Apple Pie Two Ways

If you are like me, you've had Thanksgiving swimming in the back of your head for several weeks now, but haven't done much about it.

My mind churns over what sides to have with the turkey, what can I do differently, and what should stay the same because we just can't have Thanksgiving without (insert your favorite family dish here.)

Some of my friends have the whole event planned and foodstuffs have been prepared and frozen for the past couple weeks. I salute you and want to be you when I grow up! Is the dining table already set with a sheet over it to keep everything pristine? Well, here the dining table has three pairs of binoculars on it along with some books and a couple magazines.

But really, Thanksgiving is moving front and center today and I will take the 50 mile Taos drive to Cid's Food Store for an Embudo turkey and other freshies I don't have hanging out in the pantry or in the freezer.

What's an Embudo turkey? It's a turkey raised in Embudo, New Mexico, pasture raised in probably the best way a turkey grown for food can live. Here's a photo of Embudo turkeys in their pens, moved over to fresh organic pasture daily.

They are pricey, but it's just once a year or so, and the turkey is delish! And I can support a local small farmer at the same time.

Really, though, this post was about apple pie, so let's get to it.

The slice of apple pie at the top of the post was from a recipe I found here and it is unique because it isn't as gooey as most apple pie recipes. You cook the apples and then drain them well before piling the slices into the pie crust. I didn't use the pastry recipe, even though it looks good, because there were refrigerated crusts in the fridge and slothful laziness won out.

There is another apple pie recipe on our blog here, the famous Pietown New Mexico Apple Pie. There is a little kick to this pie because it has a secret ingredient: green chiles and also a little surprise crunch with the addition of pinon nuts. I love this pie and it will probably be served for dessert (among other goodies) after Thanksgiving dinner.

It's been a busy time, with making quilts and teaching quilting classes, but sometimes you just have to focus. (That's me giving myself a pep talk!)

Cousins Visit The Nickel and Dime

Fall is a great time to visit Northern New Mexico because the air is fresher, it still rains, but not as much, and the leaves are turning colors, especially the aspens at the higher elevations. The altitude at The Nickel and Dime is a little too low for aspens, but as we drove north toward Taos, the aspen leaves shimmered like gold against the green pines. Wouldn't these colors make a gorgeous quilt?

Last week was fun because Tom's Wisconsin cousins, Donna, Richard and Tanya, came for a visit.

At Taos, we saw assorted folk wandering about in interesting outfits and made a visit to Taos Pueblo where people have lived for at least 1000 years. The pueblo is  the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States, according to their website. Donna, Tanya and I explored the pueblo's shops and galleries while Tom and Richard sat by the incredibly clear river and eavesdropped on the extremely knowledgeable tour guide.

The ladies and I also made a short visit to Las Vegas and its plaza.

Santa Fe's Plaza was the place for some power shopping while the guys chilled on some benches listening to electronic harp music while watching a tweaker make balloon animals. That's why Santa Fe is called The City Different.

At home we ate too much, laughed a lot, and talked about family history.

Here are Tanya and Richard, ready for our Santa Fe visit.

Miss Bonnie came from her royal room upstairs to say hello to the guests. Richard even had a lap cat for awhile.

The guys got in a little hunting, but be assured that no animals were harmed. There was more sitting and looking at the view than anything else.

It was a golden time, visiting with the family, and the house feels empty without them.

On the Road New Mexico Edition

For the past couple weeks it seems like we've been driving a lot.

We drove to Albuquerque.

Camped at Chaco Culture National Park.

 Went to Taos to pick up groceries and to eat food I didn't have to cook.

And made a trip to Santa Fe for more shopping. There's a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods there.

Once my wheels stop spinning, we will catch up. Until then, enjoy the pics, friends.

Taos-The Soul of the Southwest

 About once a week or so, we drive up to Taos, an hour and fifteen minutes away. Our route is a winding mountain road, almost a single lane in places, through a ski resort, the national forest, the road snaking through a canyon until the town appears, the adobe brown dwellings looking like boulders in the desert distance.

Taos is home to around 6,000 residents. Then add a zillion tourists both in the summertime and also in winter when ski season is in full swing. We've learned to avoid peak tourist days and to drive on roads the tourists don't use.

The little shops, galleries and eateries are a fun change from our place, where the food and shopping choices are definitely limited (though I look forward to eating at The Mad Cow Calf-A, a new restaurant in Mora, very soon). Review to follow. The finger therapist is in Taos, as well as Cid's natural food store, Smith's supermarket and Ace Hardware.

