On View at New Mexico Galleries This Winter

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November 27, 2024

A woman in traditional red native american dress and makeup faces away from the camera, her head looking off to the side and her eyes closed.

Giving Tuesday is the one day of the year where you’re encouraged to give back to the community in one way or another. This year, let us be your guide to organizations within New Mexico that work to support communities through extensive programming and volunteering. All of the places below help create a loving atmosphere where no one is left out. Help be a part of that change and even leave feeling better about yourself at the end of the day.

Your Guide for Giving Tuesday 2024

Santa Fe Opera

Gifts of all sizes to the Santa Fe Opera help support the areas most important to our mission. The Santa Fe Opera works to advance the operatic art form with performances of the highest quality in a unique setting with a varied repertoire of new, rarely performed, and standard works; to ensure the excellence of opera’s future through apprentice programs for singers, technicians and arts administrators; and to foster an understanding and appreciation of opera among a diverse public.  

Southwestern Association for the Arts

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Native arts and cultures. Established nearly a century ago, SWAIA is best known for its flagship event, the Santa Fe Indian Market. Every donation to SWAIA benefits its efforts to promote Native arts and sustain the traditions that make them so unique.

The Food Depot

Established in 1994, The Food Depot aims to make healthy food accessible to communities across nine counties—26,000 square miles—of Northern New Mexico. 

Nonprofit partner agencies and innovative hunger-relief programming provide an average of 700,000 meals each month to more than 40,000 individuals. Resource navigation services and advocacy efforts also support clients as they achieve food security. The Food Depot is proud to be an award-winning and Charity Navigator four-star nonprofit.

Communities in Schools of New Mexico

Communities in Schools of New Mexico works inside high-poverty public schools to surround students and families with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CISNM Student Success Facilitators provide direct services and coordinate community-based resources to support and improve academic achievement, attendance, family engagement and wellbeing, and behavioral health. Last school year, 99% of students receiving intensive support from CISNM stayed in school, and 100% of seniors graduated. 

Cooking with Kids

Cooking with Kids provides free nutrition education programming to over 7,000 public school children in 31 schools in northern New Mexico. Their joyful, hands-on approach to healthy cooking and eating helps kids accept new foods and supports healthy eating efforts at home. Plus CWK’s programs are backed by research (and years of experience) that show when kids help prepare healthy foods, they’re more likely to eat and enjoy them! 

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Since 1997, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum has celebrated the art, life, and independent spirit of Georgia O’Keeffe with visitors from around the world. Your support makes our work possible—from presenting our collections in Santa Fe and Abiquiú to creating free and low-cost art programs that inspire young and old. This Giving Tuesday, please consider making a year-end gift today!

Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. empowers girls to thrive through mentorship, supportive spaces, and impactful programs tailored to their unique challenges. With guidance from our trained staff, girls build confidence, resilience, and the skills to succeed. Community support fuels these experiences, creating opportunities for girls to lead strong, smart, and bold lives. By giving, you support a powerful community of future leaders, helping each girl realize her potential and make a positive impact on the world. 

International Folk Art Market

Founded in 2004, with a mission to create economic opportunities for and with folk artists worldwide while celebrating and preserving folk art traditions, the International Folk Art Market envisions a world that values the dignity and humanity of the handmade, honors timeless cultural traditions, and supports the work of artisans serving as entrepreneurs and catalysts for positive social change.

The annual International Folk Art Market, held in Santa Fe’s Railyard Park, brings together the world’s best folk artists. This year’s market will take place from July 10-July 13, 2025. Tickets go on sale January 1. 

Lightning Boy Foundation

The Lightning Boy Foundation is dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth through traditional hoop dance and cultural education. Founded in memory of Valentino “Tzigiwhaeno” Rivera, the foundation offers classes, mentorship, and performance opportunities to inspire pride and preserve Native traditions. By fostering creativity, resilience, and cultural connection, Lightning Boy Foundation makes a lasting impact on young lives. Consider donating to support the mission and help Indigenous youth thrive through cultural expression and dance.

