New Mexico’s thriving gallery scene moves from strength to strength with various artist shows through fall of 2025, and beyond. TABLE contributor Natassja Santistevan suggests some key shows to put on your list.
Jocelyn Salaz: Encountering Masculinity September 25 – November 1, 2025 Reception and Artist Talk: Saturday, October 18, 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Salaz’s intricate quilts and embroidered works open a dialogue on masculinity through the lens of gender as performance. Each textile piece becomes a vivid stage for storytelling, where layered fabric and thread convey complexity, vulnerability, and identity. With detailed handwork and bold imagery, Salaz transforms traditional craft into a powerful medium for exploring the fluid nature of gender roles. The result is both visually striking and deeply introspective.
Jackie Beckman: Shape of Things to Come Opens August 22, 2025 Artist reception: August 22, 5-8 pm
Beckman’s Shape of Things to Come invites viewers into a world of kiln-cast, cold-worked glass transformed by abstract urban imagery. Her shapes jumble together snapshots of buildings, bridges, and cityscapes into a vivid, emotional blur— capturing the beauty and chaos of metropolitan life. Experience the vibrant pulse of a city reimagined through glass.
Mud, Bone, Blood, Ice August 30, 2025 – November 30, 2025 Opening Reception: Saturday, August 30, 4:00 – 8:00 pm
A dynamic and immersive exploration of human life and the environmental relationships that come with it, this multi-disciplinary experience features four renowned artists: Johanna Case-Hofmeister, Perri Lynch Howard, Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich (Koyukon Dené and Iñupiaq), and Robert King (Chahta Okla and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma). Mud, Bone, Blood, and Ice uses an array of materials such as installation, sculpture, sound, and photography to embrace indigenous knowledge and challenging beliefs, allowing the viewer to reflect and observe the transformations of life.
Judy Tuwaletstiwa: Fracti.Totum August 30 – Oct. 4, 2025 Opening Reception, Saturday, August 30, 4-6 pm
Renowned artist Judy Tuwaletstiwa returns with Fracti.Totum, a powerful new collection featuring kiln-fired glass on canvas, mixed media, and works on paper. These pieces serve as quiet meditations on the human condition, where material and meaning are inseparable. Through layered surfaces and abstract forms, Tuwaletstiwa invites viewers into an ongoing conversation about memory, presence, and transformation. The work resonates as both artifact and witness — holding space for what words cannot fully express.
Dietmar Busse: The Forest Has 1000 Eyes September 20 – October 25, 2025 Artist Reception: September 20, 5-8 pm
Busse’s work delves into themes of family, identity, and transformation through vivid self-portraits, camera-less chemical paintings, and expressive bird imagery. An extension of his previous series, his work blends the personal with the symbolic in scenes that teeter between tenderness and turmoil. Layered with emotion and visual intensity, Busse’s portraits — both human and avian — convey vulnerability, performance, and the desire to be seen.
George Rodriguez crafts richly adorned ceramic figures that merge intricate detail with cultural storytelling. His vibrant sculptures often engage with sociopolitical themes, grounding personal expression in broader communal narratives. With bold color and symbolic ornamentation, Rodriguez breathes life into clay, transforming each piece into a compelling reflection of identity, tradition, and social dialogue.
Suemura Shobun: A Retrospective August 29 – October 2, 2025
TAI Modern closes its season with a retrospective honoring Japanese bamboo master Suemura Shobun (1917–2000). Known for his signature seashell-inspired forms, Shobun skillfully incorporated black bamboo from Kyushu, creating works that reflect both innovation and tradition. Rooted in his Osaka heritage, this exhibition celebrates the legacy of a visionary artist whose elegant craftsmanship continues to resonate.
Story by Natassja Santistevan Photos of the Galleries
The idea is simple: food that is expertly cooked, doesn’t cost a fortune, and comes with a welcome that feels genuine, because it is. Heather Sellers – half of the husband and wife team at Horno – puts it simply, “fine food, not fine dining.” That’s a motto that she and Chef David Sellers live by.
Horno in Santa Fe Focuses on Delicious Food and Prime Hospitality
Horno opened in 2021. The owners saw an opportunity for an upscale, moderately priced restaurant in downtown Santa Fe. A place that would welcome visitors and locals alike. Somewhere you could find, as Chef David Sellers sees it, “the best food for not a crazy expensive price” with a wine list that matches that value. “And I think there is,” Sellers says, “because it worked.”
Sellers hails from the Northeast but his family comes from North Carolina, and he recognizes the influence of Southern cooking and hospitality on what he does at Horno. “I learned a lot, you know, from the Southern ways.” Growing up, he had a job as a dishwasher while in high school and then worked as a baker to help pay for college in New Hampshire.
He moved to California to become a professional musician but instead fell in love with cooking. Alice Waters and the innovative farm-to-table approach at Chez Panisse changed the way he thought about food. “Her stuff just really grabbed me,” he says. Eventually he made his way to Santa Fe where he landed a job at SantaCafe and worked his way up the ranks. It’s also where he met his wife Heather, who worked front of house.
It’s not surprising that the food and hospitality at Horno are so generous. Both Heather and David spent years working in non-profits and their commitment to giving back to their community is clear and powerful. They bring an unfussiness to Horno and an intimacy to dining that feels familial, whether you’re eating solo at the bar or with friends at a table inside or out.
