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Gluten-Free Sesame Yuzu Matcha Tart

By
Samuel
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0
Four long tarts with green filling on a golden plate, with a coffee cup and two forks next to them on a white striped surface.

If you’ve been searching for the perfect gluten-free tart dough recipe, this one is a game-changer. Light, buttery, and easy to work with, this tart crust is designed to hold up beautifully while still delivering that delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Paired with a rich sesame almond frangipane and a bright, citrusy yuzu curd, this recipe creates a tart that’s as stunning as it is delicious.

Gluten-Free Baking

Gluten-free baking can sometimes feel intimidating, but with the right ingredients and techniques, you can achieve bakery-quality results at home. This recipe uses gluten-free all-purpose flour and almond flour to create a dough that’s both sturdy and flavorful. The frangipane adds a nutty sweetness, while the yuzu curd brings a refreshing tang that balances every bite. Together, they make a dessert that’s elegant enough for special occasions yet simple enough to enjoy anytime.

Whether you’re gluten-free by choice or necessity, this tart is proof that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor or texture. From the crisp golden crust to the silky citrus filling, every layer is crafted to impress. Follow the step-by-step instructions, and you’ll have a gluten-free tart that not only looks professional but also tastes unforgettable.

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Four long tarts with green filling on a golden plate, with a coffee cup and two forks next to them on a white striped surface.

Gluten-Free Tart Dough

  • Author: Selina Progar
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Description

Creates a buttery, gluten‑free tart shell made with almond flour and chilled overnight for the perfect texture. The dough is rolled, shaped in tart rings, and baked until golden, ready to be filled with your favorite flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 114g butter
  • 86g powdered sugar
  • 2g salt
  • 29g almond flour
  • 50g eggs – 50 g (1 standard large egg)
  • 223g gluten-free all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. On a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream butter, powdered sugar, salt, and almond flour until light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs in and mix until incorporated
  3. Add flour in and mix until combined.
  4. Remove from mixer and plastic wrap and let rest overnight to chill.
  5. Once the tart dough is set, remove it from the fridge and dust the table with a little bit of flour, and roll out the tart dough to the thickness of a piece of standard cardboard.
  6. Put your favorite tart ring on a piece of parchment paper and cut out a piece of the rolled out dough just slightly larger than the ring.
  7. Place the dough into the ring and gently press down to fit. Be sure to create ‘90 degree’ angles and press the mold to the sides.
  8. Allow a little bit of the excess dough to hang over the edge. You will trim this after a par bake
  9. Place back in the fridge to cool completely.
  10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake tarts for 10 minutes. Then remove the tarts and let cool slightly. Trim the edges with a paring knife. Place the tarts back into the oven and back for 15 – 20 minutes longer until uniform and golden.
  11. Remove from oven and let cool. Release from tart rings. You may need to use the paring knife again.
  12. Keep wrapped to stay fresh until you are ready to fully assemble.

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Gluten Free Sesame Almond Frangipane

  • Author: Selina Progar
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Description

A rich almond filling is made with butter, sugar, eggs, sesame seeds, and almond extract for a nutty, fluffy base. Once baked, it’s cut to fit inside tart shells, adding depth and flavor to the dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 79g sugar
  • 122g almond flour
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 140g butter
  • 122g eggs – (roughly 2 extra large eggs)
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 43g gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 2g salt

Instructions

  1. On a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar, almond extract, sesame seeds, butter, and salt. Cream together on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides after each addition. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed after the eggs have been added.
  3. Add flour, and mix on stir until incorporated, then mix for 1 minute on 2nd speed.
  4. Prepare a ¼ sheet pan with pan spray and parchment paper. Spread out evenly and bake at 350 degrees starting at 10 minutes.
  5. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched.
  6. Let cool. Use the tart ring to cut out pieces, you will place these in the bottom of your tart.

