#194 | Matanza Traditions | | |
For most of us, city dwellers especially, keeping pigs is a wildly impractical endeavor. Unless you’re keeping them as pets (they apparently make quite good ones) or are planning to go into business as a pig farmer, it’s not really something you’re likely to do as a side hustle. It’s certainly not something many people do with the intention of sharing the fruits (or, you know, meat) of their labor with others, free of charge.
But in the New Mexican tradition of the matanza—an annual pig slaughter and feast—sharing with neighbors was what made the whole endeavor practical. Because even a single pig typically produces far more meat than a family could feasibly eat themselves, unless they were equipped with a heroic amount of freezer space.
In his book Memories of Cibola: Stories from New Mexico Villages, rancher and local historian Abe Peña wrote about the tradition of matanzas in the villages of Cibola County, where he grew up. He describes the annual matanza as “not only an important source of villagers’ food supply, it was much more—a social event, a working feast, and a ritual.” The idea behind the matanza was for everyone to chip in their time and effort to process the one animal, and then for all to share in the rewards. The meat was not kept by the family who owned the pig, but rather shared among the people of the village—and throughout the fall and winter months other families would have matanzas too, “so there would be a constant sharing with each other.”
| | A matanza at Eduardo Otero's ranch in present-day Bosque Farms, photo courtesy the Los Lunas Museum of Heritage & Arts. | | |
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The traditional matanza, in which participants are all expected to get their hands dirty in one way or another, is not often practiced anymore, which is likely a reflection of the fact that few of us are subsistence farmers these days. When one sees event flyers for matanzas, they are typically ticketed events or community fundraisers, and even when hosted on a farm the organizers likely don’t expect guest participation in the actual bloody business.
But there are plenty of ways that one can still participate in a similar community-minded day of work: Many local farms have volunteer days, especially this time of year. You could also take part in the modern New Mexican tradition of going in on a big bag of freshly roasted chile with some family or friends, then all get together to process it. You could spend some time with Food is Free Albuquerque, harvesting fruit that would otherwise go to waste. You could also ask for help with a seasonal project of your own: We’ve certainly roped friends into weed-pulling parties before. As it turns out, people are pretty willing to lend a helping hand—especially if you promise to feed them afterward.
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| | The community table is another nearly lost tradition, such that some folks would rather wait thirty minutes than be seated among strangers. And we’ve been in moods antisocial enough to walk away rather than risk being subjected to so much listening that we feel like we should be reimbursed (or at least tipped). But the sun was high and we didn’t mind the company at Cafe Pasqual’s communal table at all. The vibe was artsy and international, and we indulged our inner gourmand, ordering a combination plate fit for two, even three, as if to fuel multiple selves before our tour of SITE SANTA FE’s 12th International. We appreciate a light relleno and the one included was so fat that it required a plate of its own, yet it earned its little pedestal: The batter was fluffy, the sauce smoky and bright, the chile meaty, and even what seemed like it might be too much cheese—too oozy, too thick, too rich—slowly but surely disappeared from the plate. | | |
Super sommelier Kristina Hayden Bustamante has joined Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi as wine director, meaning that if you attend any Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta events at said restaurant, you can get, as the press release puts it, “an early taste of Bustamante’s vision in collaboration with recently appointed executive chef Cristian Pontiggia.” Her previous gigs include beverage service at The Compound Restaurant and Palace Prime, along with a contribution to our sister mag. And yes, if you missed it, that’s the same Chef Pontiggia who formerly helmed the kitchen at Sassella.
Stackers Burger Co. / Tikka Spice of Albuquerque won both the People’s Choice and the Judges’ Awards at edible New Mexico’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown, but what caught our attention was Umami Moto taking the Secret Judges’ Award—that being the award given by anonymous judges who show up to restaurants and food trucks to sample their entries any old time. Meanwhile, at the New Mexico State Fair’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, Isleta Grill won for a second year in a row.
Down in ghost-town country off 152, the Hillsboro General Store Cafe is one of fifty historic small restaurants in the US to be awarded a grant of $50,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Does that make up for the New York Times shafting New Mexico with its America’s Best Restaurants list? Maybe not, but it’s still a cool thing, and we hope it helps the café keep trucking along.
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Saladatarians (being those who live on salad alone, to sometimes include salad wrapped into what we will only ever call a tortilla) should know that Salad Fe is soon to open at DeVargas Center in Santa Fe. We respect a good salad and want to see more of it in the world, so we hope that Salad Fe can deliver.
Per the Downtown Albuquerque News, Mañana Taco will be moving into the cute little building that was once the Little Red Hamburger Hut in downtown Albuquerque. Not to fear if you’ve become reliant on grabbing one of their breakfast tacos on handmade flour tortillas along with your coffee at Little Bear; word is that the truck parked in Nob Hill will stay even after the brick-and-mortar opens its doors sometime next year.
