garlic in the roast. Add a generous sprinkling of lemon pepper. Place in roasting pan. Surround with onion, celery and parsley. Pour beef broth and wine in the pan. Bake uncovered in 325 degree oven until meat is medium-rare to medium. Cool meat to room temperature. Place in refrigerator overnight. The next day, y, remove grease, strain gravy and thinly slice meat. (Some local butcher shops will slice the cooked meat for you.)

Ricotta Sfinge g

from the kitchen kitch chen en of of Antoinette A toinette Merenda An Meren enda Writes Antoinette: pe is from my aunt Margaret Merenda. Mer eren endaa. Sfi Sfin ngee is is This recipe nge a popular dessert in Sicily (in Naples, they call calll it zeppoli). i My grandfather ather made sfingee often in the t e fall and winter. He th would use pumpkin umpkin in place of ricotta. I loved it so much. Aunt Maria Carbone has a book from the Aeolian Islands that has a recipe pe for sfingee that was probably close to what my grandfather used. My family used to call these “belly busters,” but the ricotta version is lighter. My grandfather made a special syrup up from grapes and poured it over them. them The syrup is kind off messy to eat but so good—it’s good—it’ similar to honey. When I was as in Sicily, one of my Lo Schiavo cousins gave the syrup p recipe to me, m but you can’t get that kind of stuff here in this is country. 3 eggs 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons sugar a pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Canola or vegetable oil (enough for frying in a deep pan) Powdered sugar for sprinkling Beat 3 eggs with 1 cup ricotta. Blend well. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and vanilla. Blend well. Heat oil in deep pot or fryer. The oil must be hot before you drop in the ricotta mixture by the tablespoon. The spoonfuls will roll around naturally. They will swell, so it is important not to overcrowd or they will not really fry. When they are a deep golden color, remove with a slotted spoon to a dish covered with a paper p p towel,, to drain anyy excess oil. Keep p them warm—I just pop them in my oven set at 150 degrees when I make them. When all are done, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy while warm.

To serve, heatt the gravy in a pan, and swish a single serving ng of the meat in the gravy for a minute or two. wo. Spoon some gravy on the roll, heap the beeff on top and serve. Add sauteed sweet Italian peppers to the top if you want the real deal.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

Saya’s Bread Pudding from the kitchen of RoseMary Diaz

Writes RoseMary: My grandmother Saya was a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo. (“Saya” is a Tewa word referring to the eldest woman in the family; Mary Cain was her given name.) She was a SWAIA Indian Market Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and an honorary Kentucky Colonel. Her hands were strong and knew the clay well, having shaped hundreds of vessels over a lifetime that spanned nearly a century—a lifetime during which she rode in both a covered wagon from the pueblo to southern Colorado, on trails that skirted the soft, sandy banks of the Rio Grande, and on the Concorde from New York to Paris. At Christmastime, in her warm, cedar-scented kitchen with its view that breathed in the white-tipped peaks to the east, where winter katsinas live, she set her hands to creating something of varying but equal value, which also kept us tied to tradition: her bread pudding. Today Saya is present only in memory and spirit. But at Christmas, when I make this pudding, I can almost hear her gentle voice floating near me: “Eat plenty, my children, eat plenty…” ¾-1 loaf plain old white bread, lightly toasted and torn into small pieces (may also use gluten-free or any other kind of bread) 2 cups brown sugar ½ pound extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated ½ pound raisins 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 1 cup water (may also use ½ cup water and ½ cup brandy) Spray sides and bottom of a 2-quart Crock-Pot or casserole with cooking spray. In four equal parts, layer ayer ingredients in order given. Pour water/brandy evenly nly over entire pudding. Cover Crock-Pot and cook at medium ium to high heat for 45 minutes, then turn heat to low, add a bit more water (about ½ a cup) and cook an additional ional 30-40 minutes. Or bake in casserole at 350 degreess for 1 ½ hours, adding a bit more water about halfway through. hrough. To serve, invert Crock-Pot to remove pudding in one ne piece or scoop out of casserole.

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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Our Raw Chocolate Cream Pie! from the kitchen of Paula Diana

Writes Paula: When my Irish grandmother retired from the assembly line of Lionel Trains in New Haven, ven, Connecticut, she was finally able to live her own life. She devoted herself to her true passion and set about feverishly baking for her neighborhood. I spent my summers living with her when I was young. She began her baking projects in the wee hours when the rest of the world was still deep in sleep—a walnut coffee cake for Mrs. McGillicutty, a lemon mon meringue pie for Mr. McGee, who had just come out of the hospital. She labored happily in flour and sugar, in a time when “homemade” was going out of style. It was my job to help her roll out the crusts and whip up the fillings, as she patiently guided uided me. When we ran out of butter, she’d call up the tiny corner store to say I was coming, while I ran down the alley to collect what we needed. Today the world has changed, but not my love of pie. Along with my husband, I run thee Diet for Living Center in Albuquerque. We teach our Raw Food Chef/Holistic Health Coaches how to make plant-based, t-based, healthy raw chocolate cream pie with raspberry meringue topping, one that would make my grammy proud. roud. This is our raw version of her pie, now dairy- and gluten-free. For the crust: 2 cups macadamia nuts, soaked overnight ¼ teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon salt ½ cup dates, soaked and well drained Coconut oil Drain the macadamia nuts and add to a food processor. Mix in vanilla and salt until crumbly. Continue to process while adding the dates. Grease a 9-inch pie plate with coconut oil. Press the dough into the shell ell and set aside. For the filling: ¾ ounce Irish moss cut up in very tiny pieces, soaked overnight and strained (order online from transitionnutrition.com) ansitionnutrition.com) 1½ cups fresh almond milk* 2 teaspoons vanilla ½ cup finely chopped dates ¼ cup and 2 Tablespoons coconut butter 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1 Tablespoon lecithin 1/3 cup raw cacao (also known as raw chocolate) ¼ cup raw agave nectar * For the fresh almond milk: Soak 1 cup raw almonds overnight, then strain. Put 1½ cups filtered water in a high-powered blender. nder. Blend until smooth. Pour liquid through a nut milk bag to separate liquid. Set aside. On high speed, blend the Irish moss with ½ cup of the almond milk until smooth and thick (about ut 5 minutes). Add the remaining almond milk, vanilla and dates. Blend until smooth. Add coconut butter, salt, lecithin, hin, agave and raw cacao until well incorporated. Pour into the prepared piecrust and put in fridge until set, about twoo hours. For Fo the raspberry meringue topping: 5 soft s dates soaked overnight 1 cup c raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup T 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract T ½ cup organic raspberries, fresh or thawed from frozen Drain Dr the dates and save the liquid. In a blender, blend cashews, dates, maple syrup, vanilla and raspberries. berries. Add a bit b of the date water, if necessary, to keep the mixture running smooth. When everything is creamy, top the pie. Enjoy! En

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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'LVMWXQEW )ZI (MRRIV 4–8:30pm 'LVMWXQEW (E] (MRRIV 5–8:30pm 2I[ =IEV´W )ZI (MRRIV at 6pm & 9pm

The Compound Restaurant A Santa Fe Holiday Tradition

092', (-22)6 &%6

Reservations 505.982.4353 653 Canyon Road compoundrestaurant.com

Contact Jane Steele for all of your private dining and holiday party needs jane@compoundrestaurant.com

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