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Yuzu Curd

  • Author: Selina Progar
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Description

This smooth, citrusy curd blends yuzu juice, eggs, sugar, and butter with a touch of white chocolate for balance. Thickened with gelatin, it sets into a bright, tangy filling perfect for layering in tarts.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 150g yuzu juice
  • 120g sugar (split 60 and 60)
  • 50g butter
  • 150g eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp gelatin powder – (half a packet)
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 80g white chocolate
  • 1/4 tsp citric acid (optional, creates a slightly more tart curd, I keep it on hand when canning)

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle gelatin over water and let it bloom. Set aside.
  2. Combine butter, and white chocolate, and set aside.
  3. Place yuzu juice, citric acid, and sugar on the stove on low heat until it boils
  4. Combine eggs and other half of sugar and whisk until smooth. Pour boiling yuzu juice over the eggs as you whisk them. You can do this with a ladle as well. Pour this mixture back into the pot and turn the heat back on very low. Whisk continuously as your mixture begins to thicken turn off the heat. You do not want this to boil. Otherwise, your eggs will scramble and the curd will break.
  5. Add gelatin, butter, and white chocolate and whisk until smooth.
  6. You can use an immersion blender if you have that tool on hand.
  7. Place in the fridge in a non-plastic container to set.
  8. Layer this curd and almond frangipane on your tarts as desired.  

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Selina Progar
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce

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Lisa Lucas and Debrianna Mansini Make Comfort Food with a Feminist Twist

By
Emma Riva
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0
Lisa Lucas and DeBrianna Mansini stand in their kitchen, cooking comfort food but looking badass
Photo by Penina Meisels

Lisa Lucas and DeBrianna Mansini don’t compromise. Both are veteran film industry professionals and strident feminist activists, who met at marches for abortion rights before they became close friends. But their cookbook, That Time We Ate Our Feelings, is full of recipes meant to be non-intimidating, cozy, and accessible. The cookbook uses recipes from the Santa Fe-based duo’s hugely popular weekly live cooking show, Corona Kitchen, now called Golden Goose Kitchen.

That Time We Ate Our Feelings, A Cookbook from Friendship

Aside from running into each other at feminist marches, Lucas and Mansini knew each other from their television careers, where they both have star-studded resumes. Mansini starred as Fran in AMC’S Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, as well as writing and performing her own plays. Lucas has her own production company, LikeMinds, and served as an executive producer on hit shows like ABC’s The Bachelor.

Mansini, who comes from a large Italian family and sees the kitchen as her “creative space,” initially proposed the idea of a live cooking show. “I called up Lisa and said ‘Wanna cook live on Facebook and see if anybody joins us?’ And then we cooked live for 143 days straight,” she said.

“I credit DeBrianna with helping me use food to de-stress,” Lucas said. “I had gotten to that place where I was like ‘we’re doing takeout.’  All I made from scratch was cranberry sauce once a year. As Americans, we don’t take breaks. We’re workaholics. The pause of COVID allowed me to catch my breath,” she added.

From Cooking Show to Cookbook

That Time We Ate Our Feelings might focus on comfort food, but its recipe titles have some zingers. You won’t easily forget recipes like “Make Your Own Damn Ramen,” or “Throw Away Your Xanax Tribal Sustenance Homemade Matzo Ball Soup.” Mansini explained: “We’re actors. We like to laugh!”

Part of what made (and still makes) Corona Kitchen so popular is Mansini and Lucas’s humor and warmth. “I once had a KitchenAid mixer fall on my head when we were filming, and I just rolled with it!” Lucas remembered.

Apollo Publishers, which published the cookbook, was also drawn to their unique personalities. The cookbook came out in spring 2023. “We just thought: We’ll make the book we want to write, and maybe someone will want it. But we were in the meeting with that publisher for about twenty minutes before they said ‘Okay!’” Mansini said.

Then, it turned out food photographer Penina Meisels was a Corona Kitchen member on Facebook. Because COVID-19 restrictions were still tight, Meisels was working out of her home studio to photography. “I will never forget as long as I live the food styling sessions we had,” Lucas said. “Mostly everybody involved was women, and it was so different from our male-dominated film sets.”

What Makes Comfort Food Comforting

The height of the COVID-19 was an isolating time for everyone. Most of us needed some comfort. Mansini and Lucas defined “comfort food” as things that made them feel happy. That could also include meals meant to serve to others, not to eat themselve. “It’s the joy of sharing that’s as important as your own personal comfort,” Mansini said.