Equal Parts Experience and Hard Work
While those indoor tables are reserved for online bookings, outdoors are available for walk-ins. It means that during warm weather a petite restaurant can increase capacity by thirty percent. “It’s a complete game changer for this restaurant, it’s huge,” Sellers says. It’s a smart move but then everything at Horno feels well-considered. The kitchen is minute so every inch is maximized and the flow of cooking – what’s cooked and how – is paramount. “Just as much thought goes into how you’re going to execute the dish as actually creating the dish,” he says. Located just off the bar, there is a calmness to the kitchen which is reflected in a calmness in the dining room. It feels effortless but like everything at Horno it is the result of equal parts experience and hard work.
When I asked Sellers who influenced his cooking career, he cited Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower, who got his start at Chez Panisse. But he lights up most when he mentions Marc Vetri, chef and founder of Philadelphia’s critically acclaimed Vetri Cucina. “He’s just constantly refining. He never stops,” Sellers says. He adds, “He’s still completely authentic. He’s never sold out in anyway whatsoever. You know, it’s just awesome. I just love people like that.”
Listening to Sellers talk about Vetri, it strikes me that the same thing could be said about him, his approach, and the mission of Horno. It’s the idea that exceptional dining shouldn’t be reserved for only the very wealthy. Food, not flash. It’s as Heather puts it, “Food for the people.” And Sellers delivers that. One dish, one plate, one memorable meal at a time.
What’s on the Menu at Horno?
Grilled Duroc Saltimbocca Pork Chop
A twist on the classic Italian saltimbocca but instead of the traditional pork scallopine, Sellers opts for a much juicer, bone-in heritage breed Duroc pork chop. A mix of farro, broccoli, and baby carrots adds crunch, while a perfectly balanced caper, sage, and preserved lemon sauce adds not only creaminess from the butter but also zing from the lemon, taking this saltimbocca to exalted heights.
Grilled Pork Belly Tostadas with Sriracha Aioli and Salsa Macha
This dish is a close relative to one that won Horno the taco wars in Santa Fe. Like all dishes at Horno, it’s perfectly balanced and features one of Sellers’ favorites – salsa macha that he makes with toasted Morita chiles. “It’s a very complex, delicious sauce,” he says. The pork is braised first, then grilled so it has a crispy exterior and melting interior. A pickled onion salad breaks through the fat and adds a welcome bite of acidity.
Roasted Beet with Pumpkin Seed-Piñon Granola and Tofu Feta
This vegan dish is a firm favorite of diners whether they’re vegan or not. Roasted yellow Chioggia beets are paired with hearty greens, cucumber, and then an addictive pumpkin seed and piñon granola that adds welcome crunch to the dish. Tofu ‘feta cheese’ (try it – you will be a convert) and a dill vinaigrette bring the whole dish together. It’s been on the menu since the day Horno opened and thankfully shows no sign of going anywhere soon.
Tuna Tartare on a Crispy Risotto Cake with Warm Anchovy Butter
Start with the finest, sushi grade tuna, dice it, and then introduce it to ingredients normally seen in beef tartare: Dijon mustard, lemon juice, fresh herbs and olive oil. Serve it on top of a warm, crispy risotto cake and then anoint it liberally with an anchovy butter sauce. The result is a delightful play between hot and cold, “And it always kind of takes people back – they’re shocked at first – and then love it.”
Chocolate Tahini Torte with Almond Caramel
It’s rich, it’s elegant, and it’s vegan. Sellers creates culinary magic with his take on a chocolate torte that he makes with coconut oil and tahini – a paste made from ground sesame seeds – and a lush almond caramel. A strawberry coulis adds drama and a light counterpoint to the depth of the chocolate. It’s finished with vegan meringues for a dessert that is a fitting end to a sublime meal.
Words by Julia Platt Leonard Photography by Tira Howard
As American as apple pie, or huckleberry or blueberry, or key lime piled high with whipped cream, or perhaps pumpkin glazed with glossy caramel? How about dark chocolate pudding enveloped in whipped meringue? Or pecan with the subtle warmth of New Mexican red chile, or nuts with bourbon, apples, carrots and a touch of maple syrup?
Pie-Eyed and Happy About It!
We brought together 10 passionate pie people at the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum for our TABLE Magazine pie bake-off. Half of our 10 were pros and half were home bakers. They came from all backgrounds and walks of life, united in pastry. Gil Garduño, founder of New Mexico Gastronome blog and website, and one of our state’s most astute eaters, joined me to judge this jewel-like collection of pastries to award the Pros’ Choice Awards. A small group of the public were able to select People’s Choice winners at this pie-palooza, too. Enjoy the photos, or make your own life a little sweeter by re-creating one of their recipes.
TABLE Magazine’s Pie Bake-Off Contestants and Recipes
Sara Breckenridge-Sproat’s winning pie was pecan! She scented it with red chile in a buttery crust enhanced with sweet little pastry autumn leaves. Her husband David loves heat with sweet. By adding our local hot stuff to her classic holiday pecan pie, and this winning combo was born.
Sara retired to Santa Fe in 2017 after three decades of military service as an Army nurse with the rank of Colonel. She met her husband, an Army family medicine practitioner, in her first post, at Fort Lewis in Washington State. When Sara married, a savvy friend implored her to master pie crusts. Her friend stated that they weren’t as tough to prepare as they were made out to be. And that the results were a heck of a lot more delicious than tasteless frozen grocery store versions. Sara has been baking her own buttery pie shells ever since, along with cookies, and a crusty sourdough too. She doubled down on baking during Covid and says that the couple hasn’t bought commercial bread since 2020.
