Santa Fe, Part 2

We enjoyed the galleries after dark; window gazing.

Breakfast our second morning was at the Plaza Cafe, another perennial favorite--right on the Plaza, catty-corner from the Palace of the Govenors.

Huevos Divorciados. 2 eggs prepared to order on corn tortillas with Chipotle and Tomatillos Salsa. Served with Guacamole, Sour Cream, Beans, Hash Browns, and a Flour Tortilla. The coffee is good, too. Oh, and we were entertained, loudly, by charming mariachis.

More walking about...

Unwittingly, we were in town for the Fiesta of La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Aśis. The 340th year of the Fiesta.

We walked past this Santuario de Guadalupe a few times every day--between our hotel (Guadalupe Inn) on Agua Fria.

Along and around Agua Fria. 

We ate breakfast here our third morning. Our first visit, but not our last. 

Saturday market at the railroad yards. We bought our ristras here.

We bought our fire roasted chiles from him.

Beautiful tiles everywhere. 

We had a wonderful time in Santa Fe. My 7th visit. Looking forward to our next visit.

Oh, and this might have happened...

Santa Fe, Part 1

We've never been to Santa Fe during chile roasting season, so CA made travel arrangements to spend 3 nights there, in conjunction with our wedding anniversary.

This is the Guadeloupe Inn on Agua Fria, near the old railroad yards and Tomasita's Restaurant--a perennial favorite.

Soon after we arrived, we walked a very short distance to Tomasita's. As always, the food, drinks, and sopapillas do not disappoint. A great start. We get a bit more gourmet as the days go on.

Breakfast our first morning is at Cafe Pascal, on the corner of Gallisteo and Water Streets. Breakfast here, and any meal, is a treat. And, for the first time since my first visit @1995, we are seated at the community table. My sister JA and I absolutely enjoyed our dinner that first trip/first night in Santa Fe. We exchanged travel stories and restaurant recommendations with our delightful dinner companions that long-ago night. CA and I have an equally great experience at breakfast, and the food is excellent.

Just walking around near the Plaza...

Our lovely cheese monger in Fort Collins recommended this cheese shop, The Cheese Monger. A really beautiful experience. Such talent; selection.

Walking to Tomasita's the first night, we passed Raaga, an Indian restaurant. For our second dinner, we sought recommendations--the obvious choice was the highly recommended restaurant. Raaga. Paddy Rawal's Indian menu intrigued us, and our waiter helped these neophytes make selections. The wine, too was perfect--light and bright.

Spinach Chaat. I'm going to try to make this very soon.

Tandoori Chicken.

Dessert. Rasmalai (sweet farmer's cheese dumplings).

St. Francis Cathedral. The Magic Hour; Le Heure Bleu.

Collected Works Bookstore and Coffeehouse on Galisteo Street, near the Plaza.

Eduardo Teodoro Valdez. Giving us Santa Fe history and tips on the best way of roasting green chiles. (Spray water on chiles occasionally, while roasting.)

From Sprouts, Santa Fe. Señor Valdez recommended these tamales.

Just a random view over the rooftops; panoramic beauty. The Jemez Mountains, probably. These compromise the southernmost tip of the Rockies. Could instead be the Sangre de Cristo Range.

BAKING EGGS DIABLO

photo courtesy of Karina Allrich - www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

Go figure! Woke up this morning tired and determined to stay in my pj's until time to party-up at 5pm for our friend's retirement celebration. And then, hell-bent on making a recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess. Can't beat her recipes. Every one we have tried is smashing! Her food photography is stunning, too. All the ingredients are standard in our pantry. A delightful Saturday breakfast. Next time, I will take her suggestion to cook 4 eggs on stove-top as the 350 degree oven took a bit longer than calculated.

We have also tried Karina's sour cream enchiladas, lime chicken tacos, sweet potato & black bean enchiladas... Southwestern is not your average "Mexican" cooking. Southwestern means fresh ingredients, roasted chiles, authentic cheeses--the best ingredients you can find. No grainy red sauce and white cheese laminate. Taco Bell has its purpose, but Southwestern cooking is some of the best American cuisine.

Several years ago I took some classes at the Santa Fe School of Cooking and thought I had died and gone to heaven. When I got home to the Midwest, I cooked Southwestern for weeks. And, the people we met in those classes were a gold mine of information about the food and restaurants of Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos. A great introductory experience to SW cookery.