Lucas said that to her “food is love. It’s the memory of a family, something you can share with others.” And having both a cooking show and a cookbook means that they have an archive of family recipes. “That’s the beautiful thing about the internet. I tell my kids that if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, they’ll be able to feed themselves,” Lucas said. In That Time We Ate Our Feelings, Lucas recommends the Dutch Baby recipe and the Caesar salad as easy, fun cooking projects that can become staples. “I make both of those all the time,” she said.

To this day, the pair run continue to run Corona Kitchen as a Facebook group. They feel that with the upcoming 2024 election, people still need comfort food more than ever. Mansini and Lucas also aren’t shy about their feminist politics in their cooking show. “We used to think we’d lose followers for talking about those things, but we didn’t,” Mansini said. “We know we have Republican followers, and they stick around because we make good food.” On how cooking and feminism connect, she proclaimed: “We can choose to work in the kitchen, but you can’t keep us there.”

Story by Emma Riva / Photo by Penina Meisels 

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Behind the Scenes at Restaurant Martín in Santa Fe

By
Ethan Chmura
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Roasted New Zealand Lamb Rack

Restaurant Martín’s ever-creative Martín Rios gives us a preview of his cold- weather cuisine. Loaded with seasonal ingredients and plated with his eye for sophisticated beauty. 

Restaurant Martín Takes Market Stands to Fine Dining Standards

Martín Rios’s earliest food memories come from childhood in Guadalajara, helping his mother and grandmother at their market stands. They sent him to pick ingredients. Such as pozole, menudo, flautas, and more, teaching him to select produce, butcher meat, and waste nothing. Those early lessons still shape his dishes today. Before the first hard freeze, he now preserves any remaining produce and herbs from his own gardens. He does this by by dehydrating them, turning them into flavored vinegars, or storing them for winter use.

Martín moved to Santa Fe in junior high, when his parents relocated. To help support the family, he dropped out of high school and worked as a dishwasher. His talent and work ethic soon stood out, propelling him quickly to executive chef at the Eldorado Hotel—without a diploma or formal training. When his wife and future business partner, Jennifer, entered the picture, Martín confided his wish to go further. She helped him plan to earn his GED and save money for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.

Training and Return to Santa Fe

At the CIA, Martín worked under acclaimed chefs including David Burke in New York and George Blanc in France. After his externships, he and Jennifer returned to Santa Fe. The Eldorado welcomed him back, this time as executive chef of its new restaurant, The Old House. He later honed his skills at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi and Geronimo before he and Jennifer opened Restaurant Martín in September 2009—just in time to host a Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta dinner.

A Signature Style

Martín’s cooking begins with his classical training but branches into playful creativity. Inspiration might come from his Mexican heritage, a taste memory of Asian or Middle Eastern cuisine, or even a riff on American comfort food like clam chowder or Southern ham, beans, and greens. His favorite proteins include lamb, duck, and seafood, which he often sources from Jeff Koscomb’s Above Sea Level. He pairs them with earthy root vegetables—turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, carrots—and adds flourishes for texture, color, and flavor.

A meal at Restaurant Martín, paired with Jennifer’s warm hospitality, always feels special. Yes, we eat with our eyes first—so enjoy this preview of his fall menu before heading to the restaurant for the full experience.

Seasonal Dishes at Restaurant Martín

Yellowfin Tuna Crudo

Charred avocado, citrus salad, shaved turnips, kombu powder & fennel emulsion.

Martín devotes a whole chapter of his cookbook to crudo and ceviche. This fall version combines Cara Cara oranges for vibrant sweetness, turnips for spice, fennel for anise notes, and briny kombu for balance.

Yellowfin Tuna Crudo

Roasted New Zealand Lamb Rack

Rutabaga & butternut squash purée, crispy potato & bacon pavé, hon shimeji mushrooms, black garlic reduction.

Lamb, Martín’s favorite red meat, anchors this dish. Roasted root vegetables and fermented garlic bring sweetness and depth, while the potato pavé adds smoky richness from bacon.