And Mañana isn’t the only Albuquerque food truck getting an upgrade: Clay Pot Ethiopian Cuisine, which has successfully made brewery goers across the city fall in love with injera and red lentils, just opened the doors of their new place in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of Albuquerque. They’re apparently operating on a reservations-only basis at the moment, so message or email ahead of time to snag a spot for dinner.
Fans of the erstwhile Slow Roasted Bocadillos: Know that Marie Yniguez is bringing them back. The Bocadillos Second Coming was officially inaugurated last night as the new SRB Sangwich Shop at Marble’s Downtown Taproom. The Cuban Named Ruben will be there, along with Sloppy Joe Sliders and meatific nachos, among other options and, we’d wager, more than a few Burqueños willing to wait in line for a solid sandwich.
Just as we had gotten excited about the reopening of the Greenside Cafe in the East Mountains, we got word that said reopening was extremely short-lived and the one-time stalwart is once again closed, possibly for good.
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Today from 2 to 7 pm, the Green Jeans Farmery—Albuquerque’s first food hall and the city’s introduction to shipping-container construction, along with tight turns and awkward parking—celebrates its tenth birthday. While there, you can sample one of those Stackers burgers, find out if Amore is still making good pizza, drink an NMX Standard, and, possibly, walk away with a new dog.
Fusion Tacos, Vigilante Pizza, and LocCo Dogs will be serving food tomorrow at the Los Luceros Fall Festival. There will be performances from the good people at Moving Arts Española, science-y fun for kids, and, we can only hope, a sweet fall crispness in the air.
Tomorrow evening, The Kitchen Table Santa Fe hosts Sunday at Grams, a communal supper with an Italian menu prepared by Chef Michael Dooley, with a portion of the proceeds going to the International Folk Art Market.
And if you’re feeling flush and have the kind of job (or not-job) that allows for drinking sake all Tuesday afternoon, consider tickets for Izanami’s Santa Fe Sake Day on September 23.
Thursday, September 25, co-owner and chef Jason Greene of The Grove Cafe and Market will be partnering with sous-chef Juan Restrepo and the rest of their team to prepare a five-course dinner inspired by the harvest. Seating is limited, so snag a seat while you still can.
Also September 25, at the Albuquerque Social Club, NM ChileJang and Bloom & Flour Pastry are joining forces as Pocha Y Pan. Bulgogi cheeseburgers, muchim dogs, and cookie sandwiches made with mascarpone will be among the unusual treats on offer.
Friday, September 26, Pig & Fig Café in White Rock hosts a Tablas Creek Vineyards Wine Dinner, with Tablas Creek’s Darren Delmore in the flesh and a six-course menu that includes duck rillette, braesola carpaccio, chocolate domes, and, of course, carefully selected wines. These dinners sell out quick so reserve seats soon if you want ‘em!
Muertos y Marigolds is hosting several workshops in preparation for the South Valley Día de los Muertos Celebration and Marigold Procession, including one at Working Classroom in Barelas next Saturday, September 27, for making sugar skulls.
That same evening, the Rio Grande Community Farm Market takes place in Albuquerque’s North Valley. Alongside growers selling flowers, beans, tomatoes, and other fruits of the earth, Golden Ladle Catering will be serving Burmese food—which you’ll be hard put to find another day at another place in our fair state.
Also next weekend, the Manzano Mountain Apple Festival kicks off. If you like tiny cows and donkeys, face painting, and taco zones, consider heading up into the mountains one of these weekends (the festival runs through October 19). Just don’t go expecting to climb ladders and trees or pick apples; this is more of a pick-an-apple-out-of-a-bin situation.
The New Mexico Restaurant Association hosts their annual Hospitality Industry Awards September 29 at the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown. This year’s theme is Havana Nights, and nominees for Chef of the Year include names you surely know alongside some underdog culinary artists. This might be your only chance to see someone crowned Manager of the Year too.
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Will Free Ben & Jerry’s ultimately be as successful as Free Britney was? We won’t bet on this one, but we’ll note that “Ben’s” or, worse, “Magnum’s” wouldn’t quite have the same ring for the Ice Cream Brand That Changed the World (Or, At Least, Tried). Eater’s Bettina Makalintal reports on Jerry’s challenge to Unilever here.
Rosé season is nearing its end; lest you miss it altogether, consider Michele Padberg’s rosé recommendations from New Mexico wineries. Because late summer, too, can feel pretty Mad Hatter–esque in the Land of Enchantment.
| | Got a tip? Wish we knew about your favorite bakery/brewery/hole-in-the-wall? Give us a shout! | |
Mission
The Bite satisfies a hunger for provocative, artful, community-minded, diverse stories about the raw, the cooked, the distilled & the fermented. We strive for inclusion and a wide range of perspectives in our coverage of the New Mexico food and drink industry, sparking readers to veer out of their comfort zones and into the open territory of the region’s culinary landscape.
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