ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
We were surprised to learn that New Mexico grows quite a lot of pistachios. One normally associates the nut with California. The state has the largest pistachio growing area in the country, though not by volume. The San Joaquin Valley of California enjoys that distinction. Arizona also grows it. Hot and dry conditions are required... Continue Reading →
As we neared Las Cruces, the Mesilla valley came into view. Here is where the famous Hatch chiles are grown. No journey along I-25 in this area would be complete without a stopover at the "chile capital of the world." The Hatch chiles are prized for their flavor and heat, a pronouncement that many New... Continue Reading →
The wind and rain clouds were rolling in over Las Cruces as we arrived in the late afternoon. Though we'd already canceled camp sites on this trip because of weather, we decided to pitch camp anyway and hope for the best. After dinner, we headed straight to our next camping site at Leasburg Dam State Park,... Continue Reading →
After a day at the balloon fiesta, we were ready for dinner. Close to our hotel was the legendary Mary and Tito's, purveyor of what many foodies regard as one of the best places to have New Mexican food and a 2010 winner of the James Beard “America’s Classic” award. The accolades don't stop there as... Continue Reading →
It was fortuitous that the grandest balloon festival in the world would be staged while we were touring the Southwest, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. I made sure that we would be in Albuquerque when it happened, which required my juggling our itinerary somewhat to accommodate the event. We always wanted to experience it, so... Continue Reading →
For dinner, we headed over to Saigon Restaurant and ordered bún (☆☆½). It would have been a very good version if the noodles had been drained adequately after being removed from hot water. The result was a pool of water at the bottom of the bowl that diluted the nuoc cham that we like to pour over... Continue Reading →
I was on a quest for the great green chile cheeseburger in New Mexico. Blake's Lotaburger is pretty good, even if it is a fast-food chain, but the patty was thin. 5 Star Burgers fell short, primarily because the beef was too lean and therefore pebbly in texture. A great burger starts with ground beef... Continue Reading →
The Las Conchas Fire of 2011 was the largest in New Mexico history. It eventually burned 150,000 acres and threatened Los Alamos, home of the Los Alamos National Lab. We in the West have become accustomed, almost inured to hearing about forest fires like this. Every year, their ranges, frequencies and intensities seem to grow, a... Continue Reading →
Having been disappointed by Café Pascual yesterday morning, we looked for somewhere else to have breakfast. Within a stone's throw of Pascual was a restaurant that is part of the Hotel St. Francis—Tabla de los Santos. Chef Estevan Garcia has impressed quite a few people with his takes on New Mexican cooking. Our burrito with eggs and... Continue Reading →
Most non-parishioners come to Loretto Chapel to marvel at the spiral staircase. A fascinating legend surrounds its construction. Originally, when the chapel was built in 1872, there was no stairway to the choir loft. The nuns prayed to St. Joseph to intercede. At the end of nine days, a carpenter appeared at the church who... Continue Reading →
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