The Roasted New Zealand Lamb Rack

Roasted Honey-Glazed Duck Breast

Crispy duck confit fondant, charred radicchio, baby carrots, celery root purée, black currant duck reduction.

Martín highlights duck in two ways: a crisp-skinned, honey-glazed breast and a rich confit. Grilled radicchio offsets the sweetness with bitterness, while celery root and currants tie the dish together.

Roasted Honey-Glazed Duck Breast

Roasted Baby Beets & Pickled Strawberry Salad

Goat cheese mousse, fennel oil, fennel fronds, Belgian endive, red leaf lettuce, cider & mustard seed vinaigrette.

Inspired by his mother’s ensalada de Nochebuena, this beet salad changes with the seasons. Pickled strawberries add tang, fennel provides anise notes, and cider vinaigrette highlights fall apples.

Roasted Baby Beets & Pickled Strawberry Salad

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops

Kabocha squash & carrot purée, pickled carrot salad, sautéed fennel hearts.

Plump scallops meet earthy sweetness from squash and carrots, with pickled carrots adding bright pops of acidity. Lightly sautéed fennel balances the dish with texture and subtle licorice notes.

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops

Two-Chocolate Crémeux

Pumpkin seed brown butter financier, buttermilk custard, blackberry & papaya gels.

This dessert layers milk and dark chocolate crémeux, enriched with coffee and cinnamon, over nutty financiers. Buttermilk custard lightens the plate, while jewel-toned fruit gels add color and brightness.

Two-Chocolate Crémeux

Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Photography by Kate Russell

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A Winter Staycation at El Monte Sagrado

By
Kylie Thomas
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0
The spa room at El Monte with a white bed, curvy fireplace, and warm lights.

TABLE contributor Kelly Koepke stops in for a winter staycation at El Monte Sagrado in the beautiful city of Taos.

Taos is magical. That’s a refrain sung by more than a handful of the people we met in this town which prides itself on being a haven for spiritual seekers, ex-hippies, art appreciators, ski bums and those looking for a down-to-earth getaway.   

The magic starts before we approach Taos. My favorite part of the drive north from Santa Fe on the low road to Taos is the final curve through the canyon when you catch a brief glimpse of the gorge. That fleeting moment signals that once you crest the hairpin turn ahead, you’ll arrive on the plain. There, laid out for miles ahead, is the steep rift valley caused by shifting tectonic plates. Far below at the bottom of the gorge is the Rio Grande making its way south.  

Also in front of us are the brooding Sangre de Cristo Mountains, whose mood is always shifting, never the same, no matter how many times you see them. Magic. 

A Winter Staycation at El Monte Sagrado

We’re headed to El Monte Sagrado, a Heritage Hotel resort and spa in the heart of Taos. This “Sacred Mountain” resort sits on four beautifully kept acres just blocks from the historic plaza. Two full-time groundskeepers maintain the mature cottonwoods, pines and other evergreens, several waterfalls and ponds, and the wandering paths through the property. Their work reminds guests that New Mexico’s high desert doesn’t mean barren, even in the wintertime.  

Entering the resort’s hushed lobby, the scent of sage and piñon hits me, conveying a sense of calm and peace. A tall amethyst geode to the side of the crackling fireplace is an impressive anchor for the curving two-story space defined by stacked stone and plaster walls. The crystal in the center of the swirling ceiling is a 90-pound naturally occurring citrine, bouncing a warm glow around the space. 

A Quiet Connection to the Earth 

One door leads to a low-ceiling reception room set up like a quiet living room. The gracious staff offers water, coffee or tea then escorts us to our second-floor Taos Mountain room. 

The room, as well as the entire resort, are decorated with natural materials linked to the history of this place. There’s cowhide-covered armoires and a stone fireplace whose pebbles also cover the sides of our two-person soaking tub and the floor of our shower. A rusty, aged patina covers the wrought-iron railings on our balcony, upon which we overlook a life-sized elk statue in our park-like view. The room’s painting of wild horses reflects a Southwestern aesthetic. 

The resort does an exceptional job of setting the Taos scene. The public areas, bar, library, and dining room feature Southwestern art and sculpture from local artists. Some of the art is even for sale. If guests prefer, the resort offers several guided Taos excursions through its tour company, too.  