A Santa Fe friend whose young son Susan Farrington Schepens babysat saw our call for bakers and urged Susan to enter. Susan has been baking since her childhood in Saratoga Springs, NY, where her mom and grandmother were her baker models. In high school, she enrolled in a “trades” curriculum her junior and senior years, and loved the baking coursework. After relocating to Knoxville, TN, she took more pastry classes for the sheer enjoyment of it, later passing that love on to her two daughters, Erika and Kara. Initially, it was Kara who showed the most interest and talent for baking.
When a horrible accident took Kara’s life, Susan abruptly stopped baking, because the associated memories were simply too painful. After Susan and her husband moved to Santa Fe nine years ago, she had an inkling that a return to baking might help her heal. She took some classes in Santa Fe Community College’s Culinary Arts Program and, indeed, did find making pie crust therapeutic. Her favorite pies are autumnal ones like pecan and the beautifully domed apple pie she made for us. Susan notes that her daughter Erika has now become an avid baker of bread. Susan feels blessed that the family tradition will indeed continue on.
Dr. Ron Bronitsky grew up in Albuquerque helping his mother bake. Some 30 years ago, he entered a blueberry pie in the New Mexico State Fair’s baking competition. He was stunned and delighted when he won a blue ribbon. That hooked him on baking competitions. He was a contestant on the Netflix series, Blue Ribbon Baking Championship. Ron says his goal was to avoid being the first person eliminated. He accomplished that, and then some.
The retired pulmonary critical care specialist mentions that his science background has played a role in his continual experimentation with baking formulas and ingredients and their proportions. He created his “autumn harvest” pie just for this event. It was popular for its creative and delicious mix of nuts, apples, carrots, maple syrup, and more. His flaky crust earned praise, too. Ron is also the reigning grand champion, three years running, of the fall Pie Town Pie Festival.
Brad Furry was an impressionable 11-year-old when a chocolate mousse in Paris opened his mind to the world of cooking and baking. He had been sent by his parents from Durango to live with some French friends for the school year. It was a rough adjustment initially, given his age and the wildly different environments. However, he credits that year with being the best life-altering experience ever. The mother in his French family taught him to make her deeply dark and satisfying mousse. He has used her recipe ever since.
Now a Santa Fe realtor and a rancher with his husband Bradyn, Brad often bakes for his four sons as well as friends who look forward to his Christmas Bundt cakes, in particular. His “rich, decadent, indulgent” chocolate pudding pie with stunning swirled meringue has a charming story behind it. At the time that Bunny Terry was stepping down as longtime chair of the New Mexico Cancer Foundation, Brad heard her reminiscing about the chocolate pie her late mother used to make. He resolved to make a similar pie to thank Bunny for her years of volunteer work. That the pie had its genesis in the mousse of decades ago made it all the sweeter. We were thrilled he recreated it for TABLE.
Missy Auge is employed in the hospitality trade but, not as a baker or food professional. She’s currently the wine director working at Bishops’ Lodge Resort in Tesuque. Credit a father who loved apple pie, and a sister whose Rio Rancho fruit trees are always prolific, for Missy’s version of the all-American favorite. Growing up in Belen, she also had two grandmothers who baked, one of whom was a local home economics instructor.
Missy moved to New York after college but found her way back to New Mexico in her mid-20s. She had a several-year run as owner of modern Italian eatery, Tanti Luce, in downtown Santa Fe. Her chef at the time was very “into” wine, which became her passion as well. In her professional life today, she’s certified through the Court of Masters as Wine Director/Sommelier for Bishop’s Lodge. Tasters praised her pie’s balance of sweet and tart fruit flavors, along with its flaky crust. Her apple pie was described as a “classic autumn comfort — simple, elegant, rustic.”
Unlike most of our bakers, Myra Dalland was not drawn to baking through family, or even early in life. She was in her 20s in New York and had taken a restaurant server job. On several occasions, when the chef was working on new dishes, he asked the staff to taste when he thought “something” was missing. She tasted and rather meekly made a few suggestions. The chef thought she was right in each instance and eventually exclaimed that she should become a cooking consultant.
When she moved to Tesuque a decade ago, she started a business making cookies that were gluten-free and low on the glycemic index, but high in flavor and texture. She eventually expanded into individual-size chicken-green chile pies as well as dessert pies. She sold them through Santa Fe area grocery stores until her recent retirement. The judges particularly loved the caramel-pecan topping she added to her pumpkin pie.
Maribel Ortiz credits her mentor, former Santa Fe Bite owner, Bonnie Eckre, with teaching her all about baking. “Mari” started with the well-known eatery as a busser and food runner but was fascinated with the array of pies and cakes that Bonnie whipped up in the kitchen while husband John cooked the Bite’s famous burgers. By the time the Eckres transferred ownership to current partners, Mari’s husband Armando and Angela Mason, Mari had fully taken over the baking.
Maribel Ortiz pictured with her husband Armando Rives and Angela Mason, co-owners of Santa Fe Bites
Mari and Armando first met while working at La Fonda on the Plaza. They had both come to Santa Fe from Coahuila, Mexico but she laughs that she was a country girl and he, a city kid. Today, they have a daughter who also works with them at Santa Fe Bite. Mari particularly likes making cream pies, such as the key lime dream she whipped up for our competition. Judges found it “perfection in sight,” and “nicely tart, the essence of key lime pie.”
