by Christina Waters | Dec 16, 2010 | Home |
Amidst the holiday wreaths of crimson chiles, the jalapeno jellies, organic goat cheeses, wild-gathered herbs and local honey, there was memorable bread. Memorable.
Wish I’d gotten the name of the bakers who sold me a square of fresh plum and almond open-faced “croissant” that was remarkable in its true flavors and crystalline crust.
The market, lots outdoors but even more inside the large, grange-like building that Santa Fe has built just to house its weekly gathering of growers, offers fresh-harvested produce, candles, soaps, hand-crocheted items, and loads of shelling beans and peppers for home-made chiles. But there were also acres of dried herbs and exotica such as a native plant alleged to prevent colds. Called osha (Ligusticum porteri), (more…)
by Christina Waters | Dec 16, 2010 | Home |
That would be the 2009 version of Richard Alfaro‘s well-received Lindsay Paige Vineyard Chardonnay (roughly $25.)
This Alfaro Family Vineyard beauty starts full and pliant and stays that way, from a buttery nose, through a field of toast, apples, hints of jasmine and on to an unexpected (in a good way) mineral and citrus finish. A long one.
An appealing expression of Santa Cruz Mountains terroir, south bank, if you will.
by Christina Waters | Dec 15, 2010 | Home |
Last week I sat down to a substantial platter of red chile tamales, accompanied by a fat moist green chile enchilada, a helping of buttery pinto beans and Spanish rice so nuanced and tasty I almost wept.
For this — plus a crisp sopapilla and honey butter — I paid $8.95. For another $8 I sipped a tall call Margarita made with my all-time favorite Tres Generaciones tequila and fresh-squeezed limes.
You might have guessed by now that I was no longer in California.
You’d be right. I was in Santa Fe New Mexico eating ridiculously robust southwest cooking at Tomasita’s, a landmark across the tracks from the old Santa Fe railroad depot.
Tomasita’s, a local legend filled with local legends, (more…)
by Christina Waters | Dec 15, 2010 | Home |
Many years ago I discovered Cafe Pasqual’s, roughly across the street from the once-great Coyote Cafe, in Santa Fe. It was there that I first tasted the pastured natural beef pioneered by Bill Niman. Since then I’ve stopped by Pasqual’s several times – never once disappointed.
So it was a pleasure last week to find that unlike most of us, Cafe Pasqual’s has remained as good as its reputation. Four mink coats attached to long blonde hair and five-inch heels passed beneath our window as we sipped a sensational red wine from the Vaucluse (the one in France, not Santa Fe) and shared the finest tamale this side of Oaxaca. Wrapped in a banana leaf (more…)
by Christina Waters | Dec 3, 2010 | Home |
The bouncy ambience at Sushi Totoro always makes us smile. Especially with the postmodern lightshow lasers and gazillion ornaments hanging from the ceiling.
Brightens up even the most non-holiday tekka maki.
Go take a look.
Sushi Totoro – on Mission, near Avanti.