Taking in the Amenities  

We have enough time after dropping our overnight bags in the room before our dinner reservation at De La Tierra Restaurant to stroll the path through the resort’s global casitas area. These suites and stand-alone guesthouses take their names, design elements and décor from places miles away. You’ll spot elements from Morocco, China, Japan, and Argentina. We walk through the circular open space in the heart of the resort, mindful of the three monolithic rock sculptures guarding two waterfalls. We pass the full-service spa and the indoor saltwater pool and hot tub, themselves surrounded by trees, plants, and flowers. 

Drinks in the lively Anaconda Bar––named for the gilded, snake-like sculpture that hugs the ceiling of the serpentine bar to coil down a column along one side––included the signature Jasmine Pearl. This elegant libation blended Fernet-Branca, gin, a jasmine tea infusion, and lemon juice. It’s a refreshing start to the evening’s main event: dinner from the menu of Chef Cristina Martinez. 

Dinner with Chef Cristina Martine of El Monte Sagrado

James Beard Award-winner Mark Miller, of Santa Fe’s Coyote Café fame, mentored Chef Cristina when she took over the resort’s kitchen in 2016. She now creates a changing seasonal menu that features the best of what the area has with an international flair. The winter menu features hearty fare like elk, duck, and venison, and of course, Hatch green chile on the burgers. 

We opted for Pan-Seared, Blue Corn-Crusted Ruby Trout with Tucumcari White Cheddar Grits. Plus, a starter of honey-chipotle grilled shrimp over a deconstructed salad of cucumbers, corn, and guacamole. An excellent steak frites was overshadowed by that evening’s appetizer special. Three jicama-shelled tacos overflowed with a combination of tender shredded duck, crunchy slaw, and a spicy sriracha aioli. We could have made a meal of those tacos alone. 

Too full from our feast to think about dessert, we returned to our room and that deep-soaking tub. The aroma of sweet lemongrass and bamboo from the bubbles perfumed the room and relaxed us deeply. Inevitably, we slipped between deliciously smooth sheets and drifted off with one thought: magical.  

Things to Discover at El Monte Sagrado 

  • The dining room chandelier was designed as a tribute to the Rose Window in the West Facade of the Cathedral at Reims in France, the traditional place where the kings of France were crowned.  
  • Go to the bathrooms near the pool, where the sink backsplashes are 50-million-year-old limestone fossil murals from Wyoming.  
  • Check out the antique pool table in the library, built in the early 1900s and once owned by pool hustler Rudolf Wanderone, who named himself after the fictional character Minnesota Fats embodied by Jackie Gleason in the 1961 film, The Hustler, with Paul Newman in the starring role. 

Story by Kelly Koepke / Photography by Doug Merriam and El Monte Sagrado

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Traditional Tamales

By
Samuel
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0
A black bowl filled with traditional tamales wrapped in corn husks, with one unwrapped tamale on a smaller plate showing a rich, red filling.
Five generations of the Martinez family gathered together to share their Christmas traditions with TABLE Magazine.

Tamales are one of the most beloved traditional foods of New Mexico, bringing families together during holidays, celebrations, and Sunday dinners. This authentic New Mexico tamales recipe, shared by Theresa Martinez and her family, shows how to make tender pork tamales wrapped in corn husks with rich red chili sauce and soft masa dough. It’s a dish full of flavor, history, and love—passed down through generations.

Traditional Tamales Recipe

Making homemade tamales may take time, but the process is part of the tradition. From simmering the pork shoulder until it’s tender, to preparing the masa harina dough and soaking the corn husks, every step adds to the final taste. The red chili pork filling gives these tamales their bold Southwestern flavor, making them a favorite in New Mexican kitchens.

Whether you’re preparing tamales for Christmas, a family gathering, or simply to enjoy a taste of New Mexico at home, this recipe will guide you through each step. With simple ingredients and clear instructions, you’ll be able to create tamales that are both authentic and delicious—perfect for sharing with family and friends.

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A black bowl filled with traditional tamales wrapped in corn husks, with one unwrapped tamale on a smaller plate showing a rich, red filling.

