|
Delicious Santa FeBy Carole Kotkin
Spanish settlers arrived in Santa Fe early in the 17th century. The city has flown the flags of Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy and the United States. In this melting pot era, Santa Fe is a true cultural crossroads, a place where Spanish and English, or a mix of both, are heard on the street; and a place where the relics of the past have not been razed and covered in concrete. It’s a rich history as befits a city that is older than Philadelphia, Boston or New York. Santa Fe is also simply a lot of fun. Like New Orleans, the city is isolated enough to nurture its own music, its own food and a civic appreciation of both. In the past ten years Santa Fe has also become a destination for those seeking the latest in cutting edge cuisine. Food is taken seriously here and Santa Fe has attracted some of the country’s best chefs. Typically they graduate from cooking schools, work in Europe, or New York with top names in the culinary world, then come to Santa Fe to make their own mark. The local foods of Santa Fe reflect the desert landscape—from the searing heat of chiles to the earthy goodness of native corns, squash and beans. Most of the serious restaurants are keeping alive old traditions but, at the same time, they are creating a highly original cuisine for a new audience, Modern New Mexican Cuisine—casual, bright and intensely flavorful. Organic farming thrives in the fertile Rio Grande Valley. Locally produced chickens, lamb, a variety of goat cheeses, honey, and exotic beans are the stars of local menus. And, of course, chiles. More than 1,600 varieties of chile exist across the globe, but New Mexico grows the world’s largest share of chile crops and New Mexicans eat more chile than anybody else in the country.
Chefs like Kerpon; Mark Miller of Santa Fe's Coyote Café, Mark Kiffin of The Compound, Kevin Graham of Fuega, and Martin Rios of The Old House have opened up a whole new modern New Mexican territory of good taste. For example, at The Inn of the Anasazi, the menu, which changes constantly, might offer grilled oysters drizzled with a spicy poblano chile pesto; Texas Blue Crab Cakes with Green Chile Chutney; or Yucatan Grilled whole fish wrapped in banana leaves. At its best, creative chefs graft European technique onto a traditionally sturdy, lusty cuisine of northern New Mexico, which itself is a blend of Spanish, Mexican and Pueblo Indian foods. In Miller's Coyote Cafe cookbook he states, "Southwestern food is an indigenous regional cuisine. It has evolved over a long period of time, and has been molded and shaped by a variety of influences, including Native American, Hispanic, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and the neighboring Cajun and Creole cuisines." The skillful blending of tradition with innovation has made Southwestern cooking phenomenally popular in restaurants from coast to coast, but it’s in Santa Fe, where they do it best. Where to Eat:
For this outstanding contemporary cuisine, Executive Chef Tom Kerpon uses organic ingredients whenever possible. The creative Southwestern cooking includes a mix of Native American, Mexican and cowboy recipes such as tortilla soup; grilled prime sirloin and Anasazi bean, goat cheese and asadero cheese torta. The elegant surroundings celebrate native American design motifs and a fine art collection. The Anasazi Restaurant has earned the AAA Four Star Diamond Award and a Mobil Four Star Award. Coyote Café, 505-983-1615 Owner/Chef Mark Miller continues to set trends with his fare. All the dishes offer wonderfully fresh native ingredients in contemporary combinations. Coyote originals include grilled buttermilk corn cakes with chipolte shrimp, cowboy steak and red chile onion rings, and blue corn trout with crab and green chiles.
This Santa Fe landmark has been brought back to exciting new life by owners Brett Kemmerer and Executive Chef Mark Kiffin. The Compound sits at the end of a winding driveway off Canyon Road making it an ideal stop after a day of shopping. Chef Mark Kiffin, who was integral to the Coyote Café, has put together a stunning menu of modern southwestern food. Dishes include seared diver scallops with green tomatoes and corn relish served with country fried brown sugar bacon; and black pepper Muscoy duck steak accompanied by tender figs and creamy grits. Chosen by Santa Fe Reporter as Restaurant of the Year. The Old House, El Dorado Hotel, 505-988-4455 Chef Martin Rios is the first New Mexican chef to win the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award of Excellence. He loves nothing better than adapting the New Mexican larder to dishes like herb painted sea scallops with crisped potato, sweet peppers, tender leeks and roasted corn; and red chile glazed veal chop with red wine, onions, wild mushrooms, jack cheese potato, and port-mulato chile sauce. Fuego Restaurant, La Posada Resort, 505-954-9670 Executive Chef Kevin Graham has created a menu featuring regional cuisine, offering such delights as smoked filet of Angus beef in a sauce of roasted shallots and wild blackberries with fingerling potatoes; or seafood burrito stuffed with scallops, prawns, crab and halibut in a sweetwater crawfish sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla. Casual Restaurants:El Parasol, 505-753-8852 Head twenty-three miles up to neighboring Espanola, lowrider capital of the United States for authentic New Mexican cuisine. Their crispy chicken tacos, accompanied by guacamole and green and red salsa are justifiably