Museum of International Folk Art

Since its founding in 1953, the Museum of International Folk Art has been a place to connect people through creative expression and cross-cultural understanding. Remaining one of New Mexico’s most popular museums, the museum has gained national and international recognition as home to the world’s largest collection of folk art with some 163,000 objects from more than 150 nations. Help support the work of the museum.

New Mexico School for the Arts

NMSA, based in Santa Fe, is the state’s only four-year, statewide-enrolling, tuition-free public high school, offering young artists a dual-curriculum program that integrates a college-preparatory education with intensive pre-professional arts training. NMSA’s academic programming is funded by NM public school dollars, while its arts training and statewide community engagement programs are directed and funded by NMSA – Art Institute, a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of donors.

Santa Fe Art Institute

The Santa Fe Art Institute forges critical inquiry and cultural exchange among artists, creative practitioners, and the broader community. We support and amplify dynamic artistic practices that engage complex social issues, inspire individual transformation, and inform collective action.2025 is SFAI’s 40th anniversary! Celebrate with us and support our artist residency, open studios, exhibitions, and creative workshops that invite the local community of all ages into meaningful exchange with diverse local, national, and international artists.

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Santa Fe Community College Foundation

Santa Fe Community College Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, has as its mission to provide financial assistance for students to succeed in college, in their communities, and in their lives by removing financial barriers such as tuition, textbooks, transportation, childcare, food, and emergencies. When our students succeed, their families thrive, and our communities prosper. Please consider giving the gift of education to a Culinary Arts student in need.

Santa Fe Soul Festival

Since 2018, the all-volunteer, non-profit Santa Fe Soul Festival has been educating the Santa Fe community about African and African American art and culture. We partner with the City of Santa Fe Cultural Arts Department for an annual Soul Festival that includes a Gospel concert. With the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, we invite the public to a free Juneteenth Picnic. Fulfilling our mission, we sponsor free lectures and performances at schools and other local venues. Please join us!

The Lensic Performing Arts Center

The Lensic Performing Arts Center is Santa Fe’s home for the arts. The state-of-the-art theater presents international and local artists. Their performances speak to the diverse audiences and interests of the community, including music, dance, comedy, lectures, and more. The Lensic is also the state’s largest performing arts education provider. It reaches 13,000 students annually, and programs events throughout New Mexico as Lensic 360. This even includes 50+ free events with the annual Santa Fe Summer Scene program.  

The Spanish Colonial Arts Society

The Spanish Colonial Arts Society is a 99-year-old institution that operates the free admission Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum. It is the only nonprofit in the nation to continually collect and exhibit art of Hispano New Mexico from the 20th and 21st centuries while promoting its cultural heritage and living traditions. Please join us to explore the story of New Mexico through our unique collections and programming. 

The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, located on Museum Hill, offers expansive Indigenous American art exhibits. Plus, it also houses permanent display featuring more than 700 pieces of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry. The museum’s Case Trading Post sells work purchased directly from Native American artists. It’s a destination for those seeking contemporary or vintage jewelry and art. An independent, private museum, donations are always appreciated. Please come visit!

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Giving Guide 2024: Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA)

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November 27, 2024

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Native arts and cultures. Established nearly a century ago, SWAIA is best known for its flagship event, the Santa Fe Indian Market, which has become the largest and most prestigious gathering of Indigenous artists and collectors in the world. The market is more than just an art fair; it is a vibrant celebration of Indigenous art, tradition, and innovation. Through this platform, SWAIA empowers artists to share their work with global audiences, connect with collectors, and sustain their cultural practices, providing opportunities that have a profound impact on their communities.

Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA)

SWAIA’s mission is to bring Native arts to the world by inspiring artistic excellence, fostering education, and creating meaningful opportunities for Indigenous artists and their communities. This mission is evident in the breadth and depth of SWAIA’s initiatives. The Santa Fe Indian Market, for instance, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. It features the works of over 1,000 Indigenous artists from across North America, showcasing traditional and contemporary art forms that generate millions in sales. These revenues directly benefit Native artists and their communities, offering financial stability and encouraging the continuation of cultural practices passed down through generations.

Another signature initiative is the Indigenous Fashion Show, an event that blends traditional design elements with modern fashion to spotlight the innovation and creativity of Native designers. This showcase not only provides designers with global exposure but also challenges stereotypes about Indigenous art and fashion by presenting it as dynamic, contemporary, and relevant. Additionally, SWAIA invests in the next generation of Native artists through youth art competitions and mentorship programs. These initiatives encourage young creatives to explore their artistic talents, connect with mentors, and carry forward their cultural heritage in innovative ways.

SWAIA has also adapted to the changing times by introducing the Virtual Art Market. This online platform enables artists to reach audiences far beyond Santa Fe, giving them year-round visibility and the ability to share their stories with a global community. The virtual platform has been especially impactful in ensuring that Indigenous artists continue to thrive, even during times when in-person events are not feasible.

How You Can Help

There are many ways to get involved with SWAIA and support its mission. Attending the Santa Fe Indian Market is a powerful way to experience the beauty, diversity, and cultural significance of Native art firsthand. Membership with SWAIA provides a year-round connection to its programs while offering exclusive benefits and updates. Volunteering is another meaningful way to contribute, as SWAIA relies on dedicated individuals to help bring its initiatives to life. For those looking to make an even greater impact, financial support through donations or sponsorships is vital. These contributions directly fund programs like artist mentorships, youth initiatives, and educational outreach, ensuring that SWAIA can continue its work of uplifting Indigenous artists and preserving cultural heritage.

Every donation to SWAIA benefits its efforts to promote Native arts and sustain the traditions that make them so unique. By supporting SWAIA, individuals not only help Indigenous artists share their creations with the world but also contribute to the preservation of cultures that have shaped the history of this land. SWAIA serves as a bridge connecting global audiences to the brilliance of Native creativity, and together, we can ensure this legacy thrives for generations to come.

Story and Photography by Southwestern Association for Indian Arts

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Giving Guide 2024: The Food Depot

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November 27, 2024

A man in a baseball hat and sunglasses holds a box with more boxes behind him as someone walks by with a shopping cart.

The Food Depot is a nonprofit organization working to make healthy food accessible to every person in every community in New Mexico. As the food bank for New Mexico’s nine northern counties, their hunger-relief programs and nonprofit partner agencies provide food and resources to more than 40,000 New Mexicans across a 26,000 square-mile service area. Innovative food-bank programs include mobile food pantries and distributions, a no-cost grocery store, food pantries in public schools, and diaper distributions. More than 80 nonprofit partner agencies receive food and resources from this organization, including churches, transitional housing programs, soup kitchens, harm reduction programs, college campuses, shelters, and senior centers. 

The Food Depot

The Food Depot fosters healthy communities by engaging a network of partners and developing solutions to create a healthy, hunger-free New Mexico.   

Their dynamic hunger-relief network provides an average of 700,000 meals each month to seniors, children, and also families experiencing hunger. In FY24, they distributed 10 million pounds of food through partner agencies and programs. The Food Depot ensures client dignity while providing healthy choices. Over 50% of all food distributed is fruits and vegetables; over 20% is protein.

Apart from their mission to providing emergency food, The Food Depot is also develops holistic solutions to food insecurity. Last year, The Food Depot’s Resource Navigators connected over 1,000 people to wraparound services, supporting these individuals on their path toward permanent food security. These services included connecting clients to emergency funds, rental assistance, jobs programs, housing solutions, and their Diaper Depot program, which benefitted over 6,000 babies and their families. In collaboration with government and community partners, The Food Depot also advocates for systematic changes at all levels to help break the cycle of long-term of poverty and food insecurity.  