Traditional Tamales

  • Author: Theresa Martinez
Print Recipe

Description

This recipe shares how to make traditional New Mexico tamales filled with tender shredded pork simmered in red chili sauce. The masa dough is spread on soaked corn husks, filled, folded, and then steamed until firm for a classic homemade dish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the filling:

  • 4 lb pork shoulder or 3 1⁄2 lb pork butt, trimmed of fat and shredded
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tbsp garlic salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 cups red chili sauce

For the dough:

  • 4 cup masa harina
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic salt
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup lard
  • 50 dried corn husks

Instructions

  1. In a 5-quart roaster oven, bring pork, water, garlic salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to boil.
  2. Simmer covered, about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender.
  3. Remove meat from broth and allow both meat and broth to cool. (Chilling the broth will allow you to easily remove the fat if you desire to do so.)
  4. Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat.
  5. Strain the broth and reserve 2 cups.
  6. In a large saucepan, prepare the red chili sauce and add meat; simmer, covered for 10 minutes
  7. In a separate bowl, stir together masa harina, baking powder, garlic salt and 2 teaspoons salt.
  8. Add lard to dry mixture, mixing by hand until well blended. Add just enough broth and water to make a thick, creamy paste.
  9. In the mean time, soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes; rinse to remove any corn silk and drain well.
  10. To assemble tamales, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture on the center of the corn husk. If husks are small, overlap 2 small ones to form one.
  11. Place about 1 tablespoon meat and chili mixture in the middle of the masa.
  12. Fold in sides of husk and fold up the bottom.
  13. Add water to double broiler just below basket
  14. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up.
  15. Bring water to boil and reduce heat.
  16. Cover and steam 20 minutes, or until dough is firm. Adding water to broiler when necessary.

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Story and Photography by Gabriella Marks
Styling by Robert Nachman
Food by Theresa Martinez and family

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Celebrating Bean Day in Wagon Mound

By
Ethan Chmura
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0
Pinto Beans with Sausage and Wilted Kale

For longer than New Mexico has been a state, the citizens of Wagon Mound, a village about 40 miles north of Las Vegas, have celebrated Bean Day. Every Labor Day weekend, they gather to salute not just any bean, but the pinto bean. Julia Platt Leonard joins them, and spills the beans.

Bean Day for the Pinto Bean

A couple dozen people sit on folding chairs around long tables in the Wagon Mound Fire Department. It’s late afternoon, and the open doors let in sun and a light breeze. People talk, giggle, and gossip, but their hands move constantly. Fingertips glide across the tables like on an invisible Ouija board as we separate stones and dirt from piles of pinto beans.

I ask for a few pointers, grab a seat, and join in. Compared to Bean Day veterans, I’m painfully slow. Some participants live in Wagon Mound—population 264, according to the 2020 census—while others return each year for Celebrating the Pinto Bean. It’s a chance to catch up with family and friends, hear the latest news, and enjoy really good food. “It’s like a big family reunion,” says Luis Lopez, Wagon Mound resident and Bean Day Association president.

Preparing the Feast

We sweep the cleaned beans into large stock pots. Before I can catch my breath, more beans spill from sacks onto the table. In total, we handle 300 pounds of beans. Many hands make light work, and soon a band strikes up, dancers fill the floor, and others gather around a barbecue outside the firehouse.

All this for a bean? Not just any bean. The pinto is New Mexico’s state vegetable, along with chile. While chile often steals the spotlight, the pinto bean serves as the workhorse of New Mexican cooking. It’s hard to imagine a meal without it. As one of the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash—it nourishes both people and soil, enriching fields with nitrogen.

A Painted Bean with History

Once, Wagon Mound was a major agricultural hub for pinto beans. Today, most of the state’s crop comes from Estancia Valley, a bucolic region about an hour from Albuquerque. Growers like Ness Farms rarely sell beans outside New Mexico because locals love them so much.

Pinto beans belong to Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean family that includes kidney and green beans. In Spanish, they’re frijoles pintos, or “painted beans.” Like palomino ponies, raw pintos show soft brown flecks over a white base. Cook them, and the speckles vanish, replaced by a creamy richness perfect for stews, burritos, and more.