Growing up in Chicago, Rebecca Freeman first cooked and baked with her Italian grandmother. At an early age, she decided to tackle a bûche de noël as a baking project, and the satisfaction she received from that experience hooked her. She graduated with a Culinary Arts degree from Kendall College in Chicago and staged at restaurants there including Alinea. Rebecca came to Santa Fe in 2012 for what was to be a three-day visit with her sister. While in town, she landed a job at Geronimo and never went back. She also worked as a pastry chef at Compound Restaurant and later at The Club at Las Campanas. In 2023, Rebecca was honored as the American Culinary Federation’s National Pastry Chef of the Year. These days, she’s Executive Pastry Chef for both Coyote Café and Santacafé.
Rebecca loves making pies at home and always bakes a fruit-filled one for her husband’s birthday. She chose to flavor her huckleberry pie with merlot wine for its red fruit-forward notes. Judges especially complimented the pie’s “magnificent” butter crust.
Keegan Crumpacker grew up in the family business. His mom Amy started Crumpacker’s in the mid-1980s, first making pies and pastries to sell at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market. For a large portion of his childhood, the family kitchen was also the certified commercial kitchen for the business, so he thought it perfectly normal to grow up with a restaurant-style range and walk-in freezer. The buttery pie dough recipe, the crimp of its edge, and the topping of turbinado sugar are all signatures that date back to Keegan’s great-grandmother. The raspberry-rhubarb pie he made for this event was one of the very first pies the family created for market because they had a huge rhubarb patch, and several farmers raised raspberries, which made a beautiful rosy filling together.
Keegan works as a Cooking with Kids educator and coordinator and has run the bakery business now for nearly two decades. He sells the pies — both sweet and chicken with green chile — breads, cookies, preserves, cold-pressed juices and more at the Saturday Santa Fe Farmers’ Market, and during the summer months, at the Thursday Los Alamos Farmers’ Market and Albuquerque’s Sunday Railyard Market. Amy still helps out baking pies by hand a couple of days each week, and now Keegan’s teenage daughter is getting into baking, too.
As a small child growing up in Santa Fe, Karina Lira watched her mother make elaborate cakes for quinceañeras and weddings. She was often enlisted as the dishwasher for those projects. As Karina grew up, she got to help with the preparations, which led her to enroll in the Santa Fe Culinary Arts Program, where she recently graduated. In the interim, she has worked as a pastry chef at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado, and now at Harry’s Roadhouse, where she makes scads of layer cakes and pies, like the luscious blueberry she prepared for us. When she’s not baking, she loves hiking around her Rio Rancho neighborhood with her husband and their dog, Deebo.
Special thanks to the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum for hosting us as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Spanish Colonial Arts Museum.
Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison Photos by Tira Howard Food Styling by Julia Platt Leonard Shot on location at the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum
There is a welcome bite in the air. We gladly turn our thoughts to cozy fires and leisurely dinners with our nearest and dearest. We also turn our thoughts to local shops in New Mexico! Where else would we find eye-catching finery to wear as well as the season’s must-haves to make home and hearth a welcome retreat.
For over 50 years, Peyote Bird has been the source for outstanding vintage and contemporary jewelry. Their mission is to celebrate the work of the finest artisans of the Southwest. Layered groupings of necklaces and cuffs create a timeless look that honors craftsmanship and timeless design.
Channel the spirit of the Southwest with this classic denim shirt with intricate golden embroidery. This rugged and refined design goes easily from the rodeo to a night out on the town.
For 40 years, Goler Fine Imported Shoes has been the go-to Santa Fe boutique for shoes. They also offer clothing and accessories for both men and women. Go funky or keep it classic, like these suede loafers.
A must-have double hoop design in .925 sterling silver. Perfect to wear with something dressy or for a low-key weekend trip to the farmers’ market. Pair them with a sterling silver ring set with turquoise and coral.
Ohkay Owingeh artist Clarence Cruz uses traditional methods and micaceous clay to create a dough bowl that is both functional and elegant. Linear etchings line the rim of the bowl. This piece can work happily in your kitchen or elsewhere a work of art.
Skilled artisans use sustainably sourced wood from the Jemez Mountains and the Santa Fe National Forest. They craft clean lines and details into this Alamosa bench, and finish it to meet your design specifications. Each piece is unique and part of Pfeifer’s commitment to environmentally responsible furniture design.
Donated glass bottles get the upcycle treatment that results in these charming – and practical – terrazzo-style coasters that come in a set of four. Their sustainable origins mean you can shop guilt-free at BAGR’s new Santa Fe shop on Delgado: you’re helping to keep glass out of the landfill.
Julie Newberg uses clay from Albuquerque to create organic tableware that feels like a slice of the desert landscape. Limited edition paint brushes from Beam Paints in M’chigeeng First Nation deploy traditionally harvested deer bristles, hand-carved handles of wild verdant white cedar wood, and details of real buckskin.
Los Påjaros Napkins are based on original designs by Jessie Baca in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Each napkin is hand-printed on 100% organic Indian cotton and hand-finished with a folded flat hem. Napkins are available in three colors: Cerrillos Turquoise, Dusty Rose, and Chamisa Yellow.
Santa Maria Provisions
Add a bit of the desert to your next drinks bash with these cactus-shaped bottle openers. They’re made of durable, sturdy metal.
Color your table in a sea of azure with mouth-blown glassware from Detours. Choose from drinks glasses that are the perfect size for everything from water to wine to a cocktail or daintier ones with charming fluted detailing.
A glass mug replete with a fine mesh infuser, and a ceramic lid so you have everything you need to brew the perfect cup of tea. The lid even does double duty as a drip tray for the infuser. The cup holds 14 ounces of your favorite loose leaf tea and comes with lids in a choice of colors.