How They Help the Community

Whether large or small, The Food Depot has a host of opportunities to help create a hunger-free future. Readers are invited to volunteer at the warehouse in Santa Fe, any number of their own food distributions in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties, or at one of their many partner agencies throughout the whole of their service area. To learn more about the extent and challenges of poverty in New Mexico, readers are encouraged to attend The Food Depot’s monthly “Making Ends Meet” class. For those interested in seeing their programs in action, watch their Emmy® nominated short film “Movement,” or take a tour of their warehouse. Anyone is always welcome to support The Food Depot’s work by becoming a business partner, sponsor, individual donor, or also by advocating for hunger-relief at the local, state, and federal level.

The Food Depot relies on individual donations to purchase food and resources for New Mexicans experiencing hunger. Ninety-two cents of every dollar go directly to hunger-relief programming. Every dollar donated to them provides four meals for people facing hunger in Northern New Mexico.  

Story and Photography by The Food Depot

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Giving Guide 2024: Santa Fe Opera

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November 27, 2024

Every July and August since 1957, opera lovers have been drawn to the magnificent northern New Mexico mountains to enjoy productions by one of the world’s premier summer opera festivals. Here, the Santa Fe Opera’s dramatic adobe theater blends harmoniously with the high desert landscape. It is this fusion of nature and art that leaves such an enduring impression on all who come. More than half the audience of 85,000 comes from outside New Mexico, representing every state in the union as well as 25 to 30 foreign countries.

Santa Fe Opera

The Santa Fe Opera’s mission is to advance the operatic art form by presenting ensemble performances of the highest quality in a unique setting with a varied repertoire of new, rarely performed, and standard works; to ensure the excellence of opera’s future through apprentice programs for singers, technicians and arts administrators; and to foster an understanding and then appreciation of opera among a diverse public.

They feature more than 2,000 performances of nearly 170 different operas, including 19 world premieres and over 45 American premieres, among them Lulu, The Cunning Little Vixen, Capriccio and Daphne. Recent premieres include the world premiere of Madame Mao (2003) by Bright Sheng, the American premiere of Thomas Ades’s The Tempest (2006), the American premiere of Tan Dun’s Tea: A Mirror of Soul (2007), the world premiere of The Letter (2009) by Paul Moravec, the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain (2015), the GRAMMY-winning world premiere of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (2017) by Mason Bates and the world premiere of The Thirteenth Child by composer Poul Ruders and librettists Becky and David Starobin.

Volunteers provide a valuable resource for the Santa Fe Opera and their commitment is a great compliment to the company. From seasonal to year-round opportunities, there are many ways to volunteer on and off site!

Help the opera maintain a balanced budget and stay true to our original mission: presenting world-class productions, training apprentice singers and technicians and also developing future audiences by making a gift to our Annual Fund. Maximize your individual contribution through your employer’s Matching Gift Program.

Story and Photography by Santa Fe Opera

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The Ultimate Stuffing Recipe

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webpubpro

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November 18, 2024

Three black bowls hold three servings of stuffing with forks inside each bowl and a red cloth below the bowls.

Renowned Santa Fe-based food writer and recipe creator Cheryl Alters Jamison made a pronouncement recently over a cup of coffee: Stuffing is the only holiday food I dream about all year! As our conversation turned to the complex “stuffing decision making tree” which pits sausage against oysters, sage leaves against juniper berries, and accounts for gluten sensitivities, carnivores, vegetarians and vegans, she decided to craft a recipe for individual ramekins of stuffing, each one suited to the tastes and requirements of the beloved folks around your table.

A Note From Cheryl on Stuffing

I assumed it was just me. Yes, when it comes to the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, it’s really the dressing that truly excites me. Turkey, cranberries, mashed potatoes, oh sure—I look forward to those parts of the holiday meal. However, I’ve always loved, first and foremost, the excuse to eat toasty sage-scented butter-soaked bread. I’ve found plenty of like-minded souls though, over time.