Orlandos Restaurant Taos, NM

 Anyway, back to Taos, which has its share of characters, that's for sure. A Shakespearean-looking, white haired man stands on a corner, reciting what might be sonnets to the passing cars. A trio of elderly folk stand on another corner, holding signs that say, "Honk if you pay taxes!" and "Occupy Taos!" A pair of young backpackers, their dog on a frayed rope, trudge alongside the highway. Older ladies lunch, wearing long, purple skirts with silver concho belts, turquoise jewelry dripping from their wrists and necks. For men, Taos headwear leans toward berets and ski beanies. That's not true for everyone, but it is notable. Mora, on the other hand, is a Stetson and ball cap kind of place.

   If I could compare Taos to a city in California, it would have to be Laguna Beach, because they share a bohemian vibe with an emphasis on art and "free spiritedness." The art comes from different sources: local pueblo potters, textile artists, painters, sculptors, you name it. Taos artists are from all walks of life, rich and poor, college educated and self or family-taught.

It's like Laguna Beach in the 1970's, where different people live, work, make art, and whatever you do, it's just fine. Grocery store employees will see someone wearing what looks to be rags, wandering the aisles, talking to himself, and say, "Hey, Ed! Do you want me to help you shop today?" When I bought bird seed the checker praised the purchase and assured me the birds would be most grateful.

I was in a gallery a few months ago and admired a Santa Clara pueblo pot. During our conversation, the potter asked me if I made anything. When I told her about my quilts, she immediately gave me her card and offered to trade a pot for a quilt. I think I will take her up on that deal. That's Taos.

This last photo is of Taos Pueblo, located on the edge of town, one of the oldest inhabited communities in the United States. About 150 people live in the pueblo itself, with over 1900 Indians living on the pueblo's 99,000 acres of land holdings.The buildings are made of adobe with log roofs, supplemented by smaller logs, close together, all covered with mud and dirt. Much time and effort is spent plastering the outsides to guard against weather damage.

Many of the buildings in the pueblo look just like they would have looked to the Spanish explorers when they first arrived in Northern New Mexico in 1540. Archeologists have found ruins in the area pointing to the Indians having lived here since 1000 A.D.

Taos is definitely The Soul of the Southwest: friendly, quirky. artistic, and ready for anything under the New Mexico sun.

Bent Street: Taos, NM

Bent Street is one of the most picturesque streets in Taos. The adobe buildings have been lovingly cared for, offering visitors a satisfying mix of history and beauty. Inside the old adobes are curio shops, museums, art galleries and an awesome independent bookstore called Moby Dickens.

The streets were clear when we were there last week, but yesterday and last night the snow fell both at the Nickel and Dime and in Taos. I found this shot by Mona Makela which perfectly captures Bent Street in winter. Enjoy.

A Day To Reflect

St. Francis of Assisi Church, Taos, NM

We are grateful to you all. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Snow in the High Country: Northern New Mexico

For those who like to ski, Sipapu Ski Resort, just north of Mora, NM, has opened for your skiing pleasure. I do not know how to ski, but I've put snow tubing at each local ski resort on my bucket list. I'd also like to ride down a snowy hill on one of those ski bikes.

In the meantime, we will take walks in the snow. Nope, no snow here at the Nickel and Dime, but last week between Angel Fire and Taos was plenty of snow for our hiking pleasure.

It was a brilliant day, sunglasses needed.

Ms. P raced around, making figure 8's, wallowing in the snow and generally having a "isn't it great to be a dog" day.

Below in a more sedate moment:

We are hoping for more snow because it adds moisture to the soil, but so far it's just in the higher elevations. But a man and his dog can hope for more, can't they?

Taos Shopping Day or Whatsa Poona Kheera?

Taos, New Mexico is our go-to town when we want to buy groceries somewhere other than Wal-Mart, so yesterday we shopped at Cid's Health Food Market mainly for meat for the freezer, Smith's because they have a better selection of beer and wine than just Bud Light and Boone's Farm, and at the Red Willow Farmers' Market for veggies grown at Taos Pueblo. They had a sample of a cucumber called a Poona Kheera, originating from India. I heard a young farmer say, "They're Indian. Not us Indian, but India Indian."

 Sliced, it looked almost like an Asian pear, brownish skin with bright white flesh. A touch of sweet added to a distinct cucumber flavor plus a juicy crunch equaled a sale. I bought just one because I have cucumbers growing at home, but wish I had bought more than one of these India Indian cucumbers because it was that good, the kind of cuke you could eat right out of hand. I see they are (usually) for sale here, but currently sold out. I'm going to search for these seeds because I am absolutely cucumber smitten.

Before I went veggie shopping and fell in love, we stopped to eat at Orlando's which is quickly becoming my favorite place for New Mexican food. We ate outside and even with the cars rushing past just on the other side of the hedge enclosing the patio, it felt peaceful.

But I am hankering for a Poona Kheera right now.