In ‘Mountain River’, a work by artist John Axton, a yellow line meanders, leading your eye through a field of blue to a yellow-green horizon. There is a meditative quality to the work of Axton – an artist who has been with Ventana Fine Art Gallery since it opened over 40 years ago.
Slip into the season with this blue-on-blue cable knit sweater vest from Robert Young of The Cloth, the luxury fashion house based in the Caribbean. The oversized indigo vest is paired with block printed cotton blouse – also from The Cloth – for a casual yet ultra-sophisticated look.
For over 50 years, TL at Home has been a women-owned and operated firm creating luxurious bed linen like this stone-washed Toni Spice coverlet. Made in Portugal from a blend of cotton and linen, it’s machine washable and will retain its size and color for many years of fuss-free pleasure.
Add a touch of style and relaxed comfort to your autumnal wardrobe with this corduroy utility jacket paired with slim boot cut pants. Both are from DL 1961, a design group that puts sustainability at the forefront whether it’s using responsibly sourced fabrics or ensuring the most water efficient production processes.
Founded in 2007 by designer Stephanie Housley, Coral & Tusk embroidered textiles bring a bit of whimsy to your home. Each design starts life – whether it’s fanciful squirrels, feathers, or charming bears holding a pine cone – as an original pencil drawing by Housley that is then translated to cloth.
Trace the line of bright light that ripples through the amber layers of this breathtaking cat’s eye tourmaline ring. It is a majestic 13.4 cts with a 22 kt gold bezel and a lightly peened shank. Truly a thing of beauty to treasure.
Reticello – meaning small net in Italian – is a highly complex technique that was refined by Venetian glass workers as far back as the 16th century. Dante Marioni is a master of this challenging art form. His piece Black Reticello Gourd has sensuous curves and arresting splashes of blue at both the lip and handles, making this a one-of-a-kind work of art.
As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, a cozy fire is in order. The Firebird stocks Pilgrim Hearth Tools, a company that has been in business for over 75 years. The sets are extremely sturdy – ready for heavy-duty use – while adding an elegant touch to your fireplace. The Firebird stocks a wide range of tool sets from Pilgrim and also does custom orders.
The River Flow rug is inspired by nature with a cracked-stone pattern so you can transform any room into a tranquil oasis. While stylish, it’s durable and perfect for high-traffic areas throughout your home.
Your wardrobe is set with these two standout pieces from Comme Des Garçons. The skirt is black and silver silk with abstract print and a tulle petticoat. It’s paired perfectly with a textural rear-zip cotton jacket.
Now in its 34th year, the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta is a beloved Santa Fe institution. It brings together 90 wineries, 70-plus restaurants, some of Santa Fe’s finest chefs, and thousands of very hungry – and thirsty – guests who come for everything from tastings and seminars to cooking demonstrations and crowd-pleasers like Chile Friday, Rosé All Day, and the Grand Tasting. We pay homage to this fall fixture with a look at six of the people who will make this year’s festival one you’ll never forget.
The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta Team
Mary Hallahan, Executive Director, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta
Some careers follow a straight line; others grow more organically. Mary Hallahan, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, has taken the latter road. Summers spent working at the Tanglewood Festival in the Berkshires seeded her interest in events and hospitality. “Every time I came back, I came back with a different perspective and experience,” she says. With each subsequent job she says, “I picked up different skills and different interests. I started to think about what the hospitality community was like.”
It’s that love of food, wine, and people that fuelled her years at the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival and led her to SFWCF. It’s the diversity of her skillset – a rare combination of right brain and left – that makes her a natural for the role. “There isn’t a piece of it that I don’t thoroughly enjoy. Everything brings me joy.” Born and raised in the northeast, Santa Fe was an unknown when she arrived four years ago, but it didn’t take long before she was hooked. “I was like, wow, this is really a community.”
Advice for guests at this year’s fiesta? Take in the wine seminars where you learn from industry greats (“the best deal in town”). And the Phenomenal Femmes Luncheon, inspired by an event created by her mentor Marika Vida-Arnold, holds a special place in her heart. “When I talk about community being the driver that brought me here, this is my vision of what that is.”
Nicole Carter, President of Roederer Collection USA Merry Edwards, SFWCF Winery of the Year
Nicole Carter on right, pictured with winemaker Heidi von der Mehden on left.
Carter is a storyteller, and the stories she tells are ones of grapes and earth and the people who tend them. “Not only does wine tell a story from year to year, but wine tells a story about how it came to be,” she says. This passion was kindled when she was a young wine steward: “I loved the theatre of it. I loved learning the stories of wine and presenting those to people.” The flame grew warmer when she studied wine at UC Berkeley Extension. “I never looked back. That was 28 harvests ago,” she laughs.
Today at Merry Edwards Winery and Vineyards in the Russian River Valley of California, she works closely with winemaker Heidi von der Mehden. “I consider her my true partner in everything we do at Merry Edwards,” she says. And, of course, Merry Edwards herself, who started the winery, is still involved. In fact, Carter’s favorite of the Merry Edwards’ vineyards is Meredith, named after Merry Edwards. “Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but the wine from that vineyard is elegant and distinctive.”
This year, SFWCF has chosen Merry Edwards at its winery of the year, an honor that isn’t lost on Carter. “Considering the caliber of the wineries that come to pour each year and the elite culinary talent in Santa Fe, we are thrilled to be part of this 34th annual celebration,” she says.