The Big Cookout

So what happens to all those sorted beans? Volunteers carry the pots to a field near the rodeo grounds, where they dig a 30-foot trench. They light a fire, lower in the cauldrons of beans seasoned with red chile powder, add 800 pounds of beef wrapped in foil packets, and bury everything overnight. On Labor Day, the trench is unearthed, temperatures checked, and the beef and beans are served alongside coleslaw and flour tortillas.

Lopez says they feed about 1,500 people, though no one really counts—and they’ve never run out. The food is free. Visitors arrive for the parade, stay for the feast, and linger under shady trees to enjoy live music. The weekend also brings a rodeo, a school dance, mud bog races, horseshoe pitching, and a car and truck show. All of it celebrates the humble pinto bean.

Delicious Pinto Bean Recipes

Check out these amazing recipes by Julia Platt Leonard that celebrate the Pinto Bean! You can find them and more recipes at newmexico.tablemagazine.com.

Master Pinto Bean Recipe

Slow Cooker Chile-Rubbed Beef & Beans

Squash Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans with Sausage & Wilted Kale

Story by Julia Platt Leonard
Food Photography by Dave Bryce
Styling by Merrie O’Donnell
Location Photography by Esha Chiocchio

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Flavorful Fall Fruits

By
Abdul Rafay
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0
Baked apples topped with melted cheese and spices sitting on a wooden surface with scattered apple slices and rosemary nearby.
Special thanks to Julia Platt Leonard, Brad Furry and Braden Furry for 4-76 and visit newmexico.tablemagazine.com. their invaluable assistance on this shoot.

Pears and apples are so commonly available these days that they’ve lost a bit of their seasonal luster. We’re out to fix that with these fall fruits. Pears and apples are particularly luscious when at their peak of freshly picked ripeness. Autumn offers the best possibility of finding locally grown cultivars like tangy jonathan or rotund, rome beauty apples, or the king of pears, the deep-carmine comice. Venture out to farmer’s markets or orchards to be reminded of how special these tree fruits really are.

Flavorful Fall Fruits

Baked Apples with Sausage Stuffing

Four baked apples stuffed with sausage plated rustically on a wood background

Throw off that down comforter and feast on these sage-scented baked apples for a cool morning breakfast. They command respect as part of a full-on spread, but they’re just grand all by themselves, or perhaps with a piece of lightly buttered, sourdough toast. If you’re a brunchy sort of person, pour yourself a wee glass of prosecco and tuck in!

Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake

A ginger pear upside-down cake served on a wooden board surrounded by fresh rosemary.

Fruit-topped upsidedown cakes have a retro hominess. This one turns the pineapple classic on its head, substituting pears, and then lacing both the cake and its gooey topping with a warm flourish of ginger. This is a wonderful dessert to make for company. Serve it with a nip of cognac, and let the conversation wander uninhibited.

Grilled Cheese and Pear Sandwich

A rustic kitchen scene showcasing two fall inspired dishes--grilled cheese and pear sandwiches served on a platter alongside sliced baked apple with herb sauce in a bowl.

Fruit and cheese make an elegant, continental finish to a meal. But when you combine pears with Fontina and an herb sauce, you have a creamy, dreamy, sweet and savory lunch sandwich. Any type of bread works, but give this a try with either raisin or rye for something even more special. True confessions: ever since Cheryl plated up portions of this sandwich after the photograph was taken, we have yearned for more.

Apple Crisp

A rustic photo of a baked apple crisp sitting on a wooden table accompanied by scattered apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and pecans.

To me, apple crisp is the dish for fall. It takes me back to my childhood, when my mother would search out tart Jonathan baking apples from nearby orchards each season to make it particularly special. Because almost everyone’s mother or grandmother made a version of this, nostalgia is part of the joy. Luckily, this simple, cast-iron-skillet-recipe allows you to enjoy the trip down memory lane without any trouble.

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

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Bonita Applebum Brandy Cocktail

By
Abdul Rafay
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Bonita Applebum cocktail featuring apple brandy, ginger-chai honey syrup, and orange bitters in a martini glass garnished with a dehydrated apple slice on a rustic wooden surface.