You could prepare the dish with store-bought stock, but honestly, for a meal this important, it’s an occasion to make it from scratch. Consider this a template if you want to tailor the dressing to the needs of the beloveds around your table. Some will prefer sausage, and some oysters. Some will wish for no animal proteins at all. And some will prefer something very herby with sage, and still others dried cranberries or other fruits. Let everyone have it just their way, and bask in the glow of happy faces.

Print

The Ultimate Stuffing Recipe

Author: Cheryl Alters Jamison

Print Recipe

Description

A stuffing for turkey, ham, or beyond.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Stock:

1 lb miscellaneous chicken or turkey necks, backs, wings, or giblets
1 medium onion, chunked
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped

For the Dressing:

10 cups (about 1 pound) ¾-inch cubes of country white bread or French bread
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (for vegan version, use vegan butter)
3 cups thin-sliced leeks
1½ cups thin-sliced celery
4 to 6 oz button or wild mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tsp crumbled dried sage or more to taste
1 ½ tsp dried thyme or dried marjoram, or a combination
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly milled black pepper
Several cups turkey or chicken stock (or vegetarian/vegan stock)
2 large eggs
½ tsp baking powder

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the Stock:

Prepare the stock. Chop the chicken or turkey parts with a cleaver or heavy chef’s knife into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place them in stockpot or large saucepan and cook (without oil) over high heat until they lose their raw look and begin to brown in spots. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and sweat the meat for abut 20 minutes. stirring once or twice and adding the onion and celery after about 10 minutes.
Uncover, add 6 cups of water, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes. Strain the stock and keep it warm. (The stock can be made a day ahead, cooled quickly, and refrigerated, covered, until needed. Reheat it before proceeding.)

For the Stuffing:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch X 13-inch baking dish.
Toast the bread cubes on a pair of baking sheets for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly brown and crisp. Dump them into a large bowl. Turn the oven off unless you are proceeding to baking the dressing immediately after assembling.
Warm the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the leeks, celery, and mushrooms, and saute until very soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, and then scrape the vegetable and herb mixture into the bowl of toasted bread cubes. Add the stock, a cup at a time, until the bread is very moist but not soupy. You will probably use 2 to 3 cups of the stock. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if you wish. Cover and refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to proceed with it. (The dressing can be made to this point a day ahead.)
Preheat the oven again to 325 degrees.
Whisk the eggs and baking powder together and mix them into the dressing. Spoon the dressing into the baking dish and cover it. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 15 to 20 additional minutes, until lightly browned and crusty on top.

Notes

The dressing can be made in individual ramekins as pictured here, with additions of cranberries, raisins, sausage, or whatever will make your guests happiest! Butter the ramekins as instructed. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Recipe by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Story and Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Tira Howard

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The Quiet Revolution of The Witching Flour

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Emma Riva

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November 8, 2024

A baker in a red and white apron covered in flour

Baking is, I suspect, our oldest form of culinary expression, a delicate dance of time, temperature, and the natural world that nourishes both body and soul. On a quiet weekday afternoon, I meet Kelly Gee at her bakery, The Witching Flour, tucked away in a nondescript section of Eubank in Albuquerque. In this small yet evocative space, Kelly is quietly revolutionizing what it means to be a baker. This isn’t just any bakery; her creations aren’t just pastries. This is where tradition and creativity converge in an effortless and profound way, much like an artist who, having mastered her craft, now plays with its boundaries simply because she can.

Kelly’s journey to opening The Witching Flour wasn’t the result of some grand plan or meticulously crafted business strategy. Rather, it was a blend of intuition, passion, and fate. “I’ve always liked food and cooking,” Kelly shared, “but it wasn’t until culinary school that I realized baking was where my heart truly lay.”

The Quiet Revolution of The Witching Flour

But it wasn’t just any baking that captured Kelly’s imagination. The alchemy of flavors, the combination of the unexpected, truly sets her apart. “People always ask how I come up with these flavor profiles,” Kelly muses, “and I think it’s because I can taste things before making them. I know what something will taste like in my mind before it ever hits the oven.”