famous. Café Pasquals, 505-983-9340 This homey café in the heart of downtown always has a line out the door whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They come for such selections as the trout dredged in cornmeal, grilled and topped with toasted pine nuts and tomato salsa. Where to Stay:Inn of the Anasazi, 505-988-3030, 800-688-8100 There’s not a better place to stay in Santa Fe. The rustic yet elegant boutique hotel celebrates the ancient Anasazi culture in an intimate setting. The inn is well-equipped and ideally situated—the Spanish and Indian markets take place right outside the front door. The Anasazi (named for a tribe of Native Americans) was converted ten years ago and is now a striking three-story adobe with 59 guest rooms, a restaurant and a bar. Inn on the Alameda, 505- 984-2121, 800-289-2122 You’ll feel miles away from everything behind the adobe walls, though you’re in the heart of Santa Fe. The Inn has the private feel of a bed and breakfast with the amenities of a full-service hotel. There are cozy rooms, suites with balconies, kiva fireplaces and patios. Eldorado Hotel, 505-988-4455, 800-955-4455 Eldorado Hotels boasts both the AAA Four Diamond and Mobil Four-Star ratings. Fashioned after New Mexico’s pueblo-revival architectural style, the hotel is lavishly decorated with southwestern artwork. Many rooms feature Kiva fireplaces and balconies overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. La Posada de Santa Fe Resort and Spa, 505-982-5474, 800-5276 Two blocks east of the plaza , this early 30’s rambling adobe village sits on two acres of gardens. The hotel was renovated in 1999, has beautiful guest rooms, a first-class spa, and a heated pool. La Fonda, 505-954-3599, 800-523-50002 Built in 1922, this hotel is a city landmark. Recently renovated, the hotel has modern, comfortable rooms, some with fireplaces. The Belltower Bar is a great sunset-watching spot. What to Do:Canyon Road. This gallery row features an amazing assortment of fine art, crafts, antiques, jewelry, clothing and restaurants. Santa Fe School of Cooking, 505-983-4511 Take the taste of Santa Fe home by enjoying cooking classes featuring Santa Fe’s top chefs whipping up everything from traditional Northern New Mexican cuisine to contemporary Southwest. The spacious environs of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum (505-946-1000 or www.okeeffemuseum.org) house the world’s largest permanent collection of her originals, more than 140 works. Open daily. Shidoni Art Gallery, Foundry and Gardens, five miles north of Santa Fe Plaza on Bishop’s Lodge Road Exhibits work by 100 sculptors in various materials, also jewelry and art glass. Museum of International Folk Art, 505-476-1200 You’ll find the world’s largest collection of cross-cultural traditional folk art. The museum promotes and preserves international folk arts and sponsors five life-size interactive exhibits, cultural festivals, and hands-on-activities for families and children. Founded in 1957, the acclaimed Santa Fe Opera is host to the Southwest’s most anticipated tailgate parties, which kick off with a festive opening night in June and continue through August under the soaring open-air proscenium every night but Sunday. (1-800-280-4654) or on the Web at www.santafeopera.org. Visit the city’s Farmers Market on a Saturday morning in summer or fall and, with the piquant aroma of roasting chiles in the air, you’ll see gorgeous fruits and vegetables, including many heirloom varieties. Take in the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta in September (505-438-8060 for next year’s date) held on the site of the Santa Fe Opera and sample foods from about 70 local restaurants and 100 wineries from around the world. Now in its 50th year, the Traditional Spanish Market will bring 300 artists to the Plaza in July and the 81st Indian Market in August with the work of over 1,100 artists around the United States.. For more information: www.santafe.org |
|
TM
America’s Southwest has drawn
adventurers and artists for more than three centuries, and the picturesque
city of Santa Fe, the state capital, has been at the center of the
attraction. The city has a sophisticated yet laid-back atmosphere that has
enticed artists, writers and actors to Santa Fe as a perfect place to work
and live. Visitors come to discover Santa Fe’s many attractions, from its
scenic beauty and historic sights to its Native American culture. Plus,
Santa Fe has some of the best ski resorts in the country. For all its
explosive growth in recent years, Santa Fe still has a small-town
atmosphere enhanced by the central plaza that has been the heart of the
city since it was founded. Downtown Santa Fe remains a lively, eclectic
mix of small independent businesses, and more than 200 art galleries.
Relatively compact, Santa Fe can be easily explored on foot. Many of its
museums, galleries and restaurants are within walking distance of the
town’s central plaza. 
The Southwestern food movement of the early 1980's awakened the Anglo
palate to the rich mix of unfamiliar flavors. It freed the imagination of
classically trained chefs to mix and match traditional techniques with new
world ingredients. "The most interesting food in the world is being done
in America thanks to this fusion of cultures and ingredients. We're doing
things that have never been done before and creating a new style of
cooking," says Chef Tom Kerpon, Chef de Cuisine of Inn of the Anasazi
in Santa Fe. 
Inn of the Anasazi,
505-988-3236
The Compound Restaurant,
505-982-4353