Inspiration for mixologist Andrea Duran comes from many places. In this case, she started with a playlist of songs with the word ‘apple’ in them to craft a brandy cocktail. “Bonita Applebum,” a hit off A Tribe Called Quest’s 1990 album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, was the winner. A rousing blend of apple brandy, ginger-chai, and orange bitters emerged. as the young folks say, “it’s a vibe.”

Making Ginger Chai Honey Syrup for This Brandy Cocktail

To make Ginger Chai honey syrup this recipe requires bring 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of honey to boil, take off flame, drop two spoonfuls of loose-leaf, Ginger Chai tea and let steep for 5 minutes or until desired richness of flavor. Strain and use once cooled to room temperature.

Bonita Applebum Brandy Cocktail Recipe

 Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Build in shaker, shake vigorously, add ice, and shake again. You should have a nice foam top formed—keep shaking until you see that.
  2. Strain into martini glass and garnish with a dehydrated apple slice.

Recipe by Andrea Duran / Styling by Sarah Cascone / Photography by Dave Bryce

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Apple Crisp

By
webpubpro
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A green pan with apple crisp in it sits on a wood table surrounded by apples, brown sugar, and walnuts, and a spoon.

Apple Crisp is a nostalgic taste of fall.

To me, Apple Crisp is THE dish of fall. It takes me back to childhood, when my mother would search out tangy Jonathan baking apples from area orchards each fall to make it particularly special. 

Apples are so commonly available these days that they’ve lost a bit of their seasonal luster. They are particularly luscious when at their peak of recently picked ripeness. Autumn offers the best possibility of finding locally grown varieties like tangy Jonathan baking apples mentioned above. Make the effort to seek these out from orchards or farm markets to be reminded of how special these tree fruits really can be.

What’s the Difference Between Apple Crisp, Apple Crumble, and Apple Cobbler?

Apple crisp, apple crumble, and apple cobbler are all delicious desserts that feature apples, each with their own distinct characteristics. A crisp is typically made with a topping of oats, brown sugar, and butter, creating a crunchy, golden-brown crust. A crumble is similar to a crisp but has a coarser texture due to larger chunks of butter or even whole nuts within the crumble. Finally, a cobbler is made with a biscuit or pastry dough that is dropped over the apple filling for a soft, flaky topping.

An apple crisp sits in a dish with a spoon taking a piece out of the pan. The piece sits on a plate to the right of the pan.

Apple Crisp Recipe

Serves 6 to 8 

Apple Crisp Ingredients

  • 3 lb tart apples, such as Jonathan or Granny Smith 
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 
  • 1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar 
  • ½ cup pecan pieces 
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
  • ½ tsp salt 
  • ½ cup (1 stick) + 2 tbsp unsalted butter 

 Crisp Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.   
  2. Butter and 8-to-9-inch skillet or baking dish. 
  3. Peel, core, and slice the apples into small chunks. Pile them into the prepared skillet. Mix about 2 teaspoons of the flour with the apples. 
  4. Combine the remaining flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture becomes a crumbly meal.  
  5. Spoon it over the apples evenly, packing it down lightly. Bake the crisp for about 30 minutes, until the topping is crunchy and the apples tender. Serve warm. 

Adapted from American Home Cooking © 2000 by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison 

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

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Baked Apples with Sausage Stuffing

By
webpubpro
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0
Four baked apples stuffed with sausage plated rustically on a wood background

Throw off that down comforter and feast on these sage-scented baked apples for a warm breakfast on a cool morning (or enjoy any time of day). The sausage stuffing adds an extra bit of savory protein. This is a great recipe for peak apple season in September and October, when apples will have the most flavor packed into each juicy bite.

Tips for Making Baked Apples

You want to pick the right variety of apple for baking. Some of the best “baking apples” are Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin. This is because these apples will get firm and tender without turning to mush when you bake them. Make sure you have an apple corer or a melon baller on hand to core the apples, because you don’t want to cook the core.

Recipe by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Keith Recker and Julia Platt Leonard
Photography by Tira Howard 

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