This ability to anticipate and craft flavors allows Kelly to break away from the norms. While many bakeries focus on the classics — the almond croissants and the chocolate chip cookies — Kelly pushes the boundaries. “I didn’t want to do the greatest hits,” she says. “Everyone makes almond croissants, and they’re great, but I wanted to show people that there’s so much more out there.”

A plate of delicious baked goods from The Witching Flour

The path to opening The Witching Flour was anything but straightforward.

Yet, the path to opening The Witching Flour was anything but straightforward. Kelly recalls the challenges of starting her own business with no mentor, no clear direction, and only a desire to create something unique. “I went into it pretty blindly,” she admits. “And I didn’t know what any of it was going to look like. But I just wanted to make something different, and luckily, people were receptive.”

And receptive they were. The pandemic, a time when many businesses struggled, oddly became a period of growth for Kelly. As the demand for her pastries grew, so did the need for space. It wasn’t long before she opened the doors to The Witching Flour on Halloween of 2023, a fitting date for a bakery with a name that hints at the supernatural.

But don’t be mistaken — there’s no hocus-pocus involved in Kelly’s baking. Her process is deeply intuitive, grounded in a sensory understanding of her ingredients. “I’m an intuitive baker,” she says. “It’s not really science to me; it’s more about how things feel, smell, and even the sounds they make.” This approach might seem at odds with the precision often associated with baking, but for Kelly, it’s a method that allows her to innovate constantly.

Kelly Gee, in a denim apron, stands in her curated baking space The Witching Flour

A philosophy of innovation

Her commitment to using a hundred percent sourdough starter is a testament to this philosophy. “I became obsessed with sourdough,” she says. “It’s such a different process, allowing for much experimentation.” This obsession led to a menu that changes weekly, where classic pastries sit alongside creations that are anything but typical. “My brain is always going,” she laughs, “and I think people have come to expect that there will be something new and exciting each week.”

The decor of The Witching Flour mirrors the uniqueness of Kelly’s pastries. Filled with taxidermy, vintage finds, and curiosities, the space is as much a reflection of her personality as it is a backdrop for her baking. “I’ve always liked creepy, dark things,” she says, “but my pastries are kind of the opposite of that. It’s all a juxtaposition.”

This blend of the unexpected — the dark and the light, the traditional and the innovative — makes The Witching Flour a place like no other. And while Kelly admits that it’s still a job at the end of the day, she’s grateful for the creative freedom it affords her. “I get to make my own schedule, plan my day how I want it to go, and constantly play with new ideas,” she says.

In a world where bakeries often play it safe, Kelly Gee’s The Witching Flour dares to be different. It’s a place where each bite offers a taste of the unexpected, where baking is less a science and more an art form, and where the magic of flavor is always in the air. Kelly says, “It’s all about balance, about getting the most flavor out of something through the simplest preparations. That’s where the magic really happens.”

Story by Gabe Gomez / Photography by Amanda Powell

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Holiday Cookie Recipes from New Mexico Bakers

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November 8, 2024

Two platters of holiday cookies sit beside each other.

Take four professional bakers and four keen home bakers and challenge them to bring their best holiday cookie recipe to the table. The results – as you might imagine – were delicious.

A table full of holiday cookies sits decorated in front of a bookshelf.

Nothing captures the child-like wonder of the holidays more than cookies—iced, spiced, sparkled, spangled. For TABLE’s very first celebration of these baked jewels, we chose the stately great room of the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum as our backdrop. Four professional bakers — Nicole Appels, Celina Grife, Molly Eyler Mix, and Chainé Peña — and four home bakers — Marti Mills, Alexander Murph, Dale Rice, and Richard Stangarone — took on our challenge of creating dozens of a favorite festive holiday cookie.

A woman in a red shirt and man in a blue shirt bite into Holiday cookies.

