Few aspects of life in New Mexico say as much about our cultural heritage as our food. We can directly trace the roots of New Mexico’s traditional and contemporary cooking to corn and other crops first planted by the ancestors of the Pueblos, to the frontier resourcefulness of early Spanish colonists who brought with them livestock along with many fruits and vegetables, and to the nineteenth-century introduction of new ingredients and ideas by waves of immigrants from Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well to new residents from the east and west coasts, Texas, and other states.

On the occasion of New Mexico’s State Centennial, Tasting New Mexico celebrates the state’s truly distinctive cooking, a blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo influences, in one hundred recipes from throughout the past century that showcase the best from New Mexico’s home kitchens. The authors crisscrossed the state in search of a variety of family and hometown favorites, including green and red chile stews, albóndigas (meatballs), carne adovada (pork braised in red chile), pollo con arroz (chicken simmered with rice), chile rellenos, spring quelites (wild spinach), chicos (dried corn), frybread and sopapillas, and silky natillas custard. Other recipes include Edith Warner’s scrumptious chocolate cake, steak Dunigan provided by Santa Fe’s Pink Adobe restaurant, the mountain trout recipe the Fred Harvey Company created for the opening of the grand Montezuma Hotel near Las Vegas, and a delightful cocktail concocted by the landmark Rancho de Chimayó restaurant to support the local apple crop
industry.

The book ranges well beyond the recipes to tell the story of the food culturally and historically, and contrasts our food with that of our neighbors in the Southwest and northern Mexico. The book details how New Mexico’s agricultural abundance comes not from perfect soil and climate, but from the ingenuity and tenacity of its farmers and ranchers. Tasting New Mexico is further packed with tasty quotes, luscious photos, and simply great stories.

New Mexico food aficionados Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison are recipients of four James Beard awards for cookbook excellence and the International Association of Culinary Professionals Julia Child Award.