Evan Martin, Founder and Winemaker, Martin Woods
There’s more than a touch of wanderlust in Evan Martin. But today he’s firmly rooted in McMinnville, Oregon in the foothills of the Willamette Valley where he is the heart and soul of Martin Woods Winery. Where does the name come from? “I’m Evan Martin and I live very much in the woods,” he says simply. “The setting is like a sanctuary in a native oak forest that’s just outside of the town of McMinnville, but it feels a world away.”
He’s been fascinated by wines and wine making for much of his life and started making his own wines in 2014. “I thought I would make taut, fresher, more elegant, brighter styles of white that reminded me more of French wines.”
He’s constantly pushing himself to make wine that truly speaks of the land. “How can I really master this and how can I do this the best I possibly can?” he asks. “You’re listening to the innate voice that a vineyard wants to express.” There is no downtime but you might find Martin at his other venture, the HiFi Wine Bar, a McMinnville wine community hang-out. “It’s a place people can go and draw inspiration by drinking great wines in an atmosphere of phenomenal music and just fun.”
Martin’s other roots are in Santa Fe, dating back to his great grandfather (Martin himself lived and worked here in 2006), so he’s excited to return for this year’s fiesta. “The landscape of northern New Mexico, kind of really grabs me. It feels like coming home.”
Special thanks to the Skyrailway for hosting our photoshoot on the Acoma with Chef Pontiggia.
Thank Cristian Pontiggia’s mom for his becoming a chef. Both grandparents were excellent cooks – his grandfather’s Venetian liver and his grandmother’s pasta and desserts were legend. His Mom? “My Mom – she’s not really a good cook,” he says. So Pontiggia started cooking at the age of 8. “Nobody’s too young to cook.” But he admits loving his mom’s lasagna. “Analyze it like a chef and it’s the worst lasagna. Analyze it like a son, and it’s the best.”
Pontiggia studied at an art academy in Italy but food was his true love, lured by the feeling that each time you cook there is the possibility of magic. “You made that dish one time and it’s gone and you have to make it again and again, but it’s never going to be exactly the same,” he says. He’s worked in restaurants around the world before he met his wife on a trip to New Mexico and never left.
Cooking starts in his mind first and then onto the plate. “Experimentation is my favorite part.” Also the joy of the diner. “It’s something about when you see people eating and they kind of look up, and you know you did it right.” Pontiggia has been part of SFWCF for around 15 years and says there’s nothing like it. It’s the camaraderie and community, he says. “It’s something different!”
You might wonder if George Gundrey’s blood is red or green. No matter the color, chile runs deep in his veins. He grew up doing homework in a booth at Tomasita’s – the restaurant his mom Georgia took over from the original Tomasita. Soon he was washing dishes or busing tables at his dad’s restaurant on Cerrillos Road. “My mom was paying me $1 an hour to bus tables at Tomasita’s and my dad said, ‘Well, I’ll pay you $2.50 an hour to wash dishes.’ And I said, ‘See you later, Mom!’”
By the time he was in high school, he’d done every job except bartend. “I’ve made the guacamole, I’ve grated the cheese, all that stuff.” After time in California and work in non-profits, he came back to Santa Fe and wanted to run his own business. “I came to really understand how important all businesses are, especially locally owned businesses for the community.”
He opened Atrisco then later took over Tomasita’s. He bought a farm in Villanueva, New Mexico in 2006 and the following year became Executive Director at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market, a role he held for two years. He’s been involved with SFWCF for 15 years (Tomasita’s has been taking part for around 30) and for him, it’s all about community. “The appeal for us is just maintaining that connection with everybody.”
Kathleen Crook was raised with two guiding principles: you work hard, play hard and whatever you start, you finish. She was picking cucumbers on the family farm by the age of five. “It formed me as a human. It formed me as a chef,” she says of her upbringing. As for the food? “They were eating farm to table before it was cool,” she laughs. Home was Artesia, New Mexico, where she was surrounded by family. “They say it takes a village, and it definitely took a village to raise me, for sure,” she laughs.
Growing up, rodeo was her passion, and in 1997 she won the American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) Breakaway Roping title (the saddle she was awarded resides proudly at Market Steer Steakhouse). It was while working on her mom’s ranch that she saw a Scottsdale Culinary Institute infomercial. “And I was like, I’m going to do that.” She applied, was accepted, sold her truck, trailer, and horses, bought a car, and moved to Scottsdale.
She’s been cooking ever since and still can’t get enough of it. She describes herself as a minimalist when it comes to cooking. “If you’ve got really great vegetables, for example, you don’t need to do much to them. You just need to help them.” Crook is a huge SFWCF fan and confesses to over-committing. Her favorite? Rosé all day which is the last event. “It’s just a bit more chilled and always fun.”
Story by Julia Platt Leonard Principal photography by Gabriella Marks
This beloved annual event is a star of Santa Fe’s fall calendar. Celebrating the best of Santa Fe’s food and beverage world, over 70 restaurants and 90 winery partners are on hand. They nourish more than 4,000 guests at venues around the city. You will not want to miss any of the delicious sipping, nibbling, or insightful education. Tickets and complete schedule here.
Santa Fe Wine and Chile FiestaChef Gathering
In what has become an annual moment of joy for TABLE Magazine, we worked with Executive Director, Mary Hallahan and the crew at Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta (SFWCF). The wonderful Gabriella Marks captured a “class photo” of this year’s participating chefs. Inn and Spa at Loretto hosted the group. As always, the group’s wonderful sense of humor took over. What you see is just a hint of the delight of hanging out with this crew. Get your tickets organized so that you can experience firsthand the verve, vigor, and talent of this wonderful group.