We delighted in beautiful stacks of New Mexico’s beloved bizcochitos, classic sugar cookie cut-outs, gingerbread-inspired confections, cookies with their roots in Italy and South Africa, and French macarons with a touch of local blue corn. Marcel Remellieux, the owner and head chef of Santa Fe’s wildly popular Mille French bakery, helped me pick this season’s best in our pro and amateur categories.

Two little girls sit on a window sill, munching on holiday cookies.

Guests at the event, including a couple of very discerning elementary school students, also voted on a People’s Choice award. We independently came to the same pair of conclusions, with the top choice being Chainé Specialty Cookie Shop owner Chainé Peña’s stunning macarons. Also named winning cookie was home baker Alexander Murph’s molasses-and-ginger enriched hermit cups, with their lemony centers and little caps of mascarpone cream. Honestly though, all these cookies are worthy of praise, and it’s our bakers’ pleasure to share their recipes with you as a holiday gift.

Crackly Sugar Cookies by Molly Eyler Mix

A group of Crackly Sugar Cookies sit on a brown sitting board with festive decorations around them.

A woman in a black button down shirt with brown hair sits in a chair for a portrait.

Bakery Feliz owner, Molly Eyler Mix, grew up baking from a very young age. She would sneak into her closet at night and bake cakes in her Easy-Bake oven. Fortunately, the light bulb that fueled the pint-size ovens in those days didn’t burn down the house. She went on to get a degree in food science and dietetics and baking jobs in the mountains of Colorado, where the food science degree came in handy when cooking at 10,500 feet.

She later had a business making wedding cakes, which she offers at her Santa Fe shop, along with other cakes, multiple varieties of cookies, and many other sweet treats. Molly suggests rolling these holiday favorites in sanding sugar or themed sprinkles to mark any occasion year-round. The dough can be frozen for up to four months. Many tasters commented on the chewy crackly texture of these charmers.

Mom’s Iced Christmas Sugar Cookies by Dale Rice

A few holiday themed Iced Sugar Cookies sit on a metal tin tray with ribbon and ornament bulbs around the try.

A man in a plaid green button down and grey beard sits in a chair for a portrait.

Dale Rice’s grandmother, Winifred Frazer, initially made this cookie back in the late 1920s. By the 1940s, the recipe had been handed down to Dale’s mom, Winifred Rice. When Dale was about six, he was allowed to ice them, delighting in the colored frosting and glittery sugars. By the time he was in his teens, he had begun “stirring them up,” as his mother would call it. This former journalist and journalism professor — with a stint as food columnist for the Austin American-Statesman — has continued to make them every Christmas season since.

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies by Richard Stangarone

A small pile of Lemon Ricotta Cookies sit on leaves of greenery with lemon peels scattered throughout.

A man in a red long sleeve button up sits in a chair for a portrait.

Richard Stangarone has cooked since he was a youngster, under the watchful eye of his Italian grandmother, but he didn’t start baking in earnest until he moved to Santa Fe 25 years ago. He was always surrounded by good Italian cooking. The original version of this cookie caught his eye, though, just a few years ago, and he’s been perfecting it ever since. All who sampled the cookie commented on its bright burst of lemon, as well as its colorful coating of sprinkles.

Bisco-Chai-tos by Marti Mills

A plate full of biscochitos with chai seasoning on top in the shape of yucca flowers.

A woman baker in a white sweater sits in a chair for a portrait.

Passionate home baker Marti Mills grew up eating her great-grandmother Harriet’s biscochitos each holiday season. They would start whipping them up right after Thanksgiving and continue making them by the dozens through New Year’s. It was Harriet that began the family tradition of hand-cutting them in the shape of a flor de izote, or yucca flower, continued by Marti today, and especially appreciated by all our cookie tasters. Marti has made one change to the traditional cookies though, flavoring them with chai spices rather than the more expected anise. Marti suggests adding some of the chai spice mixture to a cup of tea to sip while nibbling the bisco-chai-tos.