Who Is in the Photo?
Front Row (Left to Right): Sylvia Lujan, Mario De León, Carlos Calel, Kevin Andrade, Ana, Ever Paz, Carlos Parra, David Flores, Jordan Isaacson, Joshua Nathaniel, Oliver Cortez, Paddy Rawal, Jose Alfredo Rivera, Alejandro Coronado Buzo, Brenda Arias, Yamileth Hernández, Elody Cano, Martha Dominguez, Roberto Perez, Jose Rodriquez, Marvin Santos, Eduardo Rodriguez
2nd Row (Left to Right): Angel R. Franco, Cristian Pontiggia, Dale Kester, Josh Kessel, Cody Castillo, Amilcar (AJ) Henriquez, Kate Holland, Isaak Sork
3rd Row (Left to Right): Noé Cano, Glenis Cal, John Morales, Manuel Fernandez, Missy Auge, Martha Dominguez, Erica Tai, Martin Vazquez, Ziggy Montalvo, Dakota Weiss, Joseph Wrede, David Sellers, Gregory Joseph, José Garcia, Francisco Portuguez, Sergio Rivas, Sergio Arguello, Gilser Galvez Ramos, Fernando Ruiz, Arody Enriquez, Victoria Bruneni, Chris Silvas, Luis Ortiz
4th Row (Left to Right): Molly Mix, Israel Castro, Angel Ruvalcaba, Eric Stumpf, Tony Smith, Mounir Loqmane, Kelly Brunkhorst, Efrain Rosales, Carlos Montalvo, Adrian Martinez, Jeffrey Kaplan, Juan Guerra, Lane Warner, Rafael, Francisco Delgado, Nick Larranga, Alfredo Delgado, Tom Kerpon, Jose Rodriguez, Kathleen Crook, James Crowther III
A few folks who didn’t quite make it into the photo: Ceci, Cristian Barquera, Carlos, Ismael Najera, Alberto (Beto) Bojorquez
Story by Kelly Koepe Photography by Gabriella Marks
At the Tumbleweed Lounge, their elevated version of the Paloma embraces the regional spirit sotol instead of tequila, lending a subtly earthy and herbal character to one of our favorite citrusy cocktails. Crisp sotol blends with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a bright splash of grapefruit/lime oleo saccharum, then is rounded out by a touch of agave for balanced sweetness. Rather than grapefruit soda, they opt for sparkling water to keep things light and effervescent.
A carefully salted or Tajín-rimmed glass adds a savory, contrasting edge. The result is a refined, desert-inspired Paloma that nods to the original’s thirst-quenching roots while celebrating the terroir of New Mexico—with hints of minerality, botanical complexity, and crisp, refreshing sparkle. Sip this one and appreciate the beauty of big skies and mountain vistas in the Land of Enchantment.
The Sotoloma Recipe
The Sotoloma replaces the Paloma’s artificially flavored soda with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, house-made oleo saccharum and Topo Chico … and of course Tumbleweed’s own sotol. As one of Tumbleweed’s best sellers, it will probably stick around for a long time. At home, it could also be a fun party punch. Play up the red chile during autumn and holidays for a nice pop of color, and as the perfect complement to the chile bitters.
Rim a rocks glass with licorice salt and add good sized ice cubes.
In a shaker filled halfway with ice, add agave nectar, oleo saccharum, grapefruit juice, sotol and bitters. Shake for about 10 seconds.
Pour cocktail into the prepared glass and add 3-4 ounces of Topo Chico.
Garnish with dehydrated grapefruit and chile section.
To make grapefruit-lime oleo saccharum:
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel 5 grapefruits and 5 limes avoiding as much of the pith as possible.
Add peels to a jar or container that has a tight-fitting lid and add enough sugar to coat all the peels. Shake the jar or container several times over the course of 30 minutes. There should be very little sugar sitting in the bottom of the container.
Let it sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. There will be a pool of sweet, citrusy oil – (oleo saccharum) at the bottom of the container. Strain the oleo saccharum into a smaller container, keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.
Notes
Cuna de Piedra Smoked Heirloom Chile Bitters and Saltverk licorice salt is available at the Tumbleweed shop, Desert Spoon, and other fine retail stores and online. The sotol is from Tularosa Distillery.
Recipe by Rene Arenas, Tumbleweed Lounge Photography by Dave Bryce
After tasting Hello Sweet Cream’s scrumptious ice cream, it’s not surprising to learn that co-owner Ryan VanderGiesen grew up eating America’s favorite dessert for breakfast in Dodge City, Kansas. “My grandma would let me eat ice cream for breakfast whenever I visited her,” he says. “My dad owned a pharmacy with a soda fountain with red-topped stools, where I also got to eat ice cream. I just love ice cream. I believe in the magic of ice cream.”
Welcome Hello Sweet Cream!
You will, too! Discover Hello Sweet Cream’s small-batch artisan ice cream. Marvel at their range of sublime, handcrafted flavors. We loved Basil Berry Cheesecake Crumble, Gooey Butter Cake, Key Lime Pie and Praline Pecan with Caramel.
What started as a small ice cream parlor that opened in Eldorado in April 2024 has expanded into a second location in Santa Fe’s CHOMP Food Hall that opened one year later. Both spots scoop six flavors, including a non-dairy option such as Moody Coconut, into waffle cones and dishes. Grab and go pints also are available.