Hermit Cups by Alexander Murph

On a brown plate sits little cookie cups with a swirl of icing and cinnamon on top of them.

A man in a sage green t shirt sits in a chair for a portrait.

Alexander Murph balances the highly technical work he does as a consultant at Los Alamos National Laboratory with the creative energy of baking. He came up with this “Best” — as awarded by the judges as well as by our “people” — of the home bakers’ cookies with his original mash-up of gingerbread and hermit bars. He credits Ina Garten, Sally’s Baking Addiction, and Urban Bakes with recipes that inspired his lovely little creations, molasses- and spice-rich cookies filled with lemon curd, and topped with mascarpone cream. Murph, as he’s known to all, comments that the downside of his recipe is that “There’s a lot of waiting around, while the upside of it is that everything keeps very well in the fridge, so you can do many of these steps in any order, then compile things whenever you’re ready.”

Biscochitos by Celina Grife

A grey platter full of flower shaped Biscochitos with cinnamon sticks sitting about the plate.

A woman in a black shirt with longer blonde hair sits in a chair for a portrait.

Native New Mexican Celina Grife had a bustling 15-year real estate career in Albuquerque and was making her Grandmother Maggie’s biscochito recipe for her clients each holiday season. When the housing market collapsed in 2008, Celina started selling the anise-scented cookies to supplement her diminished income. The biscochito business became such a sensation that she never returned to real estate. One of our event’s tasters aptly called these “sheer perfection.” If you wish to duplicate that ethereal quality, Celina stresses that you can use no fat other than lard. She used a Zia stamp to decorate her cookies. If you don’t want to make her recipe yourself, the luscious morsels are sold at select outlets around Albuquerque and Santa Fe and can be ordered from celinasbiscochitos.com. She and her team whip up a variety of flavored versions during the Christmas holidays, along with the classic New Mexico state cookie style.

Peppermint Crisp Sugar Cookies by Nicole Appels

Two baking trays hold a few brownish sugar cookies with peppermint topping.

A woman in a black button town t shirt and short hair sits in a chair for a portrait.

Nicole Appels immigrated to the US from her native South Africa after getting a culinary degree in pastry. She has worked with Auberge Resorts as a pastry chef as well as been a partner in a Santa Fe bake shop. By the time, you read this, she hopes to have opened her new project, Mzanzi Mana, offering South African meals and desserts. The cookie she devised for our holiday celebration is a variation on a popular South African tart. Our cookie tasters loved the peppermint flavor and crunch. The tennis biscuits called for are a popular South African snack, a bit like graham crackers with coconut flavoring. These and peppermint crisp candy bars are online at amazon.com and other online sources.

Blue Corn Macarons by Chainé Peña

A line of blue corn macarons with red floral pieces on tops sit on a silver ribbon on a grey table.

A woman in a white shirt with a turquoise necklace sits in a chair for a portrait.

Chainé Peña, a sixth generation Santa Fean, has loved baking since she was a kid. She began posting images of cakes and cookies she had made for fun on social media. Initially, she was surprised when people started asking her if they could order her creations. In 2016, to accommodate the requests, she got her catering license through Albuquerque’s community commercial kitchen, The Mixing Bowl, because Santa Fe didn’t yet have a facility for her to use.

Her fascination with macarons came, as you might guess, from travels to France. She has greatly expanded, though, on the classic repertoire with flavors like these blue corn beauties. As an added fillip, Chainé topped them with teeny sugar paste red chile ristras. Macarons are fairly finnicky. While in other recipes, we have generally given weights and measures, here it is truly essential to measure the ingredients in grams to get the desired result. Follow Chainé’s directions exactly.

Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison / Photography by Tira Howard / Styling by Julia Platt Leonard / Location Courtesy of Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum

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Baccalà con Patate e Pomodori (Sicillian Salted Cod)

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Samuel

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November 7, 2024