Changing Flavors for the Seasons
Many of Hello Sweet Cream’s flavors are seasonal and right now would be a good time to try Apple Green Chile Crumble, a uniquely New Mexico combo dreamed up by VanderGiesen and his husband Ryan Craig, who’s a co-founder and co-owner of Hello Sweet Cream.
“We were talking about a fall flavor and we thought green chile and then, what about apple?” VanderGiesen says. Tinkering with ingredients, they came up with a hit, composed of Hatch green chile, green apples, cinnamon and a crumble made of oats, a medley of nuts, and brown butter. “We use a vintage hand crank peeler to peel the green apples,” says VanderGiesen, proving that Hello Sweet Cream is devoted to nostalgia as much as innovation.
To date, Hello Sweet Cream has crafted 20 flavors, each hand-churned and scooped when fresh. To watch the magic happen, head to the original location. “Eldorado is where we make all the ice cream,” VanderGiesen says.
In homage to VanderGiesen’s grandmother, he and Craig created the Ice Cream for Breakfast flavor. “We took cornflakes and infused them into our sweet cream base and added Frosted Flakes,” he says. When he visited his grandmother back home, he took some of Hello Sweet Cream’s Praline Pecan with Caramel for her to try. “She loved it,” he says, beaming.
Nowhere else will you see a steamroller driving over paper than the Southwest Print Fiesta, one of Silver City’s most popular annual events since it started in 2016. From workshops to gallery exhibitions to a marketplace, the weekend celebration of all things print returns in October.
Southwest Print Fiesta Hits Various venues in Silver City, October 10-13, 2025
“Last year, hundreds of people came from the region, including those from Arizona, Texas and Colorado,” says Kyle Durrie, Fiesta organizer and proprietress of Power & Light Press, Silver City’s print making and retail shop where many events will be held. “The Saturday outdoor Printers’ Market on downtown’s Main Street Plaza will have some 40 vendors offering a wonderful range of handmade items from $5 greeting cards and stickers, screen printed t-shirts and posters, hand-carved block prints on paper and fabric, all the way up to thousand-dollar lithographs. That’s the beauty of printing, it’s very accessible. People can develop a collection by shopping at a festival like this.”
This year, enjoy a special opening night presentation at the historic Silco Theater. Experts will speak on the history of film and how it connects to the history of print. This session sets the tone for a public art project by visiting Massachusetts artist Anna Hepler. She’s leading free community workshops where students will paste their prints on public walls throughout the weekend. Another visiting artist, Daniel Gonzalez from Los Angeles, will be teaching workshops on linoleum carving and typography and leading other community projects as well. Both will be giving talks on Sunday evening.
The crowd-favorite steamroller printing demonstration is an opportunity for four select artists to print their works live on 3×3 foot pieces of linoleum. Artists slather ink, place paper on top, and then call in the steamroller to press it into a print. “It’s all done on the ground outside, and it’s really fun to watch,” says Durrie. “It’s loud and dirty and each print takes a while to do. At the end, the artist keeps one print and the original block. Fiesta keeps one for the archives. One is sold as a fund raiser for the Fiesta.”
James Beard Award-winning author (and all-around great pal of TABLE Magazine) Cheryl Alters Jamison looked at peak fall produce part of her research into what’s delicious season by season. She was stunned by the obvious: it’s pumpkin season, for heaven’s sake! Enjoy a walk through the pumpkin patch with us. Cheryl’s recipes are easy to make, gorgeous to look at, and delightful to eat. What more could we ask for?
The symbol of Haitian independence and the resilience of its people, Haitians traditionally eat joumou on New Year’s Day. Initially, it was cooked by enslaved Africans for their white owners. Since 1804, it has represented freedom and has a UNESCO designation as an official symbol of the country’s cultural heritage. Often joumou is made with a very hefty turban squash, or other sizeable pumpkin. Starting with a can of pumpkin puree allows for a smaller batch of the soup while also eliminating the step of pureeing the pumpkin. You will need to make the pikliz, a piquant relish used in the soup and as an accompaniment, at least a day ahead. It keeps for weeks though, refrigerated.
Fall salads call for a bit of heft, for which chunks of fresh cooked pumpkin are perfect. Combine the pumpkin with bright bits of pomegranate and crumbles of cheese over sturdy greens, and top it all off with more pumpkin in the form of crunchy pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds. You can buy the pepitas, but Cheryl offers instructions for preparing your own, if you wish.
These ravioli and their accompaniments simply sing of autumn. The pumpkin filling is enveloped in wonton wrappers to make large pasta “pillows”. A ravioli crimper or other pastry trimmer can make a decorative edge, but you can also use the tines of a fork to seal the edges. The sage-scented sauce is simple, enriched with toasty brown butter. To make it, melt butter in a skillet, then continue to warm it long enough to color the milk solids and develop a nutty aroma.
Here’s the perfect use for those adorable mini-pumpkins, such as Little Jack Horners or Baby Boos. They look so festive and jaunty with their lids slightly askew when you serve them. These are perfect for a sit-down Sunday dinner with family and friends: they make a great impression and are guaranteed to get the autumn conversation going.
The classic flavors of pumpkin and spice spark international interest each autumn, mostly in the form of overpromoted lattes and scented candles. We toe a more traditional line with this pumpkin cheesecake recipe, which leans nicely into the aromatic baking spices we all love, but pairs them with creamy cheesecake filling and cradles them in a delectable ginger snap crust. If you make one, please call us over. We’ll bring freshly ground coffee beans and our appetites.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison Styling by Anna Franklin Photography by David Bryce
